Reviews tagging 'War'

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

6 reviews

alysereadsbooks's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional relaxing sad 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

5.0

 Definitely one of my favorite reads of the year. It's a little out of my comfort zone in regards to its high sci fi nature - I tend to get lost easily if the world is complicated - but I absolutely loved this book. This book was an insightful commentary of the mass incarceration of people of color while also commentating on social media (entertainment). I can't wait to reread this one.

**Check trigger warnings before reading, quite gory and violent. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, War, and Injury/Injury detail

hottamolly's review against another edition

challenging dark tense fast-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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Police brutality, Murder, and War

Minor: Rape

amelianotthepilot's review against another edition

5.0

In a near future dystopia, America has now monetized 'hard action sports' wherein incarcerated people participate in battle royal style murdering to be released from their sentences early. It intersperses real historical facts against this jarring dystopian world of societal failure. The absurdity of society in this book highlights how truly not far off we are from it. In this world, Americans watch and cheer on their favorite incarcerated competitors as they murder each other in sports stadiums broadcasted on TV behind a paywall. It highlights how many people in prisons could be in there for something as simple as having weed, to a mistaken sentence, to murdering their rapist but they are all treated equally horribly in the eyes of the prison. It shows how the prison reform system is not helping communities or addressing route problems but instead tears apart families and essentially exploits incarcerated people for forced labor.

This book should be a must-read for everyone, not only is it extremely well written and truly leaves you feeling a large range of emotions while exploring different perspectives but it is also educational and thought-provoking. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Sexism, Slavery, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Police brutality, Trafficking, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Murder, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, War, and Injury/Injury detail

paperknotbooks's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

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

4.75

Gritty, bloody, violent, crushing.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail

hawk_just_hawk's review against another edition

I know it’s an important topic and is working is all towards abolition, but I couldn’t handle all of the sinking despair this was bringing up in me. I felt like even the winners would be losing somehow. 💔😰

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Gore, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, Toxic friendship, War, and Injury/Injury detail

rhiannonafternoon's review against another edition

emotional sad 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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Confinement, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Suicide, Torture, Blood, and Police brutality

Minor: Rape