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A review by mamaofperfectpayton
The Reformatory by Tananarive Due
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
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
4.25
Wow. What a book. It was hard for me to read the first 250 because I have difficulty reading books about injustices during the Jim Crow era. I could only read a few pages at a time for about 4 weeks. But starting around chapter 20… BABY WHEW… the story took a turn and I was on the edge of my seat. The last 50 pages or so felt so real that it seemed like I was there while reading. There is an extremely long list of content warnings, so please beware. This is a story that will stay with me for a long time.
Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail