This is an excellent book. Fact is scarier than fiction but when you base your fiction on the terrifying past then you really hit things home. Not only do you get the horror of a horror novel but you get a glimpse of the past we do not hear too much about. I hope this story sheds light on this dark history for many who read it.

Haunting and unforgettable- needs to be on everyone’s TBR list. The historical ties made for a riveting read. This is horror at its finest!

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review.

I am rounding this review up because I understand it was very personal to the author and the school is loosely based on a real place. The attention to detail in this novel was truly impressive, and I really enjoyed Gloria and Robert as characters. The storyline at the school with the haints kept me turning pages. That being said, it was absolutely a slow burn of a book. I found myself skimming Gloria’s sections because they did not seem to add much to the plot as a whole. The writing was great; it was just a slower style than I am used to. I believe this is an important story to tell, so I am rating it a 4 instead of a 3.

Through the eyes of Robert, the Reformatory/Gracetown School for Boys comes alive (as do some of its former residents, in a way). The supernatural aspect only adds to the dark history exposed here, and gives voice to the previously voiceless. In a world that feels hopeless, Robert and his sister Gloria still push for something better, even when it seems nearly impossible. The Reformatory is a gut-wrenching read and an unflinching look at yet another way this country has cultivated abuse, racism, and hatred. And yet, beneath it all, there's a tiny sliver of hope, too.

This has been on my TBR forever and turns out- one of my new favorite books! The mystery and story were excellent! Can’t wait to read more by this author!

The Reformatory… gosh this one is haunting and heartbreaking and angering and raw. Historical fiction can be fun to read and other times, it’s gut-wrenching and difficult, but this is one that NEEDS to be read. Our country’s history isn’t pretty, and it’s so sickening to me that such a place existed - and really not all that long ago. After reading this, I went down a rabbit hole on the Dozier School for Boys and it left me so sick to my stomach. Due has personal ties to this story as well, and you can really feel the pain between the pages.

While it was tense and upsetting, there is a supernatural aspect that I enjoyed, and I was rooting for revenge and for hope through the end. Tananarive Due has been an auto-buy author for me for a long time and this is probably now my favorite, followed closely behind by The Between and Ghost Summer.

I think readers of all genres should read this, regardless if you enjoy horror or not because really what are the worst monsters but people?

This is a book that will stick with me forever and will be one that I reread again and again, and I think that’s the best rating of all.

Overall Rating: 4.5 / 5 stars

The Reformatory masterfully blends historical fiction and horror to tell a chilling tale of the abuse and injustice prevalent at the Gracetown School for Boys during Jim Crow Florida. Told through alternating POVs of young siblings Gloria and Robbie, the novel delves into the physical and emotional traumas they endure while navigating their new situation.

Robbie quickly discovers that the Reformatory is no ordinary school – it is a supernatural place of cruelty and forced labor. This prison has become haunted by the ghosts of its young victims, and Robbie finds that he is able to both see and communicate with these spirits.

Outside of the Reformatory grounds, Gloria struggles to find support in doing everything possible to bring Robbie home. Both siblings are forced to endure unimaginable hardships to survive and reunite.

This was such an impactful read – it’s crazy to think that this story draws inspiration from the very real Dozier School for Boys, which permanently closed its doors in 2011. This story will stay with me for a long time.

Thank you to Saga Press for the review copy! All opinions are my own.

Tananarive Due's historical fiction novel is a compelling read, especially given its basis on the notorious Dozier School for Boys in Marianna, Florida. The story follows 12-year-old Robert Stephens, who is sent to the reformatory in the 1950s Jim Crow south after defending his sister. While the novel touches on horrific themes, it's more accurately described as a thriller due to its focus on Robbie's struggles and his sister's efforts to free him. The pacing is well-balanced, the protagonists are relatable, and the book is engaging from start to finish.

I also received a physical copy of this novel - I was excited to have both versions.

Big thank you NetGalley and to the publisher for the chance to review this book pre-release. The Reformatory was a hard, but really good read. It touches on such heavy subjects, but in a way that really makes the readers reflect. The horror the reader experiences is heavily of the mortal world, with a touch of the supernatural, so I can't say that this is strongly a supernatural horror novel, but just enough to add additional intrigue to the plot. I will be highly recommending this one.

The Reformatory emerges from the shadows of 1950s Jim Crow Florida, released on Halloween 2023. The story follows 12-year-old Robbie Stephens Jr., unjustly sent to Gracetown School for Boys—a place where abuse and torment are daily horrors. Gracetown’s halls are haunted by restless spirits, but one ancient evil doesn’t just linger—it thrives, preying on the boys trapped within. Robbie’s only hope is his sister Gloria, who must fight through layers of racism, corruption, and supernatural darkness to save him. Due blends systemic horror with a ghost story that leaves a permanent chill. Gracetown isn’t just a school—it’s a monster that feeds on despair.

This book was definitely not an easy read. My anxiety was practically off the charts the whole time—and for good reason. It’s horrifying to think that this was the reality for so many people during that time. Yes, it's a ghost story, but the real terror is the brutal truth of life in the Jim Crow South. Due has an incredible way with words, drawing you in while exposing the dark, ugly corners of America's past. Yet somehow, she also manages to weave in threads of hope and resilience. Honestly, books like this should be mandatory in schools, a reminder of the importance of being a better human, every single day. Thank you NetGalley & Saga Press for my ARC! 4 stars!

I started reading this in June and quickly realized it was not going to be my normal summer beach read. I put it aside and picked it back up in September. The right choice for me as this was not an easy read. Worth it, but with numerous heavy and heartbreaking triggers.
Gracetown, Florida is not kind to Robbie and Gloria Stephens in the 1950s. Their mother is dead, their father gone, and their black skin means that they are treated like dirt by the white people who rule this town. When Robbie tries to defend his sister against a white boy, he is sent to the Gracetown School for Boys. A horrible, horrible place that Gloria fears Robbie will not survive. The story alternates between Robbie’s time in the reformatory and Gloria’s attempts to free him. While, this is a fictional story, the events during the Jim Crow era are horrific. Events that occurred in our country that we should never forget.
I cannot say that this was a page flipper. To me, that implies a fiction book with jaw-dropping twist and turns. The Reformatory was not that book. It is a sickening time in our past and I could not put it down because I had to believe that Robbie would somehow be OK and Gloria would have a hand in saving him.
All I can say is just read it. It’s a tragic story that should never be forgotten.

Thank you @sagapressbooks #sagasayscrew for the gifted copy!

This book. I had such a hard time coming up with words for this book. It’s heavy, impactful, graphic, emotional, and SUPERBLY written. I’ve seen this book labeled as both historical fiction and horror and YES there are ghosts. But really, this is historical horror, in that it is absolutely horrific and terrifying that so many of the events that took place in this book were and are real life.

This novel is set in Florida during the Jim Crow era, so you can imagine what some of the content is, but I would advise looking at content warnings if you have triggers.

This book is on the longer side but Due is such a fantastic storyteller that it went by so fast. Harrowing, heart wrenching, suspenseful, and impactful are just a few words I would use to describe the experience of reading this book. This is one is going to stick with me and I would highly recommend reading it.

"This doesn't feel like the country we say we are."

An intense and heavy read, but incredibly well done. The characters, the setting, the plot, the themes, the horrors... all expertly crafted. I can't stop thinking about this novel.

I am loving how authors of color are using horror as a device to articulate the horrors of colonization and racism. Set in Jim Crow Florida, THE REFORMATORY begins when a 12 year old boy, Robbie Stephens Jr., is sentenced for hitting a white boy (who started the fight) and is sent to a “reform school” that perhaps may just be a little more prison than school. Very sketchy things ensue and perhaps the school is just a little bit haunted as a consequence of the dark happenings behind closed doors. Robbie is determined to survive and his sister, Gloria, on the outside is determined to get Robbie out.

The book takes its time setting things up, but by the end, the suspense is one hell of a roller coaster ride as you both realize the real horrors are the people and wish your hardest that the siblings will make it.

4.5/5
Thank you to Saga Press, an Imprint of Simon & Schuster, for the free e-copy of this book!

Please be warned the triggers in this read include: racial slurs, abuse, extreme violence , racism..

The storytelling in this read was beyond words and left me speechless from start to end. The Reformatory takes place in 1950's Gracetown, Florida, following both Gloria and Robert (Robbie) Stephens, when Robert found himself being sent to a Boy's School (which is led by THE MOST disgusting man) after an incident with his neighbor.

This was a horrific, heart-dropping, stomach-turning read, that was written so well. And knowing that this read was inspired by true events from Tananarive Due's family history made it that much more memorable. Historical Fiction at its finest.