Chain Gang All Stars: A Read with Jenna Pick: A Novel

January was my month of ten star reads and this one is right at the top of my list! Tore through it in just a couple days and could not stop thinking about it. The way each character is woven together into this brutal world (one not so far removed from our own) left me speechless and lingering on it all long after I flipped the final page.

Review 1 of 2 Written by Shonda Moore 🪓 Nana Kwame Adeji-Brenyah’s “Chain-Gang All-Stars” is a powerful and thought-provoking novel that I rated four out of five stars. The book explores a range of compelling themes, including advocacy, gender identity, America’s obsession with sports, children of incarcerated people, and the duality between humanity and the demons of the imprisoned. These themes are woven into an engaging narrative that demands the reader’s full attention. 🔪 The story delves into the lives of its characters with remarkable depth, making them come alive on the page. Adeji-Brenyah’s writing style is both gripping and insightful, providing a comprehensive understanding of each character’s motivations and struggles. While the book required significant attention to fully appreciate, it was ultimately a rewarding read that left a lasting impression. 🪚 I found the character development to be particularly strong, as it left little unknown to the reader and added layers of complexity to the narrative. Although the book demanded my full focus, I wouldn’t mind rereading it when I have more time to fully immerse myself in its rich storytelling. Adeji-Brenyah’s talent for crafting intricate and thought-provoking narratives shines through in “Chain-Gang All-Stars,” making it a novel well worth reading. ⚰️Reviewed by Shonda Moore, moderated for This BrowneGirl Reads Book Club 2024 #thisbrownegirlreads #tbgrbookclub

If I could rate this a 100, I would. Made my favorite book of the year and we're only in February! Beautiful writing, colorful perspectives, and so much love.

3.5 **

I truly think this book lives up to the hype. It’s an incredibly written story about the prison industrial complex set in a gladiator style dystopian world. There is so much here to reflect on and I think that everyone should read it.

I rated it lower than what I feel it deserves only because I struggled reading this style of book. There are multiple storylines / character POVs that felt difficult to follow. There were also a lot of inserted real life facts and stories interwoven into the story that sometimes brought me entirely out of the moment. I recognize the reason for this is because when reading fiction, it’s easy to separate the truth being told once you put the book down - but it was very distracting to me.

I recommend this book if you enjoy:
The hunger games but a lot more brutal, original writing, dystopian stories, diverse characters, learning about the harsh realities of the prison system in America

Violent. The American penal system, in the near future - convicts can join to fight to get out of their sentence. One gang includes the best fighters Thurwar and Staxx, who are also lovers. While the book is a novel, the footnotes detail in injustices of the criminal justice system. I kept thinking the protesters would make progress but they didn’t.