Reviews tagging 'Confinement'

Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah

63 reviews

ripxw's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Torture, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Rape, Murder, and Racism

Minor: Sexual violence, Suicide, and Homophobia

cantfindmybookmark's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Mental illness, Police brutality, Racism, Slavery, Racial slurs, Confinement, Suicide, and Torture

Moderate: Ableism

paigebypage__'s review against another edition

dark emotional informative reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I've been torn open and left hollow. This book is harrowing in ways that will never leave me, and I think that's for the best. Easily one of the best books published this year. Absolutely groundbreaking, and the first time I have ever described a book as a Must Read. It is unmissable. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Emotional abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gore, Hate crime, Confinement, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Police brutality, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Self harm, Sexual assault, Slavery, Classism, Death, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Racial slurs, Suicide, and Blood

malongorose's review against another edition

dark informative sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Extremely disturbing on so many levels. Thoughtfully written. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Police brutality, Blood, Mental illness, Death, Confinement, Self harm, Physical abuse, Murder, Slavery, Violence, and Forced institutionalization

bradybri's review against another edition

challenging dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

This was one of the most out-of-my-comfort-zone books I’ve read this year, but it was one I will remember. Full of deep-rooted metaphors for the prison system and with poignant insight into the circumstances of prisoners, this book is a picture of a dystopian future of mass incarceration in America. It speaks to America’s infatuation with violence, especially violence inflicted by and onto people of color. It alludes to the surveillance of incarcerated individuals and their lack of autonomy. The actual plot is somewhat reminiscent of the Hunger Games, where battles take place with the greatest stakes imaginable. The scariest part to me, though, was that some elements of this book seemed possible in our future if we aren’t aware, alert, and outspoken about our mass incarceration epidemic. Would highly recommend this read—but do note, violence is a large part of the book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Rape, Death, Confinement, Murder, Self harm, and Forced institutionalization

samburkhouse's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Torture, Confinement, Death, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Police brutality, Suicide, Blood, Body horror, and Violence

Moderate: Slavery, Child death, Self harm, Grief, Mental illness, and Racism

Minor: Transphobia, Sexual content, Homophobia, Racial slurs, and Rape

dominiq_ec's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

I mean, this is just one of the best books I've read in a while. Considering another dystopian / apolalyptic favorite of mine, Manhunt by Gretchen Felker-Martin, its so rooted in human rights issues in the United States, and is just dystopian enough to convince you that we may not see this come to fruition. But what if we do? How will you think? 

I thought that Thurwar and Staxxx both died at the end, but I was wrong and now my heart is broken.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Grief, Suicide, Cancer, Sexism, Slavery, Violence, Police brutality, Body horror, Death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Racism, Sexual content, Cursing, Gaslighting, Chronic illness, Blood, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Religious bigotry, Misogyny, Torture, and Self harm

Moderate: Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexual harassment, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Hate crime, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, and Car accident

I mean, this book does force you to take a relatively deep look at the United States penal system, which does include reading about the crimes some of these characters committed, as well as how they are (mis)treated by those that are responsible for their care. At the same time, these incarcerated folks are fighting to the death for entertainment's sake, so there's a lot of gory, violent descriptions. There is mentions of rape, but no graphic details. There is torture, and loss of life. It's a troubling book, so read with caution.

skitch41's review against another edition

challenging dark informative inspiring sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and Confinement

Moderate: Police brutality

Minor: Lesbophobia and Racial slurs

oz2021's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Police brutality, Torture, Confinement, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Suicide and Toxic relationship

lycheejelly's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Blood, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Violence, Torture, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Slavery, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexism, Self harm, Racism, Racial slurs, Police brutality, Physical abuse, Murder, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, Homophobia, Hate crime, Gun violence, Grief, Gore, and Forced institutionalization

Minor: Body shaming, Cancer, Chronic illness, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Kidnapping, Lesbophobia, Medical content, and Medical trauma