Point of View

As part of its efforts to offer a glimpse at the prison-industrial complex from a number of perspectives and at a number of different levels, the novel deploys a shifting and kaleidoscopic collection of points of view. Sometimes, the novel inhabits the perspective of the Links forced to battle to the death; these various perspectives toggle between first and third-person in order for Adjei-Brenyah to accomplish his goals with each of them. At other points, the novel seeks to inhabit the perspective of viewers and even creators of the sports program at its heart, an attempt intended to examine the psychological factors that lead to the acceptance and promotion of violence.

The points of view of the various Links—including Thurwar, Staxxx, Singer, and Craft—are included in order to grant the reader an understanding of the interpersonal relationships and deeply-held humanity possessed by these...