I know I'm in the minority, and let me explain.

For what it's worth, James Baldwin is a spectacular writer. There has never been any doubt in my mind about that. As a matter of fact, this isn't even my first Baldwin book, it was The Fire Next Time which I easily gave 5 stars. Perhaps because it was non-fiction and connected with the story and Baldwin's real life struggles.

That's not to say that he didn't pour out his struggles in this book. I presume that despite it being fiction, as a gay man who lived in Paris in the 1950s, the story mirrors much of his experiences. Unfortunately, I failed to connect with any of the characters and the storyline.

Needless to say, I appreciated the exploration of queer desire, as well as Baldwin's sense of self in the story. And it's okay that I can't relate! That won't ever stop me from picking up another one of his books, because he may be one of the best writers the 20th century had to offer.