I struggled through Chain Gang All Stars and then struggled even more to get my thoughts together. While I thought the writing was excellent and the premise very creative, in the end, it was too dark for me (and I like dark). I chose not to share a public review of this book feeling like I'm not the right person to do it justice.

"Chain Gang All Stars" by Adjei-Brenyah is a mixed bag. it touches on societal issues Adjei-Brenyah's writing is thought-provoking, but at times it all felt like flash over substance.

Chain Gang All Stars is incredibly tough to read, but it is also incredibly well done. It is a searing indictment of the prison system in the US, and for all that it is sci-fi in terms of its shift to gladiator-style competition for death row inmates, is it really sci-fi at all? The prose is not always perfect, but the themes come through and the characters are not paper cutouts to stand in for the author's position. This should be required reading- and a reminder of the dignity that is missing from our penal system (but ever-present in the writing of these characters).

I was incredibly excited for Chain Gang All Stars. I enjoyed Adjei-Brenyah's Friday Black. I was intrigued by the novel's exploration of the injustices of incarceration as prison abolition is something I've read and thought about a lot.

Unfortunately, it took me FOREVER to get through this. The concept of the novel is a little overly complicated. There is a lot thrown at the reader as the world is our own, but exaggerated to make a point. While the message is important and relevant, I don't think this storyline is my cup of tea.

The novel follows two women who participate in CAPE, or Criminal Action Penal Entertainment. These women are literally fighting for their lives, killing other prisoners for the chance at freedom. These two women, Loretta Thurwar and Hamara "Hurricane Staxxx" Stacker are the central characters of the story, but various other characters play a role in reflecting this near-future dystopia. Alongside the story, the author also includes footnotes that reflect real statistics, incidents, and legal citations of the criminal justice system in America.

I wanted to love this, but I didn't. That being said, I think this novel is incredibly important and is an interesting way to make people aware of the problems and inhumanity of the U.S.'s prison system.

The book has a really good opening. But at the 40% mark I decided to skim and skip. It really suffers from the storytelling, which is too widespread, fragmented, with some parts prolonged and repetitive. Aside from the main two characters, I really don't care about the other supporting - and distracting - characters and I wish they could be fleshed out more. The book has great ideas - commentary on the prison system, misogyny, racism, capitalism, and many others isms, but it is just not something I enjoy reading.

This book took me on a rollercoaster ride! It was the return of the gladiators! It is a riveting look at the American prison system touching on racism and capitalism. It definitely gives you what freedom really means in this country. Go get this book!

Chain-Gang All-Stars is a huge accomplishment for Nama Kwame Adjei-Brenyah. I loved his short story collection, Friday Black. Although this is a full-length novel, Adjei-Brenyah sensibility and skill as a short story writer still shines through in his kaleidoscopic depiction of moments and the shifts in perspective throughout the book. The characters are memorable, the story is powerful, and the premise is disturbing as it shines a light on real issues in America. I think it is probably a bit longer than it needed to be, but I’m glad we got this as a full-length novel rather than a short story or a novella. Thank you to Adjei-Brenyah for this incredible contribution to books and to Pantheon and NetGalley for the ARC.

I enjoyed this story: the criticism about the punishment judicial system is great. Pretty dystopic by nature.

The thing I didn't enjoy was the many characters introduced in every chapter. I felt like the arch for the principal chatacters were diluted by it. I think the stoy would resonate more with me if it were character driven instead of this kind of narrative structure (because I didn't feel it had a great plot either).

I0m interested in reading more of the work of this author, but this one it was a 3 stars for me.

Thank you NetGalley and Pantheon books for my digital copy.

I started this on my kindle and was instantly drawn in. But when I switched to audio, I really felt pulled in to the story. This one I highly recommend as an audio. It does an amazing job with the different POV and the jumping around. It does the ads and special announcements and even different tone for the historical information as well. It was so well done, it felt like I was really a part of the world and almost a part of the show.

This story is unsettling in all the best ways. It shows such an ugly side of humanity - the way some people are drawn to violence. And I am not talking about the men and women in the fights. It showed such a humanity to them, that they were more than the crime they'd been labeled with. It was the people around them, that used and pushed and hurt them but were so drawn to their struggle to survive. It was so ugly, powerful and moving. It was realistic in it's portrayal of a lot of those in power (and those that want power) and the fight of others. It was an amazing story, I loved it. It made me uncomfortable for all the right reasons.

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

The premise of this book is excellent, but the execution fell a bit flat for me.

"Chain-Gang All-Stars" sets out with a promising premise, delving into the dark and controversial world of CAPE, a profit-driven program within the private prison industry. The novel follows the journey of Loretta Thurwar and Hamara "Hurricane Staxxx" Stacker, the stars of the highly popular and morally questionable gladiatorial competition. However, despite its ambitious intentions, the book ultimately falls short of its potential, leaving readers feeling disconnected and frustrated.

One of the primary issues that plague the novel is its scattered narrative structure. The constant shifts in point of view from the Links in the field to the protestors, CAPE employees, and beyond, create a jumbled reading experience. As a result, it becomes challenging to engage with the characters on a deeper level and fully invest in their stories. Instead of providing a compelling and cohesive exploration of the American prison system, the multiple perspectives only serve to confuse and alienate the reader.

Moreover, the romantic relationship between Thurwar and Staxxx, which is portrayed as a central aspect of the story, fails to resonate. The emotional depth and development of their bond remain underexplored, leaving readers unconvinced of the depth of their connection.

While the book attempts to shine a harsh light on critical issues such as systemic racism, unchecked capitalism, and mass incarceration, its message gets lost amid the disjointed storytelling. The potential for a scathing critique of the private prison industry is present, but the execution lacks the necessary clarity and focus to make a lasting impact on the reader.

Ultimately, "Chain-Gang All-Stars" holds a promising concept that could have been a searing indictment of the American prison system. However, its ambitious intentions are hindered by its disorganized narrative, lack of character development, and an inability to engage the reader effectively. For those seeking a profound and well-crafted examination of the prison-industrial complex, this novel falls short of delivering a satisfying experience.

Human beings are terrible, and Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah turns this fact into absolutely captivating, angry writing. I already LOVED his daring short story collection Friday Black, and "Chain-Gang All-Stars", his debut novel about the prison-industrial complex and affect-based entertainment culture, doesn't disappoint either. In a dystopian future, people incarcerated in privatized prisons can opt to join their prison's battle squads, the so-called chains, and become combatants (links) in televised death matches, whose lives (and deaths) are turned into media spectacles on the Criminal Action Penal Entertainment channel (CAPE) - if they survive for three years, an almost impossible task, they are granted their freedom. Of course, the viewers devouring capital punishment as a past-time are not giving in to the worst human impulses, no: they are watching "hard-action-sports". This book is razor-sharp, brutal, and coming from a place of outrage.

The author, son of a defense attorney, was driven to activism for prison reform by The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness, this novel (that developed from a short story originally intended for Friday Black) is his investigation into the topic by means of fiction. While we follow main character Loretta Thurwar, who almost made it to the three-year goal, and her lover Hurricane Staxx, Adjei-Brenyah extrapolates to other Links, viewers, protesters against the inhume system, and many other characters to give a full picture of the world he imagines and the topics he tackles. In footnotes, he also gives some actual info on the real-life US prison system, which renders his fictional story more plausible than one would like.

Sure, the story brings to mind such stories as Battle Royale, The Hunger Games, or the movie "Gladiator", but as all of these media, the real source is the Roman Colosseum: This novel tells us that the idea of panem et circenses is still true, that if people have something to eat and entertainment that appeals to their base instincts while simultaneously putting the fear of the mighty system into them, the ruling class can do whatever they want (and cash in). "Chain-Gang All-Stars" adds aspects of sex, class, and race (Thurwar is a Black woman), also talking about the sexualization and overall framing of links as marketable media personalities as opposed to their framing if they were average, anonymous prisoners.

Once again, Adjei-Brenyah goes all in, writing passionately and forcefully, aiming high and packing in many excellent ideas. The fighting scenes, for example, oscillate between reporting on full-contact sports like football (that also leads to widespread permanent brain injuries for pros), war reporting and psychological writing, and the effect is fantastic, as in unveils the full brutality of the system while also working as a particularly relentless satire. Still, of course the many storylines sometimes veer off course, the whole thing is slightly over-ambitious, but God, I have to give it to an author that goes all in and produces such an intense, fascinating outcome.

This guy is only getting started, and I'm excited to follow his career.

In an alternate future, prisoners can take part in a program where they fight to the death for their freedom. They become kind of like reality stars and stadiums of people watch their fights. Some are kind of forced into the program and many people also protest and so there’s a bit of a social justice commentary there.
It was pretty violent, but very unique and interesting.

The Hunger Games meets Mad Max and the Thunderdome! Killing is now world wide entertainment - convicts are given the enticement of freedom; that is, if they can survive for 3 years in CAPE - the Criminal Action Penal Entertainment. Prisoners travel to different arenas to fight to the death (with some death matches along the way on their marches too). Two women, Loretta Thurwar and "Hurricane Staxx" Stacker are CAPE's big stars, as both are close to getting out. The gladiators try to maintain their humanity and that of the other convicts in their chain, but at what cost? It's not for the faint of heart, but the parallels to today's incarcerated population and the racism that permeates it, is a thought provoking read.

This novel blew me away.

The writing is exquisite, and the story itself is unforgettable. I will say that is darker than what most readers may be expecting, and yet, I can't imagine this story being written with any less darkness.

Truly masterful.

"Retribution of the same kind promises he was not wrong but rather that he was small. To punish this way is to water a seed."

I have never read anything like this before, and I can't believe more people aren't talking about Chain Gang All Stars. This book confronts the realities of the American criminal justice system within a fictional, dystopian world of televised "hard action-sports"—a horrifying combination of gladiator fights and the Hunger Games. The writing is vivid and violent, fast-paced and heart-wrenching.

I’m pretty sure Chain Gang All-Stars is my favorite book of 2023 so far. It is a scathing indictment of the United States’ prison system that uses Loretta and Hamara’s as an allegory for the way our prison system and the school-to-prison pipeline make not only a mockery of human lives but see them, and the systems that continue to incarcerate them, as a capitalistic opportunity that’s lasted for centuries. I’d call this dystopian, but it’s so horrifyingly real that that almost doesn’t do the book and its characters justice. Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah is a powerhouse storyteller and I’m so grateful to have read this book. Thank you immensely to the publisher and NetGalley for this e-arc!

I appreciate what the author was doing with this story. I'm interested in the topics of mass incarceration and abolition, and one of my favorite parts of the book was how Adjei-Brenyah incorporated actual statistics and legislation from the real-world U.S. in the footnotes of this "dystopian" novel. However, I found the world-building to be too expository for my tastes ("show don't tell" and all that), and it was quite distracting through the first half of the novel. I got into the flow of the story and the characters more toward the end, but the writing style just didn't work for me. I did like the commentary on reality television and sports entertainment, though it was second (rightfully so) to the commentary on our prison industrial complex. Speaking of TV, I wouldn't be surprised if this is adapted for television sometime soon.

Since the murder of George Floyd, I, like many Americans, have become more aware of the racism still prevalent in our country and the prison system is at the root of most of it. Chain Gang All-Stars is a devastating look at our prison system and America's obsession with violence, especially towards black and brown people. Five full stars.

I was so pleased to see that Nana Kwame-Adjei Brenyah was publishing a novel, and knew I absolutely had to read it. Another searing satire, but this one felt even more grounded than the last book of short stories--which may sound weird if you know the premise. But in today's world of incarceration and reality TV, the jump to combining them is not as farfetched as it may once have been. Adjei-Brenyah's story is fascinating and uncomfortable and heartbreaking all at once. The story follows a Chain on their journey to attempt for freedom, as well as small moments dipping into the people around them that are enabling this horrific spectacle. This is a necessary piece of literature for today's world.

What an amazing and original story. With the start in the arena, I was hooked. I cannot wait to see what Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah gifts readers with next.