James Baldwin's masterpiece reads like a noir film set in 1950s Paris, where the real crime isn't passion but self-deception. An American expat and his Italian lover circle each other in a dingy room, both knowing this can only end one way. Baldwin strips away every romantic illusion to reveal the raw nerves of shame, desire, and the lies we tell to survive. It's brutal, beautiful, and unforgettable and never overstays it’s welcome.
