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ladymondedream 's review for:
The Nickel Boys
by Colson Whitehead
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
It’s not always easy to come up with a review. I haven’t done so for some of the best books I’ve ever read, and it’s difficult to put into words the power this novel wields.
The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead is an incredibly well-written, fictionalized account of an abusive reform school in Florida during the Jim Crow era.
As moving as the novel is, however, it is very difficult to read. The horrors that the boys, especially the Black ones, go through are both heartbreaking and frustrating. It’s shocking and, somehow, unsurprising that horrific crimes like these were committed only a few decades ago.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Blood, Murder
Moderate: Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Police brutality, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Minor: Medical content, Death of parent