In the imaginatively dystopian landscape of 'Chain-Gang All-Stars', Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah propels us into an America where the spectacle of violence is monetized within the private prison system through CAPE – Criminal Action Penal Entertainment. Here, the fabled arena of the gladiators makes a harrowing return, compelling prisoners to engage in lethal duels, casting them as both entertainment and commodity. Loretta Thurwar and Hamara 'Hurricane Staxxx' Stacker emerge as the beloved champions, a duo entwined not only in their battle for survival but in the bonds of love. Thurwar is tantalizingly close to claiming the ultimate prize – freedom. Yet, as she confronts her fleeting encounters in the arena and navigates the corporate machinations designed to undermine her, her defiance to preserve the humanity of her fellow competitors ignites a perilous spark. What unfolds is a searing critique of the intersecting forces of systemic racism, rampant capitalism, and mass imprisonment as Thurwar battles for both her liberation and the dignity of those enslaved by this brutal spectacle.