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4.39 AVERAGE
4.39 AVERAGE
challenging
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
What a beautiful book. It's written from the point of view of Jacob, who is dying and writing a series of letters to his son about all the things he thinks he did right, and more importantly, all the things he thinks he did wrong, as his father. It's beautiful and heartbreaking and a necessary read.
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It’s easy to hate a villain who is fully evil, but the truth is that all of us are part hero and part villain at different points in our lives. It’s a lot harder to hate a person for their sins when you get to see the big picture and what led to those decisions and actions.
Humans are complex, and the character of Jacob demonstrates that in ways that are heartbreaking, raw, and honest. The realness in this novel is on a different level. Don’t Cry For Me gives the gift of seeing into a heart and mind that appears stubborn for no reason, which can be impossible to deal with. Once we understand the layers behind such thinking, it gives some context for appalling behavior, which is not nothing. It doesn’t absolve the behavior, and Jacob doesn’t ask for forgiveness because he knows it’s not owed to him, but it helps us understand.
I so badly want to know Isaac’s reaction his father’s letters, but at the very least, I’m thankful for the message of hope this novel brings: It’s never too late to change. Allow yourself the grace and permission to think in new ways and abandon old beliefs, and do so before it’s too late. Be brave. Don’t be like Jacob, but be like Jacob.
Humans are complex, and the character of Jacob demonstrates that in ways that are heartbreaking, raw, and honest. The realness in this novel is on a different level. Don’t Cry For Me gives the gift of seeing into a heart and mind that appears stubborn for no reason, which can be impossible to deal with. Once we understand the layers behind such thinking, it gives some context for appalling behavior, which is not nothing. It doesn’t absolve the behavior, and Jacob doesn’t ask for forgiveness because he knows it’s not owed to him, but it helps us understand.
I so badly want to know Isaac’s reaction his father’s letters, but at the very least, I’m thankful for the message of hope this novel brings: It’s never too late to change. Allow yourself the grace and permission to think in new ways and abandon old beliefs, and do so before it’s too late. Be brave. Don’t be like Jacob, but be like Jacob.
fast-paced
"Don't Cry for Me: A Novel" is such a sad book, yet wonderfully written. Daniel Black is an excellent and eloquent storyteller. A story of family love and family trauma with insight into human nature and American culture in the 20th century. Written by a father on his death bed to his estranged son, recounting the story of three generations of family history, trauma and personal growth. Thought provoking and cathartic. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who seeks greater understanding of the human experience. "Knowledge is a funny thing. It informs by exposing. It shows you precisely how much you don’t know."
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
sad
fast-paced
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Cancer, Child death