Reviews

Giovannis Zimmer by James Baldwin

d____eb's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

A beautifully written book. Baldwin’s prose is enchanting, and once you get accustomed to his abundant use of commas, the story flows easily despite how painful it is. The character of David is raw and flawed. In his fear of his true self he, inadvertently, as many of us often do, hurts others around him. Giovanni’s character is beautiful and tragic, and it feels as though all of Paris wronged him. The imagery of Paris is really well written, and I could picture the streets through which they walked at night half-drunken.

I found some of the language around trans women to have aged poorly. I would like to believe it was more a reflection of David’s contrived way of thinking than of Baldwin himself.

My biggest issue with this novel is unfortunately its treatment of the female characters. I’m not sure why I was surprised, considering the time it was written, and the fact that, despite Baldwin being a great writer, its author is ultimately a man. There are bits where I think Hella is inching close to the emancipation, like she’ conflicted with being free and also wanting to be defined by David. But in the end she, and the few other women in the story, are one-dimensional. One can probably blame David, as it is his point of view and inherently biased. Still, left me feeling a bit sad, as it might’ve been an otherwise perfect book.

Still, I highly recommend it. Not only because it is beautiful and sad, and painfully human, but because it belongs in the canon of great literary works of the modern times.

olivia260207's review against another edition

dark reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

mymomsloft's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

neuro_chef's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring reflective sad slow-paced

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

5.0

heartiques's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

melissev's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

kpopzter's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

tellsbooks's review against another edition

5.0

Poetic. Honesty. No hyperbole.

James takes you into the bars, the nightlife of Paris with David, never even knowing his name, till later in the book. James takes us around with David as he goes through these internal battles of whether or not to give himself over to his truth as a gay man. He takes us among other men who are living in varying states of being public (well as public as you could be in the 50s) with their homosexuality. David has so many conflicting ideas of what it means to be gay, though they never use the word, he also wants to know what it means to be happy in his truth. An American in Paris, David never really gets to happy until he finds Giovanni or Giovanni finds him. They go at each other, making each other feel a whole gamut of emotions. The way James writes is like you can see every picture, every scene, it's like your standing in the midst, you're inside it. It plays out like a movie in your head where you're in the head of the protagonist, struggling alongside David, but also able to see into the head of his lover and roommate, Giovanni, and you feel what he must also feel, recognizing his truth and wanting to make a forever, legitimate go for it, in a time where he simply can't. You get to be inside the situation and fight with both men's sense and perceptions of immorality, of happiness, lust and love, duty and moral obligations, you get to be there inside it and it's not easy. It's challenging, frustrating and unresolved but worthy of the battles. It's life. Lastly, the novel deals with the realities of being denied love and what depravity it can lead someone to, spiralling downwards, in those situations.

Giovanni's Room is beautiful, ahead of its time but perfectly of it. It makes you consider life and what it means to be happy, whole and free (mentally, sexually and to be able to love and be with whom you choose). It's still heavy reading it now, over 60 years later, considering that people internationally still have a problem with LGBTQIA showing love and being able to come together in love legally. This book is a killer.

patches_of_purple's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

4.5

jimmiethekidd's review against another edition

emotional reflective fast-paced

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

4.0