I think anyone that reads The Nickel Boys will feel an intense amount of empathy, which is something we all need to get better at these days. Hardship is something that I often tend to forget exists, and because of the acts of justice others have worked for in the past, we get to live as we do today. Getting off hand but...Please read this and your perspective on certain aspects and purposes of life will be realigned! In terms of the prose, Colson Whitehead is a pretty straightforward writer without too much embellishment. This isn't my typical taste in reading since I usually prefer writing that is descriptive and intense, but with Whitehead, you get a clear story. Since it is a shorter read, however, I felt like I didn't fully understand the characters of Elwood or Turner, but instead moreso experienced what they had to endure at the reformatory school firsthand.