Book Review: Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah

My Rating:⭐⭐⭐⭐

How do you describe a story that you didn't like but was unable to put down? I can't say I "enjoyed" this one in the true sense of the term. Darker than I had anticipated, shockingly violent but extraordinarily creative and powerful, this novel is a memorable read!

So here goes...

“It was all death, slow or fast. Painful or sudden. Nothing more. The culture of Chain- Gang was death.”

Set in a dystopian alternate reality, part dystopian action drama, part social commentary Chain- Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah revolves around the commercially successful Criminal Action Penal Entertainment program or CAPE in which convicted murderers in the prison system who sign up are divided into Chain Gangs comprised of “links” who fight death matches with links from other chain gangs – bloodsport that is televised, played at “The Battleground” to packed houses with a mass fan following. As the gladiators compete with their weapons of choice, those victorious gradually rise through the ranks toward the ultimate win – freedom as per the laws and rules set in place.

The narrative follows two of the most popular gladiators - Loretta Thurwar who has been in the Circuit for over thirty-five months, earning the rank of Grand Colossal and is a few wins away from freedom; next in line in her chain is Hamara "Hurricane Staxxx” Stacker, also Thurwar’s lover. We also meet several other links from different chains, each of whom has a story to tell and reasons for joining the CAPE program. In contrast to the immense popularity and mass fan following , we also meet activist groups protesting the inhumane practices and violence at every match being played. We also get a glimpse into the forces at play behind the matches and the entities that have their own interests to protect - lawmakers, producers, and advertisers - their convictions, motivations and the extent to which they would go to protect their interests.

“There is a space in time when violence tears through from imagined to physical—and if that physical is met with more physical, then the violence can become both the vehicle and driver for all that comes after, and what has escaped can be incredibly difficult to contain.”

The narrative follows these characters and threads in the days leading up to Thurwar’s final match. Will she be “Freed”?

Those of you who follow my reviews will know that I do not shy away from dark, gritty reads but Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah shocked me with its depiction of human depravity and graphic violence. Don’t get me wrong, the writing is brilliant as is the concept. The bond between the links, and how they are impacted by one another’s victories and defeats (deaths) are described with much insight and sensitivity as is the mental and physical effort that goes into their individual processes –the choices they make, and how they deal with their conscience in the aftermath of the violence they both inflict and endure, reminding us that ultimately these "links" and "chain gangs" are human beings whose lives are being toyed with in the name of profit and entertainment. The commentary on capitalism and commercialism, racism, and unfair practices in the American prison system, is cleverly done often using satirical elements and the footnotes to explain the rules and laws of the alternate version of America to do the same. Atmospheric and intense, with sharp writing and superb characterizations , this is a novel that I could not stop reading despite the dark and bleak content.

Initially, I was alternating between reading and listening to the full-cast audio narration by Shayna Small, Aaron Goodson, Michael Crouch and Lee Osorio. While the narrators have done a brilliant job of bringing the characters and the story to life, I found the numerous subplots and characters difficult to follow on audio alone. It was also difficult to differentiate between the narrative and the footnotes. I would recommend keeping the book handy or simply pairing the audio with the book to fully engage with the story.

Needless to say, this is not an easy read. Please note that there are scenes of graphic violence that may be triggering for some.

“They were all humans, and yet they had completely different ideas about what humanity meant.”