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ethan_bridgesgarcia's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
What a roller coaster of emotions! This book has all the feels. I don’t know how many time I had to put this book down because of the sole fact that I related so much with the son and how he was treated by his father. The amount of hardships and struggles Jacob went through not just as a man but as a Black man struggling in a world that was already made hard for him by history but to have a gay son as well.
Many of the words Jacob said to Isaac my own father/mother has said to me. I don’t know if it’s a Southern thing but the fact that many of the gay men, or supposed gay men, in this story were called “funny,” only cemented how ignorant some people can be. Upon my own liberation from the closet, my mother asked me if I was funny… and it was the single most hardest silence I’ve ever felt. But for her to dismiss my answer only hurt more. My own father didn’t speak to me for 2 weeks. But now, nearly 10 years later, I’m married, my family has an amazing relationship with me and my husband. But still I would recommend this to any parent struggling with their kid’s sexuality.
This book Daniel Black has brought forth to the world had me in a whirlwind of tears and laughter and anger. In the particular scene of a friend suffering from AIDS comes to visit Isaac but Jacob stops to inform him that his son had moved away. I ugly cried for 20 minutes. The fact that Jacob was disgusted by how the young man looked, with sores and emaciated look to him. Jacob’s only thought was that his son would never sink that low to get the “gay disease.”
This book is possibly my favorite book I’ve read all year and I will recommend it to anyone. Just make sure you have tissues. In fact, make it a crying towel. There’s a lot of tears to be shed.
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Pregnancy, Violence, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Child death, Chronic illness, Classism, Emotional abuse, Grief, Homophobia, Racism, Abortion, Cancer, Death, Death of parent, Terminal illness, Bullying, Hate crime, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Sexism, Slavery, and Toxic relationship
megbooks02's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Homophobia, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, Misogyny, and Racism
Moderate: Abortion
lindsloveslit's review against another edition
4.0
Some of my favorite quotes were:
"...this record of a poor Black father's appeal, is what any dying daddy might say to his son... Many of them were handed so little, yet expected so much. They gave more than they had, but less than we need."
"Now I see why you and your mother read so much. It makes you think, makes you see things you can't see, and that was my problem. I had all kinds of opinions ,but I couldn't see a damn thing."
"The more I thought about it, the more hurt I became. Hurt is worse than anger, you know. Anger dwells in the head, then fades. Hurt lingers in the soul. It arranges your feelings without your permission. It binds you."
"The day I finished the book, I closed it slowly. It had opened my eyes as if, my entire life, I'd been asleep. I'd never known I could decide how to live, how to be in this world. Never knew I had the right."
Graphic: Child abuse, Terminal illness, and Death of parent
Moderate: Abortion and Infidelity
danileah07's review against another edition
2.0
Graphic: Sexism, Child abuse, Racism, Homophobia, Misogyny, and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Death, Sexual assault, Death of parent, and Suicide
Minor: Animal cruelty and Abortion
hanreadin's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Chronic illness, Homophobia, Medical content, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Sexism, Sexual assault, Slavery, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Death, Grief, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Cancer, and Abortion
fifi_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Sexism, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, and Racism
Minor: Abortion
bookworm247's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Abortion, Alcohol, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Slavery, Bullying, and Death of parent
Minor: Emotional abuse, Pregnancy, Animal death, and Infidelity
edensbookshelf's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Child abuse, Rape, Homophobia, Physical abuse, and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Miscarriage, Racial slurs, Racism, Misogyny, Abortion, Ableism, Sexism, and Death of parent
mcelizabeth97's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Don't Cry for Me is an epistolary novel written from a father on his death bed to his gay son who he hasn't spoken to in years. The writing is so well done that if you had told me these were actual letters written by a man to his son, I would believe you. Daniel Black definitely has a gift (and also reads the audiobook which I recommend listening to).
Being able to see Jacob reflect on his entire life and think of all the things he wish he had done differently was heartbreaking. Seeing his reasoning for doing the things he'd done and hearing his regrets made me sadder than I expected to be.
I rate this book highly, but I'm not really sure who I would recommend it to. Please check the trigger warnings before reading this book.
Graphic: Death, Homophobia, Domestic abuse, and Cancer
Moderate: Sexual assault
Minor: Gun violence, Suicide, and Abortion
mkzach's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Homophobia, Terminal illness, Death of parent, Child abuse, Child death, Alcoholism, Abortion, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, and Domestic abuse