A review by carlysgrowingtbr
Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
5.0
This is an important story that I feel more people need to read.
Tackling the injustices and racist foundation of the modern day prison system, Chain Gang All Stars forces you to take a critical look at how the prison system functions and the racial inequality that goes on behind the scenes. It takes a stab at how the world views prisoners, especially those of color as "less than" and how they are treated as "unredeemable" overall.
In this novel, the prision system has been structured into a dual system. In general population you are isolated unless you are working long and strenuous days. The prisoners are outfitted with wrist bands that limit their movement, speech and activities so that they work non stop and cannot speak. Some go years never being able to talk. They also can be shocked on a whim and it's almost mind killing when you are.
In order to escape this torture, prisoners are offered to enter a "program" that is basically a gladiator type competition, to the death. Fight for your life weekly, if you survive three years you earn your freedom. Almost no one survies.
This novel follows numerous people. A woman who's weeks from earning her freedom, a innocent man who is fighting for his life after being unjustly prisoned, a man who is in general population and accepts the contract to the fighting program and many others. It also follows people who are "fans" of the gladiator program, since it's televised and betting on the contestants is allowed. Overall it's a very interesting, if not horrifying, story that forces you to get uncomfortable and take a hard look at the modern day prison system and it's failures.
Tackling the injustices and racist foundation of the modern day prison system, Chain Gang All Stars forces you to take a critical look at how the prison system functions and the racial inequality that goes on behind the scenes. It takes a stab at how the world views prisoners, especially those of color as "less than" and how they are treated as "unredeemable" overall.
In this novel, the prision system has been structured into a dual system. In general population you are isolated unless you are working long and strenuous days. The prisoners are outfitted with wrist bands that limit their movement, speech and activities so that they work non stop and cannot speak. Some go years never being able to talk. They also can be shocked on a whim and it's almost mind killing when you are.
In order to escape this torture, prisoners are offered to enter a "program" that is basically a gladiator type competition, to the death. Fight for your life weekly, if you survive three years you earn your freedom. Almost no one survies.
This novel follows numerous people. A woman who's weeks from earning her freedom, a innocent man who is fighting for his life after being unjustly prisoned, a man who is in general population and accepts the contract to the fighting program and many others. It also follows people who are "fans" of the gladiator program, since it's televised and betting on the contestants is allowed. Overall it's a very interesting, if not horrifying, story that forces you to get uncomfortable and take a hard look at the modern day prison system and it's failures.