Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

El cuarto de Giovanni by James Baldwin

175 reviews

ashdevito's review against another edition

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

5.0

A really good read! Despite the plot being given away in the introductory of this edition it doesn't fault the book in fact I'd argue it expands the book. A masterclass of writing a must read for every young queen person or a good book to introduce those to Baldwin and his work. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship

quinn24's review against another edition

5.0

Thank you James Baldwin for writing about internalised homophobia, toxic masculinity, and  how the closet kills, I love you. I feel like I’ve been hit by a bus.

Alexa play good luck, babe! by Chappell Roan

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Toxic relationship, and Alcohol

Moderate: Infidelity, Misogyny, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Cursing and Miscarriage

ericispublius's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

Baldwin writes with a heart-tearing beauty; he sees humanity in its tribulation & lamentation — each inseparable

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder

Moderate: Homophobia, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Outing, and Alcohol

lp961'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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Misogyny and Sexism

Minor: Transphobia

sarah_kula's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, and Murder

marthadude's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

• 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Death, Homophobia, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Outing, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

alexisgarcia's review against another edition

dark emotional sad fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Homophobia, Racism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Grief, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Alcohol

annoyedhumanoid's review against another edition

dark reflective medium-paced

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

4.5

in the last book i read, Greta & Valdin, Valdin is praised for not being "one of those gay men who says awful things about women" and reading that i was like what! which gay men are those, i'll fight them. these are those gay men.

i was expecting a tragedy of forbidden love between expats in Europe, a proto–Call Me By Your Name, but that's not what this is. rather, Giovanni's Room is a character study of two lost men who come to depend on each other for purpose, until their foundations crumble. the pacing was excellent and the journey as bleak as it was for our characters. i was going to make fun of my edition's Tortured Poets Department–ass cover (black-and-white photo of subject posed in almost cartoonish angst), but it's actually quite fitting:

David, our narrator,

is the smallest man who ever lived. they're both terrible misogynists, don't get me wrong, but this one is literally an emotional terrorist (albeit unintentional, i believe).

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, and Alcohol

Moderate: Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Grief, and Murder

Minor: Body shaming, Fatphobia, and Death of parent

ystvede's review against another edition

dark reflective sad fast-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Minor: Homophobia, Misogyny, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, and Violence

seapotatohowisitalrtaken's review against another edition

reflective sad fast-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 and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexual content, Transphobia, Violence, Car accident, and Alcohol

Minor: Child death, Suicidal thoughts, and Death of parent