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Set largely in Paris, James Baldwin’s novel centres on David, an American struggling to confront his desire for an Italian bartender named Giovanni. What begins as intimacy becomes a tragedy shaped by shame, fear and the need to perform an acceptable version of oneself. Baldwin’s prose is elegant but emotionally ruthless, capturing how denial can wound everyone it touches. Zendaya’s choice reflects an appreciation for fiction that treats identity and love not as abstractions, but as forces with human consequences.