Reviews tagging 'Child death'

El cuarto de Giovanni by James Baldwin

38 reviews

clarkg's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

 It's hard to find the language to describe the devastation that this book wrought upon me. Achingly beautiful. I miss James Baldwin. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Toxic relationship, and Death

Moderate: Murder, Outing, Grief, Sexism, Homophobia, Violence, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Infidelity, and War

Minor: Body shaming and Xenophobia

brynalexa's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad fast-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? It's complicated

4.25

Mundane but tragic plot. The characters are beautiful painted even though there is nothing likable about them except for what they hate about themselves. Unique POV. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Abandonment, Alcohol, Child death, Classism, Death, Misogyny, Grief, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Murder, Outing, Sexual content, Cursing, and Homophobia

uparrowhead's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

5.0

"Nobody can stay in the Garden of Eden"

I feel like there's nothing that I can truly put into words about this book that can do justice to the experience of reading it. Traversing through the pages of sorrow and melancholy of this novel felt like an unraveling journey that was slowly breaking me apart with each turn.

A classic which I think is a necessity to read for any queer person, James Baldwin's Giovanni's Room explores the turmoiled life of David – a man who left America in search of a more free life in Paris – and the developing relationship between him and Giovanni. Through the meandering narrative of David's life and the memories which he slowly recalls of both the past and the present, you're thrust into a story of depressing beauty laced in love and pain.

Conflicting sadness between desire and disgust mixes within the incredible writing and language of this novel, creating a fantastical read that I loved from start to finish. Reading through David's hatred for his own sexuality and the perpetual limbo he seems to be in when it comes to how he feels for Giovanni makes for a truly heart wretching story that I don't think I'll ever forget.

Accelerating, tragically romantic: an incredible story that I will never recover from, which brought me to tears by the end. I can't stress enough how masterfully crafted this is, and all I can ask is for more people to read the sickeningly beautiful narrative this remarkable novel puts through.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Classism, Death, Grief, Homophobia, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Murder, Infidelity, Child death, Sexism, and Sexual content

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Xenophobia, Alcoholism, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence

Minor: Cursing, Hate crime, and Pregnancy

ez_heath's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Body shaming, Child death, Classism, Death, Alcohol, Sexism, Sexual content, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Fatphobia, Suicidal thoughts, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, and Murder

flapjackzs_'s review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Death, and Adult/minor relationship

Moderate: Child death, Murder, Rape, Sexual harassment, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Classism, Death of parent, Misogyny, Outing, and Vomit

ghast's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.25

bro is suffering in the glass closet

Anyways, this is a tragic queer story about isolation and the fear of failing to reach the ideal American male standard, how this need to be perceived by society and to himself as sexually normal, ruins his relationships and found happiness in life.
It's sad, engaging, and made me feel empty afterwards.
pain. would recommend 👍

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Homophobia, Murder, and Sexism

Minor: Child death

zara89's review against another edition

emotional medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual content, Outing, Violence, Medical trauma, Alcohol, Suicidal thoughts, Infidelity, Homophobia, Car accident, and Child death

Minor: Death and Death of parent

kers_tin's review against another edition

dark reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Grief, Homophobia, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Death, and Misogyny

Minor: Sexual assault, Child death, and Death of parent

imnotarke's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.25

this was an experience. a true depiction about the process of escape, acceptance, and grief. the characters were problematic, but real, and you are left wishing the best outcomes for them despite the flaws and distaste. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Child death, Violence, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Misogyny, Homophobia, and Death

edgaranjapoe's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

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