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siobhanward's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Child death, Death, Racism, Child abuse, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Racial slurs and Death of parent
melchncookies's review against another edition
- 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? No
5.0
Yes, this novel explores the horrors of the schools for boys, especially in the Deep South, but it also explores the lengths that Black families had to go to remain intact. While fiction, the author notes that Robbie is based on a relative that died at a boy’s school and other aspects of this book were based on truth.
I couldn’t put this down. I’ll be thinking about it for years I think.
Graphic: Torture, Child abuse, Forced institutionalization, Confinement, Kidnapping, Racial slurs, Grief, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Blood, Hate crime, Death, Violence, Murder, Physical abuse, and Child death
Moderate: Cancer, Pedophilia, and Death of parent
Minor: Rape and Animal cruelty
rorikae's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
When he kicks the son of a prominent landowner while defending his sister, Robert Stevens Jr. is sentenced to six months at the local reformatory school for boys. When he arrives at the school, he finds it is a place of terror where the head of the school rules over the boys with fear and intimidation. Robbie finds two friends, Redbone and Blue, who help him better understand the school and the truth of his situation. While his sister Gloria tries to get him freed from the school, Robbie searches for a way to escape while dealing with the terrors that haunt the grounds.
Due does an exceptional job of creating slowly creeping horror that is centered on the characters and their personal situations. She instantly makes you care for Robbie and his family and then puts him in a harrowing situation that slowly ramps up and grows more distressing. Based loosely on a relative who attended a reformatory school, Due mixes the real history of the horrors committed at these institutions with Robbie’s fictionalized story. What results is a deeply moving story that demonstrates the cruelty and racism that permeated these types of institutions. Due also does a great job of only hinting at some of the worst things that happen at the institution while still bringing the hairs up on the back of your neck. A horrifying story with a deeply heartfelt core, please read the Reformatory.
Graphic: Child death, Hate crime, Racism, Torture, Violence, Body horror, Racial slurs, Blood, Child abuse, Gore, Murder, Bullying, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, and Miscarriage
Moderate: Rape and Sexual violence
jensen1's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Graphic: Death of parent, Child abuse, Rape, Physical abuse, Kidnapping, Sexual violence, Violence, Child death, Racism, Murder, Death, and Hate crime
kwoz1008's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Cultural appropriation, Death, Physical abuse, Murder, Racial slurs, Slavery, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, Child death, and Forced institutionalization
Minor: Vomit, Cursing, Medical content, and Sexual assault
seasonedreadings's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Death, Child abuse, Racism, Racial slurs, Murder, Child death, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Hate crime
Minor: Sexual violence, Rape, Confinement, and Death of parent
caseythereader's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death, Racism, Child death, Racial slurs, Violence, Confinement, Child abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Medical content, Alcohol, Blood, Bullying, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Murder, Death of parent, Grief, Gun violence, and Islamophobia
Moderate: Rape and Slavery
Minor: Antisemitism
star_maps's review against another edition
Graphic: Child death, Racism, Death, Child abuse, Racial slurs, and Torture
bookcaptivated's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Blood, Racial slurs, Murder, Death, Child death, Torture, Violence, Racism, Gore, and Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Sexual violence and Death of parent
Minor: Fire/Fire injury and Suicide
mamaofperfectpayton's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Grief, Racism, Fire/Fire injury, Violence, Police brutality, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Death of parent, Alcoholism, Bullying, Murder, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Rape, Child death, Death, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, and Sexual assault