RATING: 3.5 STARS
2020; Sophie Campbell Books

HMP Bronzefield, the UK’s largest women’s prison: notorious for bent screws and drugs:

But what’s the truth behind the headlines?

Forced into signing an NDA when she arrived there on remand, former public schoolgirl Sophie risked extra time on her sentence by documenting her experiences of life inside.

Backed up by recent research and statistics, Breakfast at Bronzefield offers a powerful glimpse into a world few see: riots; unethical medical prescribing; and prison barons – key figures behind prostitution and drug-smuggling.

In a world where anything goes and being rehabilitated simply means saying ‘sorry’ right up until you’re released, how will Sophie cope on the outside, where she is expected to play by different rules? Will she succeed in creating the life she wants? Or, like most prisoners, will she end up back where she started?
(Synopsis from book)

Sophie Campbell is the pseudonym for the writer behind Breakfast at Bronzefield. Taking a risk to expose what really goes on at HRM Bronzefield, Campbell writes about her experiences as an inmate. It is a well-written story, and explains about the Britain correction system. I don't read a lot of books or memoirs on prisons so this was new-ish for me. When Campbell reached out to me to read her book, I was interested as I am reading more true crime books. I did find my attention waning at times, but that was more of my own mood than the book. What I did like about this book, was that it wasn't about a gang member or murderer. Campbell was charged with violence, but was not in the "criminal" lifestyle so her experience was interesting. She didn't have experience before going in.

***I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from the author through NetGalley, and provided a finished paper copy. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.***

I’m really struggling with writing this review. First of all, a merit of this book is that it comes from a point of view that is sorely needed in every part of publishing, particularly memoir/non-fiction; that is, it’s written by a Black woman. I’m therefore accepting of the fact that my thoughts and reaction to it might be caught up in unconscious racial bias (I’m a white woman). This aside, I found it to be lacking in substance and style. It reads as extremely rushed, with vignettes of prison life strung together haphazardly, interjected with the author’s opinions and suggestions for prison reform. These vary wildly, from well-researched and presented to controversial, unsubstantiated, and - at times - prejudiced and damaging (in my opinion; there were some transphobic comments and mental health stigmatisation that were particularly difficult to read). As others have mentioned, Campbell doesn’t take much responsibility for her actions, and frequently contradicts herself. She reads as a somewhat unreliable narrator with little introspection. As my sister works in prison research/reform, I am grateful to Campbell for writing an expose of the appalling and unnecessary treatment many receive in prisons, but I suspect this was self-published because a reputable publishing house recognised its flaws and shortcomings; it could have been so much more.

Breakfast at bronzefield is a candid account of one woman’s experience being incarcerated in HMP Bronzefield.
Sophie Campbell writes frankly and eloquently about her two years spent in this woman’s prison, a memoir that I managed to read in two sittings. In providing the reader with such raw and brutal evidence of life behind bars, she dispels any myths you might hold about a population of women who find themselves in such a situation. Her voice speaks out loud and clear about an establishment that indoctrinates women to believe that a lifetime of dependency upon violent men, subjected to poverty, low paid employment/state benefits and facing addiction issues as well as being poorly educated is all they are destined for. Caught in a vicious circle of reoffending that is impossible to break for some, these women are at the mercy of a system hell bent on reinforcing stereotypes. Rehabilitation. What Rehabilitation?? Having read Chris Atkins account of life in a men’s prison in ‘A bit of a Stretch’ I knew Sophie’s memoir would confirm my belief that the prison system is one that is deeply flawed but I still managed to find her experiences shocking and eye opening. As she herself says it’s either sink or swim in such a hostile environment so her capacity for self sufficiency combined with a steely will to survive comes across in all her anecdotes.
Reading Sophie’s memoir made me feel like she was forever walking into a lions den, a place where you’d constantly need your wits about you and where only the strongest survive. A place where friendships are illusory and you can only really show loyalty to yourself. A place where lying is necessary and commonplace in order to either procure the things you need or as a means to reducing your sentence.
Sophie is clearly one of life’s survivors and determined to make her own luck in the world and her tenacity is admirable. Being well educated and having been in employment prior to her time in prison almost proves an obstacle as she came up against those in authority time and time again. Railing against what I can only describe as a system full of petty rules and regulations,with some sounding frankly ludicrous I could sympathise with her reactive behaviour which landed her in segregation. The system as she describes it is often unfathomable, with a lack of basic information making prisoners jump through hoops only to find requests denied, or simply lost in the prison labyrinth. Her frustration at a system that is counter productive and unjust, allowing to officers to act with impunity comes across in every page that you read. Everyone is tarred with the same brush whether you are a habitual offender or a first timer.
I appreciate that Sophie acknowledges she was there for a reason but her exposure of some of the practices and behaviour of staff is deeply deeply disturbing. Abuse of prisoners, both verbal and sexual by staff seems to be par for the course alongside inherent racism and racial stereotyping. Lying about your own mental health and relying on prescription drugs is yet another worrying aspect of prison life as is the lack of educational opportunities.
Although much of this memoir is focused on Sophie’s time inside Bronzefield and Downview I found her experience of leaving prison and finding suitable accommodation highlighted even more failings which left me gobsmacked. Her account of the process of re entering normal life was most enlightening both on a personal level and for women as a whole.
With statistics that underpin her narrative, making the reality depressing reading, this memoir is a sad reflection of women’s prisons today and an ongoing inability to tackle the root causes of crime. From a social policy point of view being given an insider’s thoughts on how improvements could be made is perhaps the most crucial aspect of this memoir, hopefully prompting wider debate.
I fully appreciate having the chance to learn of Sophie’s experiences and would highly recommend this book.

As a former inmate of Bronzefield, the United Kingdom's largest female prison, "Sophie" writes a no-holds barred account of the the injustices and the struggle she encountered during her prison time. Eye-opening and honest, this book documents what is faced both during women's prison terms and the challenges after being released. Well written and sensitive, recommended reading.

“Prohibiting women from contacting the media ought to be revoked. I believe the public has a right to know what goes on inside prisons and should not have to wait until memoirs are published to gain an accurate picture of the nature of things.”

This is the account of Sophie Campbell, who details her experiences in 2 of Britain’s women’s prisons for us in this memoir-cum-comprehensive, thought-provoking insight.

“Having walked out of prison homeless, with no support network and no assistance from either the prison or the National Probation Service, I should by all accounts have ended up back inside, or even dead: 79 per cent of offenders who are released from prison homeless go on to be reconvicted within the year,2 and female prisoners are 69 times more likely to die in the week following their release from prison, compared to women in the general population.”

I have read so many prison books, and true crime books, but all written from the perspective of the jailor, the doctor, the journalist etc...this is the first memoir I’ve read of a prisoner behind the gate and for that reason alone I was attracted to this book. When I was lucky enough to receive an ARC in return for an honest review I was absolutely chuffed, and excited to read.

The book delves into many areas of prison politics: education, women’s rights, BAME prisoners, economics, family life, bitchy girl gangs, work in prisons, the judicial system, the prison audit programme, contractulisation of feeding inmates, drugs, pharmaceuticals (yes there’s a difference...but which one is worse?), prison release and rehabilitation, the flaws of the probation service and the difficulty in securing housing and a job upon release.

Sophie does not detail the nature of her crime - in fact, I realized rapidly early on that she wasn’t going to - and at first this disappointed me. However, as I progressed through the book, I completely realized why she doesn’t share this information. Too often, people are only interested in prison leavers’ experiences because they want to learn what crime they committed, what led them to do it, if they feel remorse etc. Sophie tells of times where visitors to the prison strike up a conversation with her, only to be blatantly only interested in finding out what crime she had committed to get herself in there, rather than hearing about her experiences in prison. This book corrects that, and it is clearly a conscious decision to use this book to describe Sophie the individual, Sophie the prison survivor, Sophie the ambitious and striving young woman and not Sophie the criminal.


There are so many insights in here that have made me completely rethink my attitudes to prison life, and there are so many insights that have absolutely shocked me and educated me on the disgusting failures of our penal system. The book is balanced with many interesting facts and statistics, and a lot of hard work has gone into making this book not just an honest recount, but a factual one too. I was horrified to learn of prisoners going to bed hungry ( “It always seemed incredibly ironic to us that the company that owned the prison, Sodexo, had a Stop Hunger Foundation to feed vulnerable people, but seemed to forget about the women entrusted to their care as not one night went by when someone didn’t go to bed hungry.”) and amazed to learn that Magistrates require zero ..yes zero...legal training to be a judge..(Worryingly, magistrates aren’t required to have formal qualifications or legal training. Instead, they have to be of good character and have an awareness of social issues. They’re assisted by a clerk, whose primary role is to provide legal advice to the magistrates especially regarding points of law.“). It made me think of the stark differences of men who go inside, who often have women on the outside looking after their children and homes and paying their bills, and women who once they go inside do not have visitors, or people looking after their homes and finances whole they are away. (“when men were released they had friends and family waiting for them outside the gates to collect them, but women, in the majority of the cases, were left to their own devices, carrying their belongings in black plastic bags to the nearest train or bus station.”)

I was particularly interested in Sophie’s accounts of being a BAME prisoner. Interestingly she feels that the calls for more POC to become judges or legal representatives are not necessarily a benefit, and states: “BAME personnel who work in the court system feel the need to distance themselves from defendants that look like them and, in turn, advocate for harsher sentences.”
“I guess when you work in a system where those from an ethnic background are disproportionately more likely to be tried and convicted in the Crown Court, they probably feel the need to draw the line between them and you.”
“A few women I met in prison, from a range of ethnic backgrounds, were represented by those who looked like them, and they never said to me, ‘I feel so lucky to be represented by one of my own.’”

The insight into leaving prison and the restrictions and lack of help amazed me as much as the insights into prison life. Thank god Sophie has courage, enthusiasm, and self belief....thanks to her own sheer determination and effort she has managed to not allow her stint in prison to stop her from achieving, nor to keep her from earning money or a roof over her head, and has even gone on to study at university for a second time. I think if she had not got the oomph that she so clearly posses then this could have been a very different tale. As Sophie says: “they were quick to ask for the name of the prison or probation officer that had helped me to sort my life out. Dozens of times, I had to insist that there was no one in the background helping me. Like a lot of women who leave prison, I managed to sort my life out all on my own.”


Thank you for writing this book it has educated me beyond belief.

This book was a very depressing read, but I suppose it was really meant to be. A true I di tment on the failings of the prison system and the inner strength of the author, espe islly when she is released. Many a lesser person would have sunk be eath the waves in the prison regime and only her determination to continue her education when she got out saw her through. The staff a d prison authorities are shown in a very poor light and one wonders if the are really as horrid and and abusive as portrayed. Perhaps reading this book would deter a woman from a life of crime - it would give you nightmares in parts!

I teach in a women's prison and expected something different from this book. I found the writer's style to be dry and uninteresting. Many of my students have written about their prison experience more vividly.

Many former prisoners that came out of prison as a better person, who made radical steps in starting a new life, publish their memoirs. Breakfast at Bronzefield by former public schoolgirl Sophie Campbell is the first one I read that gives an insider's view in the UK female prison system. HMP Bronzefield is the largest, notorious for sexual assaults, drug abuse, and staff that looks the other way. Despite signing an NDA, Sophie took the risk of maintaining a diary throughout her imprisonment to document her experiences.

An extensive narrative, in my opinion, way too detailed is the result. Breakfast at Bronzefield starts on the day of entering the prison and ends with the process of getting finances for a bachelor's degree university career as a kind of Sophie 2.0. The book is more than just a memoir. It's backed up by research and statistics on recidivism, substance abuse, medical prescribing, prostitution, etc. 

Backed up by recent research and statistics, Breakfast at Bronzefield offers a powerful glimpse into a world few see: riots; unethical medical prescribing; and prison barons – key figures behind prostitution and drug-smuggling. Sophie defies the stigma of female prisoners as being uneducated women of color, willing to compensate lack of finances with prostitution with inmates or guards, chanceless in the outside world.

Breakfast at Bronzefield is an exceptionally important book.

Sophie Campbell (pseudonym) shares her experiences of living in HMP Bronzefield, a prison in the UK.

Campbell speaks on many issues within this timely and important book.

To draw out a few for the purposes of this review, the author highlights
- The prevalence of sexual assault and harassment in prisons
- The exploitation of prison labour by the garment industry in the UK
- The flawed one-size-fits-all approach to rehabilitation
- The lack of opportunity for people, while living in prison and upon their release
- The societal prejudices faced by people leaving prison
- The impact of women’s imprisonment on wider society (with their children being placed in care, for example)
- The blatant disregard for humanity when it comes to the treatment of people living in prison

Sophie Campbell also speaks about her experiences upon leaving prison and shares moments at which she became extremely vulnerable.

She speaks about how the structure of the system forced her, as it does to many other women leaving prison, into a position of extreme vulnerability.

I think it is vital that we continue to hear the voices of women with lived experience of the justice system.

It is essential that their stories are believed, supported and uplifted.

I hope the success of Campbell’s memoir will pave the way for more women to speak about their experiences of living in prison. I also hope it will allow these women to speak on other issues too, and that their voices will be continually uplifted.

Women’s imprisonment is a feminist issue, and the treatment of women in prison is a human rights issue.

When we frame these issues in this way, it helps others to see how inherently flawed the system is and how vital reform is.

I hope that policymakers and politicians will read Breakfast at Bronzefield and use the learning they gain from it, along with that which they gain from listening to the voices of other people who have experience of the criminal justice system, to inform future social and criminal justice policies.

I thank Sophie Campbell for sharing her story. I applaud her for speaking out on these issues.

I admire her for having the perseverance to self-publish when asked by publishing houses to draw greater attention to racism in prisons in order to appeal to their own stereotypes.

There is so much in the book to unpack, digest and sit with. A month after reading it, I’m still doing this.

I can only ask that you put Breakfast at Bronzefield on your virtual tbr, ask your library to stock a copy or order a copy for your own bookshelf.

Breakfast at Bronzefield is a must-read for anyone interested in learning more about women’s experiences of the criminal justice system. It would make an excellent book club pick.

After reading the blurb, I had really high hopes for this read but unfortunately for me it fell flat. I was expecting a gritty insight into the inner workings of female prisons but what I read was quite a slow and repetitive mix between a university dissertation and a diary.

For whatever reason I really couldn’t warm to the the main character in the book and felt a sense of “everyone is wrong except me” throughout. I found it very difficult to motivate myself to carry on reading and in the end it became a bit of a chore. I appreciate that there author is not a writer and is trying to relay her story but the book felt disjointed and lacking structure and in the end just didn’t seem to flow very well.

I do apologise for writing such a strongly negative review but I did just feel that this wasn’t up to scratch.

When I first read the title “Breakfast at Bronzefiekd,” I assassins that this book would read like a Downton Abbey protégé. (I’m an American and don’t know the names of the prisons in England, but I love all things British, including the popular BBC show.) However, I quickly learned that this was a personal story of the author’s time in prison.
As a fan of Orange is the New Black, I consumed this book like it was a second helping of one of my favorite shows.
Sophie Campbell paints an eye-opening account of her own journey locked up in Bronzefield Prison. The reader gets a detailed glimpse into the unfortunate treatment of the women housed at this penitentiary. Also, the description of the facility’s insides are so thorough that one feels as though they are locked up right with Ms. Campbell. I could not put this book down!
For fans of prison accounts, and for those who admire the British culture, this book is a must-read. In addition, voices of the civil rights movement and social injustice may want to dive deep with the author into Sophie’s world, as depicted in this amazing book.

I don't read non-fiction, generally because it doesn't hold my interest, I get bored easily reading through facts and figures. This treasure, however, was the complete opposite.
I loved Sophie's breathtaking boldness and courage to write what she has, how she highlights the many, many flaws of our prison systems, especially for women. But I also liked how Sophie explained in depth, why something was wrong, how we could fix it, she's given us facts, she's backed those facts up, she's given us true, gritty crime and I could gobble this up all day long! Absolutely fantastic, and absolute inspiration and a gem of a book!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for this ARC.
Also to Sophie Campbell for the physical copy she sent me.

#Netgalley #BreakfastAtBronzefield #SophieCampbellBooks

An eye opening read. The author’s account of prison life was interesting and informative. I had no idea that this amount of mistreatment and fighting happened in prison. I think that a lot could be learnt about how to improve our prison system.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

Thank you for the opportunity to read 'Breakfast at Bronzefield'.

This is a tell-all memoir from a woman who was imprisoned at Bronzefield Prison. It was interesting to read what life is like in prison and disturbing to discover so many of the deficiencies of the current penal system. Prisons should be focussed on rehabilitation yet it is clear that there just aren't the resources to do this successfully.

Unfortunately, I found the author to be defensive and not terribly accepting of the fact that she had been found guilty of assault. She did not help herself by continuing this kind of violent behaviour while in prison which made it difficult to be too sympathetic.

Sophie Campbell, pseudonym to protect her identity, grew up in England with an abusive father and a drug addict mother. She basically put herself through school, receiving a good education despite her upbringing. When Sophie was incarcerated in HMP Bronzefield, the largest women’s prison in the United Kingdom, she naively thought – as she was on remand – she’d be out in a couple of weeks. But some two years later her views had changed significantly.

Apart from attacking a policeman in the police station, we don’t really learn why Sophie went to prison. But her telling of what went on inside the prison was pretty gruesome, though not that surprising. Her gritty, honest reflection of what its like to be a black woman inside Bronzefield, of sticking up for herself, of the guards who didn’t particularly care what went on, just happy to instil the punishment needed, of the violence and drugs that were rife throughout, of the mental health issues that dogged the inmates – and of course the food, or lack of it – all made for enlightening reading.

Breakfast at Bronzefield by Sophie Campbell is a non-fiction memoir of her time in the prison. It was interesting, intriguing almost, horrifying and demeaning, but I felt the writing was stilted and choppy. It didn’t seem to flow as I expected; here’s hoping the published version will have improved on this ARC. I wish the author all the very best with her future and thank NetGalley and the author for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

This is an eye opening book on what it's like to be a female prisoner in the UK. It is an honest and raw memoir by Sophie Campbell (a pseudonym) that is obvious by her language that she has received an excellent education. It has a lot of narrative of her time in prison but the book is also heavy on research and data. The author has a lot of suggestions on prison reform and the specific challenges that female prisoners face. Although the subject matter is really heavy, I found the book really easy to read and very interesting.

So, I’d enjoyed reading ‘Orange Is the New Black’ a few months ago so when the author contacted me and asked if I wanted to read her account of the UK prison system I jumped at the chance.
I feel complete anxiety and terror at reading these books as the thought of ever being in prison has me breaking out in a cold sweat. However, at the same time, they are somewhat addictive to read. They are a cold bucket of water to remind us to stay on the straight and narrow so that we never have to endure what so many of these women have had to.
The tale the author was telling us about how badly the prisons are run was very well told and informed. It is truly horrifying that illegal things can happen and nothing can be done about it once a woman is incarcerated. Additionally, we all assume that prisoners are being given a chance to be rehabilitated, but with the lack of resources, it seems that they are thrown back on the street after their time is served without any help to stop them from reoffending. Often with nowhere to live. This side of the book was very well written as it certainly got the story across.
Even though I could see what the author was trying to achieve with this book, I’m not sure she did herself any favours with the way she acted. She did not come across as very likeable or relatable in any way, and it did mar the purpose of the book somewhat.
Firstly, we don’t really find out the full story of what got her into prison in the first place. This made it hard to form real opinions of the character, and we only had her attitude whilst in prison to depend upon. Secondly, she seemed a little high and mighty, and I had to keep reminding myself that she was in there for a reason. She acted superior to the situation as if she didn’t belong there. However, as far as I determined from what we were told, she hadn’t been falsely accused; she wasn’t just researching for a book. She had broken the law and had been sent to prison. The way she acted with her behaviour made it hard to sympathise with her. I think this attitude and her reactions to situations were a detriment to the point she was trying to get across regarding the prison system as a whole. She also appeared to be entitled in some way, as if the prison owed her. She was very negative towards the people that were there to help her as she left, and they were portrayed as merely useless. However, it appeared as if they were bound by red tape or by the limitations on offer to them. There was nothing else they could do; however, the author acted as if she was owed a lot even though she’d been in prison for doing something wrong. It wasn’t a hotel she’d paid to stay in and had a bad experience. It was a prison and not meant to be nice. The thought of prison is supposed to be a deterrent to commit a crime.
This book certainly acts as a warning, and even though there were a lot of similarities between what I’d read in ‘Orange Is the New Black’ I think the author’s behaviour sets this apart. Unfortunately, it was a shame that it was overpowered by the antics and reproachable behaviour of the author.

Breakfast at Bronzefield is a thought-provoking read that weaves together Sophie's narrative with research about the prison system mostly seamlessly. It is comprehensive and invites the reader to contemplate the many factors that stand in the way of female prisoners being able to rehabilitate back into society.

I would recommend anyone who is interested in prison reform or social policy issues to read it. My reasons for giving it 3 stars are firstly that it was a long read that repeated itself in parts and secondly that it lacked characterisation. None of the characters described felt very real or developed to me - and I would also like to have know more about Sophie herself outside of her prison experience.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sophie Campbell for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Following a GBH conviction, Sophie is sentenced to 2 years in prison, beginning at Bronzefield and later serving out her sentence at Downview.
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As my knowledge of women’s prisons only go as far as what is shown in Orange is the New Black and, prior to this, the TV series Bad Girls, I was fascinated to understand what conditions were truly like, particularly in the UK.
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The author highlights key issues within the prison system, in a raw and emotive way. It is clear that she still holds much resentment for the way she, and other inmates, were treated. And it’s not hard to see why when reading her tales of rogue officers, sexual assault, poor mental health support and the lack of resources for inmates to prepare for their release (the author even cites that prisoners are often released homeless and given a tent!) It is easy to see why reoffender rates are so high. Sophie also touches (albeit lightly) on the implications of being Black had on her (and others) in prison.
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I do have some issues with the book, though. Sophie is charged with GBH but doesn’t go into what actually happened - which is fine, aside from the fact that there is a strong undertone which suggests she was unfairly convicted. Her behaviour whilst in prison is consistently aggressive towards other inmates and guards with Campbell seeming to see no problems with her actions. It was hard to believe that there were no ‘good’ guards in the whole prison? This led to me feeling that the author was unreliable.
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I struggled with the way the novel was written. Sophie mentions university on a number of occasions and the littering of references throughout made it feel like I was reading a university essay - with the odd petty remark around the appearance and smell of other inmates juxtaposing this.
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Whilst it was a difficult read, it is clear that the author has overcome many obstacles to get to where she is now. I agree with many of her comments on reform and wish her well in her cause and the future.

An informative and well written book on
the vagaries of the English/UK? justice system and the harsh realities of life in 2 women's prisons. This was obviously a personal account and all the incidents are seen only through the eyes of the author relating how angry she was at her treatment, so the reader is never given the opportunity to see her behaviour from other people's point of view.
it was interesting to read of her discharge from prison and good that she has been able to study and rebuild a life outside. I do wonder however what her GBH victim thinks of her using her experience to write a book and presumably hope to make money from her account of her prison experience.
Thank you to netgalley and the author for an advance copy of this book.