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A review by inpalemoonlight
Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
- 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
5.0
A devastatingly beautiful story, painful, poetic and intense. I can’t believe I only read the book now…
Even though the flaws of the main characters are always in focus, I empathized with most of them and was captured by Baldwin‘s story of the impossibility of a queer love, Paris nightlife, depression, gender roles, homophobia, precarity and betrayal.
James Baldwin portrayed the characters, their emotions and the overall atmosphere in such a clear and touching way, including the internalised homophobia and shame that the protoganist felt in every interaction with Giovanni. It was painful to read, how he couldn‘t admit to any feelings or love until it was too late and how it all destroyed Giovanni in the end. I loved the symbolic character of the room, the confined spaces, the protoginists feeling of being trapped behind those walls and on the other hand Giovannis’ (failed) attempts to renovate it, to make more space for them.
I really hated the sexism, how the protoganists girlfriend at first seemed to be this independent woman travelling Spain but was then trapped by internalized perseptions of a woman‘s role.
Even though the flaws of the main characters are always in focus, I empathized with most of them and was captured by Baldwin‘s story of the impossibility of a queer love, Paris nightlife, depression, gender roles, homophobia, precarity and betrayal.
James Baldwin portrayed the characters, their emotions and the overall atmosphere in such a clear and touching way, including the internalised homophobia and shame that the protoganist felt in every interaction with Giovanni. It was painful to read, how he couldn‘t admit to any feelings or love until it was too late and how it all destroyed Giovanni in the end. I loved the symbolic character of the room, the confined spaces, the protoginists feeling of being trapped behind those walls and on the other hand Giovannis’ (failed) attempts to renovate it, to make more space for them.
I really hated the sexism, how the protoganists girlfriend at first seemed to be this independent woman travelling Spain but was then trapped by internalized perseptions of a woman‘s role.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Sexism, and Classism