Daniel Black does it again. Now told from Isaac’s perspective, Isaac’s song almost feels like the other half to Don’t Cry For Me, but tells an entirely new story. I cried, I loved, and my heart broke and got stitched back together. Black’s writing is gut wrenching and powerful, and I really couldn’t get enough of Isaac’s story. It’s told as Isaac meets with his therapist and writes about his past, which means it feels like reading a memoir - with recounting a past story then gives the reflection and analysis. I loved this way of storytelling because it felt so impactful. I would say it’s not essential to read Don’t Cry for Me first, but I would recommend reading both (in any order) for a more complete reading experience.

This. Book. Was. Phenomenal! Beautiful. Heartbreaking. Realistic. Poetic and easy to read.

I picked up this book because I had heard of this author from a previous book he published. And after finishing Isaac's Song I realized the two books go hand in hand. The previous book was about the father of this book and this book is about his son, Isaac and told completely from his POV. It was like reading a biography of a gay, Black man in a time when being different wasn't really accepted. It's also a story about a relationship between a father and son, acceptance and how it evolves and ultimately ends.

"Okay. Dad wasn't a monster."
"How'd you get to that?"
"I don't know. Just thought about what he did versus what he meant to do."
"What do you think he meant."
"Well, I think he meant to make sure I was strong enough to withstand the world's opposition to me."

Isaac's Song begins with the death of Isaac's father. His death brings up very mixed emotions in Isaac which leads him to therapy to work through his relationship he had with his father while growing up and the toxic masculinity he forced on Isaac through his formative years.

The role of the therapist was to navigate the reader to each story of Isaac's past. At first I thought it started out slow and took me a minute to become familiar with the writing style. But then it was like reading a biography and getting to hear about a person's past that helped mold them into the person they become. The relationship between Isaac, his mother and his father ultimately made him into the person he became as an adult. We get to see how the roles of race, masculinity, gender and sexual identity changed throughout the years for Isaac. Sometimes they were hidden, sometimes they were out and proud. But at the center of it all was Isaac's love for the arts and how that helped him to move forward in all aspects of his life, no matter what he was encountering. I loved Isaac and toward the end, I began to better understand his father and his actions (although I didn't agree). But when he left Isaac letters? Those letters teared me up and moved me on a whole deeper level. Such powerful prose that made me see the characters in the story as real life people.

After finishing this story and seeing the connection this book has to Don't Cry For Me, I definitely will be reading that book to come full circle, but it was not necessary for me to fully grasp and enjoy Isaac's Song. 4.5 stars

Having read Don't Cry For Me this year, I was eager to read Isaac's side and boy was I not disappointed. Isaac's Song felt like a therapy session (some of things the therapist said in the book it felt like I was in the session too, getting told about myself). It forces you to take a reflective unbiased look at the past. So well written and engaging, I'm sad to close the chapter on these characters.

This is so beautifully written. Daniel Black doesn't miss. Isaac's perspective definitely opens the reader's eyes and we now see all sides of the father son relationship fraught with misunderstanding and love and confusion. Black settles the spirit by masterfully bringing us into the world of the son..

Isaac’s Song is a stunning work of literary fiction that masterfully weaves together themes of love, loss, identity, and resilience. The prose is lyrical and evocative, immersing the reader in a story that’s as poignant as it is thought-provoking. Every page feels imbued with meaning, and every scene carries emotional weight.

What makes this book truly exceptional is its ability to balance profound introspection with a deeply human narrative. The characters are complex and relatable, and their journeys feel authentic and deeply moving. The storytelling is rich and layered, inviting readers to reflect on the themes long after turning the final page.

If you’re a fan of literary fiction that challenges and moves you, Isaac’s Song is a must-read. It’s an extraordinary story that lingers in your mind and heart, a testament to the power of beautifully crafted writing.

4.5/5 stars - I absolutely loved this book. Issac's Song is a follow-up to Don't Cry For Me and shares Issac Swinton's perspective from childhood to adulthood. This book was beautiful, emotional, and poetic! Similar to Don't Cry For Me, I was captivated from the first page. Dr. Daniel Black did an excellent job of addressing masculinity within the black community and tackling other topics such as race, gender, and sexual identity. These characters truly felt like real people! This is a must-read if you were a fan of Don't Cry For Me. I also think fans of historical fiction will also like this as well. Thank you to The Hive and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this e-ARC!

The first thing I remembered thinking after I read the last line of Don't Cry for Me was "I need a book from Isaac's pov." I didn't actually think it would happen but I was excited when I saw it on netgalley to read.

Just like Don't Cry for Me, Isaac's song is a deep look into the relationship between a father and his son. His father's death brings up a lot of mixed feelings Isaac and it was interesting to see how much Isaac's father really affected Isaac's life and how he felt about himself. This was a very interesting insight into family and how every family member has a story and a past that affects how they treat others in the future even their own children.

I really enjoyed this book. It kept me engaged and it only took a few days to read. I think this is going to be a good book club option for several clubs. I plan recommending to my book friends and I look forward to reading more by this author.

This follow-up to Don't Cry for Me is a powerful story of healing. Anyone who has struggled with loving a flawed person should read this book. I was drawn in from the first chapter and found so many nuggets of wisdom in the protagonist's journey to reconcile his feelings with his strained relationship with his father. Reading Don't Cry for Me is not necessary to enjoy this story, but it give the reader more insight into the history of the main character's parents. I loved this story and highly recommend it.

Thank you publisher for the eGalley!

WOW! This book was so beautiful! I annotated because this book had so many things that I want to revisit in the future. This story is about our MC, Isaac, and his complicated relationship with his father. After losing his father, his therapist suggests for him to write his story from the beginning, and we watch as Isaac comes to fully understand his parents (mainly his father), and his family's history. This book was so moving, and the ending absolutely made me cry.

I didn't realize that this is a parallel story to a previous book, Don't Cry For Me, but I will read it immediately.

I will post my full review on my Instagram page closer to the pub date (january 2025).

📚 Every once in awhile a book comes along that is so good you want to shout about it from the rooftops, yet you’re terrified to write a review in fear you’ll never do it justice. This is one of those books. Thank you, sincerely, to @drdanielblack for his beautiful words and to @htpbooks / @htp_hive for the sneak peek. This comes out in January.

📚 If I could describe this book in one word, it would be: intimate. Though this book is fiction, it felt deeply personal and I was honored to read it. The author takes us inside the therapy sessions of Black, gay man who recently lost his estranged father. Needless to say, it’s emotional.

📚 Daniel Black’s writing in this book is masterful. It’s emotional, it’s gripping. He walks us through Isaac’s life and shows us his perspective in such a beautiful way. Of course, this also revolves around one of my favorite life tropes— the moment we realize our parents are not superheroes, they’re just people who have lived past lived and made mistakes. They’re also not always what we have built them up to be in our memories.

📚 Lastly, Isaac is a writer at heart and the short stories and novel he ‘writes’ in this are amazing too! It’s like we get to read a great book, PLUS all these amazing bonus stories.

📚 I often say the thing I love most about
books is being able to see life from a different perspective and this book painted the Black experience for me in a way few other books have. It comes out in January. Add it to your TBR now. If you haven’t already, I highly recommend reading ‘Don’t Cry For Me’ first, and you may even consider a reread. This is about the same father and son. Will you be adding this to your TBR?

After loving “Don’t Cry for Me,” I was excited to read Isaac’s story. It’s a deep, introspective story of a queer Black man struggling to come to terms with his sexuality and father-son relationship. His therapist, who I loved, plays a central role, encouraging him to write his story. Through this, he uncovers his father’s past trauma and its impact on his views on masculinity. This book prompted deep introspection, making me feel like I was in my own therapy session. Black’s lived experiences and wisdom truly shine through. Highly recommend.

This book was so heartbreakingly beautiful!

This is a complex and raw story of a relationship between a father and his son.

After his father’s passing, Isaac a queer black man finds his voice through words showing us his life growing up in the 1980s.

I can’t recommend this book enough! The writing is so exquisite and vivid full of life. It’s so powerful and you feel it in your heart.

So precious!!

5/5 stars

Thanks to the publisher!!

Such a beautiful and thought provoking story about reconciling relationship while grieving.
Topics that stood out to me:
- Grief
- Blackness in America
- Intersectionality
-What love is - familial, platonic, and romantic
- What it means to be a man
- Generational trauma & generational sacrifice

There’s so much more but it’s such an insightful story with beautifully crafted characters! Thank you so much for this e-arc, I highly enjoyed it and recommended it to my platform!

Daniel Black knows how to ruin you emotionally and this book is no exception. It follows a young queer black man in the 1980s discovering himself. This book shows the complex family relationships that were strained by Isaac's upbringing and his sexuality. Isaac struggles to reconcile his love for his father with how his father treated him.

It is a truly character-driven novel with magical realism elements that focused on the complexity of identity.

This book was heartbreaking in the best way. It was a beautifully complex portrayal of a relationship between a father and his gay son. Isaac is the son who now has to face his true feelings for his father after he has passed. The book takes Isaac back to memories from his past in various therapy sessions throughout the book. It tackles expectations, homophobia, and separating his father from those expectations and a person who was homophobic. There are a lot of trigger warnings for this book, so make sure you check those out before reading. But, this book was overall very moving and I would recommend it to anyone.

If you loved Don't Cry For Me, you'll find Isaac's Song to be equally personal, poignant, and beautiful from start to finish

After the death of his father and with the encouragement of his therapist, Isaac, a queer Black man finds his voice through words showcasing his upbringing, 1980s Chicago, and journey towards forgiveness, self love, and perseverance.

Despite being a quick read, it is a well done novel. It really hit me. And I really loved it. AND I would like the number to his therapist ASAP!

Not only does it do a great job of characterizing Isaac and the lived experience of a queer Black man, but it also gives life to his parents and his ancestors. The writing is vivid. And we, the readers, truly get to walk alongside Isaac through all his actions, thoughts, missteps, etc. in the same way his ancestors walk alongside him. It feels powerful.

Isaac's Song is honest, visceral, and human despite its fictional base. Black continues to deliver and I hope many pick this one up!

Highly recommend (re)reading Don't Cry For Me for a truly impactful experience.

Read For
- Black Stories
- Queer Stories
- Complicated Family Dynamics
- Magical Realism/Spirituality
- Quick, Slower Paced, Character Focused Read

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my gifted eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Beautiful book and Black's writing was amazing. I think this book will be so good for many young queer folks who are looking for acceptance and self discovery because the story of Isaac is one that many can relate to.

"Truth is somewhere between what we feel and what really happened. Neither of those is truth alone."

Heavy, heartfelt, and sometimes harrowing, Isaac's Song tells the story of Isaac, a young gay Black man who, growing up, had a more than tumultuous relationship with his father. Now in therapy, his father dead, Isaac reflects on his childhood and pieces together his own narrative with those of his parents. In examining his past through a fresh lens, he finds contradictions he never would have found otherwise, and Isaac grows to realize that perhaps his father isn't the man he made him out to be. In the end, Isaac's story, while sorrowful, reminds us that the road to recovery is both long and incredibly rewarding.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hanover Square Press for the arc.

Isaac's Song is a poignant and beautifully woven narrative that explores the complexities of love, loss, and the enduring bonds of family. From the very first page, Black's lyrical prose captivates readers, immersing them in the rich emotional landscape of his characters, particularly Isaac, whose journey of self-discovery and healing unfolds against a backdrop of deeply rooted family history. The vividly drawn characters, each with their unique struggles and triumphs, are relatable and deeply human, while the authentic dialogue enhances the emotional resonance of the story. What sets "Isaac's Song" apart is its exploration of personal and cultural identity, as well as the impact of generational trauma, encouraging readers to reflect on their own lives and relationships. Ultimately, this powerful and moving read will linger in the hearts and minds of its audience long after the final page is turned, celebrating the resilience of the human spirit and the transformative power of love. This book is a must-read for anyone seeking a deeply emotional and thought-provoking journey—highly recommended!