Chain-Gang All-Stars

Chain-Gang All-Stars opens with a brutal fight between Melancholia Bishop, fighting for freedom, and Loretta Thurwar, fighting for survival. The novel throws you immediately into the action to establish the premise: convicted criminals are given the opportunity to fight other prisoners to the death, in a bid to win their freedom - and it’ll be broadcast to the nation as a high-stakes sporting event. Author Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah reframes the injustice of the American prison system as a massive-scale television event, where viewers actively root for the deaths of everyone who faces their favourite “link”.

The world-building of the novel is expansive and immersive, and Adjei-Brenyah explains it all with ease. The world of Chain-Gang All-Stars has a lot to it - links, chains, HMCs, ranks, the concept of high and low-freed, Influencers and Marches - but it all just… works. It’s explained and you get it, you understand the stakes and the lore and how everything fits together. It’s all so meticulously thought-out, and is incredibly impressive for a debut novel.

Thankfully, this is matched by the quality of the writing. Fight scenes are visceral, poetic explanations of punches, kicks and scythe slashes. Characters are three-dimensional and fully realised; our protagonists are criminals who are reflective and open about their pasts and their regrets, and the injustice of their situation - they may be imprisoned for murdering one person, but once inside each violent murder they commit rewards them with Blood Points.

All of which is to perhaps misrepresent the book as a soulless action novel, which couldn’t be further from the truth. At its heart is a queer love story between Thurwar and Hamara ‘Hurricane Staxxx’ Stacker. The relationship is complicated and layered, and adds even greater stakes to the fight scenes. The other core idea that Adjei-Brenyah explores is the injustice of the prison system. Chapters are interspersed with real-world facts about disproportionate incarceration rates for marginalised communities, and these interjections never feel remotely forced, or anything less than essential. The novel radiates with an anger at this injustice, and Adjei-Brenyah’s message is clear.

Overall, a layered, engaging and impressive debut novel. Deeply political and thought-provoking, but also a very enjoyable reading experience

Thank you to Netgalley and Vintage Books for the e-ARC!

Unlike anything I've read before. An absolutely savage critique of the prison and criminal justice system. This is Hunger Games meets Orange Is The New Black. It is fabulous!

Chain-Gang All-Stars is a brutal novel about incarceration, in an America where prisoners can elect to be part of a blood sport where they fight for the death with the hope of freedom. Loretta Thurwar is an icon, having almost survived three years of deathly gladiator matches as a Link, an individual fighter as part of a Chain of others, alongside her love Hamara Stacker, aka Hurricane Staxx. Both hide secrets as they move towards Thurwar's final fights, and meanwhile, a movement to stop the blood sport is trying to find traction.

There's a lot packed into this novel, which uses a range of characters' points of view to unfold the world of the narrative, a world both taken to extremes with the legal programme of prisoner gladiator death matches and not all that far away from the realities of the real life prison system and wider society, as footnotes throughout the book highlight with real facts and statistics. There's plenty of the horror of the system, from the new methods of inflicting pain on prisoners to the ways in which every element of the Links' lives is sold and televised as part of their agreement to be in the program. By combining many points of view, a lot of this detail can be organically shown throughout the book, rather than all the worldbuilding dumped at the start, and I appreciated this as it makes it much easier to get into the book.

The range of characters allow for a rich look into some of the nuances (I've seen other reviews calling everything too obvious or in your face, but for me there were plenty of small nuances), for example the experiences of two new Links being recruited into the program after torture at the prisons they were at, and the range of reasons why characters were imprisoned for so long in the first place. The book uses this to offer the reader ways in to thinking about abolition and restorative justice, and the fact that individuals do not have all the answers to this. At the same time, you get to see viewers of the show, both of the matches and the reality TV-esque parts which just follow the Links around in their Chain in between fights, and consider why people see it as okay to watch such content.

The doomed love story between Thurwar and Staxx is another crucial element, providing a heart-wrenching ending and a story that will draw in people who may otherwise find the book too brutal. You don't always see a huge amount of them together, but what you do see is the ways in which their relationship is bound by their circumstances and how those who run the Criminal Action Penal Entertainment programme use and profit from their queerness as well as their strength as fighters. There's also, unsurprisingly given that the book is about incarceration, a lot around race and who is imprisoned, and tensions that exist when people lack freedom.

There's a lot to take in with Chain-Gang All-Stars, with a lot of perspectives and a long build up to its final confrontations, but it manages to be a powerful book that hurts on a character and a structural level. Being a high concept and brutal book, it won't be for everyone, but I appreciated how it wove together so much and still had an atmospheric final moment as an ending.

If you need to scratch your Squid Game itch with some gritty, tense and amazing writing, this is the book for you! Highly enjoyed reading this

An absolutely searing book- Bitch Planet by way of the Hunger Games and Manhunt. I really, really enjoyed it, though perhaps enjoy is a difficult term to use to a book that is so clear headed about the way in which America abuses its prison systems to create a system of modern day slavery. Brutal and uncompromising, the real scare here is how very close to reality to whole concept hews.

Highly reccomended.

Whoah! What's just hit me?! That's pretty much the feeling I was left with when I finished reading Chain-Gang All-Stars. Finishing it pretty much in one whole weekend. I. just. couldn't. put. it. down.

Can you imagine "going from murderer to number seven on the "America's Hottest Men" list? - Well, welcome to Chain-Gang All Stars, Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah brutal dystopian world. "Prison isn't sexy or cool, but Chain-Gang is both". Chain-Gang, or the Criminal Action Penal Entertainment program (CAPE), is the fastest-growing program in the world. It is compelling, easy-watching, and the most visceral viewing experience ever conceived. Chain Gang All Stars has been going for 32 seasons!

This is not your ordinary wrestling show but a hyper-athletic hard action sports entertainment platform where you play for your life (literally). The competitors, or "links", are sourced from the incarceration system; they have all been given the death penalty. As a link, you are assigned a numeric economic value. This value is quantified in points, "Blood Points" (wink), which are earned through successful participation in the program. Blood Points allow links to purchase goods such as food, weapons, certain levels of medical care, armour, and clothes, among other amenities. Outside sponsors, like any other major sports, may also support a link’s participation.

We cant help getting hooked, and want to see the links winning; we want them to achieve “High Freedom” and become “freed members of society”. The CAPE program is like an extension of a prisoner's murder sentence and in no way grants them clemency for their crimes. However, through participation in the CAPE program, they may earn exoneration and be released into public life. Although they'd have to successfully participate in the CAPE program for a period of three years, surviving each Battleground. You might think that is impossible, however some have done it before. And Loretta Thurwar, the current Grand Colossal, is only weeks away into earning “High Freedom”. Can she do it? Will the organisers of CAPE allow her to do it? The stakes are high. How will the other links in her chain be affected? - Thurwar is the greatest anti-hero.

#ChainGangAllStars is impeccably researched and written with such mastery that you cannot help but completely immerse yourself in the lives of these "star" links, and start rooting for one of them, be it Thurwar or Hurricane Staxxx, or one of the others. Adjei-Brenyah develops complex, humane characters, accompanied by an environment that made us rethink our ideas about our present incarceration systems.

It is not totally one-sided: The Coalition to End Neo-Slavery, or journalists like Trace Lasser, are demonstrating against hard action-sports and fighting to end the death penalty, they remind us that we must fight for a more humane society,

Yes, glorifying a violent sport that involves inmates with death sentences is obviously unethical and goes against the principles of human rights and dignity. But this is is where Adjei-Brenyah hits gold. He successfully plays with those concepts.

We learn that "Trans Americans are more than twice as likely to be incarcerated as cisgender Americans. More than twice. And trans people of colour are more likely to be incarcerated than white trans people. The vulnerable are targeted, again, always." Also, "It is estimated that between 2.3 percent and 5 percent of incarcerated people in America are innocent. That number represents potentially over 100,000 people." And yet, we cannot stop watching Chain-Gang All Stars, even us readers get involved in a way that we become complicit with the system.

“They were just people, and people were all the same. “Everybody just wants to be happy.” This she’d heard from a brilliant woman she’d shared a cell with when she was in prison. Everybody was looking for the same thing in a lot of different ways.”

Adjei-Brenyah gives each character so much depth that we can't help but embrace their complex humanity and, in a way, forgive them for their crimes while hoping that they get a second chance.

I had a fantastic ride reading Chain-Gang All Stars. It is pure dystopian virtuosity!

Bravo, Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah!

I am very grateful to #Netgalley and Penguin Vintage Books for the advanced review copy.

Chain-Gang All-Stars, penned by the brilliant Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah, is a literary gem that immerses readers in a brutal world of penal entertainment. This thought-provoking novel delves deep into the moral complexities of the prison system, challenging our perceptions of humanity, justice, and the blurred lines between entertainment and cruelty.

Adjei-Brenyah skillfully weaves a tale of two extraordinary women, Loretta Thurwar and Hamara "Hurricane Staxxx" Stacker, who find themselves trapped within the depravity of America's private prison industry. As stars of the highly-controversial CAPE (Criminal Action Penal Entertainment), they fight for their freedom, becoming symbols of hope in a system stained by racism and unchecked capitalism.

Through vivid storytelling, the author confronts the reader with uncomfortable truths about the twisted logic that allows society to cheer for convicted murderers to kill again. The book poses profound questions about the morality of a system that thrives on the suffering and death of its prisoners, challenging us to examine our own complicity.

Author's masterful prose not only captures the brutality of the gladiator-style battles within CAPE but also explores the fragile humanity that exists within the prisoners themselves. He delves into the depths of forgiveness, highlighting the moral relativity that emerges when confronted with individuals whose actions are applauded despite contradicting societal norms.

'Chain-Gang All-Stars' is a searing indictment of systemic racism, unfettered capitalism, and the oppressive mass incarceration plaguing America. The author's keen observations and unflinching portrayal of this unholy alliance demand our attention and force us to reevaluate our notions of justice and freedom.

In conclusion, Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah's 'Chain-Gang All-Stars' is a tour de force that leaves an indelible mark on its readers. Its rawness and brutality are counterbalanced by its thought-provoking intricacies, ensuring an emotional and intellectual journey that will resonate long after the final page. This book is an essential read for anyone seeking a profound exploration of morality, empathy, and the complexities of our justice systems.

Gladiatorial combat meets high-technology in this clever novel which says as much about the current USA penal system as any sci-fi future. The concept is simple and horribly plausible: prisoners serving long sentences can opt to join 'Chain-Gang All-Stars', whereby they participate in a highly orchestrated reality show, punctuated by regular death matches. The incentive is the possibility of winning their freedom if they can survive three years.

The story features a number of characters, some of whom only have a single short section from their viewpoint, some who feature regularly. Probably the two most important characters are Hamara Stacker and Loretta Thuwar, two of the most successful competitors the 'games' have ever seen. Stacker and Thurwar are also best friends and lovers, and have brought some form of lawfulness and dignity to the brutal world of the chain gang. But every aspect of their lives are controlled by people whose only interest is making money from TV - so you know it's not likely to end well.

Throughout the book, Adjei-Brenyah includes footnotes about both the history of the fictional characters, and real statistics and stories about justice - or what passes for it - in the USA. Despite it being a work of fiction set in a near-future about an extreme extension of the current system, I felt like I gained a lot of insight into the world of the American penal system. It would have been tempting I'm sure to make all the characters wronged innocents, but Adjei-Brenyah does not do that. By writing about people who have (mostly) done genuinely bad things he gives us a book that feels very authentic and is far more thought provoking. There are some really weighty philosophical questions underlying all of this about how we value human life and how we punish those who do wrong. There is very little of the victims' perspective, and maybe we'd feel differently about the characters if we were introduced to them through that angle. But on the other hand, would any of us want to be judged solely on the worst things we have ever done? Is there a line after which a person is considered un-redeemable and unforgiveable, and where do we draw it?

All of the above makes it sound like a very heavy read but in fact it's entertaining and gripping. Of course there's plenty of violence, but it's always done quickly and it's surprisingly light on gore for a book with this topic. It's a moving story with characters you come to care about despite knowing some of them are murderers. It reminds me in some ways of the 'Hunger Games' novels, with it's gladiatorial elements and reality TV show razzmatazz - but it's a more thoughtful and less breathless read.

If you enjoy literary fiction in general, this is definitely worth reading. It's thought-provoking, moving and entertaining. It's also strangely life-affirming, despite or perhaps because of the subject matter. Adjei-Brenyah is definitely an author to look out for.

An amazing read actually. Took me a little while to get my bearings in terms of how some of the secondary POV characters become relevant to the story, but once that all clicked, I was just enthralled.
Nana blended close-third person and first person perspectives seamlessly, and found a way to include footnotes in fiction with all the flare and necessity of Babel by Kuang.
Let it be on record that I'm begging for a sequel, scrounging even.