A review by rachelsonnet
The Reformatory by Tananarive Due

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

One of the top three books of the year for me. This was a random pick from a library shelf and I tore through it in two days. I understand why it was categorized as horror but it read to me like historical fiction. Multiple times I stopped reading to look up people and events mentioned in the book. 

The writing made Robert’s and Gloria’s world so vivid. My heart was furiously racing through most of the book. I felt very connected to all the characters and I wanted them all to make it out so badly. 

This book artfully shows the horror of the Jim Crow laws, the KKK, and the over incarceration of black youth. Unchecked power corrupts absolutely and turning a blind eye to injustice perpetuates it. 

The reliance on community, hope, god, and song shone through the darkness of this novel. The effects of  the unjust deaths ripple through time. This book should be required reading. Not only is our nation’s history a disgrace, so is our present. Reformatory schools(now called wilderness therapy or boot camp) operate with little oversight and need to be abolished.
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