Reviews tagging 'Racism'

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

41 reviews

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

wellreadmegs's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective fast-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

5.0

This was a quick read but had such depth. I feel like I gained a lot of perspective and more empathy toward older generations because of this book. I thought it was truly a thought-provoking read and I devoured it but also wanted to savor it. This book tackled subjects of race, generational trauma, religious beliefs, and sexuality. 

The author's note about wrecked me and then I just felt this ache throughout the entire book. Wishing the father could somehow find a way to connect with his child. I loved the way this story was told and appreciated the quick chapters. This book could easily be read in one sitting. 

The books reminds me slightly of a modern-day Tuesday's With Morrie. Everyone should read. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Racism, Homophobia, and Murder

cc_shelflove's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

Receiving something like this from your dead parent would honestly be a gift. Told in letters written to his son, Jacob asks Isaac for amends after he failed as a father and ostracized his son for being gay. The letters read like a memoir, so I often forgot I was reading a piece of fiction. Don’t Cry for Me was very educational in that it explored both generational and racial differences. There are so many stories about the past that we forget to ask our loved ones while they are alive. Once they are gone, the questions seem to flow more freely. I wasn’t on the edge of my seat, and I think the book would have been better if it included Isaac’s reactions to the letters. Overall, a strongly worded novel.

If you liked this book, check out Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Terminal illness, Sexual violence, Homophobia, Death of parent, Child abuse, Cancer, Domestic abuse, and Racism

Moderate: Child death and Alcoholism

Minor: Blood, Slavery, and Suicide

bookbuyingwithkatie's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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, Domestic abuse, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, and Violence

Moderate: Racism

afroheaux's review against another edition

dark 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

5.0

This book was an incredibly emotional read. Take care while reading. It dives deep into the roots of abuse and it’s cyclical nature. The author does a great job of making you feel empathy for the character without making you feel like he’s absolved of his misdeeds. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, Homophobia, Racism, and Domestic abuse

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

ethan_bridgesgarcia's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

• 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

“Live your life freely, Isaac. Rise above our history and be your unapologetic self.”

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.

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Content Warnings

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

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

random19379's review against another edition

challenging emotional 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: Homophobia, Racism, Violence, Child abuse, Misogyny, Grief, and Cancer

Moderate: Hate crime, Slavery, Rape, Bullying, and Alcoholism

Minor: Suicide