Reviews tagging 'Alcoholism'

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

32 reviews

ashleycmms's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Physical abuse, Child abuse, and Homophobia

Moderate: Suicide, Child death, Alcoholism, Sexual violence, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Gun violence and Murder

This book is amazing, heartbreaking, and honest. The pain and reality that Daniel taps into is so deep and vibrant you know that he’s lived and overcome just like others have, just like his characters have, just like others will in the future. B E A U T I F U L writing. I annotated so many beautiful lines along the moments where I hurt so hard for everyone, what the lost, what they could have had, and the loneliness they felt. I knew this book was a 5 star read when I cried during the authors note in the beginning, but the letters (and the 20 minutes of crying post reading this novel) solidified it. Black is an auto-buy author now. But I will not read anything else from him until I emotionally recover from this one.

vistacanas's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful informative 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

4.5

“Knowledge is a funny thing, Isaac. It informs by exposing. It shows you precisely how much you don’t know.”

I was pulled into this story from the Author’s note at the very beginning. Like the author, my father passed without ever admitting, let alone apologizing, for his major emotional shortcomings. Writing this book was a way for Daniel Black to heal the gaping wounds this leaves behind.

I don’t like to compare the pain of two different people. Pain is pain and no one deserves to have their pain diminished. But, I have to say what Isaac, the gay son who is the recipient of his father’s deathbed letters, went through is FAR worse than what I went through. 

On top of a typical dysfunctional family, he has the added horrors of the impact of slavery and being black in the U.S., being gay in a subculture that considers it an abhorrence, and the lack of love, tenderness and communication when it was needed most. I honestly don’t know if I would be able to climb out of a hole that deep. 

Reading the imagined letters that the reformed father wrote to Isaac was definitely a soothing salve. Many of the things he conveyed explained some of the characteristics and behaviors of my own father (and other men I know and love), so it was helpful for me personally as well. 

That being said, I still find it difficult to excuse my middle class white father for his emotional neglect. A black man of the same generation is a whole other story.

I highly recommend this book to anyone with daddy issues stemming from a hyper-stern and inexpressive father born in the early to mid-1900s, as well as anyone walking the path toward anti-racism. It’s a very quick, deeply emotional, and insightful read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Cancer, Grief, Slavery, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Terminal illness, Classism, Death, Homophobia, Misogyny, Racism, and Sexism

Moderate: Alcoholism

Minor: Bullying and Domestic abuse

enchante's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad fast-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Death of parent, Racial slurs, and Racism

Moderate: Alcoholism and Abortion

mrsnwankwo57's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Child death, and Alcoholism

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

stephanieswilley's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Bullying, Cancer, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Homophobia, Miscarriage, Murder, Pregnancy, and Terminal illness

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

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

jaylee_books's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring 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: Abortion, Miscarriage, Alcoholism, Homophobia, Alcohol, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Grief, and Hate crime

Moderate: Sexual content, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Religious bigotry, and Pregnancy

Minor: Murder