There was a quote that stuck out to me in this book as a white woman born with privilege. It was said by a sixteen year old black girl talking to a white woman, explaining why it had to be herself getting her brother out of the dangerous school for boys. “And it’ll take somebody brave to help Robbie. You’re not brave, Miss Anne… I may not be brave most times, but I can be brave for Robbie.” People of color experienced such horror and devastation at the hand of white people. I wonder if I would have been brave enough back then to help; I hope I would have. More than that though, I think it’s easier to be brave nowadays, with so many people standing on the side of equity and justice. This book reminded me that the best thing I can do is use my privilege to support people of color and help defend their rights. I can be brave today.
This book follows a young black man in Jim Crow Florida. He kicks a white boy in defense of his sister, and is sent the the reformatory, a school for ‘troubled boys.’ At the school Robert, our protagonist, begins to see haints of the school’s victims.
Instead of doing a list this time, all I’m going to say is that this book was inspired by the real Dozier School for Boys. The true horrors of the books weren’t imagined. They were real. I’ve provided a link to the Dozier School for Boys and Okeechobee School Victim Compensation Program below for more information.
https://www.myfloridalegal.com/DozierSchool
Thank you, Saga Press for the review copy in exchange for an honest review.
