Reviews tagging 'Rape'

Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah

149 reviews

catdogcatdog's review

challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

“I thought of how the world can be anything, and how sad it is that it’s this. “

I read this book last month, and it’s on my mind often.  It’s particularly chilling how little had to be changed in the world this story takes place for televised prisoner death matches to feel so plausible. 

I was struck by how realistic the reactions of people with different relationships to the “sport” felt. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence

Moderate: Sexual harassment, Domestic abuse, Murder, Rape, Sexual assault, and Racism

joensign's review against another edition

challenging dark tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Police brutality, Racism, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Violence, Suicide, Child death, Murder, Torture, and Death

Moderate: Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual violence, Body horror, and Domestic abuse

wormgirl's review against another edition

dark sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder and Torture

Moderate: Confinement, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Blood, and Self harm

Minor: Slavery, Police brutality, Suicide, and Rape

jegan4's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Prison-industrial-complex meets the Hunger Games. If you can’t read violence than this definitely isn’t for you, however, the violence isn’t celebrated, but is used to demonstrate how close we are as a society to this dystopian story.  I personally liked the different POVs throughout, and actually wished there was more background on some of the characters (like Hendrix and Simon J. Craft). The footnotes did take me out of the story from time to time, but I also liked the extra information. I’m glad I read a physical copy and didn’t listen to an audio version, as I’m not sure I would have liked audio with the footnotes. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Suicide, Racism, and Rape

Minor: Sexual harassment, Homophobia, and Sexual assault

rainbopagn's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

This is a book that will make you rethink everything you feel and know about the American justice system. This should be required reading. The way you go back and forth between perspectives and the way they come together in the final pages... its beautiful storytelling. It is also vicious and violent, much like the real life justice system. The way the author pulls in real people and real statistics is an homage to those who have been unfairly and unjustly treated.  


SPOILERS in
3

2

1

I am more than a little pissed that Thurwar killed Staxxx. I had expected them to go out together, mortally wounding each other. I understand the meaning of the full circle moment but it still annoyed me.     

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Police brutality, Violence, Body horror, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Racism, Homophobia, Suicide, Torture, Transphobia, Self harm, Death, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, and Hate crime

Moderate: Abandonment, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Medical content, Ableism, Rape, Mental illness, Alcoholism, Gun violence, and Infidelity

Minor: Addiction, Drug abuse, Infidelity, Medical trauma, and Cursing

hspooner8's review against another edition

dark emotional informative reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Racism, Suicide, Classism, Confinement, Murder, Violence, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Rape, Self harm, and Slavery

emmaline09's review against another edition

adventurous emotional sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Police brutality and Violence

Moderate: Racism

Minor: Rape and Sexual assault

samihiggins's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

One of the most powerful books I’ve ever read. Dark, brutal, and a poignant commentary on the American prison system. Will be thinking about this book for a while. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Police brutality, and Murder

Minor: Rape and Sexual assault

meredithamadee's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative sad tense medium-paced

• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Incredibly well written and extremely thought provoking. Was very hard to read because of the subject matter and how dark it is. I appreciate the lengths the author took to write it. It just seems so close to reality that it’s hard to stomach. Definitely a page turner and I’m excited to discuss at book club. Check trigger warnings if you’re a sensitive reader.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Torture, Death, and Police brutality

Minor: Sexual assault and Rape

daniandsn's review against another edition

challenging dark tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Murder, Gore, Torture, and Confinement

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Police brutality, Racism, and Self harm

Minor: Rape