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A review by brandilovesbooks
The Reformatory by Tananarive Due
emotional
reflective
tense
slow-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? No
4.25
This book is beautifully written. It's a story that is going to stick with you. Although entirely fiction, the story opens your eyes to the unfairness of the past.
Robbie is sent to a segregated boys reformatory school after he kicks a white boy who had been making inappropriate comments about his sister.
Just asking about kids who have tried to escape gets Robbie sent to the Fun House, a place for punishment.
Robbie and Gloria are the main points of view.
Occasionally the warden has a turn with his point of view. Due does an amazing job creating an evil character who leaves the reader with incredibly visceral reactions.
I recommend this book to people of every color who need to know what Jim Crow was like. I also recommend it for people who believe in haints (ghosts). It is a wonderful story of friendship, sibling relationship, and family.
I do have some content warnings- very detailed description of fire and dying in a fire, very disturbing look into the thoughts of a sociopath, multiple forms of abuse, violence, guns and gun violence, rape, racial slurs, cursing, death.
Robbie is sent to a segregated boys reformatory school after he kicks a white boy who had been making inappropriate comments about his sister.
Just asking about kids who have tried to escape gets Robbie sent to the Fun House, a place for punishment.
Robbie and Gloria are the main points of view.
Occasionally the warden has a turn with his point of view. Due does an amazing job creating an evil character who leaves the reader with incredibly visceral reactions.
I recommend this book to people of every color who need to know what Jim Crow was like. I also recommend it for people who believe in haints (ghosts). It is a wonderful story of friendship, sibling relationship, and family.
I do have some content warnings- very detailed description of fire and dying in a fire, very disturbing look into the thoughts of a sociopath, multiple forms of abuse, violence, guns and gun violence, rape, racial slurs, cursing, death.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism