Sky Full of Elephants: A Novel

"I'll admit, some parts of The Sky Full of A Sky Full of Elephants by Cebo Campbell raises—and deeply explores—a radical premise: “In a world without white people, what does it mean to be Black?” Rather than just the disappearance of a race, Campbell asks us to imagine existence and thriving outside the gravitational pull of whiteness, white supremacy, and white cultural dominance. The novel pulses with speculation, joy, wonder, anger, identity, healing, connection, reconciliation, race, liberation, and acceptance. It opens with “the event”: every white person in America—“young and old, rich and poor”—simply walks into the nearest body of water and drowns. In the aftermath, Black, Brown, and Indigenous communities must reconstruct a world once built around racial hierarchies that no longer exist. From this premise, the narrative invites us to sit with nuance and hold multiple truths at once. One of its most powerful dimensions is its portrayal of collective Black power—imagining what becomes possible when Black communities connect, focus, and are “just left to exist.” It asks: “Who are we when the structures that “defined” us disappear? And how do we rebuild—not just society, but ourselves?” Early on, there was a question that lingered for me that was asked in the story: “Was there ever space in this country for little Black girls to fully self-actualize?” Campbell explores this through Sidney, a biracial teenager caught between the dissolution of her white family and the magnetic pull of her Black heritage. It got me to thinking honestly about the many ways growing up in the United States, how difficult it has been to fully bloom as a Black girl developing into a Black woman, when there hasn’t always been space made for that. So this invitation to reclaim that and many other things, was well received by me. Campbell’s prose is lyrical and immersive, filled with lines like: “Because real power doesn’t protect itself. Real power allows itself to be used for something greater.” This made me reflect deeply on power—what is real, what is not, and how individual and collective power can be mobilized for positive change. Another striking image: the same starry sky I gaze at at night is the same one “our ancestors once used to discover... their ‘infinite power, Black power, a heritage of and beyond the world.” Campbell invites readers to claim and celebrate the profound beauty and vastness inherent in Blackness .The story vividly illustrates Black resilience, solidarity, and rebirth, woven throughout this speculative odyssey. I'll admit, some parts of The Sky Full of Elephants left me with questions, but I think I was just really caught up in the idea of what this new world could mean for the characters. A Sky Full of Elephants offers a bold vision of collective possibility and personal reckoning. It's one of those books that stays with you and sparks conversation—about freedom, ancestry, and how Black lives can reimagine their fullest expression when freed from old structures, whether in actuality or in our own curation.

Interesting and unique premise. I felt there was a lot of dragged out chapters. I like that it wasn't predictable. I just didn't understand the ending.

I loved the identity references, the return to Blackity Black roots and the imagining of life without harmful dominant culture.

Beautiful creative story that teaches everyone to appreciate the darkness.

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