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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.
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
crybabybea's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This is everything I love about reading. It's emotional, tense, and thought-provoking. I was also really impressed by the scope of this book. I think it would have been very, very easy to mess this story up, to make it not hit as hard as it did, to make it another Hunger Games ripoff that tries to be smarter than it is. But it stands on its own and it stands very strong. Not only does Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah tackle something as huge as the prison industrial complex, but he slips in commentary on other issues too, that although not directly related, play a part in the system as a whole. The idolification of celebrity; the fetishization of Black female athletes; misogynoir, misogyny and patriarchy; capitalism and the tech industry; the criminalization of the mentally ill; and of course the dehumanization of criminals. Soo much is packed into this story that it's impressive it's less than 400 pages. And every single bit of it makes you think, a lot.
This is a Black Mirror style dystopia. It feels weird to call it a dystopia, because it feels so real. It's not too far off from reality, which is why it feels like a Black Mirror episode.
Something that made this book stand out for me was its multiple POVs. At first, it felt overwhelming to be constanly juggled around different people that didn't seem to matter to the story. But I came to understand that that was the point; everyone is connected to the system in small or large ways. There is no separating yourself from the system whether you want to or not. At the same time, we are all connected together as people. It made the entire story feel like a snowballing of seemingly unrelated butterfly effects. The death of a character's father leads her to accidentally invent the torture device used against prisoners and protestors. Being in the wrong place at the wrong time means one person gets convicted for a crime while another goes free. It shows how the little choices can make somebody's fate, and how the prison system capitalizes on those little moments to punish, dehumanize, and control. It makes the reader ask, are we defined by the choices we make, or do the choices we make really have nothing to do with us at all?
All the POVs come together in one way or another at the end; characters we read the perspective of one time at the beginning of the book become someone we meet in passing in another character's perspective. I loved the effect it created and how it showed each tiny piece of the system and the story as a whole. Some people will find it discombobulated and confusing, but it really worked for me.
And the characters we focus the most on are beautifully done. They are people who have done some of the quote unquote "worst" things a human could do. They are murderers, rapists, arsonists, criminals. But they are also people, and the author does a really great job making you fall in love with them despite what may be your gut reaction to them. They have passions, fears, regrets, dreams. Some of them forgive themselves and others want to punish themselves just as badly as the world wants to punish them. Some of them fully lean into the hand they have been dealt, and others succumb to their own hopelessness. The characters definitely shine here and also open up a lot of introspection and reflection. I would say there are four main characters, but the minor characters play a huge part in the story and I was every bit as moved by their individual stories as the main storyline.
The plot itself is rather basic, and I think if the characters were less compelling it would have quickly become boring. The main conflicts themselves wouldn't have been enough to carry the whole story, but because we become so close to the characters and the POVs are split up the way they are, the intrigue stays high and, at least for me, it was impossible to put this down. The last 25% of this book does not pull any punches. It hits hard and it hits fast.
Every choice the author made feels extremely intentional. The choice to use different narration styles for different character's POVs. The choice to include footnotes that break the fourth wall by pointing to real-world statistics on imprisonment and systemic racism. The choice to end the story how he did. Everything was done extremely well and I'm confident I'll be thinking about this book for a long, long time.
Brutal and devastating.
This is a Black Mirror style dystopia. It feels weird to call it a dystopia, because it feels so real. It's not too far off from reality, which is why it feels like a Black Mirror episode.
Something that made this book stand out for me was its multiple POVs. At first, it felt overwhelming to be constanly juggled around different people that didn't seem to matter to the story. But I came to understand that that was the point; everyone is connected to the system in small or large ways. There is no separating yourself from the system whether you want to or not. At the same time, we are all connected together as people. It made the entire story feel like a snowballing of seemingly unrelated butterfly effects. The death of a character's father leads her to accidentally invent the torture device used against prisoners and protestors. Being in the wrong place at the wrong time means one person gets convicted for a crime while another goes free. It shows how the little choices can make somebody's fate, and how the prison system capitalizes on those little moments to punish, dehumanize, and control. It makes the reader ask, are we defined by the choices we make, or do the choices we make really have nothing to do with us at all?
All the POVs come together in one way or another at the end; characters we read the perspective of one time at the beginning of the book become someone we meet in passing in another character's perspective. I loved the effect it created and how it showed each tiny piece of the system and the story as a whole. Some people will find it discombobulated and confusing, but it really worked for me.
And the characters we focus the most on are beautifully done. They are people who have done some of the quote unquote "worst" things a human could do. They are murderers, rapists, arsonists, criminals. But they are also people, and the author does a really great job making you fall in love with them despite what may be your gut reaction to them. They have passions, fears, regrets, dreams. Some of them forgive themselves and others want to punish themselves just as badly as the world wants to punish them. Some of them fully lean into the hand they have been dealt, and others succumb to their own hopelessness. The characters definitely shine here and also open up a lot of introspection and reflection. I would say there are four main characters, but the minor characters play a huge part in the story and I was every bit as moved by their individual stories as the main storyline.
The plot itself is rather basic, and I think if the characters were less compelling it would have quickly become boring. The main conflicts themselves wouldn't have been enough to carry the whole story, but because we become so close to the characters and the POVs are split up the way they are, the intrigue stays high and, at least for me, it was impossible to put this down. The last 25% of this book does not pull any punches. It hits hard and it hits fast.
Every choice the author made feels extremely intentional. The choice to use different narration styles for different character's POVs. The choice to include footnotes that break the fourth wall by pointing to real-world statistics on imprisonment and systemic racism. The choice to end the story how he did. Everything was done extremely well and I'm confident I'll be thinking about this book for a long, long time.
Brutal and devastating.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Child death, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Gore, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment
jefferz's review against another edition
dark
informative
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
One part dystopian speculative science fiction, one part social commentary on systemic racism and the flawed American prison system, Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah's Chain-Gang All-Stars is an ambitious narrative that attempts to cover a lot of ground in <400 pages. Despite the book's summary focusing on Loretta Thurwar and her survival with her partner and fellow chain member Hamara Staxxx, Chain-Gang All-Star reads more like a collection of short stories. Loretta and Hamara's narrative only make up about 1/3 of the book's content, the rest is devoted to over a dozen different characters and various perspectives covering the CAPE program. These perspectives include those of program participants, show producers, host and commentators, prison staff, abolitionist protestors, viewers, etc. The large scope of these various characters and the ambition behind Adjei-Brenyah's commentary is ambitious and is well-designed to spark open conversations about topics in the book. Despite the great intention and ambition behind its pages, unfortunately I found the actual novel/story portion of the book to be disjointed and difficult to get into.
For me, Chain-Gang All-Stars is at its best when it focused on Thurwar and Staxxx’s experiences which are compelling and interesting. The character psyche and gray morality of various participants (as well as viewers who are frankly obsessed with watching inmates kills each other with government permission for sport) to be the best part of the book. Both are well aware of their situations but their differences in outlook and personality makes their dynamic all the more interesting once its revealed someone on their team was murdered out of the blue. Thurwar takes the tough, internalized pain approach to minimize the damage to others while Staxxx has her emotions on full display, acting as a sort of empathic martyr to others around her. There are many footnotes included highlighting real-life facts and laws pertaining to the American justice system and moments clearly written for the abolitionist movement and these factual notes have the biggest impact when related to the affected characters involved.
Where the novel and reading experience gets a bit muddy is when its perspective and narrative shifts constantly amongst minor characters. Unlike other novels that feature a large ensemble cast woven seamlessly into the main narrative, Chain-Gang All-Stars feature many chapters of one-off characters who show-up, make a point to spark a conversation, and then are quickly forgotten for new characters (or a few like the scientist Patty has such a brief appearance later in the book, it feels more like a cameo easter egg than an intentional appearance). When the character and content are strong (as in the case of Sports caster Tracy Lasser's chapter involving activism, sexism and influence), the world within and around the CAPE program feels complex, nuanced, and immersive. More often than not however, many of these shifting chapters feel more like passing vignettes that lessen the emotional impact and voice of the book. In particular, a good number of chapters are devoted to another inmate named Hendrix Young. I believe his story is meant to show why prisoners turn to the CAPE program as a means of escape (or in his case salvation) and to empathize with his chain/team. However, his content sits in an awkward realm of not being enough for me to care about his journey and team, and being too much hindering/distracting from Thurwar’s story. Adjei-Brenyah acknowledged that the story of Chain-Gang All-Stars was expanded from a short story intended for his previous short story collection Friday Black. Many of Chain-Gang All-Stars perspectives feel like they would be better utilized in a short story collection similar to Friday Black rather than being interlaced and framed around the main narrative that subsequently feels underdeveloped from a plot-perspective.
The other drawback for me was the ending. Without giving away any spoilers, it felt abrupt and lacking some sort of resolution or insightful reflection. Nearly every chapter introduces important topics that go beyond the plot when taken at face value. Even when the book asks questions that it doesn’t have an answer to, it delivers some type of commentary that is either inspiring the reader to act or to highlight injustices commonly overlooked. The plot throws constant obstacles Thurwar’s way to prevent her from being freed and to put her chain in an impossible position. With such a strong lead up (and introspection) to the final match appearance, the actual ending sequence feels like it was cut short in a way that’s both open-ended and unsatisfying for her character. A certain character’s death feels like it was meant to be moving or emotional based on the number of pages that were devoted to their journey, but for me the actual scene fell quite flat. Again, this wouldn’t necessarily be a problem if there was some reflection or an important talking point introduced. The lack of strong message and an unresolved character narrative felt like both aspects were left hanging.
Ultimately this is one of those books that I wanted to like a lot more than I actually did. The ambition and message elevate the book to be so much more than the typical survival game trope that often relies on violence and shock value to be entertaining. There are also moments that are powerful coupled with real current and historical references for greater relevancy. Yet the execution of the actual plot and ending left a lot to be desired from a novel-reading perspective, reading more like an inspiring abolitionist movement piece. That’s a wonderful message and experience if that’s what you’re looking for. If the ending doesn’t have a strong conclusion, I want at least more plot so this wasn’t for me despite my appreciation and respect for the material.
For me, Chain-Gang All-Stars is at its best when it focused on Thurwar and Staxxx’s experiences which are compelling and interesting. The character psyche and gray morality of various participants (as well as viewers who are frankly obsessed with watching inmates kills each other with government permission for sport) to be the best part of the book. Both are well aware of their situations but their differences in outlook and personality makes their dynamic all the more interesting once its revealed someone on their team was murdered out of the blue. Thurwar takes the tough, internalized pain approach to minimize the damage to others while Staxxx has her emotions on full display, acting as a sort of empathic martyr to others around her. There are many footnotes included highlighting real-life facts and laws pertaining to the American justice system and moments clearly written for the abolitionist movement and these factual notes have the biggest impact when related to the affected characters involved.
Where the novel and reading experience gets a bit muddy is when its perspective and narrative shifts constantly amongst minor characters. Unlike other novels that feature a large ensemble cast woven seamlessly into the main narrative, Chain-Gang All-Stars feature many chapters of one-off characters who show-up, make a point to spark a conversation, and then are quickly forgotten for new characters (or a few like the scientist Patty has such a brief appearance later in the book, it feels more like a cameo easter egg than an intentional appearance). When the character and content are strong (as in the case of Sports caster Tracy Lasser's chapter involving activism, sexism and influence), the world within and around the CAPE program feels complex, nuanced, and immersive. More often than not however, many of these shifting chapters feel more like passing vignettes that lessen the emotional impact and voice of the book. In particular, a good number of chapters are devoted to another inmate named Hendrix Young. I believe his story is meant to show why prisoners turn to the CAPE program as a means of escape (or in his case salvation) and to empathize with his chain/team. However, his content sits in an awkward realm of not being enough for me to care about his journey and team, and being too much hindering/distracting from Thurwar’s story. Adjei-Brenyah acknowledged that the story of Chain-Gang All-Stars was expanded from a short story intended for his previous short story collection Friday Black. Many of Chain-Gang All-Stars perspectives feel like they would be better utilized in a short story collection similar to Friday Black rather than being interlaced and framed around the main narrative that subsequently feels underdeveloped from a plot-perspective.
The other drawback for me was the ending. Without giving away any spoilers, it felt abrupt and lacking some sort of resolution or insightful reflection. Nearly every chapter introduces important topics that go beyond the plot when taken at face value. Even when the book asks questions that it doesn’t have an answer to, it delivers some type of commentary that is either inspiring the reader to act or to highlight injustices commonly overlooked. The plot throws constant obstacles Thurwar’s way to prevent her from being freed and to put her chain in an impossible position. With such a strong lead up (and introspection) to the final match appearance, the actual ending sequence feels like it was cut short in a way that’s both open-ended and unsatisfying for her character. A certain character’s death feels like it was meant to be moving or emotional based on the number of pages that were devoted to their journey, but for me the actual scene fell quite flat. Again, this wouldn’t necessarily be a problem if there was some reflection or an important talking point introduced. The lack of strong message and an unresolved character narrative felt like both aspects were left hanging.
Ultimately this is one of those books that I wanted to like a lot more than I actually did. The ambition and message elevate the book to be so much more than the typical survival game trope that often relies on violence and shock value to be entertaining. There are also moments that are powerful coupled with real current and historical references for greater relevancy. Yet the execution of the actual plot and ending left a lot to be desired from a novel-reading perspective, reading more like an inspiring abolitionist movement piece. That’s a wonderful message and experience if that’s what you’re looking for. If the ending doesn’t have a strong conclusion, I want at least more plot so this wasn’t for me despite my appreciation and respect for the material.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, and Police brutality
Moderate: Racial slurs, Slavery, Torture, Forced institutionalization, and Xenophobia
Minor: Confinement, Sexism, and Lesbophobia
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
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
msrae89's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Physical abuse, Self harm, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Transphobia, Police brutality, and Sexual harassment
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.
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
zombiezami's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
tense
slow-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Murder
Moderate: Cursing, Hate crime, Homophobia, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Lesbophobia, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Racial slurs and Religious bigotry
aleyajo's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
So enthralling! Excellent critique of the prison industrial complex. You cannot truly love if you have ownership over another. Masterful blend of the real with the almost-real, akin to the Handmaid’s Tale.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Police brutality, Suicide attempt, Murder, Lesbophobia, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual content
reaperreads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
reflective
tense
fast-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? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Mental illness, Racism, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, and Police brutality
Moderate: Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexism, and Lesbophobia
Minor: Rape
scrubreader's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, and Violence
Moderate: Sexism and Sexual harassment