A review by nightowlnikk
The Reformatory by Tananarive Due

challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced
  • 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? Yes

5.0

Please make sure you read the trigger warning before delving into this, but I would highly recommend this to anyone, especially non-black readers.

As captivating as this was, it’s extremely heavy. I feel like for people without personal / historical stakes in it, one can easily read the book and think it’s an exaggerated narrative, but it’s truly not, which is the most horrific part about it. So much if this was familiar to me, from the way the Black community members speak, to the warnings they give the younger generation from their own learned lessons. Every time I read a Black American centered novel set in the Jim Crow era, I can’t help but to think of my parents and grandparents and everything they’ve instilled in me and my brother. Speaking of my brother, I got choked up reading this just imagining him in similar circumstances and what I would do to save him from them.

I loved how seamlessly real word historical figures were weaved into the story without it seeming overdone. The people that showed up made sense. The topics around intersectionality and ally ship were interesting as well. Overall, this is a very harrowing story that needs to be told. It’s sick how relevant it still is in 2025. Again, check the trigger warnings.
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