“𝔽𝕠𝕣 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕤𝕥 𝕥𝕚𝕞𝕖, 𝕤𝕙𝕖 𝕦𝕟𝕕𝕖𝕣𝕤𝕥𝕠𝕠𝕕 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕝𝕚𝕓𝕖𝕣𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝕠𝕗 𝕙𝕒𝕧𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕟𝕠𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕝𝕖𝕗𝕥 𝕥𝕠 𝕝𝕠𝕤𝕖.”

5 stars

Wow, wow, wow. This is hands down the most memorable and moving book that I read all year. I went into this book blind, so I had no idea what to expect, and it blew me away.

This book mixes historical fiction with supernatural elements. Robbie, our MC, who has been unfairly sent away to a boys school with a dangerous reputation, can see Haints— or spirits.

Seeing the haints gives Robbie insight into some of the dark things that have happened on the grounds of the school.

This book is very heavy, and hard to read in some places, and the horror in this story comes from real things that were happening to black people in the Jim Crow era south.

This book is long, but every thoughtful word, turn of phrase, and thing that occurred in this novel felt so necessary to tell the complete story. This should be required reading.

I truly think this is my favorite book I read in 2024

Major thanks to Saga Press and NetGalley for making Tananarive Due’s incredible novel The Reformatory available for preview, even though the novel has already been published. I’ve had this on my to-read list since last year, but I was a little unsure about whether to read it since the story sounded similar to Colson Whitehead’s Nickel Boys, which I loved, but absolutely destroyed me. I wasn’t sure that I could read another novel about the unjust incarceration of young Black boys in segregated Florida. However, Due’s novel is definitely different in that it incorporates supernatural elements, especially ‘haints’, or ghosts who have been “done dirty” and are kind of stuck in this world in between. Robbie Stephens Jr., one of the main characters in the novel, has the gift of seeing ‘haints, although he’s not really aware of it until he is unjustly sent to the Gracetown School for Boys for defending his sister, Gloria, from the advances of an older, bigger white boy, whose father also happens to be one of the most prominent landowners in the area. Robbie’s ability can be both a comfort and a curse, a skill which will bring him both knowledge and privilege, but also the kind of unwanted attention he is advised to avoid upon entering Gracetown.

I absolutely loved this book, although the themes and racial violence and discrimination are difficult to take. However, Due expertly integrates the novel’s chapters, focusing on both Robbie’s experiences in the juvenile justice system and at Gracetown, and Gloria’s experiences trying to navigate the same system that unjustly punished her brother to find a way to justly have him exonerated or have his sentence reduced. I couldn’t put this book down, and I found myself continuing on despite late hours and fatigue. However, Due would move from a horrific event or revelation at Gracetown to Gloria’s struggles to find a way to secure Robbie’s freedom, challenging the white establishment in the town that initially imprisoned him. It made me wonder what was scarier, the Reformatory and its haunted souls condemned to drift between worlds without justice or peace, or the town’s blatant racism and violence that challenged the efforts of family and friends to find justice for Robbie. Due’s pacing, narrative, and character development all contribute to make this not just a supernatural horror story, but a horror story of racism and Jim Crow violence and injustice.

Robbie and Gloria are both realistic characters who I could root for. They lost their mother, and their father had to flee town due to his attempts to organize a union for the local mill. In addition, he’s been accused of raping a white woman. While Due’s book shares similarities with both To Kill a Mockingbird and Whitehead’s Nickel Boys, The Reformatory hits so much harder, and the characters, especially the Black characters, are so much more developed than those from To Kill a Mockingbird. I think that is what makes this book so powerful and important. I could see this book replacing TKAM as required reading or a novel to teach for high school students. The Reformatory is exciting, compelling, and deals with real events and people from history. Furthermore, I think that the action and events in the book would engage reluctant readers, and I could see teachers creating engaging research and projects from this book’s themes and historical context.

Both Robbie and Gloria are relevant and realistic characters, but Warden Haddock is truly an evil character—as another character says, he is truly the worst of the worst. Due adds some details that point to his truly psychopathic nature as a killer and sadist who delights in torturing the boys assigned to his care at Gracetown. Sadly, his story is probably a compilation of many of the other sadistic and racist men who ran similar schools in the segregated south, where bodies were discovered later. Haddock is a reminder that some of these horrors were real and not supernatural. Other characters, like Boone and Crutcher, are more ambiguous in understanding their motivations and influences. While they want to please Warden Haddock, it’s also unclear if they are trying to avoid punishment and further violence. As Due explains, Gracetown is not just a reformatory, but the center of the town, where many people have jobs that provide food for their families, and other materials and goods produced by the boys’ labor. Yet, some characters, like Baymon, eventually make the decision to leave Gracetown, noting how it changes everyone there—like they become meaner than they ever were before. Something about the Reformatory brings out the worst in people. There are many other instances in the book where the children and even adults also experience the kind of ambiguity of answering questions—unsure of which response will provoke more scorn, derision, or even violence from the white interlocutor. This experience was most prominent with Robbie, especially when dealing with the juvenile system and his interactions with Boone and Haddock. These parts also reminded me of other literature, especially Richard Wright’s Black Boy and Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man, where, as Trueblood notes, Black people have to learn how to “move without movin’”. Robbie eventually uses his gifts to his advantage, although he’s never quite sure if he is doing the right thing—working for Haddock or betraying the haints. Regardless, Due uses this kind of supernatural story to further the plot, and it works so well. This book has such an exciting and compelling ending, which I won’t reveal here, but I would definitely encourage anyone who likes stories about racial injustice, history, or ghost stories to read this book. It has so many elements to appeal to different genres, and it uses other instances of American literature in such an imaginative way that it makes the story and characters both familiar and unique.

I’m so glad that I was able to read this book, and I hope that more teachers, schools, and others who enjoy reading will consider implementing it in their curriculum and book clubs. It is a difficult read—there is plenty of violence and racism, and Due doesn’t just make implications. However, like another story about haints and ghosts, Toni Morrison’s Beloved, we learn that it is important not to cover things up or just forget the past; rather, we sometimes need to open up the wounds and scars to let them heal correctly. We need to confront the wrongs of history or in order to bring about true healing. Teaching books like The Reformatory will enable students to learn about the wrongs done to young Black boys (and poor white boys as well), to ensure these kinds of injustices do not happen again.

Set in the Jim Crow south, Robbie is sent to a reformatory school after defending his sister, Gloria. While Gloria works tirelessly to find a way to free him, Robbie must learn how to survive among the living and the dead that haunt the reformatory. One of the best books I read this year.

The Reformatory by Tananarive Due is disturbing, haunting, thought-provoking, and horrifying—it will keep readers awake long after turning the final page.

Set in 1950s Gracetown, Florida, under the shadow of Jim Crow, the story follows Robert Stephens Junior, a boy who defends his sister against a powerful landlord and is sent to the Reformatory, a school for boys with a bone-chilling reputation. While the book weaves elements of horror, the real terrors are the brutal realities of systemic racism, white supremacy, and injustice.

Tananarive Due draws inspiration from her own family history, making this story even more harrowing. As a mother of two teenage boys, my heart broke in countless places. The events depicted are graphic and deeply unsettling, so I recommend approaching this book with caution. It is not for the faint of heart. I had to take long breaks to process the horrors faced by Robert and the other boys.

Despite its challenges, this book is essential reading. It shines a light on an often-overlooked history, reminding us of injustices that are both unimaginable and tragically real.

Thank you to Saga Press Books for providing an egalley for this book.

Unfortunately, I've now tried this story in two different formats (first by audiobook, next reading the digital galley), and am ready to admit defeat. The writing style just doesn't work for me. It reads very childlike, and yet there is an overabundance of words being used to describe the most mundane things.

Heartbreaking, maddening, and incredibly haunting — this book is a beautifully written page-turner. I took my time reading and really sat with the story. Tananarive Due’s storytelling is visceral and a stark reminder of the very real atrocities that took place during the Jim Crow era.

The Reformatory is a masterful blend of horror and historical fiction. It did feel a bit too long towards the end. After a strong start, the story lost some steam in the second half. It’s possible my own stamina faltered due to the mental and emotional toll of this book.

Overall, I definitely recommend this book — especially if you like character-driven writing, atmospheric settings, emotional storytelling, and darker themes.

My rating: 4.5⭐️

This historical fiction horror book is unlike anything I’ve ever read. It could almost be classified purely as horror, given the horrific depiction of 1950s racism. The author masterfully blends history and horror into a cohesive and compelling narrative.

Interestingly and sadly, this book is based on true events. The author drew inspiration from a relative’s experience at the Dozier School for Boys in Florida. While the story mixes fact with fiction, the harsh reality is that the school did terrible things to the children in its care, and especially to Black children. For more information, you can find an entry about the school on Wikipedia. I was disturbed by the events described and even more shocked to learn the school wasn’t closed until 2011.

The story becomes gripping after the first 30% or so. The novel is lengthy at 576 pages, and I found the set up to be a bit slow and repetitive. However, the latter part of the book is worth the wait.

The bulk of the narrative is about Robbie and his dreadful experience at the Reformatory, including seeing ghosts. However, my favorite character was his older sister, Gloria. She was bold and brave, tirelessly working to get her brother released. I really admired her.

I feel like this is an odd review, but this is also a very unique book. I don’t want to say much about it so you can experience it for yourself if you choose to read it. I’m glad I chose to read it.

Thank you @netgalley and @simonbooks Saga Press for an eARC of this book, which I have read and reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

Tananarive Due’s The Reformatory is such a powerful and gripping read. It’s set in the Jim Crow South and follows a 12-year-old boy, Robbie Stephens Jr., who ends up in a horrifying reform school for something that seems so unfair. The story is intense and heartbreaking, and it blends real historical issues with this creepy supernatural vibe that keeps you hooked.

The characters feel so real - you can’t help but root for them. And the way Due describes the reform school and the system around it is just chilling. It’s hard to put the book down because you’re always wondering what’s going to happen next. I also love how real people are weaved into the story.

It’s definitely not just a scary story; it really makes you think about injustice and survival and how people find hope even in the worst situations. If you like books that are emotional and a little spooky, you should definitely check this one out.

Wow. This is quite a book. Robbie, at 12 years old, is sent to a reform school/juvenile detention center. This is a bad place run by really bad people. His sister fights for him and I really liked her character as I was cheering her on while feeling badly for her that she had to assume the burden of care and advocacy after their mother passed away and their father was working out of state.
This is a tough read - it's a sensitive topic and there is a lot of abuse, as well as the slow burn worry about what might happen to these children.
Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher, for access to this eARC.

A solid 4.5 stars for this book, rounding up to a five, but I feel good about the five stars…it’s not a perfect book, but it’s a very, very good one. This has been out for awhile and I’m assuming that it was made available as an ARC, and that the release date listed with it, are for the paperback version. It was/is a hugely popular horror book, but also great for anyone who loves historical fiction. It won both the Bram Stoker and Shirley Jackson awards as well as the LA Times Book Prize and was a NY Times Notable Book along with lots of other accolades.

The book is set in Jim Crow times in small town Florida, an ugly place to be if you are twelve year old Robert Stephens, Jr., son of a racial agitator who has fled to Chicago so as not to be tried on a bogus rape charge (but a mixed hero, at best) and a dead mother. Robbie is then hit with a trumped up assault charge against a white boy and is sent to the segregated boys reformatory near his home, and to say that it is hell on earth doesn’t scratch the surface.

It’s also haunted by the dead and Robbie is able to see them, which makes him desirable to the sadistic overseer of the reformatory. Meanwhile his sister, Gloria, is trying to get him released before the worst comes to pass. The novel is based, in part, on the true story of the infamous Dozier school and those who lived there, and, dear readers, suffice to say I don’t think I could bear to read the true accounts. This was hard enough.

In fact, despite all the praise for this novel, my love for horror and my appreciation for Due I dismissed this when it was released; I honestly didn’t think I could stomach the subject matter no matter how good it was supposed to be. When the opportunity to get an ARC presented itself again I figured the universe was telling me to read it and I’m so very glad I did, though it isn’t an easy read, and there are images that will stick with me. Due is incredible, as always, and the book is amazing - the true life horrors and the supernatural elements of the story combine to make this one of the most striking novels I’ve read this year.

Oh, the glorious Gloria and the brave Miss Lottie. The wonderful Redbone and Blue. And, of course, Robbie who, at twelve, is the perfect child-becoming-a-man age. Again, it was difficult knowing some of these horrors were real…part of our nation’s shame.

Highly, highly recommended.

I won't say that I 'enjoyed' this book, as I feel like the story contained within its pages doesn't elicit that type of feeling, but what I will say is that I had a totally captivating experience, and at times, a visceral response to this novel. This has been the most gripping, heart-breaking, horrifying, and intense book that kept me edge of my seat till the very end. It is easily the most thrilling book I've read for the entire year, possibly even ever. Never have I ever been so terrified for the well-being of fictional characters as I was for Robbie, his sister Gloria, and their friends. At one point in the novel, I wanted to skip to the end so badly just to comfort myself with the knowledge of whether or not they would eventually survive.

In this story, we meet Robbie, a 13-year-old boy, who gets wrongfully sentenced to six months at The Reformatory for kicking an older boy whose family basically owns the entire town. From there, we are introduced to the wider world and the circumstances that caused these two siblings to be basically living on their own in Gracetown, Florida, during the summer of 1950. Let me just say that their dad deserves two kicks for his lack of foresight and, therefore, holds some blame in what happens to these kids.

Robbie's arrival at The Reformatory is where the true horror begins in this novel. I don't normally read ghost or horror stories because I scare easily, but let me tell you, the other worldly entities were the least horrifying things in the book. The level of hatred, wickedness, and pure evil displayed by some of the characters within this novel was truly astounding. I would choose the haints any day over some of the people in this book. I also appreciated that the author also showcased how the "good" people standing by allowing evil deeds to continue is also very dangerous in their compliance, and essentially, they are just as guilty as the perpetrators.

There is so much that happens in the experience of this novel that can't be explained through a review, so I'll just be recommending this book to everyone. Believe the hype and read this one. The author is very skilled at storytelling, and you won't be disappointed. This is definitely one of my top reads for the year.

Thank you to Saga Press for providing a gifted copy of this novel.

4.5 ⭐️

A series of unfortunate events leads Robbie Stephens to the Gracetown School for Boys in 1950s Florida. The Reformatory follows his harrowing experiences and delves into the truth behind the ghost stories of Gracetown and the other sinister forces lurking within its walls. As Robbie and his sister, Gloria, fight to secure his freedom, disturbing revelations emerge about how the institution treats the "expendable."

Tananarive Due masterfully crafts a story with both care and consideration. This isn’t a jump-scare or slasher horror; instead, it’s a tale that lingers beneath your skin, confronting the harsh realities of both yesterday and today.

I didn’t want to put this book down, especially as the suspense intensified and the revelations unfolded. There were many moments where my heart raced, and I genuinely feared for the characters. This story made me feel a full spectrum of emotions—anger, joy, sorrow, and horror. It’s a testament to Due’s talent that this book resonated so deeply. I can’t wait to explore more of her work.

Thank you to Saga Press for the physical ARC in exchange for an honest review.

CAPWILE Ratings:
Characters: 9
Atmosphere: 8
Plot: 9
Writing Style: 10
Intrigue: 8
Logic: 8
Enjoyment: 9

This is a spectacular novel with so much tension because we are constantly afraid for the main character a young child sent to a horrible place to be corrected and punished for saving his older sister from being assaulted. He is constantly afraid himself and quickly learns how to not upset the masters. At the same time, the sister is trying to get him free. There are also relevant elements that add to the creepiness and paranormal aspects like seeing the ghosts of those who died in this horrible refirmatory. It's powerful, emotional, and sometimes hard to read, although it seems long it reads well with a good rhythm. One to read, no doubt.

A truly perfect book. Historical fiction with a supernatural twist, but not in typical horror fashion. The scariest entities in this story are the living white men. S

Set in the early years of the Jim Crow era in northern Florida, the story alternates between the two perspectives of a brother and sister. Robert Jr, who sent to The Reformatory for 6 months as a heavy-handed punishment for kicking a white boy who laid hands on his sister, and Gloria, who spends the entirety of the book doing anything within her limited power to get Robbie out of this corrupt and abusive “reform school”, which is known for its mistreatment of its boys, especially the black ones. Not only that, but it is rumored to be haunted by “haunts”, the spirits of the many boys who died (were killed) while serving their time.

The characters in the book, both prominent and fleeting, come to life and so realistically that I felt like a fly on the wall of something that really did happen. While two storylines can often compete with each other, one usually winning the interest of a reader over the other, these two were both riveting and essential to each other, symbiotic and intertwined.

A heartbreaking read for the fact of its historical truth, but hopeful in the exploration of lost loved ones still playing a significant role for the living, I felt truly everything there is to feel while reading this EXQUISITE book.

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.