Go Tell It on the Mountain By James Baldwin

 Go Tell It on the Mountain

By James Baldwin

John Grimes struggles with his father and himself in this novel about a family's relationships with one another and with their Pentecostal Church values. The book follows John's struggle with his father, who is not his biological father (unknown to him) and how his father (Gabriel) treats him poorly and abusively. John finds his way into his faith and hopes it will bring him closer to his father.

Gabriel's backstory is explored, showing the moral hypocrisy of the church as Gabriel acts in ways that counter the moral values of the church. He refuses to see his wrongdoing, claiming that he has found forgiveness in God's eyes.

Elizabeth's backstory shows her falling away from her religious upbringing when she meets and falls in love with John's biological father. When she meets Gabriel she is brought back to the church and her faith, with the promise that he will take care of her and John.

The church is both a positive and a negative force in the lives of these characters. It is repressive and hypocritical, yet it brings them together and provides a sense of community and inspiration in their daily lives. The book is semi-autobiographical, containing many element of Baldwin's own life. Baldwin, like John, became heavily involved in the church as his sexuality started to surface as a queer man. The novel also explores the Harlem Baldwin grew up in and the experience of those part of the Great Migration from the south to work in the north.

Baldwin's writing is beautiful in this novel, but my experience wasn't as good as it was when I read Giovanni's Room. This was his first novel, so the growth he experienced as a writer is evident between the two books. I wasn't as invested in this book, but I did feel for John and liked the underlying tension his character expressed. He is a character in conflict with himself and it was done masterfully. The nonlinear structure didn't bother me, but at times the time shift within certain passages was jarring or confusing. Still, a wonderful story. I'm giving it 4 stars.