Sky Full of Elephants

I enjoyed the writing style of this author as well as the storyline. His descriptions of people, places, events, etc. were detailed without being excessively long/wordy. I also enjoyed the pace, he didn’t drag it out, nor did he rush through the storyline. I found the conclusion to be open-ended and I’m not exactly sure what to make of it.

wow. just wow. ending was a bit confusing but the themes explored in this book are deep and vast. will re-read for sure

“They killed themselves. All of them. All at once.” Cebo Campbell’s debut novel, “Sky Full of Elephants,” is a dystopian science fiction narrative set one year after every white person in the United States walked into the nearest body of water and drowned. The aftermath of this mass event sees people of color emancipating themselves from debt, prison, and other systems of oppression. Sidney Charles “Charlie” Brunton, an innocent man who was wrongfully sentenced to life in prison, is now free. His estranged, nineteen-year-old daughter, Sidney, whom he has never met due to his incarceration, calls him to retrieve her from Wisconsin. Raised by her white mother’s family, Sidney has always felt disconnected from her Black father, but when she finds a note from her white aunt reading, “We are not all gone,” Sidney decides to journey to Orange Beach, Alabama, in search of her family. Charlie sets out to reunite with her, traversing a post-apocalyptic America with limited resources and transportation. The premise of “Sky Full of Elephants” offers a unique exploration of societal collapse and the racial divides that persist even in a world where an entire population has been wiped out. The novel follows Sidney and Charlie’s journey from Wisconsin to Alabama, set against the backdrop of a devastated America. With fossil fuels and gas in short supply, transportation is a logistical nightmare, and Charlie, living in Washington, D.C. in a deceased person’s home, must carefully plan his route, stopping at charging stations along the way to reach his daughter. Sidney’s character, however, is at the heart of the novel’s emotional tension. She harbors deep hatred for people of color, blaming them for the deaths of her family members. As a mixed-race child raised in a predominantly white family, Sidney has always felt alienated. She resents her Black heritage—her “big” nose, her unruly hair—and views the world through a lens of bitterness. She refers to the new world as one “left to the heathens” and expresses disdain for her father, whom she feels abandoned her. Her internal conflict and emotional distance from Charlie create a complex, sometimes antagonistic, father-daughter dynamic that is written with raw emotion and depth. Campbell’s prose is a standout feature of the novel, with poetic imagery and vivid descriptions that elevate the narrative. The tension between Sidney and Charlie is compelling, especially as readers are privy to Charlie’s innocence and the tragic reasons for his long absence. Despite his best efforts to bridge the gap with his daughter, Sidney’s hatred and sense of abandonment lead to painful confrontations throughout their journey. However, “Sky Full of Elephants” falters in its justification for the dystopian world it creates. The novel’s central event—the mass suicide of all white people—is caused by a machine designed to heal and unite people of color after centuries of oppression. The machine is turned on by Hosea, a character who, when confronted about his actions, defends his decision, claiming he would do it again if it meant healing his people. The city of Orange Beach, is populated by people of color who, while not white, “act like they are white.” To fully heal, these individuals must be eliminated, and the only way to accomplish this is to repair the machine and find an unlimited power source so that its signal can spread globally, uniting all people of color. The notion of a mass genocide of white people to “heal” the world is a slippery slope. This premise risks echoing the genocidal ideology of historical figures like Adolf Hitler, who sought the elimination of entire groups of people based on racial purity. Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous quote, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that,” highlights the novel’s core moral flaw. By framing the elimination of white people as a means of retribution for past oppression, the novel veers dangerously close to endorsing the very hatred and violence it seeks to critique. It is undeniable that systemic racism and prejudice have caused immense suffering for people of color. However, the novel falters in its portrayal of the genocide of white people, including innocent individuals, such as newborns, family members, and others who have never contributed to the systems of oppression. The premise would have been more powerful had only those responsible for systemic racism—the openly bigoted or oppressive individuals—been targeted. Instead, the narrative implies that the elimination of all white people, regardless of their personal beliefs, is a justifiable action in the pursuit of racial healing. This moral ambiguity undermines the novel's central message. The novel’s most powerful line, “I don’t think there has ever been a more terrible weapon in this world than the word they,” stands in stark contrast to the story's actions. The use of “they” to refer to white people perpetuates division and separation, rather than fostering unity. The novel ultimately falls into the trap of creating an “us versus them” mentality, rather than encouraging inclusivity or reconciliation. Despite its attempts to explore themes of racial healing, the narrative ironically perpetuates the very divisions it seeks to dismantle. As a cis-Caucasian reader, I acknowledge my own privilege and lack of firsthand experience with systemic racism. Yet, I firmly believe that no amount of suffering or injustice can ever justify genocide. Two wrongs do not make a right. The novel’s call for racial healing through violent retribution is morally troubling and ultimately fails to deliver a message of unity or reconciliation.

This was such a good read and honestly, it makes you wonder who is or isn’t beneficial in this world. Makes you reflect on your own traumas and if you could release that burden in exchange for the lives of others, would you? I loved it but the only reason I gave it 4/5 stars is because I wanted Sydney and her father to be together in the end and building a new relationship after all she discovered and found out about the life and lies she’d been living at the hands of her mother. Still, so so good!

Great book. Thought provoking. Wasn’t thrilled about the ending.