Reviews

The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead

diogobulhosa's review against another edition

4.0

Easily um 4,5 mas esta aplicação não deixa

karlas0914's review against another edition

4.0

This books theme was amazing and I think everyone needs to read this book to understand the struggles that African Americans go through. There are lots of parallels in todays world and it’s sad that we’re still living though racism

gummyacid's review against another edition

dark emotional informative sad tense fast-paced

• 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? It's complicated

3.0

oxnard_montalvo's review against another edition

Harrowing, and, inevitably, based on a real place that wasn't shut down until 2011. Whitehead has such a light touch here, and everything that happens on the page, goes straight under the skin. In terms of writing style, I prefered this to Underground Railroad, though I struggle to say exactly why. Perhaps his story telling here is tighter, sparer, more economical. Whatever it is, it hits hard and goes deep.

mackenzie72's review against another edition

3.0

Audiobook listen

katekatboss's review against another edition

dark emotional informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

ayeeereed's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.5

onisharahman's review against another edition

dark sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.25

05olivia15's review against another edition

challenging dark 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

5.0

This is my second Colson Whitehead book (last year I read The Underground Railroad, which was equally as devastating). Whitehead has this incredible way of pressing the past and the present together-- you are reading a story that took in the 1960s, the 1840s, decades before you were born, but you are also reading a story that is still happening now . This is what makes the writing so devastating and the story so tragic. The fact that this happened at all is horrible, but the fact that this is STILL happening is worse, and you, reader, are just as powerless to stop the horrors of the present as you are to correct the injustices of the past.

Nickel Boys is a fictional novel that is based off of the unfortunately very true story of the Dozier School for Boys in Marianna, Florida. Through fictional Nickel Academy, Whitehead reveals the story of child abuse, neglect, corruption, and racialized violence that occurred at this boarding school for "troubled" boys through the eyes of Elwood Curtis and Jack Turner. Elwood, an intellectual idealist punished for the crime of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, and Turner, a nihilist surviving out of spite, form an unlikely friendship which challenges both of their ideas about resistance and justice.

This book is a piece of art. It is so beautifully constructed and so thoughtfully made. It hurts to read. It made me nauseas. I think everyone should read it, but probably only once.

 

stephaniesteen73's review against another edition

4.0

So heartbreaking!