fatgirlreads 's review for:

Don't Cry for Me by Daniel Black

4.0

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This book took me through so many emotions I don't even know where to start. I loved that this wasn't written like a traditional novel. Telling the story through a series of letters enhanced it. I resonated with this story because, as someone who used to judge my mother about her alcoholism, I realized the importance of learning her story and hearing it from her directly. Daniel Black does a great job highlighting the importance of knowing our parents' stories and history. This book also touched on many other essential issues and discussion points, including male masculinity, gender roles, and male emotional availability. Most importantly, it emphasized generational parenting and that it's hard for parents to give their children what they didn't have and didn't receive. I was conflicted throughout this story on whether to sympathize with Jacob or side-eye him. One part of me understood, while the other wished he would've been open to learning and understanding the world that Isaac would grow up in. I listened to the audio, which the author narrated, while reading this. It enhanced my reading experience as Black is a fantastic narrator and brought the story to life. The ending left me with so much wonder. I wish we could've gotten at least one response from Isaac. In the future, I hope we get a book with his responses.