“Everything seems fine until it ain’t. And then we come to see it wasn’t never ‘fine’.”

This is one of the most harrowing books I’ve ever read. One of the best, without a doubt, but also one of the most heartbreaking.

Before I even made it to the first chapter I knew this was going to be a confronting read. Robert Stephens, a relative of the author, died in the 1930’s at the Dozier School for Boys in Marianna, Florida.

Robert Stephens, the book’s main character, is sent to The Gracetown School for Boys. He’s only twelve years old when he’s sentenced to six months at the Reformatory for kicking a white boy.

This is Jim Crow Florida in the 1950’s and it’s just as brutal as I feared it would be.

“Nobody stays nice”

But despite everything its characters endure, their courage, strength and resilience shine brighter than I’d dared to hope.

“This isn’t everything. There’s more than this.”

I expected this to be Robert’s story. I wasn’t anticipating the chapters voiced by Gloria, Robbie’s sister. Getting to know Gloria was a double edged sword for me. I grew to love her but that came with its own fears.

It was painful enough witnessing what Robert and the other boys at the Reformatory were subjected to. Worrying about Gloria as well, almost certain that the only ways her story could end were with the loss of her brother or her sacrifice to save him, made this book even more stressful.

“I may not be brave most times, but I can be brave for Robbie.”

The brutality of the physical and emotional abuse the children in the Reformatory experienced was bad enough. That a town full of adults who could and should have protected them but didn’t, that’s a whole other level of injustice.

Books like this are so hard to read. If they’re not, something is very wrong. Books like this are necessary, though. I loved this book. I hated this book. You need to read this book. Just make sure you have tissues in arm’s reach while you’re reading it.

““Go on,” Blue said, voice husky. “Ask me what I know about this place. Ask me.””

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Titan Books for the opportunity to read this book.