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A review by thebarandthebookcase
The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead
4.0
Based on a real reform school that existed until 2011, Whitehead’s novel follows two boys as they navigate the hell that is The Nickel Academy, a segregated reform school in Florida.
I don’t want to say too much about the plot, as I think this is a book that is best approached without knowing much. After you close the book, you’ll immediately hit Google, trust me. This is a gut-punch of a story that I found extremely difficult to get through at times. However, Whitehead is a master storyteller, and even through the horrors of the novel his writing and characterization keeps you invested as you root for Elwood and Turner. There were a few points in the narrative that dragged just a bit, but the novel quickly rebounded each time, and at the end I appreciated the necessity of each scene. Above all, the ending will leave you SHOOK. Overall, this is a smart, important novel that should be required reading for all.
I don’t want to say too much about the plot, as I think this is a book that is best approached without knowing much. After you close the book, you’ll immediately hit Google, trust me. This is a gut-punch of a story that I found extremely difficult to get through at times. However, Whitehead is a master storyteller, and even through the horrors of the novel his writing and characterization keeps you invested as you root for Elwood and Turner. There were a few points in the narrative that dragged just a bit, but the novel quickly rebounded each time, and at the end I appreciated the necessity of each scene. Above all, the ending will leave you SHOOK. Overall, this is a smart, important novel that should be required reading for all.