Reviews tagging 'Pregnancy'

Go Tell It on the Mountain by James Baldwin

11 reviews

herelieshenry's review

emotional reflective 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Racial slurs, and Racism

Moderate: Child abuse, Rape, and Pregnancy

Minor: Infertility, Suicide, and Death of parent

genstrong's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Bullying, Chronic illness, Death, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual content, and Grief

Minor: Hate crime, Homophobia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Police brutality, Murder, and Pregnancy

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

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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

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. 

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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

annablume's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

impeccable writing, the first part was hard to get through for me

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Hate crime, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicide, Violence, Police brutality, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Death, Infertility, and Infidelity

Minor: Pregnancy

aloy's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective 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

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Alcohol

Minor: Racism and Slavery

anniefwrites's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad 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

This was my first James Baldwin, and WOW. Moving plot, language that sucks you right in, vivid interior worlds of all the characters. What a magnificent writer. I especially loved the parts where I got to live inside the mind of such a tender, confused, emotional boy. The way the story concluded wasn’t what I expected, and it’s going to be a while until I can unravel my complex feelings about it. But all in all, Baldwin has such a strong yet delicate voice, and I’m looking forward to reading more of his work. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual content, Suicide, Grief, Religious bigotry, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Blood, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Alcohol

Minor: Chronic illness, Homophobia, Infertility, Vomit, Police brutality, Pregnancy, and War

jojo_'s review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective slow-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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse and Racism

Moderate: Child death, Death, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Suicide, Police brutality, and Death of parent

Minor: Infertility, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual content, Slavery, Blood, Pregnancy, and Abandonment

annreadsabook's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad 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

Go Tell It on the Mountain is a true literary masterpiece. The writing is simply stunning. While it’s framed as a coming-of-age novel, it is so much more: it examines religion/spirituality, hypocrisy within the church, the lack of respect and care towards Black women (particularly by Black men), and racism. Moreover, while the novel is bookended by young John Grimes’ exploration of faith, family, and identity, embedded within the book is a deep look into the lives of the people who raised him and who form his community. It is a testament to the ways in which we are in part a product of the people who bring us up and surround us.

Especially as someone who grew up in the Black church (and who still attends a Black church), Baldwin’s depiction of the community within the book was provocative—on the one hand, there is a strong collectivist spirit that pervades the church, and on the other, one’s relationship with God is incredibly personal. Baldwin expertly deals with all of these dynamics and nuances without really hitting you over the head with them. And, while the novel actually covers a lot of topics to varying degrees, it never feels overwhelming. It just feels more like life.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Racism, and Suicide

Moderate: Pregnancy

Minor: Domestic abuse

davyjones's review against another edition

challenging emotional inspiring reflective tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Infertility, Infidelity, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, and Pregnancy