I have had Adjei-Brenyah's collection of stories, Friday Black, on my TBR list and physically on my bookshelf, for literal years now. But...the intrigue for this was too much and it won out even though it's a later publication. It made so many "best of the year" and awards lists for last year that I just needed to know what all the hype was about. Plus, a friend told me I had to get to it sooner rather than later. So, I did. 

 

Borrowing/adjusting this blurb from Goodreads because I need the help on this one. Plus, now that I kind of started doing this more often, it's hard to stop. It's such a time-saver! "Loretta Thurwar and Hamara "Hurricane Staxxx" Stacker are the stars of Chain-Gang All-Stars, the cornerstone of CAPE, or Criminal Action Penal Entertainment, a highly-popular, highly-controversial, profit-raising program in America's increasingly dominant private prison industry. It's the return of the gladiators and prisoners are competing for the ultimate prize: their freedom. In CAPE, prisoners travel as Links in Chain-Gangs, competing in death-matches for packed arenas with righteous protestors at the gates. Thurwar and Staxxx, both teammates and lovers, are the fan favorites. And if all goes well, Thurwar will be free in just a few matches, a fact she carries as heavily as her lethal hammer. As she prepares to leave her fellow Links, she considers how she might help preserve their humanity, in defiance of these so-called games, but CAPE's corporate owners will stop at nothing to protect their status quo and the obstacles they lay in Thurwar's path have devastating consequences." 

 

I'm not sure I can add much that hasn't already been said to the conversation about this book, but you know I'm going to try, because that's what I do. Plus, I had so many reactions. First and foremost, this deserved all the accolades it has gotten. It was like, too real. But in that horrifyingly immediate way that makes its content and messages that much more impactful and, therefore, heightens the quality of the literature in incredible ways. With the history of gladiators being a real one, and the nigh on dystopian present-day-slavery reality of the US incarceration system as it is, this was, to repeat myself, too real. (Here's the thing - this terror/death-for-entertainment/dehumanization-of-the-incarcerated situation was also what made Hunger Games so big and at the time I couldn't get over how into that people were without any recognition that that future was like, so possible. I realize I was in a minority at the time, but this is even more possible, and perhaps even happening in part, and reading it was heavy. Phenomenal, as a literary experience, but heavy.) Anyways, for me, this proximity to reality was all in the details. That combination of the "justice" system, systemic inequality/racism and unchecked end-stage capitalism, that is borne out through specifics like the branded (like sponsor-branded) weapons and armor and gear, the sports-style commentary/reality tv qualities - complete with commercials and pay per view, the footnotes with facts/stats about current laws/policies that legit exist right now that made this imminently recognizable/possible without all that much actual effort/imagination. Like, Adjei-Brenyah brought receipts. And those provided a necessary gravity and grounding. 

 

I also deeply appreciated the depth and nuance Adjei-Brenyah brought to this novel with the breadth of characters/POVs that he included. While Thurwar and Staxxx are, of course, the central characters and the story primarily revolves around their relationship(s) and the build to their finale, we also get direct narrative voices of: the primary announcer/commentator, other "Links" on their Chain, opponent "Links," fans (some very enthusiastic and some with developing interest), the Chain's driver, protesters, family/friends of Thurwar and Staxxx, CAPE/tv executives, and more. These POVs showcase the myriad effects of this dehumanizing "choice" to take part in CAPE as an alternative to the (worsening) situations of "normal" incarceration, the courage and convictions of those that oppose CAPE (and the failed experiment of the current "justice" system) as they fight for change, the astounding levels of disassociation from humanity displayed by those who get off on or financially benefit from CAPE, and the way that everyday complacency (cause it’s just easier) equates to complicity (which is in many ways the most insidious). And really, at times, some of these perspectives took some turns that made me feel truly ill and creeped-out. On the whole though, the development of all the characters and characterizations is top notch - it's neutral in its portrayal in a way that dominant narrative about the populations in question rarely are (with biases, and benefit of the doubt or not, going in multiple directions for the multiple included POVs), allowing the reader to draw conclusions for themselves, making the conclusions drawn that much more powerful. 

 

One of the best pieces is the way he makes you consider so many topics/aspects of social justice. This is a calling out of capitalism and the prison industrial complex like I’ve never experienced before. (At least fictionally. I definitely recommend complementary nonfiction reads like Bird Uncaged in addition to this novel.) But yea, this is such a varied look at the many reasons (legitimate and less so and not at all) that people end up incarcerated. And it forces a salient and necessary interrogation of what a person “deserves” and how to mete that out and who is the arbiter of that. In one of the sections focused on the protestors, the arguments for abolition/prisons as a failed experiment does a great job summarizing the leading theory/philosophy/arguments on this topic, and addresses head on all the "danger" and "fear" arguments of the opposition (and just - there is so much evil born out of that fear and the deeply misplaced effort at relieving it; what an immeasurable tragedy that is). There is an acknowledgement that there aren't easy answers, but that what we have now is not it and shouldn't we try to be better? One more note on the protesters that I appreciated was the way their efforts are noticed and appreciated by those they're working to benefit (and for many reasons, very necessary), and yet, are not able to make enough change, or make it fast enough, to save so many. Again, what a tragedy that we've allowed this reality (and make no mistake, this is not simply a part of this dystopian plot line, but a very real part of present day life). I also could not get over the fact that these murders are not seen as real ones. Like, people are forced into CAPE due to previous crimes (many of which are murder!), and yet the road to clemency of sentence somehow rests in more murders (but these ones are not recognized under law in the same way)?! What a stark and striking commentary on life, and whose are worth something (worth anything), and how deaths of the incarcerated population (even now IRL) do not register as real or worth mourning to the general population/past those that know them. And seriously, the hypocrisy in of people (fans! of this freaking blood sport) calling "impurity" at someone’s sexuality or crimes (like "rightfully imprisoning" someone for rape/murder), yet fully support a “sport” where you kill more and somehow believe that doesn’t endanger one’s soul?? I cannot.   

 

I feel like I must mention, in addition to everything else, that this is straight-up a page-turner. The story itself is absolutely mesmerizing. Like yes, the characters and social justice messaging and thought/discussion points are all really the highlights for me. And, while I almost hate to say it because I feel like it supports the points that the entire novel is making, that the entertainment of the masses is worth the lives and dignity of the "other," I can't ignore that fact that I could not put this book down. 

 

Y'all. In so many ways Adjei-Brenyah made something great here. The whole novel really, but that ending especially was just...stunning. As in, I feel stunned upon finishing it. Oooooof. But even within all that intensity and heaviness, even if I can’t tell exactly how, or can’t quite find words to describe it, there’s also some incisive messaging about the ways humanity can help itself, can rise above what the elite minority proclaims, if the rest of us work together in support instead of competition and arbitrarily created hierarchies.  We can, together, subvert this “circus of justice.” This is just absolutely, incredibly compelling writing. 

 

 

“In some sick irony, the deadlier she proved herself to be, the fewer precautions the men and women who shuffled her between performances took with her. Often it seemed that they wanted to align themselves with her. Her success, she knew, legitimized something in their minds.” 

 

“They paint the walls with words. They build walls with their words.” 

 

“…every failure to fail was a wound reopened.” 

 

“What owns me is my own wrong and nothing else.” 

 

“...many politicians had already appeared before holostreams to implore nonviolence. An absurd thing for the murderous state to plead for, but, as always, the massive violence of the state was 'justice,' was 'law and order,' and resistance to perpetual violence was an act of terror." 

 

 “They don’t mind if they kill us. It’s how they kill us they’re particular about.” 

 

“When survival is difficult something in you begs the attempt. When it's easy, it's a different thing entirely.” 

 

“There is a space in time when violence tears through from imagined to physical - and if that physical is met with more physical, then the violence can become both the vehicle and driver for all that comes after, and what has escaped can be incredibly difficult to contain. [...] The truest human virus multiplied through the masses. The violence took control.” 

 

“He prayed for […] the silent in cages all around the world. All those smothered by other men’s fear.” 

 

“What I’m saying is, that’s a whole lotta prisoners for a land that claims free.” 

 

“When you think of us, remember that just because something is, doesn't mean it can't change, and just because you haven't seen something before, that doesn't mean it's impossible.”