Colson Whitehead

The Nickel Boys

Tallahassee, Florida, 1960s: Brought up by his loving, strict and clear-sighted grandmother, Elwood Curtis is about to enroll at the local black college. But one innocent mistake is enough to destroy his future, and so Elwood arrives instead at the Nickel Academy, which claims to provide training for its inmates to become "honorable and honest men". In reality, the Nickel Academy is a chamber of horrors, where abuse is rife. Stunned to find himself in this vicious environment, Elwood attempts to live by Dr. Martin Luther King's assertion, "Throw us in jail and we will still love you." But his new friend Turner believes the only way to survive is to emulate the cruelty of their oppressors. The tension between Elwood's idealism and Turner's skepticism leads to a decision that will have decades-long repercussions...

Kimmy Hobden

amazing read. a complex weaving of past and present. one of the few books that i could read after seeing the movie because the prose was so compelling. amazing, definitely recommend but it will shatter you.

Nina

The story itself is very important, but the execution wasn’t engaging enough to give a higher rating. I often felt like I was being told information instead of shown it, which caused pacing issues for me. Additionally, the audiobook format may not be the best choice for consuming this book because of the nonlinear storytelling. I found myself needing to take a moment to recalibrate my mind throughout. Regardless, the content of the story is devastating, and I’m glad the author is giving a voice to the voiceless.

Nik ✨

That very very end hits. Structure and narration lost me a bit

Margo Koss

How lucky I am to be born into a life that lifts me up, not tears me down. Heartbreaking to know that the book is barely fiction. 

g.m.

As the Civil Rights movement begins to reach the black enclave of Frenchtown in segregated Tallahassee, Elwood Curtis takes the words of Dr. Martin Luther King to heart: He is "as good as anyone." Abandoned by his parents, but kept on the straight and narrow by his grandmother, Elwood is about to enroll in the local black college. But for a black boy in the Jim Crow South of the early 1960s, one innocent mistake is enough to destroy the future. Elwood is sentenced to a juvenile reformatory called the Nickel Academy, whose mission statement says it provides "physical, intellectual and moral training" so the delinquent boys in their charge can become "honorable and honest men." In reality, the Nickel Academy is a grotesque chamber of horrors where the sadistic staff beats and sexually abuses the students, corrupt officials and locals steal food and supplies, and any boy who resists is likely to disappear "out back." Stunned to find himself in such a vicious environment, Elwood tries to hold onto Dr. King's ringing assertion "Throw us in jail and we will still love you." His friend Turner thinks Elwood is worse than naive, that the world is crooked, and that the only way to survive is to scheme and avoid trouble. The tension between Elwood's ideals and Turner's skepticism leads to a decision whose repercussions will echo down the decades. Formed in the crucible of the evils Jim Crow wrought, the boys' fates will be determined by what they endured at the Nickel Academy.

A Novel

Amina

I frankly don’t know how to exist anymore after finishing this book.

Patrick Book

armoni mayes

I will say i’m still leaning i bit more towards 4.5 stars but rounded up instead of down. All I can say is this story will stay with me forever, and i know the characters are fictional but it is known that this novel is loosely based on a true story. 

To say I am devastated by the ending is an understatement. Whitehead crafted such an intriguing story based on Curtis Elwood, a black boy sentenced to a ‘reform’ school for a crime that he did not even technically commit. This is also a story about family, friendships, innocence and race. I would highly recommend this novel, and I cannot wait to read more from whitehead!

Pithy, with a  tight plot and full characters and endless relevance. There's so much to say I can't even say anything.

elizabeth

In this bravura follow-up to the Pulitzer Prize, and National Book Award-winning #1 New York Times bestseller The Underground Railroad, Colson Whitehead brilliantly dramatizes another strand of American history through the story of two boys sentenced to a hellish reform school in Jim Crow-era Florida. As the Civil Rights movement begins to reach the black enclave of Frenchtown in segregated Tallahassee, Elwood Curtis takes the words of Dr. Martin Luther King to heart: He is "as good as anyone." Abandoned by his parents, but kept on the straight and narrow by his grandmother, Elwood is about to enroll in the local black college. But for a black boy in the Jim Crow South of the early 1960s, one innocent mistake is enough to destroy the future. Elwood is sentenced to a juvenile reformatory called the Nickel Academy, whose mission statement says it provides "physical, intellectual and moral training" so the delinquent boys in their charge can become "honorable and honest men." In reality, the Nickel Academy is a grotesque chamber of horrors where the sadistic staff beats and sexually abuses the students, corrupt officials and locals steal food and supplies, and any boy who resists is likely to disappear "out back." Stunned to find himself in such a vicious environment, Elwood tries to hold onto Dr. King's ringing assertion "Throw us in jail and we will still love you." His friend Turner thinks Elwood is worse than naive, that the world is crooked, and that the only way to survive is to scheme and avoid trouble. The tension between Elwood's ideals and Turner's skepticism leads to a decision whose repercussions will echo down the decades. Formed in the crucible of the evils Jim Crow wrought, the boys' fates will be determined by what they endured at the Nickel Academy. Based on the real story of a reform school in Florida that operated for one hundred and eleven years and warped the lives of thousands of children, The Nickel Boys is a devastating, driven narrative that showcases a great American novelist writing at the height of his powers.

Sarah Sammis

It's based on a real place and real atrocities. The way the story unfolds though, has a A Separate Peace vibe.

http://pussreboots.com/blog/2021/comm...

This book was recommended to me by a good friend. I wasn’t sure what it entailed because I want to be surprised when reading recommendations. It was daunting and at times frustrating to know this happened. 

Jazz

Melissa Palmer

Based on horrific true events, this novel talks about the Nickel Boys, those teens who were sent to reform school in Florida...where mass graves were found too late. Hard to read at times, but riveting as well.

Mani Mohan

What an amazing riveting book this is. This book has made me want to explore/learn more of Dr. King Jr, and also read more about the Jim Crow segregation laws and other forms of inequality that happened/ currently happening in America. Whitehead has also written beautifully about ones perspective of life (Elwood vs Turner), and about how far idealism can be from reality. An important book at an important time.

Spread love. "Love is the only force that can transform an enemy into a friend."

Can't wait to read the underground railroad now.

Boothby

Elwood!!!! Light on plot, heavy on atmosphere 
Vaguely episodic, in that once you arrive at nickel, time has less meaning there. the boys are no longer moving forward in time, but treading in syrup, trying to keep their heads above erratic waves of awful

Ragged & corrupt but never gratuitously depicted. The boys, Elwood and Turner are the heart and the best of us

Brittany Levely-Connolly

This book was emotional rollercoaster for me. The characters were well fleshed out, allowing the reader to not only empathize with their experiences, it makes you want to get up and do something. Make A Change! I was able to understand my grandmother's experience at residential schools better.
Thank you Colson for making me cry so much but enjoy every page

Author of The Underground Railroad, Colson Whitehead, brilliantly dramatizes another strand of American history through the story of two boys sentenced to a hellish reform school in 1960s Florida. Praise for Pulitzer Prize-winning The Underground Railroad: 'My book of the year by some distance . . . luminous, furious, wildly inventive' Observer 'An engrossing and harrowing novel' Sunday Times 'Tells one of the most compelling stories I have ever read' Guardian Whitehead is a superb storyteller . . . [he] brilliantly intertwines his allegory with history . . . writing at the peak of his game' Telegraph ________________________________________________________________________ Elwood Curtis has taken the words of Dr Martin Luther King to heart: he is as good as anyone. Abandoned by his parents, brought up by his loving, strict and clearsighted grandmother, Elwood is about to enroll in the local black college. But given the time and the place, one innocent mistake is enough to destroy his future, and so Elwood arrives at The Nickel Academy, which claims to provide 'physical, intellectual and moral training' which will equip its inmates to become 'honorable and honest men'. In reality, the Nickel Academy is a chamber of horrors, where physical, emotional and sexual abuse is rife, where corrupt officials and tradesmen do a brisk trade in supplies intended for the school, and where any boy who resists is likely to disappear 'out back'. Stunned to find himself in this vicious environment, Elwood tries to hold on to Dr King's ringing assertion, 'Throw us in jail, and we will still love you.' But Elwood's fellow inmate and new friend Turner thinks Elwood is naive and worse; the world is crooked, and the only way to survive is to emulate the cruelty and cynicism of their oppressors. The tension between Elwood's idealism and Turner's skepticism leads to a decision which will have decades-long repercussions. Based on the history of a real reform school in Florida that operated for one hundred and eleven years and warped and destroyed the lives of thousands of children, The Nickel Boys is a devastating, driven narrative by a great American novelist whose work is essential to understanding the current reality of the United States.

poprika

peyton mckenzie

So often, black history is erased from the books and forgotten. I never knew about the Florida School for Boys, so Whitehead's novel was eye-opening. To know that this novel was based on fact and not purely fiction irks my nerves and gives me insane goosebumps. Never before have I had such a visceral reaction to a novel. This makes me want to delve into even more historical fiction. 

Without a doubt, the novel is beautifully written, captivating me to the point that I could not bear to put it down. This book was the first to bring me out of the reading slump I've been in since graduating, and I'm eager to pick up another one of Whitehead's masterpieces. I'd recommend this book to anyone and everyone.

Cindy Lieberman

A heartbreaking novel about Elwood Curtis, a boy who “is good as anyone” and smarter than most, but whose lack of guile gets him sent to a boys’ reformatory that routinely abuses its black charges. Based on a real place and several real-life accounts.

Stefanie  Uwah

This book was inspired by the true story of The Dozier School for Boys in Marianna, Florida. When I got to the end, I realized I would have much rather spent my time reading the true accounts of former students rather than this semi-fictional retelling. 

Something about this book was disjointed. I thought many of the transitions from past to present were choppy and I was left feeling disoriented. The final twist was definitely a surprise but ultimately, I didn’t find the writing to be unique and was extremely underwhelmed. 

This book says a lot of important things about the state of justice in America. However, I think one could come away with the same conclusions if they read the first hand accounts of students who survived not just the Dozier School, but juvenile detention centers across the nation.

Two stars feels very low but if I'm being very honest, I really didn't enjoy the writing. I'm glad that this book introduced me to the story of the Dozier School so I can further read about the experiences of the students.

The Hissing Saint

I couldn't help but compare this book with Alex Haley's Roots. Both books deal with similar themes albeit in completely different timelines. Where Roots took on the extreme cruelty of Slavery and traced its subsequent dissolution through generations of a family, Nickel Boys constrains itself to the events that transpired within the walls of a correctional facility for juveniles in a milieu when equal rights for Black people was still a dream.

Where Roots was brutal and unfettered in it's description of the brutality of the time, Nickel Boys often seems to bring the reader to the brink of horror and then let's you fill in the details. In doing so it forces the reader to look in with a lens of tragedy and sadness rather than naked rage mirroring the teachings of Martin Luther King that the book so often quotes.

Cheri McElroy

This is a hard book to rate or talk about. I will say Colson Whitehead is a poet who breaks my heart with his stories. This story asks this question: Do you act out of agape love, even when it costs us? When treated in the worst ways imaginable? Elwood’s choice will haunt me, as it did Turner. Highly recommended.

Baylie Madison

Theme/Plot: It took me a really long time to finish this book. Granted, it was in part due to the fact that I was reading it during a busy time in my semester, but I also think the book was slower in some parts. This is not necessarily a criticism, just more of an observation. However, there definitely was a clear storyline and there were definitely parts that got my heart racing.
	Some notable sections for me were the boxing match and Elwood’s introduction. 
Characters: The characters were definitely the highlight of the book. Elwood’s undying hope and reference to MLK were vital to the message of the story, and Elwood just in general goes through the most notable changes as our narrator.
My favorite character, however, is Turner. Turner is so layered and really brings out the underlying disappointment this time had to endure. He is so well crafted, being a mentor for Elwood while in Nickel, but also serving as a symbol of contrast to the movement of the time. Turner does not believe in holding onto hope after going through Nickel, and in the segregated and racist world in general. He forces Elwood to question and justify his hope and perseverance. Both boys learn endless lessons from each other. 
Writing: Whitehead is a particularly talented individual. He baffled me with his elegant way of attacking brutal ideas and actions. He seamlessly weaves together the storylines of the characters, allowing you to learn about more than just Elwood. Also, the most intense aspect was the chronology. Due to the intro being written in the earlier pages, it always you to feel secure in that you know characters make it. This tricked me into letting my guard down and I was NOT prepared for the heartbreak of the ending, particularly the epilogue.

Ilham Akbarli

Yəqin ki, son illərin ən yaxşı romanını oxudum deyə bilərəm. Müəllif onsuzda güclü olan hekayəni kiçik bir fəndlə mükəmməlləşdirib. Nickel uşaq həbsxanasında - Azərbaycanda bu tip yerlərə səhv etmirəmsə, uşaq tərbiyə mərkəzi deyirlər - baş verənləri bir uşaq qəhrəmanın gözündən danışan kitab Amerikanın qaranlıq tərəflərini və cəmiyyətin nələrdən keçdiyini göstərir. Təbii ki, bütün bu dəyişimi bir uşağın taleyi üzərindən göstərmək də əsəri daha güclü edir. Amerikada hal-hazırda baş verən irqçilik məsələlərinin fonunda kitab daha da dəyər qazanır. Kitabda bəhs edilən məkan və uşaqlar uydurma olsa da, sonda müəllif əslində hansı hadisələrdən bu hekayəni yaratdığını göstərir. 
Colson Whitehead son illərin ən yaxşı romançılarından hesab olunur, mütləq bir neçə əsərini daha oxuyacam.

Celeste Richardson

The Nickel Boys is a brilliant, infuriating look into a fictional reform school inspired by a very real one. The fact that such horror took place in reality is deeply disturbing but, when held against the more well-known dark parts of our nation’s history, is sadly in no way surprising. The inherent racism in such places, especially in the South and especially when given such loose supervision, isn’t something those involved have even tried very hard to hide until the past few decades.

Poor Elwood is just about the unluckiest boy ever. There’s little that’s less fair than someone who does everything right still finding themselves footing the blame for someone else’s crimes. I cared more about Elwood than I did the protagonists of The Underground Railroad, because he was actually given enough time to develop as a character before the central theme of the novel came into play. He was a unique, interesting, driven, morally upright young man who won me over immediately.

However, in similar fashion to my experience with The Underground Railroad, I went from caring about the protagonist as an individual to seeing them as little more than a conduit for the story. I think this is just the way in which Whitehead tells his stories. His writing is impeccable, but something about this shift in tone puts me into a more academic mindset in a setting where I feel almost guilty for not experiencing more emotional resonance. Which means that this rating is entirely subjective. I completely understand why The Nickel Boys won the Pulitzer in 2020. It’s timely and powerful and serves as a call to arms in reforming such institutions and bringing into the light the darkness of their pasts. I simply found the (again, very subjective) emotional disconnect jarring.

Victoria P

whitehead’s writing is truly amazing, the story was so eye opening and just a teaspoon of what black people had to go through. the plot twist at the end made a lump in my throat

The Nickel Boys

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