Scan barcode
A review by booksgurrsandpurrs
The Reformatory by Tananarive Due
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-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? No
4.5
Gloria and Robert, two young siblings on a stroll to their local pool for a swim are stopped by their neighbor, Lyle. When Lyle continues to make unwanted advances towards Gloria, Robert does the only thing he could think of - give Lyle a swift kick. Kids at times get into minor squabbles, but Lyle is not just any kid. He's the son of Red McCormack, the white family that once owned Papa's family, and Robert, a 12 year old black boy living in 1950's Gracetown, Florida. And unfortunately for Robbie, Red saw it all. Now Robbie has been sentenced to six months at The Reformatory, a labor camp disguised as a school for "troubled" boys.
The Reformatory mainly follows two points of view, Robbie trying to survive The Reformatory and Gloria, his sixteen year old sister, racing against time and a justice system during the Jim Crow era. Due's writing is stellar and at times reminds me of Toni Morrison's Beloved, (see quote above for example), but at times the impact of her story is lost due to the slow pacing of the narrative. Gloria is racing against time and as a reader I wanted to feel the tension of time falling away at every turn, but that doesn't happen. For a book that is over 500 pages there are supportive and nefarious characters that needed more development than what we got. At times Gloria and Robbie must use the performance of cordiality to survive a world that looks past them at best and at worst seeks to unlive them.
It's this intermingling of what these siblings must face that is the horror, (triple K gang, police overreach, segregation), rather than any paranormal element at play in The Reformatory. Ultimately, the present and historical United States is Black Horror. If you enjoy movies by Jordan Peele or horror books written by Stephen King, you'll want to pick up The Reformatory.
The Reformatory mainly follows two points of view, Robbie trying to survive The Reformatory and Gloria, his sixteen year old sister, racing against time and a justice system during the Jim Crow era. Due's writing is stellar and at times reminds me of Toni Morrison's Beloved, (see quote above for example), but at times the impact of her story is lost due to the slow pacing of the narrative. Gloria is racing against time and as a reader I wanted to feel the tension of time falling away at every turn, but that doesn't happen. For a book that is over 500 pages there are supportive and nefarious characters that needed more development than what we got. At times Gloria and Robbie must use the performance of cordiality to survive a world that looks past them at best and at worst seeks to unlive them.
It's this intermingling of what these siblings must face that is the horror, (triple K gang, police overreach, segregation), rather than any paranormal element at play in The Reformatory. Ultimately, the present and historical United States is Black Horror. If you enjoy movies by Jordan Peele or horror books written by Stephen King, you'll want to pick up The Reformatory.