The Black Coats by Colleen Oakes

Abstract

Reviewed by: The Black Coats by Colleen Oakes Kate Quealy-Gainer, Assistant Editor Oakes, Colleen The Black Coats. HarperTeen/HarperCollins, 2019 [400p] Trade ed. ISBN 978-0-06-267962-8 $17.99 E-book ed. ISBN 978-0-06-267965-9 $9.99 Reviewed from galleys Ad Gr. 7-10 After her best friend Natalie is murdered, grieving high school junior Thea is intrigued when a black envelope mysteriously shows up in her backpack. Following the envelope’s clues, she’s guided to an old Victorian home, where a group of women, calling themselves the Black Coats, invite her to join them as they secretly dole out justice to men who have hurt women. They will train her in combat and criminal psychology, and she will help them threaten, bribe, and occasionally physically hurt—but never kill—the group’s targets. Their claim of non-lethal punishment, however, soon becomes suspect, and as much as Thea wants vengeance for Natalie, she’s unwilling to cross a line that the Black Coats are pushing her toward. Vigilante justice can be an intoxicating premise, and for young teen girls already aware of how their body has made them a target for violence, the book and the Black Coats provide pure satisfaction with the idea of fighting back against misogyny and sexism outside of legal and societal limits. Unfortunately, the narration is heavy with description and explanation, minimizing the triumphant energy and Thea’s ethical struggle. McGinnis’ The Female of the Species (BCCB 7/16) gives more nuanced insight into gender violence, but this certainly makes for a relevant read in the #metoo era. Copyright © 2019 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois