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emma's Reviews > If Beale Street Could Talk
If Beale Street Could Talk
by
by
emma's review
bookshelves: non-ya, literary-fiction, diverse, classics, authors-of-color, 3-stars, eh, reviewed
Oct 14, 2021
bookshelves: non-ya, literary-fiction, diverse, classics, authors-of-color, 3-stars, eh, reviewed
James Baldwin is, to me, an author who can do no wrong, except for this book which in many ways felt, was, and tended to be wrong.
Don't get ME wrong - the discussion of the horrors of the criminal justice system is excellent. One of the best I've ever read on the subject.
But nothing else - the family relationships, especially Fonny's family, the romance, the characters themselves - worked for me as well.
The women of Fonny's family and the sex scenes especially were nightmarish - there is a lot of misogyny in here!!! And to be honest, I'm not typically a reader who can't handle misogyny. But there was something disturbing about this.
Bottom line: Three stars for the justice system depiction alone! Everything else...shudder.
----------------
pre-review
not my favorite. but what is, really
review to come / 3 or 3.5 stars
----------------
tbr review
might mess around and read everything james baldwin has ever written
Don't get ME wrong - the discussion of the horrors of the criminal justice system is excellent. One of the best I've ever read on the subject.
But nothing else - the family relationships, especially Fonny's family, the romance, the characters themselves - worked for me as well.
The women of Fonny's family and the sex scenes especially were nightmarish - there is a lot of misogyny in here!!! And to be honest, I'm not typically a reader who can't handle misogyny. But there was something disturbing about this.
Bottom line: Three stars for the justice system depiction alone! Everything else...shudder.
----------------
pre-review
not my favorite. but what is, really
review to come / 3 or 3.5 stars
----------------
tbr review
might mess around and read everything james baldwin has ever written
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Reading Progress
August 30, 2021
– Shelved
October 14, 2021
–
Started Reading
October 18, 2021
–
Finished Reading
Comments Showing 1-4 of 4 (4 new)
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Yep, I said similar in my review.
Aline Assuf wrote: "same here. was really grossed out by all the abuse and violence going on unchecked. also how he frames internal dialogue on how men are, how women are, what love between the loving couple is...lo..."
there was truly a lot to be bothered by here
Anna Maria wrote: "Yep, I said similar in my review."twins
love him but a lot bothered me there.