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sara_reads_and_wines's review against another edition
4.5
In a not so distant dystopia future, there is technology in place that helps control the prison population. Ranging from forced silence, to a shock that can electrify your nervous system, the technology is truly terrifying.
But that isn't even the worst of it in this dystopia world. The prison system is now private and for profit. Inmates voluntarily (????) sign up to be part of these "Hard Action Sports". Divided into teams by their prison systems, the prisoners, now called 'links' fight to death in battles to gain ranks to their freedom.
We mainly follow two links Thurwar and Staxxx who are on the same chain (team) and both almost to the top rank to gain their freedow.
Told almost like a documentary, each chapter gives you different points of views from the different links, to fans watching the matches live or at home, to the board members of the hard action sports, to journalists and reporters, and to those protesting the injustice in and inhumane treatment of the links.
It hard to say you enjoy a book with such a troubling concept, but it was really well done. There are footnotes with real statistics and facts about the prison and justice systems that give you a double take. And stories for each person as they enter the prisons or loose their battles so you get a more human side of them outside of their crimes.
I will definitely be reading more by this author to see what other stories they tell.
Graphic: Slavery, Racism, Violence, Death, Torture, and Gore
carlycompton22's review
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Suicide, Racial slurs, Gore, Suicide attempt, Slavery, Self harm, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Police brutality, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Murder, Torture, Cursing, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Homophobia, and Blood
fxp's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Yet I also couldn't put the book down because it's such a believable dystopia given the state of the USS "correction" system (a.k.a. penal-industrial complex).
Graphic: Violence, Torture, and Racism
machenn's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
3.25
Graphic: Torture, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Violence, Slavery, Murder, Cursing, Police brutality, Confinement, Death, and Injury/Injury detail
alittlegreenbean's review
5.0
Graphic: Self harm, Torture, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Homophobia, Police brutality, and Racial slurs
maggieperrien's review
- 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? It's complicated
5.0
This book shows the very worst that is possible from humans when we stop seeing the humanity in each other. But it does so is such a thought provoking way. The Links are all murders and/or rapists - they have done bad things but then have the opportunity to be immortalized as heros in the blood-sport matches. The book’s chapters change character POV from Links, prison owners, prisoners families, even fans - this makes the book interesting and allows the reader a varied perspective as they have to decide what is good and bad.
This is a hard read, there is violence and it’s a grim look at the human condition but also interspersed are footnotes of real carceral system facts which makes this book so important and so sad. Although it was a tough read I still highly recommend.
Graphic: Death, Violence, Murder, Police brutality, Torture, and Slavery
princess_marie's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Violence, Torture, Death, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, and Racism
Moderate: Racial slurs, Suicide, and Self harm
Minor: Animal death, Body horror, Confinement, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Animal cruelty, and Domestic abuse
kkayla113's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Death and Violence
Moderate: Homophobia, Racism, and Torture
Minor: Transphobia
otakatoe3's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Slavery, Racism, Murder, Police brutality, Torture, Grief, Confinement, Cursing, Physical abuse, Blood, Forced institutionalization, Racial slurs, Mental illness, Classism, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, and Emotional abuse
l1ndz7's review
4.5
Graphic: Gore, Confinement, Violence, Murder, and Death
Moderate: Torture, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, and Racism