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cowardlyteaman'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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I'm embarrassed to admit that I'd never heard of Baldwin until I came across this book in the shelf, but holy mother of Christ, he's an EXCELLENT author.
I really do love how realistic the characters here are. They're all atrocious human beings, but in a natural way. They're so repressed and internalised everything, that it makes sense how they act like they do. And I must say that, as a queer guy, I was very charmed by Giovanni myself in the beginning, too. Had a strong love-hate relationship with all the characters, but Jacques especially.
The ending was very satisfactory and realistic. I'm terrible at advertising books, but this was seriously an amazing read. Not a happy one, by all means. Lost all hope in my community. But a good read nonetheless. 10/10
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Toxic relationship, Grief, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
Moderate: Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racism, Murder, Outing, Abandonment, and Classism
Minor: Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, and Death of parent
im_eebee's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.75
Graphic: Alcoholism, Biphobia, Body shaming, Bullying, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Mental illness, Racism, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Car accident, Death of parent, Outing, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Classism
kristina_in_space'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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Minor: Homophobia, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Murder, Outing, and Alcohol
paddy_chh's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Body shaming, Death, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic relationship
berthe'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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Biphobia, Body shaming, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Death of parent, Murder, Outing, and Toxic friendship
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
Note: I pictured James Baldwin as Giovanni, and Hugh Dennis as Jacques.
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Violence, Grief, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Outing, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Classism
onmalsshelf's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Also The Atlantic lied in their blurb, ‘Exciting…a book that belongs in the top rank of fiction’
Exciting? Where?
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Blood, Death of parent, Outing, Alcohol, and Classism
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: Misogyny, Sexual content, Grief, and Alcohol
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
renniewest'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
4.0
this novel is crushing in its depiction of the complexities of human conditions, love, mental illness, etc… it’s made me the kind of melancholy that sticks with you for a while.
Moderate: Alcoholism, Death, Mental illness, and Toxic relationship
jazzy_t's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
4.5
I enjoy reading about a side of lgbt+ I maybe haven't really read before. Paris in 1960s ish.
I felt the characters had a lot of depth and you connect to them but also become angry at them. They most definitely aren't perfect. I feel the author added this to the characters beautifully.
James Balwin the author is an amazing intreting man who deserves to be remembered more than his is currently.
Enjoyed the read, would recommend.
Graphic: Child death, Death, Mental illness, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Homophobia