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rachelsonnet'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
The writing made Robert’s and Gloria’s world so vivid. My heart was furiously racing through most of the book. I felt very connected to all the characters and I wanted them all to make it out so badly.
This book artfully shows the horror of the Jim Crow laws, the KKK, and the over incarceration of black youth. Unchecked power corrupts absolutely and turning a blind eye to injustice perpetuates it.
The reliance on community, hope, god, and song shone through the darkness of this novel. The effects of the unjust deaths ripple through time. This book should be required reading. Not only is our nation’s history a disgrace, so is our present. Reformatory schools(now called wilderness therapy or boot camp) operate with little oversight and need to be abolished.
Graphic: Racism, Torture, Slavery, Rape, Racial slurs, Sexual harassment, and Violence
Moderate: Slavery and Body horror
Minor: Antisemitism
qqjj'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
5.0
Graphic: Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Antisemitism, Chronic illness, Injury/Injury detail, Hate crime, Medical trauma, Body horror, Bullying, Gaslighting, Grief, Stalking, Rape, Terminal illness, Racial slurs, Police brutality, Pedophilia, Child abuse, Death, Slavery, Sexual assault, Classism, Gore, Violence, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Murder, Blood, Cursing, Forced institutionalization, Racism, Gun violence, Child death, Confinement, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury, and Torture
racheltheripper'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
Graphic: Child abuse, Forced institutionalization, Physical abuse, Murder, Hate crime, Torture, Child death, Body horror, Blood, Grief, Gore, Racism, Racial slurs, Slavery, Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, and Death of parent
kirstyyreadsbooks'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: Forced institutionalization, Child abuse, Bullying, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Racism, Torture, Body horror, Physical abuse, Blood, Child death, Grief, Hate crime, Murder, and Racial slurs
Minor: Rape, Death of parent, and Animal death
gwenswoons's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Grief, Hate crime, Gun violence, Body horror, Excrement, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual violence, Slavery, Child death, Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Self harm, Sexual harassment, Blood, Misogyny, Murder, Rape, Child abuse, Colonisation, Medical trauma, Body shaming, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Abandonment, Bullying, Cancer, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Medical content, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Torture, Trafficking, Animal cruelty, Confinement, Cultural appropriation, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Racism, Suicide, Violence, Classism, and Death
tomellibee's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Racism, Violence, Torture, Confinement, Grief, Racial slurs, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Blood, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Kidnapping, Murder, Pedophilia, Death, Slavery, Vomit, Gore, Child death, Hate crime, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Rape, and Sexual content
eclipse799's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Classism, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Animal death, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, Slavery, Terminal illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Torture, Toxic friendship, Abortion, Alcohol, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Dementia, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Murder, Violence, Animal cruelty, Blood, Cancer, Racial slurs, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, War, and Hate crime
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
lilacsandliterature'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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Torture, Child death, Pedophilia, Body horror, Child abuse, Racial slurs, Rape, Death, Murder, and Racism
ktdakotareads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Physical abuse, Grief, Body horror, Racism, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Murder, Gore, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Death, Bullying, Gun violence, and Torture
Minor: Sexual assault