Reviews with content warning for Racial slurs - Von dieser Welt

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Von dieser Welt by James Baldwin

37 reviews

snailslowreader's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense 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

4.5

Book 1 for 2024 (reviewed for HBR):

Go Tell It on the Mountain's emphasis on Christianity and how characters interact with it may seem alienating for a reader who isn’t interested in the topic, but by grounding the book in fundamental human emotions, it's made far more accessible. Baldwin is particularly interested in the deep anxieties and pressures of conforming with those who truly believe in God, and not knowing if you want to conform. The question of how someone knows they are “saved” is one way that the book expands into themes of self-hatred, understanding yourself, and insecurity in one’s past and future. The book is told by multiple members of a family: a boy, his aunt, his stepfather, and his mother, who all ruminate on their own callings—religious or not—and how they have strayed, or the costs of following them. Baldwin captures his characters’ intense and contradictory feelings in a way that’s insightful and beautifully written without being pretentious. By inviting some of the other characters to tell their stories and secrets, Baldwin is able to more subtly explore how their trauma ripples through generations.

If anything, I wish that the novel was a bit longer so that everyone’s perspectives could be tied together. I do understand that Baldwin was mostly trying to show snapshots of people’s lives and how those experiences have affected them as people in a succinct way—almost half of the book is composed of memories recalled in a single prayer session—and I think he was largely successful. Nevertheless, no matter how much I did like the open ending, it still felt like there was more to tell, and a larger audience waiting and listening.

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herelieshenry's review against another edition

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emotional reflective slow-paced

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? Yes

5.0

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gvstyris's review against another edition

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challenging emotional reflective slow-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

3.5

There was not, after all, a great difference between the world of the North and that of the South which she had fled; there was only this difference: the North promised more. And this similarity: what it promised it did not give, and what it gave, at length and grudgingly with one hand, it took back with the other.

A sensitive, multi-faceted insight into the relationship between black America and religion. Each character is affected pretty differently by Christianity, and each story was well-executed and fascinating. Ultimately, I'd argue that Baldwin presents religion both as a guiding force and a tool that encourages black Americans to endure their oppression.

Go Tell It on the Mountain is absolutely deserving of its place in the literary canon, but was at times painful to parse through because of its religious jargon and (mostly) young narrator. That being said, I really liked the contrast between the sea and fire imagery, and am constantly in awe of Baldwin's female characters.

Honestly, I probably just wasn't in the right head space for this book, but am excited to continue diving into Baldwin's works.

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jfcoombs's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective tense fast-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

5.0

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mattyvreads's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-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? Yes

5.0

Baldwin is so impressive. This book came out in the early 50s, and it still reads incredibly modern and just as relevant. Besides that, the writing is perfection. It is beautiful, poignant, and the characters feel so real. They are complex, layered, flawed, and relatable.

Baldwin has an exceedingly rare understanding of humanity. He is able to show a character’s abject cruelty, show us why that character is the way they are, without trying to redeem or justify their actions. “This is true and this is also true.” We understand that character without forgiving them. By the same token, Baldwin can show the depth of, say, a mother’s love for her child and explain how she came to love him so much. We will fall in love with this character. And then he’ll go on to show us her disdain for her other son. There is nuance and depth in every line.

This story tackles religion, namely the oppressive weight of Christianity, and its (seemingly rare) healing qualities, as well. The way each character talks about religion is fascinating. These characters are G*d-fearing, not G*d-loving. They live terrified of sinning, and the anguish of Hell fire. Yet there is a line between living life to an impossible standard (never having sexual thoughts, never drinking, never feeling jealousy, etc..) and the other side. We see Christianity give John hope in his own head (even if it seems like he unwillingly submitted to the religion). We see Christianity steer bad people away from infidelity and violence, until those villains inevitably stray. So it seems largely ineffective, too.

It presents the good and the bad.

In The Fire Next Time, Baldwin states “If the concept of God has any validity or any use, it can only be to make us larger, freer, and more loving.“ I believe that that assertion colors this entire text.

Loved this book and would love to read it again.

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ellieg2604's review against another edition

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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? It's complicated

3.0

It was not what I expected, and was really hard for me to get into. I ended up enjoying it, but not until it was almost over and I finally understood what was happening.

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