“Chain Gang All Stars” by Nan Kwame Adjei-Brenyah

Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah’s wrenching debut, “Chain Gang All Stars” is meant to be a science-fictional tale. Unfortunately, it was all that and more for me. I live in a place where the Sheriff has a chain gang, replete with prisoners dressed in bold black & white horizontal striped uniforms, foot shackles, ankle monitors, and 24/7 electronic surveillance. Members are chosen for their strength and obedience. They are paraded out in the community at every opportunity. They are promised that, if they behave well, their incarceration terms will be reduced. The Sheriff has his own, personal TV/media studio and a right-wing web outlet that broadcasts anything the studio produces. I am going to do what I can to make sure that the Sheriff doesn’t get a hold of Adjei-Brenyah’s stunning novel. I don’t want him getting any ideas.

I was blown away by “Chain Gang All Stars”. The entire premise is flawlessly executed. Adjei-Brenyah’s naming, dialogue, references, metaphors, pacing, jump cuts, and footnotes — all made me alternately laugh and cry. Weaving in the central issues of societal ills in subtle and not so subtle ways: child abuse, guns, drugs, racist law enforcement, the dysfunctional child welfare system, a criminal justice system without a heart, for- profit prisons, inmate punishment as a spectator sport, the list goes on.

“Chain Gang All Stars” is brutal, but it pulls its punches to stop just short of being gratuitous. Character interaction, both non-verbal, but especially verbal, is rich, deep, and compelling. Adjei-Brenyah writes so that the pages turn themselves. You have to force yourself to take a break — get up, stretch your legs, drink some water, digest what you have just read. Is there hope for us? Maybe. What’s next for Adjei-Brenyah? Hugo? Nebula? Hollywood? Atlanta? New York? The sky’s the limit. Can’t wait.

Thanks to Pantheon Books and NetGalley for the eARC.