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NATIONAL BESTSELLER • In this Pulitzer Prize-winning follow-up to The Underground Railroad, Colson Whitehead brilliantly dramatizes another strand of American history through the story of two boys unjustly sentenced to a hellish reform school in Jim Crow-era Florida. When Elwood Curtis, a black boy growing up in 1960s Tallahassee, is unfairly sentenced to a juvenile reformatory called the Nickel Academy, he finds himself trapped in a grotesque chamber of horrors. Elwood’s only salvation is his friendship with fellow “delinquent” Turner, which deepens despite Turner’s conviction that Elwood is hopelessly naive, that the world is crooked, and that the only way to survive is to scheme and avoid trouble. As life at the Academy becomes ever more perilous, the tension between Elwood’s ideals and Turner’s skepticism leads to a decision whose repercussions will echo down the decades. Based on the real story of a reform school that operated for 111 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 and “should further cement Whitehead as one of his generation's best" (Entertainment Weekly). Look for Colson Whitehead’s bestselling new novel, Harlem Shuffle!

Journey into the Dark Depths of Injustice: A Critical Review of "The Nickel Boys" by Colson Whitehead

In his 2019 novel, "The Nickel Boys," Colson Whitehead weaves a powerful and thought-provoking narrative that delves into the disturbing history of the Nickel Academy, a notorious reform school in Florida. With his masterful storytelling, Whitehead exposes the systemic racism, brutality, and abuse that plagued this institution and shattered the lives of countless young boys.

The story centers around Elwood Curtis, a promising young African American boy who is wrongly accused of a crime and sent to Nickel. Elwood's unwavering determination to survive in the face of unimaginable cruelty and injustice serves as a testament to the resilience of the human spirit. Through Elwood's eyes, we witness the dehumanizing conditions, the constant fear and violence, and the relentless efforts of the Nickel staff to break the spirits of the boys in their care.

Whitehead's writing is both stark and poetic, capturing the raw emotions and desperation of the boys trapped within Nickel's walls. He masterfully interweaves historical facts with fictional elements, shedding light on the broader context of racial segregation and the systematic oppression that fueled the horrors of institutions like Nickel. The result is a story that is both deeply disturbing and undeniably compelling.

"The Nickel Boys" is a powerful indictment of the injustices that continue to plague our society. Whitehead's unflinching exploration of the devastating consequences of racism and abuse serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for change. This novel is a must-read for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the dark chapters of American history and the ongoing fight for justice and equality.