As detailed in the Acknowledgements section, this book narrates in fiction the true story of young black men imprisoned in Florida. Only this was not a regular prison; it was a torture chamber. It details how this prison’s culture sought to imbue a feeling of worthlessness on its black prisoners. Nonetheless, Whitehead’s story is one of redemption, about one man’s successful attempt to overcome life within this prison.
Whitehead, himself an African American, projects to the reader what it is like to be a black man in America. Although set primarily in the 1960s, the scenarios could exist today. The main character is wrongly sent to jail for “driving (or rather, riding) while black.” He had his life in order as a young man bound for college. Now, he sought to make good of a bad situation. The structural oppression sparks compassion for this tragic hero.
Although the subject matter is heavy and the story could stand on its own, Whitehead does all that he can to make the text convey powerful images. The characters are strong, and the tale is direct and to the point. Whitehead’s previous novel (The Underground Railroad) won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction. This account, as grounded in real experiences as the prior work, serves as a worthy follow-up. The plot twists all the way until the end. Although the action seems to lull in the middle of this text, the weighty subject matter draws the reader back into the tale.
It seems that Whitehead wanted to place a light upon the young men involved in this story, and its debut won rave reviews and high sales figures. The writing does justice to the story.
The Nickel Boys
by Colson Whitehead
Copyright (c) 2019
ASIN B07J489X7H
Page Count: 213
Genre: Fiction, Historical Fiction
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