Scan barcode
A review by siobhanward
Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
dark
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? Yes
3.0
NYT Notable Books 2023: 20/100
On one hand, I appreciate that Adjei-Brenyah wanted to get a lot of messages into this book. By referring to real-life events, he tied it to reality in a way that made things seem even more bleak. However, beyond that, it was sometimes hard to see the impact of the book. The plotline with the abolitionists was interesting but it felt very under used, especially considering how often Adjei-Brenyah linked to real events. I think more focus on that would have made the book more impactful than it was, because as it was written, it felt confusing and overly bogged-down at points, which was too bad, since it was a really interesting premise.
On one hand, I appreciate that Adjei-Brenyah wanted to get a lot of messages into this book. By referring to real-life events, he tied it to reality in a way that made things seem even more bleak. However, beyond that, it was sometimes hard to see the impact of the book. The plotline with the abolitionists was interesting but it felt very under used, especially considering how often Adjei-Brenyah linked to real events. I think more focus on that would have made the book more impactful than it was, because as it was written, it felt confusing and overly bogged-down at points, which was too bad, since it was a really interesting premise.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Violence, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail