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A review by louzr
Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
read: 13/08/23 - 09/09/23 | spoilers!
This book had many amazing attributes. The plot is immediately gripping. Its metaphor is enhanced by its realism and the horrifying fact that the fiction of this book does not seem too far-fetched from a modern-day prison system. We are met with many facts to enhance the plot points via footnotes, which I think Adjei-Brenyah uses very effectively at times.In fact, the most stand-out moment of the book for me was when, during a scene of police brutality, we see a footnote and look down to read "*Don't look down. Help me. Please. Help me." The technique, though a feature used explicitly to break the fourth wall, felt incredibly immersive.
The book makes us ask many questions. Who deserves to be incarcerated? What level of punishment is justifiable? When do the enforcers of punishment become morally equal to those they are punishing? When do WE become morally equal to those we are punishing?
Many aspects were explored during this story, and as educational and informative as they were, it became a bit of a fault for the book. There were a tad too many perspectives, which meant time was taken away from primary characters that lead to a sense of emotional shallowness to the book. The ending was a stomach punch, yet I felt it could have been weighted by more time spent with our main characters.
The pacing was also off at times. The book took me some time to get through, and the main plot point of the book, stated in the blurb itself, is our two main characters fighting, yet I feel like we take far too long to get to even a mention of it. Despite the title and the blurb, I feel as though the book may have actually benefitted from not telling us the aspect of the 'all-stars' before reading; the initial premise of prisoners fighting for freedom was interesting enough to capture an audience. It just felt a little underwhelming to know the major plot twist of the book yet spend forever waiting for it.
Nevertheless, the majority of this book was great. I loved the different narrative voices, I enjoyed the creative uses of footnotes. Its commentaries of systematic racism, over-consumption, and the relationship of power and abuse, were well-spoken and gripping. It was wonderful in its political voice, I just wished for a little more substance and emotion with the character side of things.
This book had many amazing attributes. The plot is immediately gripping. Its metaphor is enhanced by its realism and the horrifying fact that the fiction of this book does not seem too far-fetched from a modern-day prison system. We are met with many facts to enhance the plot points via footnotes, which I think Adjei-Brenyah uses very effectively at times.
The book makes us ask many questions. Who deserves to be incarcerated? What level of punishment is justifiable? When do the enforcers of punishment become morally equal to those they are punishing? When do WE become morally equal to those we are punishing?
Many aspects were explored during this story, and as educational and informative as they were, it became a bit of a fault for the book. There were a tad too many perspectives, which meant time was taken away from primary characters that lead to a sense of emotional shallowness to the book. The ending was a stomach punch, yet I felt it could have been weighted by more time spent with our main characters.
The pacing was also off at times. The book took me some time to get through, and the main plot point of the book, stated in the blurb itself, is our two main characters fighting, yet I feel like we take far too long to get to even a mention of it. Despite the title and the blurb, I feel as though the book may have actually benefitted from not telling us the aspect of the 'all-stars' before reading; the initial premise of prisoners fighting for freedom was interesting enough to capture an audience. It just felt a little underwhelming to know the major plot twist of the book yet spend forever waiting for it.
Nevertheless, the majority of this book was great. I loved the different narrative voices, I enjoyed the creative uses of footnotes. Its commentaries of systematic racism, over-consumption, and the relationship of power and abuse, were well-spoken and gripping. It was wonderful in its political voice, I just wished for a little more substance and emotion with the character side of things.