“She had reason for more than anger.” 😖

Before you start reading the book, keep in mind that you will need to take notes on important characters throughout the book, not just in the beginning.

You can find my notes from the first 80 pages below!

IMPORTANT CHARACTERS:

•Melancholia Bishop was an early opponent of Loretta Thurwar. She's the one that gave her the Hammer (aka Hass Omaha). She's also the one that voluntarily lost the fight to Loretta even though she was really close to getting Freed. She also gave Loretta tips on how to be; She advised her to cut her hair short so that her opponents could not grab her easily, and gave her tips on how to market herself to the audience.

•Loretta Thurwar (aka LT) = uses the Powerful Hammer, aka Hass Omaha, she is a Grand Colossal, in the Angola-Hammond gang chain. Lover of Hamara Stacker

•Hamara Stacker = Staxxx = Hurricane = "I love you" girl, uses the Scythe she calls the LoveGuile. Still a Harsh Reaper, in the Angola- Hammond chain as well. She is with Loretta Thurwar, and also in a sexual relationship with Randy Mac (in the same chain).

•Sun = Sunset Harkless = he is a former Grand Colossal that was almost ready to be Freed but was killed during a blackout (the cameras were off) by someone in his own chain, the Angola-Hammond chain, but no one knows who the killer is.

•Hendrix "Scorpion Singer" Young: he sings, and has a shoulder stump. Seems caring towards other inmates, and has a fiery spirit. He murdered Keyan Thurber.

•Sunset's daughter is Mari, and we know she's an activist that is protesting B3, which is essentially the existence of the CAPE program.

• Jerry = the Van driver and monitor for the A-Ham chain. Mari is his ex-niece-and she has asked Jerry about his interactions with Sunset; she never got to meet him.

• Will, and his wife Emily are a couple that watches the Battleground fights. Will loves Staxxx, Emily does not like the actual fights and the gore, but loves the "LinkLife" program- one of the many segments created to entertain the masses.

A-Ham chain members (8): Thurwar, Staxx, Randy Mac, Sai Eye Aye, Ice Ice the Elephant, Gunny Puddles, Bad Water, Rico Muerte.

The CAPE program is essentially the existence of another option for those prisoners that are on death row, and those that have been sentenced to life in prison. If an inmate can survive 3 years in the CAPE program (level: Freed), they earn their freedom. There are many people that protest the existence of this program because it is essentially inmates fighting to the death in hopes to earn their freedom, while the matches are broadcasted and televised, and companies profit from sponsoring the event.

The technology used during these matches is part of the dystopic world Nana has created (although not too far fetched if you look at what we currently use for broadcasting sports events) where cameras microphones and "digital handcuffs" are omnipresent.

There are hints that this system preys on black people but it is mentioned that there are also white people in the program (unequivocally a minority though). I think we will delve deeper into this later.

The levels in the CAPE program go as follows: Rookie, Survivor, Cusp, Reaper, Harsh Reaper, Colossal, Grand Colossal, Freed*

*They make a distinction between High Freed and Low freed. Hi Fred are those of successfully finished the cape program, meaning they survived the 3 years and made it out alive. Low Freed are those that got killed.