Prisoners fight to the death in a gruesome late-capitalist dystopia

Chain-Gang All-Stars — Nana Kwame Adjei Brenyah

Welcome to Reading Under the Radar, where every Tuesday you’ll receive a book recommendation right to your inbox that hasn’t hit any major lists or book clubs but definitely deserves to be read.

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Rather than feature a big round-up for the end of the year, I wanted to highlight my favorite read of 2023, one that has been nominated for awards but has missed being a big seller among readers. So here I am, standing in front of you, asking you to read this book! You won’t regret it!

Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei Brenyah

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Content warnings included in the footnote of this newsletter.¹

What It’s About

This is an incredibly complex and layered book, so buckle up.

It takes place in a near-future America (a very near, scarily possible future, if you ask me), in which capitalism rules all, corporations run the government, and everywhere is overcrowded. Sensing an opportunity, Big Brands use the for-profit prison system, currently overflowing with people experiencing incarceration (from petty crimes to murder), to make even more money.

Chain-Gang All-Stars is born: a reality TV series competition in which prisoners can apply to be part of. Prisoners are called Links, living and moving in Chain-Gang groups, and ultimately, they will go head-to-head in battle against another Link. If a Link wins enough battles, they rise through the ranks, and eventually, can win their freedom. But the battles come at a cost: they are fights to the death. And America loves watching them.

The book follows many characters: Loretta Thurwar and Hurricane Staxx, two of the biggest and best fighters; Simon, a prisoner who is encouraged to join the program; a young white couple who enjoy watching the show; and many more perspectives. Shifting from those inside the system to those perpetuating it to those entertained by it, the author perfectly balances the narrative and sharp criticism of our current incarceration system.

Why You Should Read It

The prison system is something I know very little about, but after getting into the true crime podcast phase (post-Serial, Addicted, etc.) and realizing how many people are wrongly accused and charged and how difficult it was for them to get out, my perspective began to change. (Read A Knock at Midnight, which I’ve recommended before, for an incredible true account of a lawyer fighting the unfair justice system.)

While this novel is fictional, it tells a tale that feels much too close for comfort as we see a few corporations and people rising in power in our government, making the gap between the rich and everyone else larger and larger. It’s a difficult but necessary read.

I’m settling into my new house, slowly, and beginning to make it my own. While I still have yet to unpack my books, I splurged this year, after several years of waffling about it: I bought a book-a-day personalized advent calendar. The lovely booksellers at Madison Street Books went through my book spreadsheet (a huge feat!) and chose books they think I’d love that I didn’t already own or have read. Here’s what I’ve opened so far, and they are knocking it out of the park.

Some books pictured include: The Comfort of Crows, Nightbitch, Starter Villain, Landscapes, and An Invisible Sign of My Own.

Have you ever bought yourself a Christmas present? Tell me about it! I think we should do this more often!

Can’t get enough, or looking for a different recommendation? Browse the archives, or check out some popular past recommendations: 

• Read a book set in a convent about growing up amid turmoil

• Read one family’s struggle to stay together amid an unexplainable, almost magical event

• An enchanting and beautiful island starts to turn against its visitors

I also love hearing from readers! Let me know what kinds of books you’re looking for that you’d like to see featured, or send in your most recent five-star read (or two) and get a recommendation just for you. You might be featured in an upcoming newsletter! Reply to this email to get in touch!

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1. Content warnings include self-harm, suicide, murder, violence in great detail, homophobia, racism, incarceration, torture.