In Adjei-Brenyah's debut novel, the private-prison industry has turned incarceration into televised sport: under the CAPE program, prisoners fight gladiator matches against rival chain-gangs, and a fighter who survives three seasons wins freedom. Loretta Thurwar and Hamara "Hurricane Staxxx" Stacker — teammates, lovers, and the league's biggest stars — approach the end of Thurwar's sentence together, while the machinery of fans, sponsors, and executives profits from every blow. A finalist for the 2023 National Book Award.
Author: Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah · Original publisher: Pantheon Books (New York), 2023
