The novel won the Pulitzer Prize in 2020, became a New York Times bestseller and topped most of the book rankings in America. The plot is based on a true story about a correctional school called Nickel Academy, which operated for more than 100 years in Florida. It was closed in 2011 after revelations of torture and violence against pupils.
The novel tells about two boys who were unjustly convicted and sent to this institution. Dark-skinned Elwood Curtis befriended Turner, who is also not guilty. They support each other and think about how to survive here. But life at the Academy is becoming more and more dangerous. Both boys make a decision that will reverberate for decades.
"An exciting and brilliant novel based on the true story of a correctional school for boys in Florida in the 1960s. Whitehead is one of the most daring and gifted authors of our time and I will never miss one of his books.” – Elizabeth Gilbert, Writer.
"A must read" - Barack Obama, former president of the USA.