Special by Chino Chakanga | Book Review | Enemy of Your People

Special by Chino Chakanga (is this a real name or name for writing) looks like a story inspired by the weird writing prompt.

In a world, where everyone has some superpowers, a girl named Hope has no powers. How will she survive her school life where every student have a special ability?

Write a short story in 10,000 words.

However, the idea seems prompt friendly; it is evident that the writer has taken some time to think about such a world.

It is not some hurry project, although, the book gives a hobbyist vibe.

Creative Aspect

When I say that Special is creative, I don’t mean the story. It is a simple rise of the villain and protagonist save the day type of story.

But what is creative is adding the meat around the idea—the world-building, and thinking of the solution of the questions/problems such world raise.

The first question I thought while reading the book is how the government will govern these people if every one of them has some powers.

Is not the world would too chaotic?

But there is an answer to this question and many others.

Overall, the concept of the book is imaginative and brought to realistic fame with rational reasons.

Story of Special

As I mentioned, the story is basic protagonist story.

Hope has no superpowers, and everyone has.

The world is divided into factions, such as Adroits and Maladroits.

Adroits are more potent than Maladroits. So, Adroits never leave the chance to bully the Maladroits, which, as expected, make one Maladroit angry.

He does some science and research, and make equipment to neutralize the world.

So nobody in the world will have powers, and everyone would be equal.

A little catch is it might harm the people who are using their powers. Like a man flying high will suddenly drop, or person doing heavy weight lifting will get crushed as their power turn off.

Maladroit also want to impress the protagonist, so he shows her his plan, thinking she does not have any power, and she will help him.

But she goes against him, and ruin his plan.

Special By Chino Chakanga Book Quotes

Why I hate the Message of the Book?

In some ways, the book gives the message that weak people should fight the system while staying in the system. I disagree.

To destroy the system, one has to take harsh steps, and it means harming and hurting, but it is the only way to break the system.

You cannot obey the rules made by the people who do atrocities upon you.

One way to understand is this:

White people are bullying and harming black people for a long time. After years, one black person tries to make everyone’s skin colour same, but another black person fights the notion, and destroy the tool and technology to do it with the help of other white people.

Hope is this person:

Django Unchained Samuel Jackson

Then they justify themselves that few white and black people will die in the process, so this is the wrong thing to do. And bullying and racism is a better alternative.

What happened in the Black Lives Matter revolts in the USA. Black people were burning and destroying shops, so white people made it look like they are doing it for looting and fun instead of some revenge and justice.

Having peaceful protests, and non-violent revolts is a capitalist’s wet-dream. They don’t care about your demands unless you are burning shops and directly hurting their business.

So the violent revolution that hurt the upper class directly is the way how revolution works.

The same thing happened in India, police beat up the non-violent protesters, and as retaliation, they (might or not) burned the few buses. And suddenly it is all about vandalizing the property.

This way, ruling or powerful class kill the revolution.

But they are not at actual fault.

The real enemies of the community are people like Hope.

People who are traitors and too much conditioned to not see the truth.

Like Dalits of India. They are so absorbed in Brahmin system; they don’t oppose the Brahmins. Despite all the atrocities done on them. Dalits are used as free labour for centuries, and guess what, they were the majority in the numbers.

People like Hope are the reason.

The moment someone from the community tries to take charge against the predator, community traitors will stand up to that person.

That is what Hope did.

I hate the message the book is telling. Moderators or centrist are the real enemies of any kind of revolution. Nor they let the revolution grow, nor they will bring the changes.

Hope can’t stop Adroits from mocking the Maladroits, nor she will allow the Maladroits to take action against the Adroits.

When a maladroit take action, she said this:

‘I thought it was what you wanted as well – fairness for all. No adroit or maladroit just equals.’

‘I didn’t mean it literally!’

But why such people do this?

The only reason I see is that they want to follow the rules and regulations.

But the rules and law is nothing but a majority coming to a some set of rule and punishing those who don’t follow those terms made by them.

So the law does not measure the morality of the action, just the acceptance of task in the eyes of the majority. Men write the constitution, and they are not fair, as each individual inclined to some side.

It is just rational. So pick a side, Hope.

Do I recommend the Book?

I do.

It is good to see the stupidity of Hope.

How she becomes the enemy of her people, and you see why violence is also a way to get your rights in society.

As supported by history, it is often winning.

So, yeah give this book a read.

Summary
Special

Special by Chino Chakanga is set up in a world where everyone has superpower except Hope – the protagonist. How is she going to survive high school?

URL: https://www.chinochakanga.com/books/special/

Author: Chino Chakanga

Editor's Rating:
4

Faizan Fahim

Hello, welcome to this blog. Just writing reviews of the book I like. Also, favorite quotes, poetry, memes, sometimes other topics too, but always related to literature. So join me on Twitter to talk to me.

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