“The Nickel Boys”

Books that uncover parts of history unknown to me have a special place in my heart. The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead is now one of those books.

This book has been on my to-read list for a while now due to its high ratings and winning The Pulitzer Prize but I finally picked it up, and I’m glad I did.

Centered on a “reform school” in Florida, the book follows a couple boys specifically and their lives there. The book is loosely based on a real school, The Dozier School for Boys. Click here for a story NPR did on this school in 2012.

Reading this book broke my heart multiple times for many reasons. It jumps back and forth between the past and the present beautifully (sometimes when authors do that it only confuses me, but I stuck with the plot here). There are twists and characters I loved. At times I had to pause and reflect on a group of words the author wove together so well.

I highly recommend this book. I’m also going to look into Whitehead’s other works, so expect to see this author again soon.