Whew! Whitehead is monstrously talented. I knew it all along, and yet reading The Nickel Boys was still a shock. He knows just when to pull your eyes away from a scene, to avoid reveling in the horror, which somehow makes it more impactful. He uses small details (like the Mexican boy who is shuffled between the “white” and “coloured” dormitories) to add incredible dimension. His prose, his pacing – all of it is deliberate, and masterful.

My full review of The Nickel Boys can be found on Keeping Up With The Penguins.