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bridgedeebookish95's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Whew. Baldwin's account of the hypocritical nature of the Black church and really just religion at large and the damage that does is so specific, searing, haunting, and stunning. I also really enjoyed the structure of this book being told in three parts and all of the parts, in some way or another, informing each other. I read a lot of Baldwin's non-fiction work, but I'm making my way through and revisiting his fiction (which is just as real) after only reading Another Country and Giovanni's Room in high school and I'm loving it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Racism, Suicide, Violence, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Terminal illness
snailslowreader's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Book 1 for 2024 (reviewed for HBR):
Go Tell It on the Mountain's emphasis on Christianity and how characters interact with it may seem alienating for a reader who isn’t interested in the topic, but by grounding the book in fundamental human emotions, it's made far more accessible. Baldwin is particularly interested in the deep anxieties and pressures of conforming with those who truly believe in God, and not knowing if you want to conform. The question of how someone knows they are “saved” is one way that the book expands into themes of self-hatred, understanding yourself, and insecurity in one’s past and future. The book is told by multiple members of a family: a boy, his aunt, his stepfather, and his mother, who all ruminate on their own callings—religious or not—and how they have strayed, or the costs of following them. Baldwin captures his characters’ intense and contradictory feelings in a way that’s insightful and beautifully written without being pretentious. By inviting some of the other characters to tell their stories and secrets, Baldwin is able to more subtly explore how their trauma ripples through generations.
Go Tell It on the Mountain's emphasis on Christianity and how characters interact with it may seem alienating for a reader who isn’t interested in the topic, but by grounding the book in fundamental human emotions, it's made far more accessible. Baldwin is particularly interested in the deep anxieties and pressures of conforming with those who truly believe in God, and not knowing if you want to conform. The question of how someone knows they are “saved” is one way that the book expands into themes of self-hatred, understanding yourself, and insecurity in one’s past and future. The book is told by multiple members of a family: a boy, his aunt, his stepfather, and his mother, who all ruminate on their own callings—religious or not—and how they have strayed, or the costs of following them. Baldwin captures his characters’ intense and contradictory feelings in a way that’s insightful and beautifully written without being pretentious. By inviting some of the other characters to tell their stories and secrets, Baldwin is able to more subtly explore how their trauma ripples through generations.
If anything, I wish that the novel was a bit longer so that everyone’s perspectives could be tied together. I do understand that Baldwin was mostly trying to show snapshots of people’s lives and how those experiences have affected them as people in a succinct way—almost half of the book is composed of memories recalled in a single prayer session—and I think he was largely successful. Nevertheless, no matter how much I did like the open ending, it still felt like there was more to tell, and a larger audience waiting and listening.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs
Moderate: Sexual content and Violence
lolabee's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Sexual assault and Sexual content
mattyvreads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Baldwin is so impressive. This book came out in the early 50s, and it still reads incredibly modern and just as relevant. Besides that, the writing is perfection. It is beautiful, poignant, and the characters feel so real. They are complex, layered, flawed, and relatable.
Baldwin has an exceedingly rare understanding of humanity. He is able to show a character’s abject cruelty, show us why that character is the way they are, without trying to redeem or justify their actions. “This is true and this is also true.” We understand that character without forgiving them. By the same token, Baldwin can show the depth of, say, a mother’s love for her child and explain how she came to love him so much. We will fall in love with this character. And then he’ll go on to show us her disdain for her other son. There is nuance and depth in every line.
This story tackles religion, namely the oppressive weight of Christianity, and its (seemingly rare) healing qualities, as well. The way each character talks about religion is fascinating. These characters are G*d-fearing, not G*d-loving. They live terrified of sinning, and the anguish of Hell fire. Yet there is a line between living life to an impossible standard (never having sexual thoughts, never drinking, never feeling jealousy, etc..) and the other side. We see Christianity give John hope in his own head (even if it seems like he unwillingly submitted to the religion). We see Christianity steer bad people away from infidelity and violence, until those villains inevitably stray. So it seems largely ineffective, too.
It presents the good and the bad.
In The Fire Next Time, Baldwin states “If the concept of God has any validity or any use, it can only be to make us larger, freer, and more loving.“ I believe that that assertion colors this entire text.
Loved this book and would love to read it again.
Baldwin has an exceedingly rare understanding of humanity. He is able to show a character’s abject cruelty, show us why that character is the way they are, without trying to redeem or justify their actions. “This is true and this is also true.” We understand that character without forgiving them. By the same token, Baldwin can show the depth of, say, a mother’s love for her child and explain how she came to love him so much. We will fall in love with this character. And then he’ll go on to show us her disdain for her other son. There is nuance and depth in every line.
This story tackles religion, namely the oppressive weight of Christianity, and its (seemingly rare) healing qualities, as well. The way each character talks about religion is fascinating. These characters are G*d-fearing, not G*d-loving. They live terrified of sinning, and the anguish of Hell fire. Yet there is a line between living life to an impossible standard (never having sexual thoughts, never drinking, never feeling jealousy, etc..) and the other side. We see Christianity give John hope in his own head (even if it seems like he unwillingly submitted to the religion). We see Christianity steer bad people away from infidelity and violence, until those villains inevitably stray. So it seems largely ineffective, too.
It presents the good and the bad.
In The Fire Next Time, Baldwin states “If the concept of God has any validity or any use, it can only be to make us larger, freer, and more loving.“ I believe that that assertion colors this entire text.
Loved this book and would love to read it again.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, and Violence
Moderate: Sexual violence
molliford's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Racism, and Violence
Moderate: Racial slurs and Rape
fatkingslug's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Hate crime, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Religious bigotry, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Gore, Rape, Sexual content, Police brutality, and Pregnancy
Minor: Homophobia
theremightbecupcakes's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Slavery, Suicide, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
romeri's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Infidelity, and Violence
Minor: Sexual assault
ohgull's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I read this book for my Multicultural Lit class. It was an interesting read, definitely not something I would pick out for myself, but I'm glad I read it. I liked the main protagonist John and seeing his character growth, but it felt a little stifled. The second half of this book was basically just exposition on how the Grimes family ended up like this and why the characters are the way they are. I don't know, it had good material in it, specifically talking about religion and race, but I wish there was more plot in the present and not all of the action happening 20 years before the novel begins.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Grief, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Death, Violence, and Police brutality
Minor: Drug use, Infertility, Rape, Suicide, Blood, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
mcasey11's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Racial slurs, Racism, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Minor: Suicide