Reviews tagging 'Domestic abuse'
O Quarto de Giovanni by James Baldwin, Paulo Henriques Britto
16 reviews
miller8d's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Spoiler
I found the ending of this book quite disappointing and I really wish there had been more plot to this book. It felt like nothing really happened in comparison to how much of the book was spent explaining— it was a lot of telling and not a lot of showing, which isn’t bad, it’s just not my preference. James Baldwin is incredible and brilliant and this book is historically significant, but I did not enjoy it very much.Note: I pictured James Baldwin as Giovanni, and Hugh Dennis as Jacques.
Graphic: Abandonment, Addiction, Alcohol, Homophobia, Sexual violence, Suicide, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Classism, Outing, Sexual harassment, Violence, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual assault, Sexual content, Domestic abuse, Grief, and Sexism
nzmerchant's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Transphobia, Misogyny, Homophobia, Miscarriage, and Violence
edgaranjapoe's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Homophobia, Infidelity, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Alcohol, Grief, Misogyny, and Sexual content
Minor: Car accident, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Murder, Rape, Sexual harassment, Toxic friendship, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Abandonment, Death, War, Transphobia, Violence, Classism, Bullying, Death of parent, Alcoholism, Child death, and Injury/Injury detail
lizziaha's review against another edition
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Murder, Violence, Homophobia, Sexual assault, Alcohol, Death, Infidelity, and Misogyny
Moderate: Domestic abuse and Suicidal thoughts
kingcrookback's review against another edition
- 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
Spoiler
Guillaume being a member of an old money French family and Giovanni being a poor Italian immigrant in Paris, it's difficult to fathom that class and nation didn't play significant roles in Giovanni's trial and, consequently, his fate. Thus, it's difficult to fathom that Baldwin didn't deliberately seek to depict how these broader ideas affect and complicate daily emotional life.On the subject of race/nationality, if I recall correctly, there was also some criticism about the fact that Baldwin chose to write his protagonist as a white man rather than a Black one. However, I found that even though there were no Black characters present, the story was very aware of David's American-ness, if not exactly his whiteness. It's been said that people become more aware of how their homelands have impacted them once they travel abroad, and this is true for David. Though he becomes familiar enough with Paris to get around and have an understanding of the rhythms of the culture, he is never truly at home in Paris. Giovanni and the French characters alike speak of the differences they perceive between Americans and people of the Old World, and later, Giovanni speaks scornfully of the image of moneyed American tourists in his hometown. Rather than separating the subjects of race and homosexuality by writing a white protagonist, I believe Baldwin chose to examine them in conjunction with each other by focusing initially on white masculinity. Whiteness as a concept is irrevocably tied to a sense of superiority and supremacy, but David in the end finds that clinging to his idea of masculinity ultimately fails him, leaving him low.
Graphic: Death, Homophobia, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Alcohol, Classism, Murder, Misogyny, Child death, and Death of parent
Minor: Domestic abuse
izzthicc's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Spoiler
David is still unlikeable, still running away from that which scares him, but he’s still changed in a way, though you can see that he has no plans to deviate from his habits.Spoiler
I just really liked this book. It’s the first of Baldwin’s works that I’ve read and I’m now looking forward to reading some more.Graphic: Homophobia, Transphobia, and Violence
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Murder, Infidelity, and Gun violence
jeremie's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Homophobia
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Murder
dniespal's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexual assault, Death, Domestic abuse, Grief, Homophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Alcohol, Outing, Sexual harassment, and Toxic relationship
thomasdj's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Moderate: Domestic abuse and Emotional abuse
Minor: Alcoholism
rachelbug's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Homophobia, Misogyny, and Domestic abuse
Minor: Child death