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A review by zaiphon
Isaac's Song by Daniel Black
emotional
informative
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This was my BOTM pick for January 2025 and I am glad I chose this. "Isaac's Song" has us follow Isaac through an emotional journey of his life as his memories depict it. His father has died and Isaac is left with pieces to put back together that he wasn't anticipating he needed to do. We follow through Isaac's point of view on his childhood struggles all the way to his struggles into his adulthood; including accepting his sexuality along with his identity as a black man in the 80s/90s.
The novel mentions pivotal moments in history, such as the AIDs crisis and Rodney King. This serves as a backdrop through the tangible words and thoughts of Isaac, which constantly put me through an emotional wringer, but one of which I appreciated.
I was moved and felt connected to a character that I don't necessarily have a shared experience to use to connect to. I felt a deep sense of empathy and even shame for the way a community was treated through this time in history.
Daniel Black's prose drew me in from start to finish. I definitely recommend to experience this story as it a shorter read but filled with a lot of though provoking content.
The novel mentions pivotal moments in history, such as the AIDs crisis and Rodney King. This serves as a backdrop through the tangible words and thoughts of Isaac, which constantly put me through an emotional wringer, but one of which I appreciated.
I was moved and felt connected to a character that I don't necessarily have a shared experience to use to connect to. I felt a deep sense of empathy and even shame for the way a community was treated through this time in history.
Daniel Black's prose drew me in from start to finish. I definitely recommend to experience this story as it a shorter read but filled with a lot of though provoking content.