Reviewed by Valerie
TITLE: Outside
SERIES: Death Row Chronicles
AUTHOR: Nicky James
NARRATOR: Nick J. Russo
PUBLISHER: Self-Published
LENGTH: 9 hours, 47 minutes
RELEASE DATE: June 12, 2023
BLURB:
Twenty years ago, the crash gates slammed shut on Bishop Ndiaye’s life when he was sentenced to death for a crime he didn’t commit. His life became a waiting game while he sat on death row in one of the country’s worst prisons waiting for his warrant to be signed and his inevitable walk to the death chamber. But it never happened. Anson Miller’s arrival into Bishop’s life changed everything, and with nothing more than a hope and a prayer and a kickass lawyer, Bishop fought for his freedom and won. But how do you reintegrate into a world you no longer know?
Twenty years has brought a lot of change. Bishop needs to relearn the world, but it isn’t easy when his face has become front-page news, and his story is whispered in every crowd. Not only does Bishop find himself suffering from severe trauma after his prolonged sentence, but he’s discovered the world on the outside may not be all it’s cracked up to be. Some days, it’s like he’s exchanged one prison for another. As if that’s not overwhelming enough, Bishop walked out of prison into the arms of a man he knows he loves, but he’s never explored this part of himself before and hardly knows where to begin. Navigating a relationship, technology, anxiety, and people is overwhelming. The cracks in Bishop’s foundation start to show, and the big man doesn’t know where to turn for help. Was this whole ordeal worth it? Maybe he was better off on the inside.
This is book two in the Death Row Chronicles and is not stand-alone. It should be listened to following Inside (volume one).
REVIEW:
Outside is an excellent and poignant follow-up to Inside, the first book in Nicky James’ Death Row Chronicles duet. Inside is the story of the relationship that develops between death row inmate, Bishop, and corrections officer, Anson, as Anson fights to have Bishop exonerated from his wrongful conviction. Outside follows Bishop’s struggle to reintegrate into society and a “normal” life. He’s no longer behind bars but he’s suffering in a prison of a different kind: he’s imprisoned in his mind with near constant panic and occasional flashbacks. We have front row seats as Bishop crumbles under the weight of the real world.
As life stood still at Polunsky for twenty of Bishop’s forty-one years, the outside world carried on without him. Everything is surreal and overwhelming. He doesn’t know how to use smartphones, text, use the internet and apps, navigate social media, and any other technology developed over two decades. Being away for that time completely shaped the person Bishop is now. He no longer knows who he is since being stripped of his prisoner identity.
Additionally, Bishop contends with the damaged relationship with his brother, Jalen. Is it irreparable? Can he be accepted by new friends and the community? And what about his relationship with Anson? Are they friends? Lovers? Bishop has never been with a man. He’s been suppressing his need for intimacy for half his life. In fact, he’s had no physical contact in sixteen years except from the prison guards’ hands while being escorted. He’s ashamed by his sexual inexperience and knows he’s disappointing Anson. He doesn’t know if he’ll ever be good enough for the man who saved his life. There’s a wall between them they must both learn to overcome.
From my own research I discovered the high rate of recidivism in the United States: forty-four percent of criminals return to prison within a year. Through Bishop’s struggle to acclimate to freedom, Nicky effectively exhibits why that number is so high. As hideous as prison is, it provides structure and a certainty. It provides shelter and food. All too often, ex-cons – even those who were wrongfully convicted – are released into a world without friends or family, without employment, housing, or money for basic necessities. Bishop has a huge leg up, living with and being supported by Anson, yet he’s still afraid to do something as simple as venturing into the backyard. Meanwhile, Anson faces significant problems with a literal life or death situation at work.
This is largely a heartbreaking book. As a reader, you’ll experience rage, frustration, hopelessness, disillusionment, and sadness. By the end, however, those emotions give way to relief, hope, and happiness as Bishop and Anson find their way to a truly wonderful HEA. Unlike book one, Outside is told from Bishop’s perspective.
In the audiobook, Nick J. Russo does another fine job of taking listeners on a rollercoaster ride, successfully conveying all the ups and downs those emotions evoke. Russo is nearly infallible in his delivery, with one exception. I did not care for his Bishop voice. He does a good southern accent in keeping with the Texas locale, but I would’ve liked a much deeper voice, one I would expect from a stoic 6’6” man. I don’t think Russo’s register goes that low so I would say he did the best he could. I had that type of voice in my head from previously reading the book. Listeners who haven’t read the book, though, won’t have any preconceived voices and therefore, might not have this problem.
Despite the sometimes gloomy tone and angst of the book, the reward of seeing both men fight their realities and find solutions is well worth it. It bears repeating – the ending is wholly satisfactory and uplifting. They overcome terrible odds to enjoy a hard-earned happily ever after. If you’ve listened to Inside, you’ll definitely want to give this one a go to see the second half of Bishop and Anson’s journey.
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