Readers have eagerly awaited Colson Whitehead's follow-up to the award-winning 2016 bestseller, The Underground Railroad, and their patience was rewarded with The Nickel Boys. Set in the Jim Crow-era south, it tells of the nightmarish conditions behind the walls of a reform school for boys.
The Situation: Elwood Curtis lives in segregated Tallahassee in the early 1960s. Raised by his grandmother, Elwood has discovered a fierce fondness for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. When he receives a record of Dr. King's speeches as a gift, Elwood cannot get enough of hearing it, and resolves to adopt the reverend's attitude towards the Civil Rights Movement. Of course, protesting injustice and maintaining a strong sense of right and wrong can come at a price, one that Elwood occasionally ends up paying. Even so, he seems to be headed in the right direction as he is a strong student, and is able to hold down a part-time job while keeping up with his schoolwork. But just as he begins to advance beyond his little neighborhood, one simple mistake changes his entire course, and he finds himself to be the newest student at the Nickel Academy, a reform school for boys.
The Problem: The Nickel Academy promises to provide an education that includes moral training, all in an effort to transform these troubled boys into decent citizens. However, what the sadistic staff at the Nickel Academy actually provide is abuse, both physical and sexual, on a level of cruelty that it causes many of the boys to disappear, for various reasons. When Elwood discovers the true Nickel, he does his best to hold onto the words of Dr. King, retaining an attitude that another Nickel inmate, Turner, thinks is naive, even foolish. Turner would rather keep his down, and work the system in his own favor. Despite their differences, the two boys become friends, managing to stay out of trouble, until one decision, stemming from his desire for justice, once again changes the course of Elwood's life.
Genre, Themes, History: This is a historical fiction novel set mostly in early 1960s Florida, which is where Elwood grew up, and where the Nickel Academy runs as a reform school for delinquent boys. There are parts of the book that show Elwood's life at different points in the future, after Nickel, showing what has become of him after the abuse he endured as a teen. The Nickel Academy itself is based off of a real place, the Dozier School for Boys in Marianna, Florida, which operated for 111 years. If the physical and sexual abuse were not enough, school staff and officials also sold off supplies and food that were meant for the boys in a scheme to earn extra money. The school also was segregated, and the white boys received better supplies, and less abuses, than their black counterparts. Of course, that does not mean that they did not also suffer at the hands of the staff and administration, many of which would not be brought to justice due to the school's long years of operation.
My Verdict: I expected to have a much more difficult time reading this book than I did. Yes, the boys suffer terrible abuses and atrocities. And yes, there were many moments when the boys would be up to something, and it was plenty obvious that they, mostly Elwood, would suffer severe consequences for it. Scenes and events like that would cause me to wince and brace for pages at a time, while waiting for the hammer to drop. But instead of writing a book that simply contains unmitigated abuse and hardship, Whitehead manages to balance out the horror, while still keeping it front and present. The book is certainly about the terrible things that took place at Nickel, but also about the struggle between wanting to fight for justice, and also wanting to stay out of trouble and hope to make your own way in the midst of the chaos. Elwood and Turner beautifully represent the two sides, respectively, while also showcasing that the decision is not as cut and dry as we would often like to believe.
Favorite Moment: When Jaimie, a Hispanic boy at Nickel, manages to exact some revenge on a staff member who was cruel to him.
Favorite Character: Turner is trouble from the beginning, but he ultimately knows what he is doing, and only tells his friends to do what he thinks will keep them alive.
Recommended Reading: Whitehead's The Underground Railroad won the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, and for good reason. I highly recommend it.
First, I will go ahead and say that I did not care much for Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale when I read it years ago. This general dislike has kept me from watching the series on Hulu; plus, I have heard of how intense it is, so it may be too much for me anyway. Even so, I was still excited when I learned there was to not only be a graphic novel, but a sequel as well that is set to come out later this year. It is always interesting to me so see how artists decide to depict the events inside of classic works of fiction.
The Situation: In an unnamed year, in an unidentified reality that could be the future, or just another version of Earth, the United States is no longer the country as we know it. After a coordinated attack that has left the president and most of Congress dead, a radical extremist group has taken over. There are many changes, perhaps one of the most notable of which is that women can no longer hold property, handle money, maintain a career, or even read or write. But men are also affected, as newly established social classes give ultimate power to a few, while making others into little more than either common servants, or agents of the government in one of the many different roles that serve to keep the newly established society in-tact. Our narrator, Offred, is a Handmaid: a fertile woman who is assigned to a household of the ruling class in order to bear that household a child.
The Problem: Offred is on her third assignment, which means that if she does not get pregnant, she will be in risk of being labeled infertile and sent off to the wasteland of the Colonies. Of course, there is a chance that Offred may not get that far if she is ever believed to be violating one of the many laws that keeps this society going. The Handmaids are barely able to speak to each other, and when they do, they must be careful as to not be overheard, especially if they speak beyond general and approved pleasantries. Offred takes chances when she speaks with her partner Ofglen, as well as when she begins to have small communication exchanges with Nick, her Commander's chauffeur. When the Commander begins to request her presence in private in his office, something that is forbidden, Offred knows she is being forced to walk a fine line. Being found out would certainly mean being picked up by the black van, and any hope of one day reuniting with her daughter would certainly be lost, if it is not already.
Genre, Themes, History: This is a graphic novel adaptation of Atwood's classic done by artist Renée Nault. If the original story was not unsettling enough, now it has gained another life in brilliant, colorful, and detailed drawings. The red of the outfit worn by the Handmaids takes on a whole new severity, especially when many of them are grouped together. Offred's life in the Republic of Gilead seems to be full of one color or another. If it is not the red of her uniform, then it is the light purple of the Wives' uniform, or the green of the Marthas', or the army green many of the men wear, or even the black of the van that may come to pick someone up at any time. When Offred remembers her life before, the memories are in full color, but they also come throughout the story, and out of order. At one point, Offred apologizes not only for the disorganized nature of her tale, but also how upsetting and sad it is. In an effort to address the issue of lower birth rates, a radical group has warped and distorted selected passages of the Bible, creating a dystopia that suites no one, and ultimately solves nothing.
My Verdict: I cannot imagine attempting to adapt any novel, especially a well-loved classic, into a graphic novel. For me, this adaptation worked well, perhaps because I did not much care for the original novel. Graphic novels move quicker, while giving a visual to what the original author put on paper. That does not mean that the brutality and harshness of this new world is lessened at all. In many ways it was made much more vivid. But I do feel like something was lost in translation, and some details were missed. While Atwood's story was always a bit opaque, at least to me, this adaptation both cleared some things up, while also making other aspects of the story more confusing. In the end though, it was still an enjoyable experience, though many die hard fans of the story may have a few issues with it. I will say one more thing: I love love love the cover. Love it! The black matte look is one of my favorite for book covers. And the red of the Handmaid uniform against that background works incredibly well.
Favorite Illustration: The images of the ceremony that takes place when a Handmaid gives birth are extremely well-done, as well as extremely upsetting.
Favorite Character: Moira is a woman who refuses to give up, and refuses to settle into the life of a Handmaid. She ends up with the (maybe) more desirable assignment as a Jezebel, and maintains her sardonic wit.
Recommended Reading: It is worth reading the original novel by Atwood. As for another graphic novel adaptation, I recommend Kindred by Octavia E. Butler, adapted by Damian Duffy.
I never read Bridget Jones's Diary, but I have read Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. So when this book was compared to the both of them, I decided to try it out. Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams follows a Jamaican British woman as she looks for love in modern-day London, but of course, finds many other things along the way.
The Situation: Twenty-five year-old Queenie Jenkins has just moved into a shared living space with two strangers. After being asked to move out of the apartment she shared with her long-time boyfriend, Tom, Queenie had to settle with what she could afford, which in London is not much. This interruption in her and Tom's relationship has caused Queenie to lose focus on her work as a journalist at the Daily Read. She is constantly chatting with her best friend Darcy at her desk instead of sitting at her own, while getting someone else to do her work for her, and it is not like her boss hasn't noticed. Even so, she manages to keep moving along, even with the added distraction of Ted, a man who also works in the building and who cannot stop emailing Queenie and giving her compliments. Ted is not the only man who is after Queenie, proving that her break with Tom is not about her physical appearance. She wants to give him the space he asked for, while also staying close enough to pick up where they left off when he is ready.
The Problem: When it comes to the men that Queenie chooses while she is still missing Tom, she seems to attract and pick the worst of the worst. If they aren't fetishizing her blackness, then they are married, or have a girlfriend, of have some seriously questionable opinions regarding race relations. Even so, Queenie cannot stop seeing them, and these interactions only affirm the beliefs she has about herself. Some of her friends and family believe it is all because she insists on only dating white men, but a past experience takes black men completely out of the equation. Soon, things are spiraling out of control, not only with men, but with her friends and at her job. Despite her past and all of her baggage, Queenie must come to realize that nearly everything that is happening to her is of her own doing. How does someone get better when they are their own worst enemy?
Genre, Themes, History: This is a fiction novel set in London, England, and focusing on the experience of a young Jamaican British woman who is starting out in her adult life. After a break-up with her long-time boyfriend, Queenie must move out of their shared space and attempt to navigate life on her own, although she always has her closest friends, and her family is not far away. Though she is comfortable in her own body (for the most part), and is quick to tell anyone and everyone not to touch her hair, past and current experiences have Queenie believing she is unworthy and unlovable. After signing up for a dating app, she gets plenty of interest and messages, though many border on harassment (or simply are harassment), and the few she follows through with do not exactly go well. But even with all of the attention from men, the support of her friends, and the intrusions of her family, Queenie's ultimate goal is to get back together with Tom. She knows this break is temporary (and kind of her fault), but she is having a hard time giving him the space he asked for, while endlessly wondering when she will be able to move her stuff back in.
My Verdict: I had a hard time connecting with this one at first, possibly because of Queenie being somewhat all over the place. The break-up throws her for a complete loop, so she dives directly into chaos with a speed I had trouble keeping up with. But slowly and surely, the story unfolds to reveal that it is more than just a chronicle of the men Queenie insisted on self-destructing with. Eventually you get more about her history, more about her family, and then more about what it is like to be a young black woman with opinions in modern-day London. I still had trouble relating to Queenie, but I at least got a better picture of where she was coming from as more of her world came into focus. What is most satisfying is being able to see Queenie's (slow) growth over the course of the novel, even if she had to have some incredibly hard lessons to get there, and it is all done with humor and honesty.
Favorite Moment: When Queenie's grandmother was listing her reasons for not leaving South London, and many of the reasons had to deal with how she "didn't trust the buildings."
Favorite Character: I love Queenie's grandmother and grandfather, who both have supersonic hearing and can make out even the smallest whisper of a snide comment, even if it is made two rooms away.
Recommended Reading: I will always recommend Paul Beatty's The Sellout when it comes to books that deal with race relations with humor. But I will also recommend Thick, a collections of essays by Tressie McMillan Cottom.
I was fortunate to have had the opportunity to meet Susan Meissner at the 7th Annual San Antonio Book Festival; however, I was not able to actually make it to her panel on Texas during World War II. Even though I knew I would not be able attend the discussion, I went ahead and bought The Last Year of the War and waited in line for her to sign it. Sure, this meant I was signing myself up for yet another book about WWII, but this time I would be reading about the internment camp in Crystal City, Texas, so close to where I live now in San Antonio.
The Situation: Elise Sontag is a German-American teen living in Davenport, Iowa in early 1940s America. World War II continues to rage on in another continent, but for 13 year-old Elise, the fighting could not be further from her mind. Then her father is arrested for being a Nazi sympathizer, except he isn't one at all. At home, he is a calm, gentle, loving husband and father. To the U.S. government, he is an immigrant from Germany with family ties back home and a knowledge of dangerous chemicals. After her father's arrest, Elise, her mother, and her brother Max become social pariahs, and in a desperate attempt to be reunited with his family, Elise's father applies for all of them to be moved to a family internment camp all the way in Crystal City, Texas. Trading brisk Iowa winters for brutal Texas summers, Elise and her family will have to get used to life behind barbed-wire fences, in a place that is dominated by Japanese immigrants who have found themselves in the same situation. It is here in this new place she will have to call home that she meets the friend that will change her life.
The Problem: Life in an internment camp in south Texas is less than ideal, but at least Elise has found a true friend in Mariko. After Elise chooses the open seat next to Mariko on their first day of school in the camp, the two become fast friends, confusing those around them who mostly stick to their own ethnic groups when it comes to close relationships. With Mariko, Elise feels like she will be able to survive the rest of the war, but that is only until it is arranged for the Sontag's to be sent back to Germany in exchange for U.S. soldiers held as prisoners of war. Communication from Germany to Texas would of course be difficult, but not impossible. But it becomes clear that Mariko's family will similarly be moved to Japan, making the two girls' plans to stay in touch even more nebulous. As Elise navigates her new life in a country she does not know, attempting to learn a language she has never had to speak, with the war now in her front yard, she holds on to the brief but powerful friendship she and Mariko shared at the dusty internment camp in Crystal City.
Genre, Themes, History: This is a historical fiction novel that is mostly set during the final year of WWII, and the few years immediately after. Each part of the book begins with a chapter that follows Elise in 2010, now much older and battling with the onset of Alzheimer's, as she attempts to find Mariko one last time. She then goes back to where she left off in her story, and continues to tell of how she went from being a somewhat naive teenager in Davenport, Iowa, to the woman she is now. War is incredibly messy, even in a country where the fighting is not actually happening. So when the Sontags are moved to the family internment camp is Crystal City, Texas - which was a real place that few know existed - their adventure is just beginning. From there they will be moved to Germany, and even have a hard time finding permanence in Elise's parent's country of birth. Once the war is over, the family must first deal with French occupancy, and then the American soldiers take over after that. Everyone has their own allegiances, beliefs, prejudices, attitudes, fears, and convictions, and they all come out when a war is on.
My Verdict: It is laudable that Meissner was able to get so much into less than 400 pages. Conversely, it is also somewhat annoying that she fits so much into less than 400 pages. I liked the pacing, and there were few moments, if any, where the story dragged. But there are parts of the novel that would have benefited from more showing as opposed to telling, even if that would have made for a much longer book. For me, the friendship with Mariko is so brief, so quick, that I was not fully convinced of the impact it clearly had on Elise through the remainder of her life. The most engaging and interesting part of her story seemed to come near the end as she began her adult life, still apart from Mariko, and still attempting to decide how she would like to live. Also, Meissner does a great job of exploring a part of WWII that few know about, and that is the practice of sending German, Japanese, and some Italian immigrants and their families to live in the internment camp in Crystal City. Ultimately, many of these families were sent back to Germany, or Japan, or Italy in exchange for U.S. soldiers that were trapped abroad. With so many books published that focus on WWII, it is nice to find one that takes a slightly different approach.
Favorite Moment: "Do you think you could find it in your heart to like me, Elise?" A question asked by Elise's dubious and incredibly tough mother-in-law.
Favorite Character: Elise's father is an unfortunate victim of war-time paranoia as he is arrested and then sent back to his home of Germany, despite not being a Nazi sympathizer and having lived peacefully in the U.S. for 20 years. Somehow, he is able to approach every situation, no matter how difficult, calmly and practically, while also doing the best for his family.
Recommended Reading: For more information on the family internment camp in Crystal City, Texas, The Train to Crystal City by Jan Jarboe Russell is an excellent resource. For more fiction about WWII, I recommend Lost Roses by Martha Hall Kelly.
Readers have eagerly awaited Colson Whitehead's follow-up to the award-winning 2016 bestseller, The Underground Railroad, and their patience was rewarded with The Nickel Boys. Set in the Jim Crow-era south, it tells of the nightmarish conditions behind the walls of a reform school for boys.
