Scan barcode
craftyanty's review
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
nikkiacat's review
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Gun violence, Murder, Pedophilia, Racism, and Racial slurs
Minor: Animal cruelty and Rape
mugadum's review
2.0
Reads more like a YA sort mystery than a piece of true crime. That’s on me for not carefully reading the description, but as a fiction piece it didn’t hold up either. The perspective of the 14 yr old Linus Bragg (based on George Stinney) and his fear shaken drugged thoughts that comprised the first half of the novel was understandable, and the story does pick up in the second half with the nephew 40 years later. But the book felt at many points, far too simplistic for the subject matter, namely the real life murders of two underage white girls, and a 14 year old African American boy convicted, tried and executed (most likely innocent too) for the crime. The disconnect between what I feel is like a teen Encyclopedia Brown style writing and a horrific true crime tale of racism and murder doesn’t fit well with me.
raehink's review
3.0
A mystery within a mystery--set in both the Old South of 1944 and the New South of 1988. Based on the real execution of a young black boy in South Carolina.
More...