If Beale Street Could Talk

I might have Baldwin-fatigue, but I thought this was just ok. I have to say I don't think it's much compared to [b:Another Country 38474 Another Country James Baldwin https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1353255131s/38474.jpg 1427427], [b:Go Tell It on the Mountain 17143 Go Tell It on the Mountain James Baldwin https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1348424233s/17143.jpg 1027995], or [b:Giovanni's Room 38462 Giovanni's Room James Baldwin https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1501485157s/38462.jpg 814207] ... which is fine, because those are some damn hard-hitters. It's interesting because this almost feels like one of those novels some hugely successful author wrote before they found success with better, later works. This is the opposite, which makes sense somehow; Baldwin was nothing if not unconventional.