Reviews tagging 'Classism'

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

53 reviews

aducharme4's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Racism, Self harm, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Cursing, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Suicide, and Classism

ribbenkast's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

This book is not subtle. It blends harrowing real live statistics about the (American) prison system, racism and general bigotry with extremely well done speculative fiction of where this might lead us in the future. It makes its point loud and it makes its point wel.

On top of this, the book is just so well written. The characters are lifelike and complicated, the plot fits tightly together, the prose is strong. Everything is just done right. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Gore, Hate crime, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Police brutality, Trafficking, Medical trauma, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

cepbreed's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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? Yes

5.0

"One thing I can promise you is there will always be pain." 

"A knife is only ever so far from your neck."

I have never dreaded a last chapter more than this one. 

Masterful. Powerful. Jaw-slackening. 

My mouth is dry and I'm at a loss for words. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Cursing, Death, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Rape

talonsontypewriters's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Racism, Self harm, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Gun violence, Homophobia, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Sexism, Suicide, Medical content, Death of parent, Lesbophobia, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Animal cruelty, Cancer, Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Transphobia, and Religious bigotry

kmcnay's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-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? Yes

4.75

It’s hard to even rate this book. It elicited the exact emotions it needed when it needed. It was incredibly well written and both sunk you into this horrible future while simultaneously and continuously rooted it in the reality of the present. I appreciate so much about this book and how devastatingly cleverly it was crafted. I have more to say about CGA but I’ll leave it at this. Devastating read. Worthwhile read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Suicide attempt, Murder, Sexual harassment, and Classism

jonezzzing's review against another edition

challenging emotional fast-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

This is a masterful examination of American incarceration through an abolitionist lens. 
The footnotes were unexpected and a beautiful and heartbreaking way to weave reality into this story. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, and Murder

Moderate: Confinement, Death, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Misogyny, Racism, Rape, Sexual violence, Religious bigotry, and Classism

smileymiley550's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Racism, Self harm, Slavery, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

mthay's review against another edition

dark emotional informative reflective sad 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Genocide, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Grief, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

hspooner8's review against another edition

dark emotional informative 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Slavery, Suicide, Violence, Murder, and Classism

otakatoe3's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism