Reviews tagging 'Infidelity'

Don't Cry for Me: A Novel by Daniel Black

14 reviews

nad_books623's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This story is something that a lot of Black families can connect with. The story reminds me of my grandfathers childhood and possibly what some of my distant relatives experienced. There were moments that it was difficult for me to read but the story was well written and too compelling. I had to give it a day, but this book is staying with me. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Cancer, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Alcoholism, Abandonment, Child abuse, Death, Toxic relationship, Classism, Sexism, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Abortion, Death of parent, and Racism

Minor: Racial slurs, Child death, Infidelity, and Slavery

hamstringy's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective slow-paced

• 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

This book made me cry a little bit! Black writes a book that is compulsively readable for all its main character is precisely the type of person I would not want to meet in real life. He has a knack for fleshing out difficult characters and the relationships they form. 
I do agree with some reviews I read that his growth at times can feel a little too straightforward, but I also don’t think it really pulled me out of the story. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Sexism, Sexual violence, Homophobia, Infidelity, Racial slurs, Domestic abuse, Suicide, Violence, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual harassment, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Sexual assault, Bullying, Terminal illness, and Misogyny

tlaynejones's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Grief, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Homophobia, and Violence

Moderate: Terminal illness, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Alcoholism, Racism, and Infidelity

hayleyvharrington's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Terminal illness, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Murder, Biphobia, Domestic abuse, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Racism, Sexism, Slavery, and Violence

Moderate: Abandonment, Alcoholism, and Chronic illness

Minor: Alcohol

sup3r_xn0va_maya's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

update: 1 hour later

I had book club and discussed this book with some really cool friends. After talking it out I can see where the author was going with this book. I think my take away is that we should give Black men grace and understand when it comes to the ways they show up in our lives. Some of them might not know the "typical" ways to show love so they show love in the only ways they know.

I'm giving this a 3.5 out of 5 stars. 

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This book is ultimately about generational trauma and Black boy and manhood.
The main character wasn't likeable at all and I didn't like how terrible the main character was. With each confession I just became more and more irritated with the book and him. He was somewhat a grey area character, but to me he was just an unlikeable asshole. 

He often complained that he wanted his child to "be a man" and be confident and have strength but every chance the main character has at reaching out to his child to reconcile their relationship, he shys away. So now he's the meek one? Yeah, I don't like that hypocrisy, with as much grief as he gave his son for not acting like "a man", he could have stood up and "been a man" when it came to connecting with his son. 

I felt sorry for his family because they had to deal with him. I understand that he is trying to learn and do better as a person, he's so unlikeable that I don't care if he's trying to become a better person. I'm trying to be understanding to his character but it's hard for me.

My friends felt more sympathy than I did for the main character and maybe you will too.

I'm giving this a 3 out of 5 stars.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Outing, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Infidelity, Lesbophobia, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Rape, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexism, and Suicidal thoughts

laurataylor's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion, Chronic illness, Cancer, Death, Infidelity, Medical content, Colonisation, Cursing, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Grief, Miscarriage, Addiction, Alcohol, Animal death, Child abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Pregnancy, and Racism

callikat's review

reflective sad slow-paced

• 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Cancer, Child death, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, and Racism

Moderate: Infidelity, Physical abuse, and Hate crime

evilyn's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad fast-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Child death, Death of parent, Terminal illness, Slavery, Infidelity, Bullying, Child abuse, Misogyny, and Cancer

Moderate: Sexual violence, Transphobia, and Suicide

buttermellow's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative reflective sad slow-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence and Homophobia

Moderate: Child abuse, Racism, Cancer, Death of parent, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, and Bullying

Minor: Infidelity and Medical content

lindsloveslit's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

4.0

Shout out to @mea.booknook (on IG) for the buddy read via @the.storygraph. Having someone to talk through the heaviness of the book with was something I didn't know I was going to need. 💜 Y'all, this book was captivating - so much so that I stayed up late to read it (& sleep is my favorite, so this is saying a lot). It was heart breaking, but it also reminded me that I love historical fiction. It left me almost speechless - the perspective it gives is not one often told, and it is IMPORTANT. That said, it felt incomplete. I missed the son and the mothers perspective, and I WANT A SEQUEL with their thoughts and point of view. 🤞🏽
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."

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Terminal illness, and Death of parent

Moderate: Abortion and Infidelity