A review by elyseyost
Another Country by James Baldwin

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

4.5

The prose is beautiful and thoughtful. The dialogue between characters is so natural and flows better than most other books I’ve read. Baldwin has a way of revealing his characters and their motivations so artfully throughout the story, while simultaneously revealing truths about their social and cultural fabric. He addresses the most daunting social and personal conflicts. His writing is a poignant observation of the world. 

 

That being said, there were parts that were really hard to get through because of the misogyny, which is entrenched in not only the character’s, but (I would argue) Baldwin’s mindset as well. It was kind of disturbing how often people, mostly women, were described as “like a child” or “like a little girl” during sexual scenes. Baldwin also seems to have given all the women in the novel some weird fantasy about being “overtaken” and “forced” by men that comes too close to rape in my opinion.