The Reformatory: A Novel
*Los Angeles Times Book Prize Winner * New York Times Notable Book * Locus Award Finalist * Winner of the Bram Stoker Award and the Shirley Jackson Award *
“You’re in for a treat...one of those books you can’t put down...Due hit it out of the park.” —Stephen King
A gripping, page-turning “masterpiece” (Joe Hill, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Fireman) set in Jim Crow Florida that follows Robert Stephens Jr. as he’s sent to a segregated reform school that is a chamber of terrors where he sees the horrors of racism and injustice, for the living, and the dead.
Gracetown, Florida
June 1950
Twelve-year-old Robbie Stephens, Jr., is sentenced to six months at the Gracetown School for Boys, a reformatory, for kicking the son of the largest landowner in town in defense of his older sister, Gloria. So begins Robbie’s journey further into the terrors of the Jim Crow South and the very real horror of the school they call The Reformatory.
Robbie has a talent for seeing ghosts, or haints. But what was once a comfort to him after the loss of his mother has become a window to the truth of what happens at the reformatory. Boys forced to work to remediate their so-called crimes have gone missing, but the haints Robbie sees hint at worse things. Through his friends Redbone and Blue, Robbie is learning not just the rules but how to survive. Meanwhile, Gloria is rallying every family member and connection in Florida to find a way to get Robbie out before it’s too late.
The Reformatory is a haunting work of historical fiction written as only American Book Award–winning author Tananarive Due could, by piecing together the life of the relative her family never spoke of and bringing his tragedy and those of so many others at the infamous Dozier School for Boys to the light in this riveting novel.
“You’re in for a treat...one of those books you can’t put down...Due hit it out of the park.” —Stephen King
A gripping, page-turning “masterpiece” (Joe Hill, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Fireman) set in Jim Crow Florida that follows Robert Stephens Jr. as he’s sent to a segregated reform school that is a chamber of terrors where he sees the horrors of racism and injustice, for the living, and the dead.
Gracetown, Florida
June 1950
Twelve-year-old Robbie Stephens, Jr., is sentenced to six months at the Gracetown School for Boys, a reformatory, for kicking the son of the largest landowner in town in defense of his older sister, Gloria. So begins Robbie’s journey further into the terrors of the Jim Crow South and the very real horror of the school they call The Reformatory.
Robbie has a talent for seeing ghosts, or haints. But what was once a comfort to him after the loss of his mother has become a window to the truth of what happens at the reformatory. Boys forced to work to remediate their so-called crimes have gone missing, but the haints Robbie sees hint at worse things. Through his friends Redbone and Blue, Robbie is learning not just the rules but how to survive. Meanwhile, Gloria is rallying every family member and connection in Florida to find a way to get Robbie out before it’s too late.
The Reformatory is a haunting work of historical fiction written as only American Book Award–winning author Tananarive Due could, by piecing together the life of the relative her family never spoke of and bringing his tragedy and those of so many others at the infamous Dozier School for Boys to the light in this riveting novel.
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Readers say *The Reformatory* is a gut-wrenching, powerful historical novel blending Jim Crow-era brutality with subtle supernatural elements. Reviewe...
This book was not what I expected based on what BookTok made it out to be. Sure, there's paranormal elements, but it hardly passes as a horror book. It's more of a historical fiction. Keeping that in mind, my rating is difficult to give because I had been expecting something so different. Also, it was several hundred pages too long. And, it's a book I would never plan to re-read because it was just so unpleasant to get through.
I absolutely loved everything about this book! From the very first page, the writing pulled me in and didn't let go. The author has such a beautiful way with words that every chapter felt effortless to read, even when the story packed an emotional punch.
Fair warning, some scenes are definitely on the heavier side, so be prepared to feel ALL the feelings. My heart was put through the wringer more than once, but that's exactly what made the story so memorable. It made me laugh, ache, hope, and cheer right alongside the characters. Without giving anything away, I was so happy with how everything came together. The ending felt earned, satisfying, and left me closing the book with a smile.
This book officially got me out of my reading slump. 👏🏾 I could NOT put it down.
If you loved Sinners, add The Reformatory to your TBR immediately. Same eerie Southern vibes, history, family, ghosts, and the kind of story that sticks with you long after you finish.
And whew... being born and raised in Florida made parts of this hit a little too close to home. Sheeeesssshhhh.
10/10. Absolutely recommend. Now excuse me while I chase another book that's half this good.
This is by far my favorite of Tananarive Due's books. It's an incredible accomplishment--the characters are so alive (well, so to speak), it's well paced, especially for such a lengthy book, and it does a commendable job of using the genre to expose real horror and celebrate real heroism. I have a few minor complaints about loose ends and the wrap up, so I couldn't quite get to five stars, but it's well worth the read for lovers of literary horror, historical fiction, and the soul of our country.
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