The Reformatory

A Novel

By: Tananarive Due

Narrated by: Joniece Abbott-Pratt

Length: 20 hrs and 51 mins

Publisher's summary

A gripping novel 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.

©2023 Tananarive Due (P)2023 Simon & Schuster Audio

Critic reviews

A New York Times Notable Book

“You’re in for a treat. The Reformatory is one of those books you can’t put down. Tananarive Due hit it out of the park.” —Stephen King

Incredible and illuminating story

This is such an amazing and gripping story right from the beginning. I listened to this book in two days because I could not stop. As a white person it was illuminating to experience through the eyes and ears and body of Black people during segregation. I’m involved in anti-racism work, and I am a therapist and would recommend this book to many. I especially liked how at the end the author made connections to her own family history.

Narrator

Very well written and narrated. Miss Due did a fantastic job again. I love her work. Although this is fiction it really makes one think about the terrible way we treated our fellow humans.

Sad but true

This was a great read made me a little bit sad not a little bit a lot sad and then changed over to angst

compelling storytelling in all aspects

I thoroughly enjoyed the performance and wonderful storytelling, the writing and plot, and the many twists,

Perseverance of charaters

Great story....the ghosties seemed such a real possibility. Sad to imagine that many parts of this story could very possibly be non fiction!

This Is What Horror Should Be

This is rounded up from 4.5 stars, but I won't deny the novel a five-star review because ultimately it is a brilliant piece that explores important themes. It is clear that Tananarive Due is a teacher, as The Reformatory is a shining example of how effectively we can learn through fiction--even if we're reading about topics we'd rather not learn about--notably, the horrors that humanity is capable of. Horror is the perfect genre to capture these themes, as it forces us to consider what we really should be scared of--the supernatural world or the evil that can exist in our everyday world right under our noses without us ever even thinking much about it. I truly hope this book becomes a classic of the genre.

That said, I did have some complaints, particularly through the middle section, which could have been a lot shorter. I wanted to be as captivated by Gloria's story as I was by Robbie's because I know that her perspective is an essential element of the story; I found it hard to care about her character, though, and was always itching to get back to Robbie. Gloria is the type of protagonist that I least enjoy in fiction--The Teenager Who Thinks They Know Better. Many of Gloria's POV chapters felt to me like Gloria seeking help everywhere she could, and then immediately second-guessing the help she is given because she doesn't actually listen to ANYBODY, not even the lawyer she recruits to help her. Much of the conflict within the novel is driven by Gloria's inability to LISTEN and LEARN, which is incredibly frustrating for me as a reader, and encountering this type of reactionary character is one of the main reasons I avoid YA in general. Also, one of my least favorite tropes in horror is one I'll call the Lack of Urgency. If a book has created enough tension to trigger my fight or flight response, then I want the characters to haul ass, not stand around being sad or asking dumb questions. This happens far too often in this book, and it always feels to me like a cheap way to amp up tension.

I know these are minor issues to an otherwise marvelous book, but they did cause me a lot of frustration as I was reading, so it felt worth mentioning. Still a huge fan! This is also the second book I've read recently with this narrator, and she does a terrific job. Her accents throughout this audiobook were spot-on and added significantly to my enjoyment of the story.

This is the first review I’ve left on Audible, and for good reason.

This is the best book I’ve read/ listened to in I don’t even know how long. The story, the topics, the execution of it all, it’s a masterpiece. I would love to see a television adaptation of it, but at the same time the book itself is something you won’t find elsewhere.

Horror Down South

Wow! This is a very good read. It’s performed beautifully. You can imagine everything as the story unfolded. The author in a league with Stephen King.

so close to studying of the history and the wrong justice is practically

I don't see anything wrong with it good book. I don't have anything else to add

Loved it!

This was my first venture into Due's writing and I was hooked the entire time. Sometimes heart wrenching, sometimes creepy. I'll be checking plenty more out from this author. Personal best read of the year.