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khornstein1's review against another edition
4.0
For my other book club...Brilliant; this is the first book by Colson Whitehead that I've read so take that into account, all of you who liked some of his other books better.
I'm taking off one point because I found the book to be too short, specifically, the middle part of the book about life at Nickel. In order for this section to be harrowing, and in order to offer the reader no relief (other than a mildly distant narrator), Whitehead seems to rush through the story a bit. It's as if the author is in a bit of pickle--if you make it longer, you almost need to offer more: plot, character development, differentiation between characters, but because this is a true story, those details would make it less powerful. So what to do? I liked the plot twist at the end, but remember Invisible Man, another powerful book of which I was reminded while reading this, where the plot goes on for a longer period?
Also noted, as well as revealing the horrors of racism the Jim Crow south, this book is also an indictment of institutions of all sorts, and I thought of Willowbrook while reading it.
I'm taking off one point because I found the book to be too short, specifically, the middle part of the book about life at Nickel. In order for this section to be harrowing, and in order to offer the reader no relief (other than a mildly distant narrator), Whitehead seems to rush through the story a bit. It's as if the author is in a bit of pickle--if you make it longer, you almost need to offer more: plot, character development, differentiation between characters, but because this is a true story, those details would make it less powerful. So what to do? I liked the plot twist at the end, but remember Invisible Man, another powerful book of which I was reminded while reading this, where the plot goes on for a longer period?
Also noted, as well as revealing the horrors of racism the Jim Crow south, this book is also an indictment of institutions of all sorts, and I thought of Willowbrook while reading it.
hannahcolechin22's review against another edition
4.5
“You can change the law, but you can’t change people and how they treat each other.”
That was more hard-hitting than I expected it to be. I knew it was going to be a rough ride, but I wasn’t expecting it to have as much of an impact on me as it did. Colson Whitehead’s ‘The Nickel Boys,’ follows the story of an African American boy, Elwood Curtis, in the early 1960s. After being unjustly sentenced to a juvenile reformatory (Nickel Academy), Elwood is forced to experience the cruel and abusive environment of the institution. Along the way, Elwood befriends another boy, Turner, and together they face the racism, corruption, and dark secrets of Nickel Academy, things found in most American juvenile systems during this period.
Without ruining the plot, this book includes a very well-placed and shockingly good narrative twist – my mouth was literally hanging open when it was revealed. This twist (which gave details about the fate of a certain character) truly deepened the impact this novel had on me.
One very harsh criticism I have of this book was the order of events. The narrative unfolds over different time periods and is divided into several parts. Although I thought it was a clever structural choice, especially when it came to the twist, jumping between the present day and the 60s was hard to keep up with at points.
That was more hard-hitting than I expected it to be. I knew it was going to be a rough ride, but I wasn’t expecting it to have as much of an impact on me as it did. Colson Whitehead’s ‘The Nickel Boys,’ follows the story of an African American boy, Elwood Curtis, in the early 1960s. After being unjustly sentenced to a juvenile reformatory (Nickel Academy), Elwood is forced to experience the cruel and abusive environment of the institution. Along the way, Elwood befriends another boy, Turner, and together they face the racism, corruption, and dark secrets of Nickel Academy, things found in most American juvenile systems during this period.
Without ruining the plot, this book includes a very well-placed and shockingly good narrative twist – my mouth was literally hanging open when it was revealed. This twist (which gave details about the fate of a certain character) truly deepened the impact this novel had on me.
One very harsh criticism I have of this book was the order of events. The narrative unfolds over different time periods and is divided into several parts. Although I thought it was a clever structural choice, especially when it came to the twist, jumping between the present day and the 60s was hard to keep up with at points.
cesummary's review against another edition
Just not in the mood - maybe I’ll try again another time
katykelly's review against another edition
5.0
Wow. Hard to hear, but important to know.
I've avoided books like this in the past. You know it's going to hurt to read them, it's going to be upsetting. I do try to make myself read books that discuss our shared past, the worst bits as well as the best. As a parent and educator in my own way, I need to be able to share these things, as my way of making sure we learn from them but don't let them reoccur.
And this won the Pulitzer. It's not a long book, and flew by rather fast as an audiobook. The story deals with the life before, during and after a young black man is sent to a juvenile detention facility, the Nickel Academy. Elwood is set for college, he's done the right thing all his life, respected his elders, worked and studied. But one incident sees him shipped off for 'moral training' (among other things) to a segregated and brutal institution, where years later bodies are uncovered and the truth about the methods comes out.
It's gonna upset you. It did me. But it's within living memory, a true story sadly, and I am a big believer in not covering up or hiding distasteful acts and stories from the collective conscious.
The ending absolutely got me. I hadn't expected the about-face I experienced and I think I even cried while walking along the street with my headphones in.
It's powerful and so very very sad to read, but the story needs to be told.
I've avoided books like this in the past. You know it's going to hurt to read them, it's going to be upsetting. I do try to make myself read books that discuss our shared past, the worst bits as well as the best. As a parent and educator in my own way, I need to be able to share these things, as my way of making sure we learn from them but don't let them reoccur.
And this won the Pulitzer. It's not a long book, and flew by rather fast as an audiobook. The story deals with the life before, during and after a young black man is sent to a juvenile detention facility, the Nickel Academy. Elwood is set for college, he's done the right thing all his life, respected his elders, worked and studied. But one incident sees him shipped off for 'moral training' (among other things) to a segregated and brutal institution, where years later bodies are uncovered and the truth about the methods comes out.
It's gonna upset you. It did me. But it's within living memory, a true story sadly, and I am a big believer in not covering up or hiding distasteful acts and stories from the collective conscious.
The ending absolutely got me. I hadn't expected the about-face I experienced and I think I even cried while walking along the street with my headphones in.
It's powerful and so very very sad to read, but the story needs to be told.
rhianh's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- 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? It's complicated
3.5
devonmaureen's review against another edition
dark
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Based on a true story and harrowing history. Finely written. But it felt distant and didactic. Conveyed, not personally known.
lillieht_4's review against another edition
challenging
dark
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
efecaulfield's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
sophierebecca98's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I’ve only just put this book down. It took me a few weeks to read it, despite it being short because the content is painful and brutal.
The horrors described are unimaginable, it is awful to think about the evil people that flourished in these environments as supervisors with all that power. The pacing of this book is slow but I also found it hard to pick it up, like I didn’t want to know what happened - I knew it would be hard. I was dreaming about the twist at the end last night, because I knew something was going to happen, but not that. Elwood was the epitome of hope throughout so it really was a punch in the stomach.
I liked that Colson Whitehead’s writing was unpredictable. I felt as though he really thought about every single word used, his writing was purposeful. Whitehead created characters that are really special, this book has brought the history to life of the people who did live through similar experiences in these reform schools. It has enlightened me about a part of history that I needed to know.
The horrors described are unimaginable, it is awful to think about the evil people that flourished in these environments as supervisors with all that power. The pacing of this book is slow but I also found it hard to pick it up, like I didn’t want to know what happened - I knew it would be hard. I was dreaming about the twist at the end last night, because I knew something was going to happen, but not that.
I liked that Colson Whitehead’s writing was unpredictable. I felt as though he really thought about every single word used, his writing was purposeful. Whitehead created characters that are really special, this book has brought the history to life of the people who did live through similar experiences in these reform schools. It has enlightened me about a part of history that I needed to know.
icoltman7036's review against another edition
dark
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
Really fickle ideas in this one. Literally boils down to a gesture towards the past, almost like a ritual, a need to recognize the evils of racism and the US, without much discussion as to how that history can inform changing the future. Where MLK saw history as a spiritual process that directs towards a just future, Whitehead takes a different point of Christianity-- the reason to look back at history is to atone. To recognize sin for sin and to not rewrite the past as better than it was. There's a lot of focus here on who tells history, it emphasizes the importance of the Nickel Boys telling their story, which is shown from the prologue. Yet at the end of the day all the boys are doing is archaeology-- digging up the past, yes, but a dead past. There's no life-force in that history to change the present, it's just left there, waiting to be recognized.
Very strange treatment of racism from this book. Anyways I didn't like it goodbye
Very strange treatment of racism from this book. Anyways I didn't like it goodbye