Isaac's Song by Daniel Black is a profoundly moving exploration of forgiveness and reconciliation between a father and son. The novel follows Isaac, the son, on his journey of healing through journal entries that reflect on his childhood. As he writes, Isaac unravels the realization that things with his father weren’t as bad as he once believed. Through this process, he gains a deeper understanding of both his family and himself. This novel serves as a sequel to Don't Cry for Me, where Jacob, the father, writes letters to Isaac, confessing his faults and seeking forgiveness.

Isaac's Song is a beautifully crafted and heart-wrenching continuation of their story—a perfect follow-up to its predecessor.

I listened to the audiobook version, and the narrator did an exceptional job. His voice was a perfect match for Isaac, delivering the right emotional depth when needed. The narration flowed seamlessly, enhancing the overall experience.

Overall, I found this book to be deeply thought-provoking and thoroughly enjoyable. I highly recommend it to readers who appreciate historical fiction that delves into themes of family dynamics, race, sexual identity, and generational trauma. Thank you to Harlequin Audio for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I was so apprehensive about reading this follow-up to Don’t Cry for Me that I let it sit on my shelf for 2 months. The book I have googled about every few months consistently as not to miss any news of a release date. I loved Don’t Cry for Me and couldn’t bare the thought that I may not feel the same about this follow-up.
Although I love this installment of this family’s tale it pales in comparison to the original. It still gets five stars from me. It felt like it took forever to get to the letters but once we did the story steamed ahead at a break neck pace. A man talking about the shame associated with an affair blew me away and have me questioning whether Cis men ever think that way at all. The novel writhing the novel coming full circle was masterful! We got a mini masterclass on the writing process specifically pertaining to writing characters. Whereas the characters and the consciousness dictate the story and not the writer! I’ve heard other novelist allude to this but never quite so clearly. That will stay with me. I love how his father’s writing ultimately lead to him finally writing and connected him more to the father he couldn’t connect to in life. Isaac’s song is a love letter to men, to love, to men striving to get back to each other, to paternal love, to non sexual affection.

Wow. This book stirred my very soul. It took me on a deep journey alongside Daniel as he navigated processing his life story after the death of his father. The descriptions were so beautiful and vivid I felt immersed in his world. I don’t k ow if this was written as a memoir or if it’s truly fiction because it feels so absolutely real. I cannot imagine it being written by someone who hasn’t experienced that level of harm and heartbreak. The book was often sad and at times downright heartbreaking. But the times of joy and healing were that much sweeter when they came. I was moved to tears more than once which is quite a rarity for me. I sped through this book even with its very heavy themes because the humor and wit interjected was comic relief in all the right places. I can’t recommend this book enough. It should be required reading honestly as non Black and non LGBTQ++ individuals cannot fathom the obstacles faced by so many. The obstacles many of us cause in the first place. Please read this one.

It was such a pleasure to have been given this audiobook in exchange for my honest review by NetGalley and Harlequin Audio. Thank you for such a treasure and my apologies for the review taking longer than I hoped—I ended up hospitalized with an infection that delayed my reading.

Oh, Daniel Black. Your way with words and wisdom are the true gems of this novel. I get that you titled this Isaac's Song, but I started to have better emotions and feelings for his father than I did in the first book. Isaac is able to see the error of his own ways and the way he often discredited his father for not realizing "who he wanted to be" when he was younger. It saddened me to know that Isaac had to suffer because of toxic masculinity, a misinformed society, bullies, and religious doctrines. Isaac definitely had the world against him in nearly every way he turned. Nonetheless, Black gives us a story we can chew and marinate on. By the end, like Isaac, the reader will determine if they find a place to forgive and let go of the pain or better yet maybe consider the family dynamics in their own lives.

I was able to read this on audio format and it was such a good read. Good narrators and voices to help make these characters. I'd definitely read anything else Black writes because he gets the historical fiction, Black boys, and Southern wisdom so very easily. I love his writing style.

A young queer black man finds his voice in 1980’s Chicago.

The perfect book to be reading at any time of year! We should always be supporting our black authors and LGBTQ+ community.

Isaac is going back through his childhood with his therapist and his therapist recommended he write a book about it. So this book was like a fictional memoir that will leave your heart aching. Going through his life as a gay black man who only wanted his dad to love him for him. To feel like he could be himself without worry or question

He figured out how to not only understand and accept his sexual orientation, but he grew to understand his culture and learning that white American society is not the standard

Stories within stories told by Isaac with the context being about slavery. The struggle of black men. A black male ballad. Giving a voice to those who have always been silenced. The story Isaac was writing within this book was even better than the book itself. This book is heartbreaking yet so powerful. It’s a must read!

TL;DR: This started out so promising, but quickly became repetitive. While the prose was beautiful and the story and themes were fascinating, the story as a whole felt like a lot of telling and very textbook - literally parts felt like I was reading a 'condensed history of X' textbook.

Woof. This started out so promising. SO promising. I loved the premise of healing from flawed parents who just did their best. I loved the idea of therapy as a premise for storytelling (although this particular therapy as a medium for storytelling was hit and miss for me), and I loved the themes of race, class, sexuality, and intersectionality. As someone who likes to write, and would love to be an author, I did enjoy the narratives and musing on writing, although <spoiler>I would have rather read the actual book about the two enslaved brothers, and not read about the book's premise</spoiler>.

The first half of this really worked for me, and I really enjoyed the dynamics between the parents and Isaac and the childhood realizations as an adult. Parts of it seemed wildly far-fetched, but I could roll with it because the identity exploration was delightful. Then, halfway through the book, it got super textbook-like. Let me be clear, I really enjoyed the plot points, but I felt like it was written in a 'condensed history' style. I did not enjoy that nearly as much - especially because the musings on historical and current (for the setting) events seemed at odds with Isaac's character?

Let me explain that further. Isaac doesn't really *have* much of a character. He felt more like a vehicle for ranting, and some of his thoughts didn't make sense to me in relation to the person Isaac was set up to me. And many of the things he talks about felt random and disjointed. I think the author really wanted to talk about them because they're important, but it felt random. In fact, one specific scene had me almost DNF this at about 70%: <spoiler>Trevor as Isaac's lover being explained so bluntly and quickly (a loooot of telling, no showing) and then ending with Trevor dying and Isaac being like 'I won't reminisce about how I felt about this'. Duuuuude.... please tell me. Like please. Put some plot in this book. Please. Please please please.</spoiler>.

The plot felt meandering and odd, and Isaac's wandering character did not seem super realistic to me. At times, it felt like his narrative was checking boxes. Again, the prose was beautiful and I am really looking forward to reading more that Daniel Black writes. I think he's an incredibly talented author (please write the story of Jesse and Matthew. Please. Like the whole story?), but this just did not work for me. It might work for you if you want an exploration story with a lot of history and intersectionality, or if you just want to dive into lovely metaphors and writing. But if you need plot and relevant scenes of actions that further the narrator's ideas? This might not be the right choice.

I got this as an audio arc on Netgalley and it has since come out. I loved this story and the calm narration of the author. It's a Black queer coming of age that breaks and heals hearts at the same time. I completely got lost in it.

This was as an absolute wonderful read for the beginning of the year. I will say that you should read Don't Cry For Me, first it will help with the flow of Issac's Song. These two books have some powerful words of wisdom. In the first story we learn that sometimes parents are just doing the best they can, with what they know. Jacob is dying and in his last attempt to make things right wit his son he writes him letters to explain who he was and why he did the things he did when it came to Isaac. There were a lot of times there were missed opportunities for the two of them to connect, but because of fear an one personal perspective they bot miss out. Isaacs Song we pick up after Jacob has passed. Isaac has to work pass his hurt in order to find peace and forgiveness. You will need tissues for both stories. Daniel Black is a fantastic writer. His details to the story pull you in and hold you until the very end.

Beautifully done! The audiobook will keep you engaged. I listened a read the physical copy! I picked up his beautifully written chronicle that takes hold from the very start and NEVER lets go! From the first pages where his therapist put me in my place, to the thoughtful way Isaac heard his song and his parents’ too. It was a reckoning for realizing one’s agency, ancestry, power and the ability to forgive. She spat and I sat down: “Everyone has agency, whether they use it or not”.
When she refused to let Isaac blame his father for the baggage he carries: “Everyone has baggage…Nothing had ever happened to you that is greater than your power to heal it…Blaming others is only an excuse…How smart is it to get mad at a mountain?…Either climb it or go around it but don’t spend a lifetime waiting for it to move.” Blink, Blink. I listened to the audio and also read the words and I just had to put it down and examine some things. When I did pick it back up and finished the story, I felt entertained but also like I had been in therapy too. I felt sorrow for every little black LGBTQ boy and girl who have ever been shackled by others’ ability to truly see and love them. Isaac’s level of understanding by the end was an unraveling of the unknown to find forgiveness, truth and self. Masterful.

Chef’s Kiss! I loved this incredible story! I expected nothing less of Dr. Black! He spoke to me through Isaac’s journey and I’m grateful. In December when I’m thinking of my fave reads, this one will be there, I’m positive! You must read! And if Dr. Black comes to your city, GO!

Isaac's Song was such a great read! It was the perfect follow up after Don't Cry For Me. It's about a young queer Black man finding himself in the 80's. It will pull at your heartstrings while he learns new things about himself while also healing a life long wounded relationship with his deceased father. I recommend this book to literally everyone!

I was first introduced to Daniel Black's writing with Perfect Peace, so I was happy to see another book from him. I was fortunate enough to receive the audio version and got to hear young Isaac's story and the relationship he had or rather lack thereof with his dad. He wasn't allowed to express his desires for more artistic things as that didn't seem to be "manly enough".
Through therapy, he begins to do some journaling, and in the process also lives through Rodney King's attack as well as other social issues during the late 80s. Daniel's writing doesn't disappoint, and I am thankful to #netgalley for this #arc.

This story took my breath away.

The story starts when Isaac’s father dies and Isaac cries to his surprise. Weeks later, he visits a therapist because he loses weight and hardly sleeps. Isaac’s meetings with his therapist are the bones of this book and with her he goes back to his childhood and how he perceived his parents, his Blackness, and his sexuality.

Issac's song is written in the same universe and focuses on the same characters as Don't Cry for Me. I loved Don't Cry for Me when I read it around this time last year so I was excited to dive into this. I was worried at first that the stories would be too similar and it would just feel like a reread but they blended together beautifully to create one full picture. I think I would recommend waiting a little between the two books however as reading them back to back would be too much of a good thing. Getting to revisit these characters a year later from a new viewpoint made the story even better.
I've lived in KC my whole life and getting to see my city represented in writing is always lovely and this book did I right. It truly felt like KC, the good and the bad.
The audio for this book was well done, I would recommend listening to the book as in my opinion it allows you to absorb the story better.
Thank you to Net Galley the publisher and the author for this arc copy!

Honestly, I didn't really feel this one. I liked the concept of healing from an abusive parent with the help of a therapist. Though, if my therapist ever talked to me the way this one did, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be back for a third session.

On the positive side, the prose itself is really beautiful.

First and foremost, thank you so much to the publishers and author for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Isaac’s song is a definite must read for everyone. Following Isaac on his journey to forgive his father, even in death was beautifully written. There’s definitely something to be said for a book about one person’s journey into their past, the parents past to realize where they need to go. It reminds me very much of a quote I once read that said the greatest things you could ever give your child is wings to show what you can become and roots to remind you where you’re from. It’s never easy to talk to your parents in the present and never easy to understand that while you’re growing up, so are they. Parents aren’t perfect and they try their hardest, even if they get it wrong. Isaac’s father writing letters to apologize to his son and try to tell him what he really meant to him was beautiful.
This book is definitely a must read!

Isaac's therapist is what I desire! I underlined so many of her points! Isaac's Song is a masterfully composed tale that verges on being a biography.

I was astounded by the first few pages. When Isaac's father passes away, the story begins with Isaac sobbing unexpectedly. He sees a therapist a few weeks later as a result of his weight loss and lack of sleep. The core of this novel is Isaac's sessions with his therapist, with whom he revisits his early years and his perceptions of his parents, his Blackness, and his sexuality.."Sorrying doesn't make the hurt go away. They belong to the offender.

This narrative delves deeply. It's about love, our emotions, and our perceptions of what transpired. Isaac and his father never had a good relationship. However, as he reconsiders what transpired, he discovers that he may have been overly critical of his father. and might elevate his mother to a position she didn't always merit.


Certain realities you uncover, Isaac, will be at odds with your innermost feelings. Don't back down from them, though. You're searching for this. It forces us to reevaluate our presumptions.I sped through Isaac's life and the pages. His early years, his time at college, and the beginning of his career when he was still uneasy as a Black gay guy.

The moment you stop holding other people accountable for your mistreatment, you take control of your own life. We cannot be healed by those who harm us. That is our responsibility.


Tears filled my eyes as I read his father's letter. The affection that radiated from those words. Despite calling his son a girly and sissy, his father made an effort. I must read Don't Cry for Me by Daniel Black. It will probably make me cry uncontrollably.

"Don't Cry for Me" was a journey of love, pain, and misunderstanding, and "Isaac's Song" is the other side of the coin regarding that story and all the emotions it brought. This book is a jewel and an emotional story that is infused in black culture but still has a universal appeal. In some ways, I see Issac and his relationship with his father in many relationships between male family members in my family, and I am glad to read a book that puts that relationship canter stage and discuss how it affects everyone in the family. This book is brilliant, and I highly recommend it.

4 1/2 stars rounded up to 5

I really enjoyed Isaac's Song and highly recommend it as an audiobook as the narrator is fabulous and tells the story in an incredibly engaging way. It's the kind of book that reads like a memoir and I had to doublecheck at one point that this was, in fact, a novel, and not a memoir.

Isaac's father has just died and he's having trouble dealing with his grief... Which is confusing because his relationship with his father wasn't easy. Issac spent his childhood is Missouri where his father was extremely hard on him. Isaac knew he was gay from a young age, but was forced to suppress his true self as his father expected him to be "manly" and athletic rather than excelling in theater and artistic pursuit like Issac does. He beings seeing a therapist to attempt to deal with his grief.

From here, the book jumps back and forth in time with the ongoing presence of Issac's therapist that he's seeing as an adult. She asks great questions that cause Isaac to contemplate deeper and invite the reader in more than if the story were just going back and forth in time. I absolutely love that the author chose this device to tell the story and think it worked very well.

Issac's Song is an incredibly emotional heartfelt book that deals with issues of self acceptance, family, race, sexuality, grief, and healing. I had no idea that it was a companion book to an earlier book about Issac's father (Don't Cry for Me), but I'll definitely be reading that now!

Isaac’s Song is my first 5 star read of 2025! This is a beautifully written story about the struggles specific to being a gay black man in America.

The novel reads like an autobiography as Isaac recounts his life as a child in the 1970s and 80s, then into his young adulthood in the 90s. In between the stories of his life, Isaac has conversations with his therapist which examine grief, forgiveness, and the construction of memories. It’s through journaling his life that Isaac slowly begins to heal and finally accept himself.

Isaac’s Song is Daniel Black’s companion to Don’t Cry for Me. This book, however, truly stands on its own. I never felt like I had needed to read the earlier novel to understand this one. But now I want to read it, simply because I’m intrigued to know more about Isaac’s father’s story.

This book worked especially well on audio. I loved the narrator’s voice and cadence. I listened at 1.5x speed which felt natural and gave me time to process the more thoughtful and powerful lines. There were times when I wished I had the book in my hands to highlight passages. I may re-read this in the future just so I can pull some quotes.

I absolutely loved this book! I really appreciated Issac’s journey and how revisiting his past through writing really helped him process his emotions and work through some things.

Daniel Black’s writing is captivating and thought provoking, inviting the reader to emerge themselves in the main characters story. I felt connected to Issac in this, and while our lives are vastly different, I felt like I understood Issac and empathized with various themes throughout this book.

The struggles that Issac faced as a queer man in the 80s, especially with his identity, have transcended time. I could not help but make a connection between some of the themes is this book and the current state of affairs in the world - especially for the LGBTQ community.

JD Jackson does a wonderful job of putting emotions into the words and story of this audiobook. His natural flow made this an easy book to listen to and kept my full attention throughout!