THE NICKEL BOYS- Colson Whitehead
THE NICKEL BOYS: SHORT AND POWERFUL!
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Based on a real reform centre in Florida, Whitehead tells the fictional story of Elwood, a virtuous teenage student who is stripped of his rights during the civil rights movement. Excited about his future prospects at a local black college, the story takes a turn for the worst and Elwood finds himself at The Nickel Academy, a segregated juvenile reform school, run by the cruel and sadistic Maynard Spencer. Ultimately a racist institute, the boys are subjected to misery and abuse on a daily basis, and Whitehead shines a light on this particularly dark aspect of American history.
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Rich in detail, the understated and subtly nuanced prose is hard-hitting and emotional, making the story all the more powerful. It is beautifully written, with quotes from Martin Luther King interjected throughout. Whitehead does an incredible job of maintaining honesty and refuses to make any comfortable omissions for the reader. Whilst an ambitious book with some sensitive content, overall it’s a story that needs to be told, and is so in a way that is accessible and raw. To my surprise, when I had neared the end, the books packs a punchy twist that floors the reader! This is an author I will definitely be exploring the back catalogue for! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you @littlebrownbookgroup_uk for #gifting this copy. @fleetreads
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Based on a real reform centre in Florida, Whitehead tells the fictional story of Elwood, a virtuous teenage student who is stripped of his rights during the civil rights movement. Excited about his future prospects at a local black college, the story takes a turn for the worst and Elwood finds himself at The Nickel Academy, a segregated juvenile reform school, run by the cruel and sadistic Maynard Spencer. Ultimately a racist institute, the boys are subjected to misery and abuse on a daily basis, and Whitehead shines a light on this particularly dark aspect of American history.
.
Rich in detail, the understated and subtly nuanced prose is hard-hitting and emotional, making the story all the more powerful. It is beautifully written, with quotes from Martin Luther King interjected throughout. Whitehead does an incredible job of maintaining honesty and refuses to make any comfortable omissions for the reader. Whilst an ambitious book with some sensitive content, overall it’s a story that needs to be told, and is so in a way that is accessible and raw. To my surprise, when I had neared the end, the books packs a punchy twist that floors the reader! This is an author I will definitely be exploring the back catalogue for! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you @littlebrownbookgroup_uk for #gifting this copy. @fleetreads
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