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Book club questions for Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah explore the depths of the human spirit, the nature of freedom, and the corrupting influences of power.
With such an amazing story set in a dystopian future, this book was one of my favorites and most unexpected reads this summer!
The novel explores the stories of Loretta Thurwar and Hamara “Hurricane Staxxx” Stacker, two indomitable women, who battle against insurmountable odds in their quest for freedom. Their unwavering determination and unbreakable spirit will leave you questioning your own capacity for strength in the face of adversity.
Chain Gang All Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
This novel also prompts us to examine the corrosive effects of unchecked power, witnessing the consequences of a system that thrives on the exploitation of prisoners for profit. What are the ethical implications of such a system, as well as the dangers of allowing such power to go unchecked? What steps would you take to address systemic injustice in our society?
In this blog post, I’m excited to share with you a collection of book club questions, discussion prompts, and a reading guide that will help you delve deeper into the captivating world of Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah. Prepare to question your own biases and contemplate the need for change.
Book Club Questions | Additional Recommendations
About the story
In Chain-Gang All-Stars, Loretta Thurwar and Hamara “Hurricane Staxxx” Stacker are the stars of a controversial program called CAPE (Criminal Action Penal Entertainment) set in a private prison industry. They compete in death-matches as part of Chain-Gangs, vying for their freedom.
Thurwar, fueled by the desire to help her fellow prisoners, dreams of winning enough matches to secure her own freedom. However, CAPE’s corporate owners will do whatever it takes to maintain the status quo, leading to devastating consequences.
The novel provides a vivid and critical examination of the American prison system, highlighting themes of systemic racism, unchecked capitalism, and mass incarceration. It offers a powerful exploration of what true freedom means from a fresh perspective.
About the Author
Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah is a highly acclaimed author, known for his bestselling books “Friday Black” and “Chain-Gang All Stars.” His exceptional literary work has been featured in prestigious publications such as The New York Times Book Review, Esquire, The Paris Review, and various others.
Recognized for his immense talent, Adjei-Brenyah was honored as one of the National Book Foundation’s “5 Under 35” recipients. He has also received esteemed awards, including the PEN/Jean Stein Book Award, the Saroyan Prize, and nominations such as being a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle’s John Leonard Award for Best First Book. His extraordinary achievements have garnered him widespread recognition.
Originally from Spring Valley, New York, Adjei-Brenyah currently resides in the Bronx, where he continues to contribute to the literary world with his exceptional storytelling.
Book Club Questions for Chain Gang All Stars
I hope you and your book club will enjoy my discussion reading guide for Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah.✨
- In Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah’s Chain-Gang All-Stars, we are thrust into a technologically advanced yet deeply troubled society, set in the near future United States. Reflecting on this futuristic backdrop, why do you think the author deliberately chose to intertwine contemporary laws, institutions, and social issues with his speculative vision? How does this setting serve to illuminate the challenges and flaws of our present reality, urging readers to contemplate the potential consequences of our current trajectory?
- Explore the identities and motivations of the Chain-Gang All-Stars, the central characters in the novel, and delve into the nature of the CAPE (Criminal Action Penal Entertainment) program they are a part of. What circumstances led these characters to participate in the program, and what factors influenced their decision to join? How do their individual stories and backgrounds shed light on the complex web of societal factors that perpetuate the existence of such exploitative systems?
- The prologue introduces Loretta Thurwar as a new Link, pitted against the formidable fighter Melancholia Bishop. As the narrative progresses, we witness a three-year time jump, and Thurwar has risen to Bishop’s former position as a Grand Colossal. Analyze the significance of Thurwar’s initial fight with Bishop and the subsequent transformation of her character. What key changes have occurred within her, both internally and externally, as a result of her experiences? Furthermore, explore the driving forces that keep Thurwar resilient and determined to continue fighting, despite the harrowing nature of her circumstances.
- In the novel, Hendrix Young becomes a significant character who offers a first-person perspective on the events unfolding in the narrative. Reflect on the author’s decision to reveal Hendrix’s story through his own voice. How does this choice impact your understanding of Hendrix as a character? How does hearing his thoughts and experiences directly influence your emotional connection to his plight within the violent and oppressive prison system?
- Explore how the advancement of scientific technologies within the novel exacerbates the already brutal conditions faced by the prisoners, especially within the experimental prisons. Discuss the specific ways in which these scientific advancements contribute to the dehumanization and suffering of the incarcerated individuals. In what ways does the author’s portrayal of these technologies provoke deeper reflection on the ethical implications of unchecked scientific progress within the criminal justice system?
- The narrative of Simon J. Craft is presented through a fragmented storytelling style. Examine the author’s use of this literary technique and its purpose in shedding light on the profound impact of solitary confinement on an individual’s psyche. How does the fragmented narrative effectively convey the fragmented mental state of someone enduring prolonged isolation? Analyze how this stylistic choice enhances your understanding of the psychological toll that solitary confinement exacts on the human mind.
- Hendrix states, “Everybody got a name: a story of truths and lies.” Investigate the origin and significance of the nicknames given to the Links, exploring how these monikers come to define each character’s identity. Reflect on the notable decision of Loretta Thurwar to use her own name instead of adopting a nickname. What does this choice reveal about Thurwar’s sense of self and her resistance to conforming to the dehumanizing practices of the prison system? In what ways do these names serve as both shields and burdens for the characters?
- Chain-Gang All-Stars paints a vivid picture of a society where corporate sponsorship and pay-per-view prison entertainment have become intertwined, prompting critical examination of the role capitalism plays in the current carceral system. Prior to reading this novel, reflect on your awareness of the prison-industrial complex, prison labor, and corporate involvement in the carceral system. How does the novel’s dramatization of these themes provoke deeper contemplation of the real-life consequences and implications of this system? Discuss how the fusion of fiction and social justice in the novel allows readers to engage with these issues in a more impactful way.
- Through Mari’s narrative, the novel offers insights into the lives of families of incarcerated individuals and the activists working towards abolishing the carceral system, paralleling contemporary calls to defund the police and eliminate prisons. Analyze these chapters and their portrayal of community organizers and activists. What do these perspectives reveal about the important work carried out by these individuals? Did you gain any new insights into these movements? Consider how Mari’s firsthand experience of having an incarcerated father informs her acts of protest and resistance throughout the story.
- Characterize the novel’s ending and the freedom ultimately attained by Thurwar and Staxxx. Does the conclusion evoke a sense of triumph, mourning, or a combination of both emotions? Discuss the factors that contribute to your interpretation of the ending and how it aligns with the overarching themes and messages of the novel. Additionally, contemplate the potential future trajectories for the characters and the CAPE program beyond the novel’s conclusion. What do you envision happening for them in the aftermath of their newfound freedom?
- Loretta Thurwar and Hamara “Hurricane Staxxx” Stacker are both prisoners and lovers who become the stars of the Chain-Gang All-Stars. How did their relationship add depth and complexity to the narrative? In what ways did their love and partnership defy the oppressive system they were trapped in?
- The book features a fragmented narrative style, incorporating footnotes, speeches, and different forms of speechifying. How did these stylistic choices enhance your reading experience and contribute to the overall message of the novel? Did you find them effective in conveying the themes and social commentary?
- Chain-Gang All-Stars imagines a world where prisoners compete in violent death-matches for entertainment and a chance at freedom. How did the depiction of these gladiator-style games prompt you to reflect on the ethical implications of spectatorship and the commodification of human life? Did it challenge your own notions of entertainment and its potential consequences?
- The character of Hendrix Young is one of the few who gets to speak in the first person. How did this narrative choice impact your understanding of Hendrix’s character and his role in the story? What insights did his perspective provide into the experiences of the prisoners and the larger societal issues at play?
- Adjei-Brenyah’s novel incorporates footnotes that provide readers with real-life stories and statistics about the experiences of incarcerated individuals in America, blending fiction with social justice. Reflect on the impact of these footnotes in enhancing the realism of the narrative. Discuss what you learned from these additional sources of information and which aspects stood out to you the most. In light of
- Throughout Chain-Gang All-Stars, Adjei-Brenyah presents the perspectives of various stakeholders within the CAPE program, including Links, executives, fans, and family members. Discuss which character’s viewpoint intrigued you the most and elaborate on your reasons for this choice. How did the author’s inclusion of multiple perspectives contribute to a deeper understanding of the conflicts that lie at the heart of the story? In what ways did these diverse viewpoints shed light on the intricate layers and complexities inherent in the overarching narrative?
- By delving into the lives of Wil and Emily, a couple who avidly watch the BattleGrounds and reality series “LinkLyfe,” the novel offers insight into the world of hard-action-sports enthusiasts. Emily, initially a reluctant fan, experiences a tumultuous blend of horror and fascination as she engages with this violent form of entertainment. Reflect on the motivations and coping mechanisms of the audiences who consume these matches. How do viewers reconcile their complicity in acts of violence, and what internal conflicts arise from their simultaneous horror and attraction? Furthermore, explore how readers themselves become implicated in this dynamic, confronting their own engagement with fictional violence and its potential impact on society.
- In Thurwar’s observation that “The culture of Chain-Gang was death,” the author highlights the dark dynamics present within the Angola-Hammond chain and other chains in the circuit. Analyze the culture of death that permeates these chains and the profound effects it has on the individuals involved. How do constant feelings of distrust and fear shape the interactions and relationships among the Links? Examine Thurwar and Staxxx’s efforts to cultivate trust and camaraderie within the Angola-Hammond chain, exploring the strategies they employ and the challenges they encounter along the way.
- Explore the character of Tracy Lasser and her connection to the Angola-Hammond chain. Delve into her act of protest on live television and consider its significance in relation to recent antiracist movements within media, particularly sports media. How does Lasser’s protest amplify the broader conversation around systemic racism and social justice? Analyze the parallels between her actions and the ongoing struggles for racial equality, drawing upon real-life events and the power of media as
- In the novel, the Links in the Chain-Gangs are given nicknames that come to define their characters. How did these nicknames shape your perception of the individuals and their identities? Why do you think it was notable for Loretta Thurwar to use her own name instead of adopting a moniker like the others? What significance did her choice hold in the context of the story?
- The author has been praised for his illuminating dystopian vision that can permanently shift our understanding of ourselves and our capabilities. How did reading Chain-Gang All-Stars impact your perspective on society, power dynamics, and the potential for change? Did it inspire you to reevaluate your beliefs and actions in any way?
Selected Reviews for Chain-Gang All-Stars
“Gladiator meets Mad Max at the penal colony in the brutal, world-building latest from Adjei-Brenyah”
—Entertainment Weekly
“A cross between Gladiator and The Hunger Games…[An] acclaimed master of our futuristic nightmares…a keen observer of racial and socioeconomic disparities that result in a high number of Black people incarcerated. While this is set in the future, it feels uncomfortably close to the present.”
—Oprah Daily
“Chain-Gang All-Stars should pique your interest if titles like Octavia Butler’s Parable of the Sower and Atwood’s Handmaid’s Tale are more your vibe.”
—The Week
Additional Recommendations
Hope you enjoyed my book club discussion questions and reading guide for Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah!
Here are some more of my book club recommendations:
Trust by Hernan Diaz
Even through the roar and effervescence of the 1920s, everyone in New York has heard of Benjamin and Helen Rask. He is a legendary Wall Street tycoon; she is the daughter of eccentric aristocrats. Together, they have risen to the very top of a world of seemingly endless wealth—all as a decade of excess and speculation draws to an end. But at what cost have they acquired their immense fortune? This is the mystery at the center of Bonds, a successful 1937 novel that all of New York seems to have read. Yet there are other versions of this tale of privilege and deceit.
Hernan Diaz’s TRUST elegantly puts these competing narratives into conversation with one another—and in tension with the perspective of one woman bent on disentangling fact from fiction. The result is a novel that spans over a century and becomes more exhilarating with each new revelation.
At once an immersive story and a brilliant literary puzzle, TRUST engages the reader in a quest for the truth while confronting the deceptions that often live at the heart of personal relationships, the reality-warping force of capital, and the ease with which power can manipulate facts.
The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese
The Covenant of Water is the long-awaited new novel by Abraham Verghese, the author of the major word-of-mouth bestseller Cutting for Stone, which has sold over 1.5 million copies in the United States alone and remained on the New York Times bestseller list for over two years.
Spanning the years 1900 to 1977, The Covenant of Water is set in Kerala, on South India’s Malabar Coast, and follows three generations of a family that suffers a peculiar affliction: in every generation, at least one person dies by drowning—and in Kerala, water is everywhere. At the turn of the century, a twelve-year-old girl from Kerala’s long-existing Christian community, grieving the death of her father, is sent by boat to her wedding, where she will meet her forty-year-old husband for the first time. From this unforgettable new beginning, the young girl—and future matriarch, known as Big Ammachi—will witness unthinkable changes over the span of her extraordinary life, full of joy and triumph as well as hardship and loss, her faith and love the only constants.
A shimmering evocation of a bygone India and of the passage of time itself, The Covenant of Water is a hymn to progress in medicine and to human understanding, and a humbling testament to the difficulties undergone by past generations for the sake of those alive today. It is one of the most masterful literary novels published in recent years.
Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
Enter the brutal and elite world of a war college for dragon riders from New York Times bestselling author Rebecca Yarros
Twenty-year-old Violet Sorrengail was supposed to enter the Scribe Quadrant, living a quiet life among books and history. Now, the commanding general―also known as her tough-as-talons mother―has ordered Violet to join the hundreds of candidates striving to become the elite of Navarre: dragon riders.
But when you’re smaller than everyone else and your body is brittle, death is only a heartbeat away…because dragons don’t bond to “fragile” humans. They incinerate them.
With fewer dragons willing to bond than cadets, most would kill Violet to better their own chances of success. The rest would kill her just for being her mother’s daughter―like Xaden Riorson, the most powerful and ruthless wingleader in the Riders Quadrant.
She’ll need every edge her wits can give her just to see the next sunrise.
Yet, with every day that passes, the war outside grows more deadly, the kingdom’s protective wards are failing, and the death toll continues to rise. Even worse, Violet begins to suspect leadership is hiding a terrible secret.
Friends, enemies, lovers. Everyone at Basgiath War College has an agenda―because once you enter, there are only two ways out: graduate or die.
Thank you for reading my book club discussion questions and as always, happy reading! ❤️