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A review by brandilovesbooks
The Reformatory by Tananarive Due
emotional
reflective
tense
slow-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
4.25
This book is beautifully written. It's a story that is going to stick with you. Although entirely fiction, the story opens your eyes to the unfairness of the past.
Robbie is sent to a segregated boys reformatory school after he kicks a white boy who had been making inappropriate comments about his sister.
Just asking about kids who have tried to escape gets Robbie sent to the Fun House, a place for punishment.
Robbie and Gloria are the main points of view.
Occasionally the warden has a turn with his point of view. Due does an amazing job creating an evil character who leaves the reader with incredibly visceral reactions.
I recommend this book to people of every color who need to know what Jim Crow was like. I also recommend it for people who believe in haints (ghosts). It is a wonderful story of friendship, sibling relationship, and family.
I do have some content warnings- very detailed description of fire and dying in a fire, very disturbing look into the thoughts of a sociopath, multiple forms of abuse, violence, guns and gun violence, rape, racial slurs, cursing, death.
Robbie is sent to a segregated boys reformatory school after he kicks a white boy who had been making inappropriate comments about his sister.
Just asking about kids who have tried to escape gets Robbie sent to the Fun House, a place for punishment.
Robbie and Gloria are the main points of view.
Occasionally the warden has a turn with his point of view. Due does an amazing job creating an evil character who leaves the reader with incredibly visceral reactions.
I recommend this book to people of every color who need to know what Jim Crow was like. I also recommend it for people who believe in haints (ghosts). It is a wonderful story of friendship, sibling relationship, and family.
I do have some content warnings- very detailed description of fire and dying in a fire, very disturbing look into the thoughts of a sociopath, multiple forms of abuse, violence, guns and gun violence, rape, racial slurs, cursing, death.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Religious bigotry, Bullying, Child abuse, Racism, Child death, Gore, Fire/Fire injury, Torture, Rape, Pedophilia, Cursing, Death, Physical abuse, Murder, Violence, Classism, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Gun violence, Grief, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Racial slurs, and Sexual harassment