Reviews

The Reformatory by Tananarive Due

vanessacr's review against another edition

dark sad tense medium-paced

4.5

sidrabibi's review against another edition

dark emotional informative inspiring sad medium-paced

• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

runjohnnyrun845's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

kathleenabby's review against another edition

5.0

This was devastating... Incredible but devastating!!

This is historical fiction with an element social horror. Set in Jim Crow Florida and based on the very real Dozier School for boys. The Dozier school for boys has a long-standing culture of violence and abuse, and wasn't shut down into 2011. The Author pieces together the life of a relative her family never spoke of bringing his tragedy and those of many other to light.

📖 We follow Robbie a twelve year old boy who is sentenced to six months at The Reformatory. He sees the horrors of racism and injustice, for the living and undead. 

Robbie has a talent for seeing ghosts, but what was once a comfort to him after the loss of his mother soon becomes a window of truth. 

We also follow Gloria, Robbie's older sister who faces her own hardships while trying to rally every connection in Florida to find a way to get Robbie out before it's to late. 

✨ Review ✨
This was one of the most devastating books I've read. Knowing how very real this story is makes for a hard read. Do check your trigger warnings because the injustices they face are brutal and heartbreaking. And yet this is a story of hope and love and it's beautifully written.

I adored the social horror elements, it added a complex layer to everything this school has done. I will say those elements aren't scary it just adds to the sadness.

Although this book is brutal, I love how it's approached in such a respectful way. It's not shock for the sake of shock. Its written in a way where you really see these boys and what they are going through. It really does feel like in written in honour in all the lives lost.

This is a book that will stay with me I can't recommend it enough. It's not just an incrediblely written story it's an important one. 

cpwithcp's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

breadwitchery's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

• 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

4.5

shannon_white1099's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative mysterious 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? No

4.25

abbynordman's review against another edition

Boring

annamolpus's review against another edition

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

punkbuddha37's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional medium-paced

• 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

4.5