giovanni's room feels like such a must read book and i'm really glad i finally picked it up! like what an absolutely depressing story of queer denial and hiding behind a painfully fake facade that hurts not just yourself, but everyone else around you. it's heart wrenching and raw in its depiction of queer love and self hatred.

the way david is portrayed, with his self loathing and denial of who he is. how he's unable to fully be comfortable with giovanni OR hella. it was just, wow, perfection. it felt so real. like i know nothing about james baldwin, but damn could that man write something so painful yet powerful. like happy pride month to my depressed ass i guess?

(i don't know if i'm delusional, but it felt very akin to a little life by hanya yanagihara in some ways? it very much gave me the same kind of feelings overall when reading both books).