Scan barcode
bearbutch'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
Minor: Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Homophobia, and Death
everesto's review against another edition
- 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
4.25
Graphic: Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Grief, Murder, Death, Pedophilia, and Sexism
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Transphobia, Rape, and Sexual content
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
kitandink's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
(okay on a serious note, this is my first time reading baldwin and it was brilliant. his prose - there's an urgency in it. like he's sat in a chair across from you, holding your gaze intensely, and going, "listen. listen to this.")
Graphic: Death, Homophobia, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Sexual content and Sexual harassment
amy_q13'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: Toxic friendship, Homophobia, Alcohol, Toxic relationship, Classism, Fatphobia, Emotional abuse, and Misogyny
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Body shaming, Sexual content, and Murder
bookworm_sarah'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
3.75
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Death, and Homophobia
Moderate: Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, and Murder
Minor: Child death and Miscarriage
rooksauna'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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Minor: Violence and Death
e_r_q's review
- 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
"I feel in myself now a faint, a dreadful stirring of what so overwhelmingly stirred in me then, great thirsty heat, and trembling, and tenderness so painful I thought my heart would burst."
Despite being only 150 pages long, it did take me a while to read Giovanni's Room. It's definitely a lot to digest, it's very literary and emotionally intense, but those are also exactly the reasons I love this book so much.
With his powerful prose, it feels as though James Baldwin is reaching across time, right into the depths of my Queer soul. Honestly, sometimes it even hurt to read this (in a good way).
Giovanni's Room is a story of self-destruction, identity, shame, repression, alienation, gender and sexuality. It's a tale that examines the destructive forces of toxic masculinity, and internalised homophobia and misogyny. To quote Baldwin himself:
"It's about what happens to you if you're afraid to love anybody."
"But if I were still able to feel affection and if he had seen it in my eyes, it would not have helped, for affection, for the boys I was doomed to look at, was vastly more frightening than lust."
Baldwin is a master at writing. The way he plays with tense/chronology/structure is especially ingenious. While very literary, his writing isn't impenetrable, and is still filled to the brim with complex themes, intensity, symbolism and poeticism. Every sentence is so perfectly crafted, and there are so many quotes that just took my breath away.
I honestly can't do this book justice with words. Just read it. It's life changing.
As I finished this book in a graveyard, bathed in the gleam of the Spring sunlight, the striking potency of the climax involuntarily caused me to frantically hold the book closer to my face. And when it was over, with that haunting denouement, I closed the book and sat there for a while in silence.
"No matter how it seems now, I must confess: I loved him. I do not think that I will ever love anyone like that again."
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Death, Toxic relationship, Homophobia, and Transphobia
Minor: Misogyny and Sexual content
sanperse'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
4.75
Moderate: Transphobia and Misogyny
Minor: Death
lerburger's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death and Homophobia
simplythegirl's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
By the end of the book it seems like how David identifies (gay straight or bisexual) is still up for debate. His decision in the end can be seen as further denial of his true self especially during times where it wasn't accepted to be anything but straight but others can interpret his decision as ending an experimental time for David.
His decision could also be symbolic of a part of himself dying much like Giovanni died.
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Violence, Death, Rape, Murder, Homophobia, and Sexual violence