The Night Diver

When we talk about history and the horrors it holds, it’s very easy to lose perspective as to just how horrific things were as time marches along. This clouding of history is even more prominent when you aren’t necessarily part of the people who were historically affected. ‘The Reformatory’ by Tananarive Due is both a beautiful and brutal story of Racism, unjust systems, and the bonds that stay strong even in the face of powerful evil. I can say that this has been the best horror novel I have read within the year, and I am now a very ardent fan of Due’s work, eagerly anticipating what she will manage to create next.

The first time I heard of this novel was when someone talked about it being somewhat based off an author’s family member’s experiences in such a reform school. So I decided to look up the school, and found it was shut down only in 2011. This entire time, I was thinking that it might have been shuttered near the time of the civil rights movement, but I was dead wrong. Now of course, the characters and school in the story are fictional, they paint a very real picture of how race relations were in Jim Crow states like Florida, and very much kept Black People imprisoned in a deeply racist system even though they were considered free. I think this book really illustrates the difference between being considered simply free, and being truly equal and safe in a society. Whether the story is in an oppressive, haunted reform school, or in a deeply racist Florida Town, there is a deep, pervasive sense of dread that never really lets up until the conclusion.

The story centers around Robert Stephens, a 12 year old boy who gets sent to the Gracetown School for Boys, after trying to defend his older sister Gloria from advances by Lyle McCormack Jr, son of a wealthy family that nearly practically owns the town they live in. This starts the twin perspectives in the story that are beautifully written, lush with details that truly transport you into the world that existed back then. Robert Stephens has to deal with an oppressive and deeply violent reform school, filled with ghosts that could be anywhere between neutral or actively violent themselves. The ghosts show a horrifying history of the school, but those are just the start of the deep, horrific events that get uncovered during Robert’s journey. Gloria on the other hand has to navigate an oppressive justice system to get her brother out, all the while racial tensions simmer and threaten to boil over at moment’s notice. Furthermore, she has to deal with all of this as her role is changing from a young Black Girl to a young Black Woman to the people around her, leading to even more challenges going forward. This attention to colorful and impactful character work is extended to even the supporting and peripheral characters, creating a truly live experience that jumps out from the pages and occupies your mind for much longer after.

I absolutely enjoyed every moment in this book, from the historical recreation of Jim Crow Florida that I can truly describe as photorealistic, to the horrors of the Reform School that came from the physical and supernatural. The writing blends historical accuracy with engaging and thrilling horror, making it an absolute masterclass in hard-hitting historical fiction. The story doesn’t’ shy away from the disgusting or upsetting, exploring the very real and dark past of the United States. There are references to child abuse, racist expletives, and the such, but the story also highlights the bond between people fighting back the shackles of evil, and especially the one between the brother and sister of this story. It also celebrates the icons of African Americans, such as Zora Neale Hurston, Thurgood Marshall, and Louis Armstrong. There is indeed deep darkness here that serves as a reminder against racism and prejudice, but it also provides hope in building and strengthening bonds that can overcome evil that seemingly permeates through the very soil of the Earth. I absolutely recommend this book to anyone who wants heart-pounding horror and gut-twisting tension, and it is an even bigger treat for anyone who savors great historical fiction.

My final rating is 5/5 stars: