Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the eARC.

What a book. I could never do Cebo Campbell justice with my own words, but what I will say is this novel provoked true thought for me. I will recommend it to anyone I can.

SKY FULL OF ELEPHANTS
Cebo Campbell



One day in the near future every white person walks into the water first feet deep, then knee-high, waist deep, shoulder high until their head goes underwater and they are no longer breathing. Not one, not a few, not a cult or colony, all of them. In this world, only the brown survive.

Charles is a free man, who once wasn’t. A black man convicted of a crime he says he didn’t commit. He works as a professor, living a life of servitude. One day his estranged daughter calls him out of the blue. She asks him a favor he has no will to decline. She received a letter from a pocket of surviving relatives, and she would like to go there to see them in the new state of Alabama.

Their relationship is complicated. She resembles him in the parts of herself she tries to deny. Meeting him is like being introduced to the other side of herself. Meeting her is confirmation that the life he traded in the name of others was more valuable than he realized and not his to give.

Traversing these new United States will take more than either of them have to give. For him, it will take an acknowledgment of things he keeps hidden. For her, it will require a new way of thinking about everything she has come to know about the world, her father, and herself.

Things about this story connect to me on a deep level. Sharing all of that is a little more than I’m willing to give. Suffice it to say this story touched me. The parts of myself that are soft and vulnerable, the parts I don’t talk about—the parts I don’t share.

There are questions raised within the text that need to be asked. That we need to answer. There is a world out there calling our names and we need to f*cking remember who we are.

“Let them inherit the earth by inheriting themselves.”

Thanks to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster for putting this on my radar and for the complimentary arc in exchange for a review!

SKY FULL OF ELEPHANTS…⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Sky full of elephants is a speculative work of fiction that is hard in many ways to read. The plot revolves the aftermath of an event where all white people walk into the water and the world is left with only black people. What would that world be like? Is the black experience any better on this world? Do they end up having any power or onus of their future? Those and many more questions are at the root of this plot, but it also delves into issues of control, power, race, identity, justice, gender, black consciousness, etc. this is a heavy read but one that deserves to be read and to be talked about, as it will make readers think deeply and resonate in our current racial climate.

Thanks to the publisher for providing this arc via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A very unique story line that will give every reader cause to think. While I didn't feel the connection with the characters that a skilled writer can bring, the central character, Charlie, fills so many of the preconceived ideas of readers before the caucasian apocalypse, then morphs into the person he sees in himself, he does manage to convey the story of how a man is often limited by how society has judged him. The book mixes many genre in Cebo Campbell's efforts to show how a lack of prejudice would change our world. While I might not agree with his visions, the story is compelling enough that I'm referring it to may reading circles......allof them, without prejudice.

Charles Brunton is our main character in this speculative science fiction novel. Twenty years ago, he was wrongfully convicted of a horrific crime and was imprisoned until a strange phenomenon occurred: every white person in America went into the closest body of water, and drowned themselves. Family members of people left in jails and prisons came to let everyone go, so now Charles is now a free man. Despite his lack of formal education, he is now a professor at Howard University in Washington, D.C., using his ability to fix things to help this new society thrive.

A year after the country changed, his daughter Sidney calls him. She watched her white mother, stepdad and stepbrothers walk into water; she tried to drown herself too, but couldn’t. She hasn’t left their house since everything happened, but her aunt left her a note saying that people were heading to Orange Beach, Alabama, and that she hoped Sidney would join. This led to her calling Charles, angrily telling him that he owes her for abandoning her, and insists he drive her from Wisconsin to Alabama - despite Charles warning her that the south was a dangerous place to be.

Some cities, like D.C. and Chicago, are still running relatively smoothly, but other cities have changed. The country’s Infrastructure is bad in places, as cars were left on roads. There is no government, no military and no homeless - plenty of houses now sit empty. After a scary encounter on the road, Charles and Sidney decide to fly, but find out at airport that Alabama is a no-fly zone, as they are now a monarchy and the king doesn’t allow planes to fly over. Most places in the south are considered too dangerous to fly into, but they find a pilot who is willing to take them to the Mississippi/Alabama border in search of jet fuel to keep his planes airborne. They were caught coming into Alabama and were brought to Mobile, where they meet the king, Hosea, and his queen wife, Vivian. They are stunned by the beautiful and peaceful city full of history and hoodoo, and begin finding their roots.

This book was so poetic and beautifully written; it’s hard sometimes to describe sci-fi without it sounding cheesy, but this was quite an interesting read. It did get slow in a few places, and dipped into some fantasy along the way, but overall I thought this was really unique. 3.5 stars, rounded up.

(Thank you to Simon & Schuster, Cebo Campbell and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review.)

Well, this was a read and a half. A fantasia, an attempt to view the culture of privilege and prejudice confronted by a man and the mixed-race daughter he never knew he had in the wake of white peoples' mass lemming-like vanishing.

Now, let me bring something up: This is in no way some triumphalist "wouldn't it be cool if all the white people vanished?" racist fantasy. It isn't that kind of facile storytelling, or revenge fantasy. It's a fantasia on the inscrutable ways of the Universe, an unknowable, unfathomably powerful external force that, this time, spared you; but...Amid the reorgaization of society, there's that unease that comes from an unresolved stressor, like the Bomb in the Cold War.

A lot like Le Guin's <I>The Dispossessed, A Morally Ambiguous Utopia</I>, the ideas in this story are heady indeed. The overculture in each of these different stories presupposes the existence of a hegemonic economic system that can only be opposed not reimagined. In Author Campbell's story, the presumption includes the fact that when whiteness and its (largely) unexamined privilege vanish, the enforcement of the hegemonic capitalism dies. Is everything suddenly perfect? No, but it's free from many of the more abusive qualities of capitalism and racism. I myownself am not quite so confident that capitalism would wither so completely or so quickly; it's too effective a tool of control, that most human of needs. Leaving that aside, the Brave New World presented feels...right, just, positive. I say this as someone explicitly excluded from this world. That fact is, I suspect, what led a LOT of whiny little butthurt arrested adolescents to ratings-bomb the book on Goodreads. Such arrant nonsense makes Author Campbell's premise's point for him. It also embarrasses me, an old white man, to be relegated among such angry, hateful, immature people.

The author's imagination, then, can't be faulted. This is his debut novel, so technique is logically enough less well-honed than his idea-generating musculature. I kept saying to my DRC, "Please don't explain so much to me. Trust that the stories you've imagined so richly will, in fact, lead me where you're wanting me to go. Conflicts whose roots and results you carefully elucidate aren't tense enough to keep me eagerly reading." I'm confident this can be attributed to his tyro status. I'm also very eager to read his next work when it comes out.

The ending of the story, while not exactly a release from tension, does flow from the events of the preceding action. It felt...I'm not sure "inevitable" is precisely correct, but it has the leadenness of affect I want to convey.

I've rated the book with four stars because I was brought up short and required to consider the ideas of the story multiple times. Good SF/F does that wonderful job better than any other form of storytelling.

This is good SF. That explains the other half-star.

This sci fi novel follows Charlie, a father reunited with his long-estranged daughter Sidney, after an apocalyptic event results in the death of millions of white Americans. The book is surprising in its layers; it is simultaneously speculative, lyrical, heartwarming, and bold, at once a call out and a celebration.

This book depicts a Black Utopia built after the genocide of the majority of non-Black people in the United Stares. But that’s not what bothers me about this story. I get that it’s mean to be a parable, allegory, a heightened reality. I love a good Sci-fi concept but it’s not the mumbo jumbo math and slapped together pseudoscience that bothers me either. I chalk that up to the heightened tone. I would be willing to “go with it,” as it were, if there were any authentically rendered characters to grasp on to. All characters are idealized and almost ethereal in their whispiness. The women are all beautiful angels imbued with otherworldly knowledge and wisdom. The men are all noble and imbued with strength and righteous anger. All characters growth happens through magic and transformation happens in dreams or “off screen.” It makes for a tiresome read because no one has any flaws. Even the minor villain Agnes, immediately changes her tune and gets redeemed and accepts her Blackness for seemingly no reason. I fully understand that this author is attempting to tell a harrowing tale of Black pain and generational trauma but this treatment does not give his premise justice. It is buried both under too much convoluted story and not enough true dimensionality of his characters.

I'm always so impressed by speculative fiction writers because it seems like it would be incredibly hard to create new worlds and rules that govern them. This book is incredibly powerful and moving, and I found myself drawn to each character. The premise might be hard to stomach for some (I think those are the one-star reviews on Goodreads from people that didn't even read the book), but it is also inherently fascinating. One day, every white person walks into a body of water and drowns themselves. The people of color that are left get to rebuild the world into whatever they want it to be. Aside from this event, the story follows Charles, who has been in prison for 20 years, while he tries to connect with his teenager daughter, Sidney. The book switches perspectives, which gives this novel an even more well-rounded tone. I could have read so much more with these characters and was actually sad when it ended. I cannot wait to see what else Campbell writes in the future!

It is a different take on the plot where the world's white race disappears than The Last White Man and a very interesting one. Here, though, the focus is on America, and the white people don't wake up Black one day - instead, they walk into the nearest bodies of water in bulk and never return.
It is thought-provoking and chilling at times in the amount of freedom and peace the people are feeling after "the event." I will never understand it fully - I was not born here, and I am white. But I really appreciated the perspective and the subtle humor of the changes.

Picture this - 'Every single white person in America walks into the nearest body of water and kills themselves.' What kind of aftermath would such a cataclysmic event leave behind? What kind of cascading effect would it have on society?

This is the fascinating premise of the book, Sky Full of Elephants by Cebo Campbell. Set in the United States after 'The Event,' the novel explores a country no longer driven by capitalism, where homelessness is eradicated, and life seems surprisingly 'easier.' The story follows Charlie Brunton, a Black man who has spent twenty years of his life wrongfully imprisoned. An unexpected phone call from his estranged daughter sets them on a journey across post-racial America, as they search for identity and long-buried truths.

Campbell is a fantastic writer, and Sky Full of Elephants is filled with beautiful prose and powerful quotes. What spoke to me the most, however, was the author’s nuanced exploration of his characters and their internal conflicts.
For Charlie, his entire life has been defined by the darkness of his skin. Now, with an unexpected freedom he feels he might not deserve, he struggles with his identity in a world where his race no longer defines him. This shift challenges his sense of self, especially when he's only ever known a certain way of life, one that has been framed by racial adversity.
On the other hand, Sidney, who is biracial and raised by her white family, has always struggled to fit in. The trauma of witnessing her entire family’s drowning adds depth to her struggle with her external identity versus her internal self. Campbell captures this with remarkable sensitivity and insight.

Campbell also draws attention to familiar issues that often fade into the background of daily life and become normalized over generations. He challenges the status quo with pointed observations. For example, as father and daughter board a flight, Sadie reflects, "I've never even seen a Black pilot before." While this is something I'm aware of, I've never stopped to think about what this lack of diversity in certain fields mean.

My only concern is that the plot takes an unexpected turn in the middle of the book, shifting significantly in tone towards themes of magical realism and sci-fi. Additionally, the novel seems specifically tailored to a Black audience, without addressing the broader spectrum of minority experiences in America. In a world devoid of white people, other racial groups, such as Asians, are only passingly mentioned, which feels somewhat odd. The book also has a few notable plot holes and pacing issues.

Ultimately, this isn’t a book to read for the plot. Instead, it’s a book that prompts deep reflection on race and identity, posing uncomfortable questions that challenge deeply ingrained and normalized societal ideas and perspectives.

Thanks to Simon and Schuster and Netgalley for an ARC. #SkyFullofElephants #SimonBooksBuddy

This book takes place in the future where no white people exist. One day they all went in the water and drown. This gave off “Drowning Practice” vibes for me which I loved so I was super excited to read this!

This was an unputdownable book for me. The storyline was so great!

🐘 Wow, this book is special. Thanks so much to @simonandschuster for the gifted ARC. This is out today!

🐘 This book is brilliant in its premise. And pretty darn good in its execution. It explores a post-apocalyptic, post-racial world in which one day all the white people are gone. Gone. And if people can get past that sentence and give this book a try I think they’ll find it to be very eye-opening, smart, and a conversation starter for sure!

🐘 I love the people the author chose to follow on this journey forward. The feelings they were wrestling with created such depth and intrigue to this story. I’m probably not the best person to go into the intricacies of this one; in fact I probably didn’t even pick up on all of them. But I still found it to be spectacular.

🐘 My one complaint would be that I actually wanted more. I loved the themes, the characters, the backstory— all of it, but I think this book could have actually been a bit longer and explored everything a little more, and done a little deeper! That said, maybe it was purposely made to be quick and palatable so more people would pick it up, which in its own way likely serves a bigger purpose.

🐘 This book may not be perfect, but it’s certainly one worth reading, and one that will stick with me and have me thinking long before I closed the back cover. I wish it all the success!

4.5 rounded up.
I don’t know if I’ll be able to really put into words the energy that this book contains. To state simply, this book could read as one of discovery, found family, and even adventure. But honestly, Sky Full of Elephants is so much more. After an unforeseen event in which white people have all drowned themselves, Sidney finds herself even more lost and unknown than she ever felt before. We then enter a journey of a once imprisoned man, now a Howard University professor named Charlie, as he ventures out for redemption and purpose after being contacted by Sidney, his biracial daughter, who only sees him as her last resort.

Sidney aches for what she’s lost, as her connection to whiteness has been gravely severed. Charlie craves a purpose outside of himself, and in Sidney, he sees both hope and pain. This book will definitely ruffle some feathers, but it’s a conversation that’s necessary. It’s not only a book of pride and resilience but also one of sacrifice and community. It presents the toll and weight of years of misinformation and lies on not only an individual, but on a culture, a people.

Sky Full of Elephants is a story that should be read by everyone. It will spark conversations that are hard to have. Campbell dissects so much of mixed identity and experience. Every character has such depth that makes them feel both firm and unique while yet so connected. And as a Black woman, reading about Sidney’s experiences and tone irritated me—intentionally so. I wanted to shake her and hold her. From her teen angst, disillusion, loss of identity—I was frustrated because we all know a Sidney. Though painful and hurtful, I grieved for her. I grieved her loss of self, her loss of security, her mistaken identity, and the shame that she’s carried. And through that grief, I was able to enjoy every moment of connection and pride Sidney discovered along the way.

While Charlie’s path at times felt a little more predictable, his passion and heart shone through. Campbell’s prose captivates and urges you to push forward. It’s one of grief, anger, understanding, and identity. It’s magnetic and powerful in every moment of vibrancy that Campbell has captured. The narrative and scenes are rich in culture, determination, and care. To say I loved this book down would be an understatement.

One thing I can say about this book, it is not boring! I could definitely see why there would be some folks that would be extremely uncomfortable with this kind of a story. Its supposed to be uncomfortable and make you think. I feel it was very well written and put together.

3 ☆
-
One day, a cataclysmic event occurs: all of the white people in America walk into the nearest body of water. Honestly it wasn't keeping my attention.
-
Thank you, Netgalley, and Simon & Schuster for the eBook in exchange for my honest review.

If you are a fan of Octavia Butler's novels, you will love Sky Full of Elephants by Cebo Campbell. This book is hard to read, in particular if you are white. It's a gut punch and at times I could feel myself start to feel quite uncomfortable. But sometimes a person needs to sit with that feeling and dissect why. There is so much to digest and this would make a great novel for a book club. Beautiful writing with complex characters. My only complaint was the ending. It felt anti-climatic and if I'll honest a little confusing. Maybe that is a me thing. Highly recommend

I read and reviewed an advanced digital copy made available through netgalley and the publisher.

Sky Full of Elephants by Cebo Campbell was such a unique and incredible story.
This literary fiction novel will suck the reader in and you’ll feel every single emotion written here.
The storytelling is phenomenal and engaging from the very beginning.

Sky Full of Elephants by Cebo Campbell
Race • Speculative Fiction • Litfic
Pub Date • 10 September 2024

Thank you to @simonbooks for the advance reader copy. #simonbooksbuddy

One day, a cataclysmic event occurs: all of the white people in America perish. A year later, Charles Brunton is a Black man living in an entirely new world. Having served time in prison for a wrongful rape conviction, he’s now a professor of electric and solar power systems at Howard University when he receives a call from someone he wasn’t even sure existed: his daughter Sidney, a nineteen-year-old who watched her white mother and step-family drown themselves in the lake behind their house.

Traumatized by the event, and terrified of the outside world, Sidney has spent a year in isolation in Wisconsin. Desperate for help, she turns to the father she never met, a man she has always resented. Sidney and Charlie meet for the first time as they embark on a journey across America headed for Alabama, where Sidney believes she may still have some family left.

This book will definitely make you think. I’ve been sitting with it for the last week. I know I am not the primary audience so I will recommend this if you’re someone who likes to read books that make you feel uncomfortable. If you enjoy grappling with morality and how racism has many layers, and how the hurt and pain that has been caused over centuries may never heal.

This was such an interesting and very different book.

One day, without warning, all of the white people walk to the nearest body of water and drown. Everyone who remains has to pick up the pieces, and figure out how to live in this new world. We follow Charlie, who becomes as university professor after being in prison for a crime he didn't commit. A year after the 'event', he hears from his daughter Sidney, who needs him to take her to Alabama. Charlie hadn't ever been in Sidney's life, and Sidney grew up with her white mother and step family, very much in a white world. Having watched her family drown, she is traumatized, and afraid of the world. She believes that some of her white family may have survived down in Alabama.

Charlie agrees to take her, and so they set out on a journey across the country. Along the way they travel through places that have dealt with the 'event' in very different ways, and meet many people who broaden their understanding of the world, how it is, and how it can be. They slowly figure each other out, and work on understanding their Blackness, and what it means to each of them.

It was of course, for me an uncomfortable read, as many other white people have indicated. And it needed to be. Before I read this book, I followed the news stories detailing the racism still suffered today, the assumptions that a Black person driving a nice car didn't own it, that Black people living in nice neighborhoods didn't belong, the police shootings, the stop and search and so much more, and raged at all of these and how we still live in a society where these things happen. But this book opened up my eyes to so much more. The deep ingrained generational trauma. The long standing assumptions and the societal systems that continue to cause harm. So I'm very grateful to have had the opportunity to read this book.

I think I'm an outlier, in that I really didn't enjoy the style of the prose. I found it slowed down the way I read the book, and so it took me a longer time to read than I expected. I also wasn't a big fan of the ending. That affected my rating of the book too.

But it was certainly a book that I will remember reading for a long time.