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A review by sp1derfairy
Another Country by James Baldwin
challenging
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
There’s so many different themes in this: of aging, of disillusionment, of loss, of separation and misunderstandings, of connection, of pain, and of love. The book pushes us to confront ourselves so we can better ourselves
The title had confused me until I read the last sentence where Yves describes NYC as “the city which the people from heaven had made their home” and it finally clicked for me that ‘another country’ represents people seeking out havens, seeking out something to replace their lives, and something better. We can do this to a point that we idolize these places, and the last sentence foretells this story happening once more, but to Yves (becoming disillusioned with the world). A necessary evil to maturing and how we’re all united in trying to escape it.
Baldwin’s character building is exceptional and he excels at making you feel for each character and reach an understanding, to a certain degree, with them.
Struggling to find a way to keep going amidst the suffering that exists is a central theme; as book three’s quote says “how with this rage shall beauty hold a plea/ whose action is no stronger than a flower”. While it is a severely depressing topic to wrestle with, Baldwin does it in a way that makes me extend a greater degree of appreciation towards the people and things in my life that I do love. It asks us to confront ourselves and open ourselves up to the world, to try and feel the world.
The book makes us ask ourselves how we keep going and it also gives us an in-depth, discomforting look at the power of love and hatred. Seeing the depictions of the white people in the book lashing against the discomforting truth of racism and how their perspectives are completely altered and how much emotional labor this puts their Black friends or lovers through—because they are already familiar with this darkness in the world—makes me want to be a better ally--a better friend--to the Black people in my life.
This feels like a book I haven’t visited at a time where I have all the life experience for it. I don’t think I fully comprehend the concept of love and hate being so close together, and I’m still so young. It does make me want to read more of Baldwin’s works though, to understand his beliefs, to understand these concepts to a higher degree. I also have a new appreciation for semicolons and emdashes now.
The title had confused me until I read the last sentence where Yves describes NYC as “the city which the people from heaven had made their home” and it finally clicked for me that ‘another country’ represents people seeking out havens, seeking out something to replace their lives, and something better. We can do this to a point that we idolize these places, and the last sentence foretells this story happening once more, but to Yves (becoming disillusioned with the world). A necessary evil to maturing and how we’re all united in trying to escape it.
Baldwin’s character building is exceptional and he excels at making you feel for each character and reach an understanding, to a certain degree, with them.
Struggling to find a way to keep going amidst the suffering that exists is a central theme; as book three’s quote says “how with this rage shall beauty hold a plea/ whose action is no stronger than a flower”. While it is a severely depressing topic to wrestle with, Baldwin does it in a way that makes me extend a greater degree of appreciation towards the people and things in my life that I do love. It asks us to confront ourselves and open ourselves up to the world, to try and feel the world.
The book makes us ask ourselves how we keep going and it also gives us an in-depth, discomforting look at the power of love and hatred. Seeing the depictions of the white people in the book lashing against the discomforting truth of racism and how their perspectives are completely altered and how much emotional labor this puts their Black friends or lovers through—because they are already familiar with this darkness in the world—makes me want to be a better ally--a better friend--to the Black people in my life.
This feels like a book I haven’t visited at a time where I have all the life experience for it. I don’t think I fully comprehend the concept of love and hate being so close together, and I’m still so young. It does make me want to read more of Baldwin’s works though, to understand his beliefs, to understand these concepts to a higher degree. I also have a new appreciation for semicolons and emdashes now.