Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishing Company for this Advanced Readers Copy of Sky Full of Elephants by Cebo Campbell!

This book made me uncomfortable which is how I know it worked really well. It's wildly unique but unfortunately the ending left something to be desired.

I was really looking forward to reading this one.

The premise was interesting, I was immediately drawn into the story’s but then as I continued to read, I started to get so caught up on some of the things that just didn’t make sense. I think I was so focused on the “event” because it felt like there were a lot of details that weren’t addressed, and then there’s so much over explanation in other things, I just didn’t think this overall ended up the way it wanted to. I also had a hard time grasping that the state of where things were happened in a year. Maybe five years?

Then once some of the things were addressed near the end, they were just sort of casually mentioned and not explained so they just didn’t make sense. (Sorry if this is confusing, I’m trying to avoid spoilers 😂.)

I also thought the final third of the book got a little all over the place. I thought this was supposed to be more focused on Sidney and the relationship with her dad, but then they aren’t together much later on in the story, and in the book ends so abruptly. It felt like it needed more.

Overall, again, I think this was an interesting premise. I thought the writing maybe just wasn’t strong enough yet, maybe with some better editing, this could have been a powerful book. And there were parts that really made you think, but all together it just wasn’t as strong as it could have been.

HOWEVER, I still think it’s worth a read. I’d pick up other books by this author in the future.

Thank you @netgalley and @simonandschuster for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Cebo Campbell's debut novel *The Kingdom of Alabama* offers a striking and thought-provoking look at identity, race, and connection in the wake of a cataclysmic event that changes America forever. The story follows Charlie and Sidney as they set out on a road trip through a transformed America, where everything they thought they knew about race, family, and themselves is turned upside down. The central premise—of all white people in America walking into bodies of water—serves as a powerful metaphor for the disorienting effect that major societal shifts can have on our identities. As Charlie and Sidney head south toward the Kingdom of Alabama, Campbell explores themes of healing, trauma, and what it means to be Black in a “post-racial” America.

One of the things I love most about this book is the author’s ability to blend humor with deep, introspective insights into the human experience. Charlie and Sidney’s relationship is at the heart of the story, and their emotional journey, filled with history and unresolved tensions, feels real and raw. Campbell’s writing makes their connection come to life with authenticity and tenderness, and the dialogue is sharp and witty, offering moments of humor even as the novel tackles bigger, heavier questions.

Through its compelling story and rich characters, Campbell encourages readers to reflect on how race, identity, and history shape the way we see ourselves and each other. At its core, the novel is about community, connection, and self-discovery. It asks tough questions about healing, forgiveness, and the process of reimagining a world where the rules have changed, but the past still looms large.

The Kingdom of Alabama* is a bold and necessary novel that offers a deep look into what it means to be human in a world that’s constantly changing.

Thanks to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC and opportunity to provide an honest review.

Sky Full of Elephants is a unique and bold story that brings to question what life would be like for Black people if White people no longer existed. With phenomenally descriptive and imaginative language, Cebo Campbell scripts characters that appear to leap off the page and into real life. These characters not only explore the world within the story, but represent concise personalities many may recognize from the real world around them. I really enjoyed the books originality, but sometimes felt as if shortcuts were taken to arrive at the big picture. There’s a lot to learn within these pages, but there is also room for the story to be fully fleshed out. Would recommend nonetheless!

This is one of those books that forces you to experience the book rather than just read it. It’s not just a beginning, middle, and end—it was like a living thing that I had to wrestle with. I’m not sure who I wanted the winner to be, but I appreciated the match and it’s a story I’ll continue to think about.

A world without white people is a concept that I know will offend some. To them I’d say, this is a fictional book as opposed to the real life centuries of horrific things some of their ancestors and have done and continue doing to every other non-white race. Cebo was bold to write a book like this and I admire him for it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC!

Sky Full of Elephants by Cebo Campbell is a sci-fi debut that opens with a fantastical event in which all white people walk into the nearest bodies of water, resulting in their demise. Consequently, the remaining Black population is tasked with reorganizing societal structures and redefining their identities. This journey allows them to explore themes of family, belonging, obligation, and the pursuit of happiness and purpose.

The narrative is rich with profound racial and societal undertones, offering ample material for thought-provoking discussions in book clubs. The author introduces the idea of an intrinsic connection among those dispersed by the African Diaspora, emphasizing the internal work necessary to heal from trauma and access a shared sense of Black identity. A central character navigates the complexities of losing her white mother and non-Black relatives, reconnecting with her long-lost Black father, all while confronting challenges related to her bi-/multi-racial identity, unfamiliar cultures, unknown traditions, and a renewed sense of self.

As a fantasy and science fiction novel, it explores relatable human connections while also pushing the boundaries of the reader’s imagination.

I extend my gratitude to the publisher, Simon & Schuster, and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this work.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this free eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Sky Full of Elephants by Cebo Campbell is an emotional speculative fiction novel that reflects on generational racial trauma. Campbell’s literary voice is outstanding especially for a debut author. In his acknowledgements, he cites Toni Morrison as an inspiration and her books are definitely what I would compare this to stylistically. The novel explores a lot of deep topics such as identity (racial and briefly, gender), trauma, family, and forgiveness. I kept thinking as I was reading that even though this leans more sci-fi than horror, I would compare this as a more successful version of what River Solomon’s Model Home tried to do earlier this year.

Although most of the characters are interesting and well-rounded, Sidney seemed a little flat in the first half of the book, and I kept thinking that she read a bit younger than her age of 19.

Also, while I don’t totally mind the ambiguity concerning the transmission at the end, I think Charlie and Sidney being together again physically (rather than connected by their “consciousness“) would have been stronger closure.

I would recommend this to anyone interested in literary novels concerning racial identity and trauma. It will definitely not be for everyone and it will surely make some people angry, but I believe that in this case, reading something uncomfortable will be a learning experience for the reader.

In this engrossing tale, all the white people are gone. This is set in a modern day America, and our story takes place one year after the event that took them. Some people think it was the “rapture,” and are upset that they weren’t taken. Others are happily moving into abandoned houses that are nicer than their old ones. We meet people who engage with this new world in many different ways.

Our main character, Charlie, was in prison for most of the past 19 years. But, he’s always been good at fixing things, and this lands him a job at a HBCU teaching others how to fix things. (Most notably, there is a need in the new world for people who know how solar panels work, so the survivors can still have electricity!)

But then, his daughter Sidney calls. She and Charlie have never met, and he had not realized she was still alive (because she is half-white). She needs a favor, and he is the only person she thought would have survived. So, first, he has to drive to Wisconsin to find her. Once there, she wants him to drive her to Alabama, where she thinks she’ll find an aunt still living. I really thought, at this point, that this would be a road trip story. But, it is only that for a short while.

Eventually, they find help getting to Alabama, but that comes with a warning that Alabama is now ruled by a king. Both are anxious about whatever that means, and determined to sneak past him.

But as soon as they cross over the state line, they are taken in a school bus to be brought in front of the “king.” He and his family live in Mobile, where they are currently getting ready for Mardi Gras. The family insists that Charlie and Sidney stay a while, and learn more about what they’re doing in Mobile, before deciding whether or not to leave.

Most of our action – which is sometimes just learning, or contemplating – takes place here. The king’s family had spent time in Haiti, and they’ve imbued Mobile with a sense of black joy that also includes some older traditions (think hoodoo and voodoo kinds of traditions).

Sidney has never considered herself black, and Charlie spent a lot of his life seeing his blackness as a burden. So, both have a lot to learn here.

One of the key turning points in the book, though, is when Charlie learns more about what the king is working on in his garage. Charlie loves machines, and loves to tinker, and wants to help. But he realizes that the machine – meant to connect all black people – also was the cause of the white people leaving. This leads multiple characters to have to weigh whether some lives matter more than others.

Two more notes on the “event” that was the catalyst for this world:

Although our main characters are black, there are other non-white people still around – Asians, Indigenous, Mexicans, etc. Also, we eventually learn that the king’s machine did not reach across the oceans, and it is assumed there are still white people on other continents.

This is a great read, but only if you’re ok with the characters spending quite a bit of the time philosophizing about their place in the world.

Sky Full of Elephants is intriguing - mass suicide always is, and this one apparently is utter and complete. A troubling tale, even if a fable, but if truly reflecting the narrator's perspective is satisfyingly deserved read through a scriptural lens.

All writing is an act of persuasion, and pieced together in ways that are layered with tension and tautness bound to trigger readers like me. My response was whole. The minute one reads that all white folk throughout the land have walked into the ocean without pause, the message received is of payback through genre. And although much of me agrees much is due on that score, this reader felt every word weighted, every character complicit, every situation manipulated to the message in a way that in disbelief-already-suspended fiction feels over-the-top. From early on my readerly self was divided - was it fiction or was it subtext wish fulfillment? The most alarming thing? I've rarely felt whiter. Altogether uncomfortable and brought me right out of the tale. Into the breach I went to finish, and so it went throughout the read.

That troubled distraction awoke something - hard to say exactly what, but sat (sits still) in my thought processes about this book must surely be the author's voice, message on something I've yet to grasp but will continue trying. I will read this again in another season, and look forward to other works by Cebo Campbell.

*A sincere thank you to Cebo Campbell, Simon & Schuster, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review independently.*

A book that explores an unexpected topic that brings about so much conversation.

A world without white people and a place where black people can thrive and live in peace and prosperity. This book was a perfect example of how the world can change and thrive without hatred.

"Sky Full of Elephants" by Cebo Campbell is a beautifully written, emotionally charged novel that explores love, loss, and the complexities of human relationships. The protagonist's journey of self-discovery and healing is compelling, and Campbell's vivid descriptions really bring the setting to life. The pacing is mostly on point, with just enough tension to keep you hooked, but there are moments where it feels a little slow. The characters are multi-dimensional and relatable, making their struggles hit home. While it’s not a perfect read, the depth of emotion and rich storytelling definitely makes it worth picking up.

It's hard for me to rate this book so I will just say read it. The more I sit and reflect with it, the more complicated I feel. I loved the focus on Black community - across the world, diaspora, ancestry. I was frustrated by the daughter, while understanding she is a product of her experience and life with whiteness. And I still felt like it centered whiteness. But I think that is the point. That even without white people we are still living within white ideals. And what is white? What is "normal"? I haven't stopped thinking about it.

I had high hopes for this book but it was just ok for me. I'm mostly confused about the ending. The broader story about what this book says about race is interesting.

What a refreshing new premise: a US without white people, what does it mean to be Black and whole? It was about identity, Black consciousness, and more. It was also about a torn family coming together. It was blackness at the center & its complexity & nuance. It slowed down a bit in the middle, sometimes a bit heavy-handed, but still propulsive enough to find out then ending. Can't wait to see what else will come from this author.

Something odd has happened - all the white people have suddenly, for no apparent reason, walked into the nearest body of water and drowned themselves, leaving behind anyone who is not fully Caucasian by genetic heritage; cultural heritage appears irrelevant. The world has changed, in ways that the remaining inhabitants are still trying to understand. One of those struggling to understand the changes is Sidney, a young woman of mixed racial heritage who was raised by her white mother and white stepfather, who is now alone in the world, with no one to connect to but the Black father she's never met - so out of the blue, Sidney calls Charlie and asks for his help in finding her aunt, who survived the event and went south without her, leaving only a note behind.

So begins a journey of discovery for them both: Sidney to meet and understand this father who has been absent all her life with no explanation from her mother, and Charlie to understand just what that lack of knowledge has done to her, and to him. Along the way, they discover the reason for the event, and that reason brings with it a changed understanding of just what happened, and what that change could mean for the world.

This novel addresses the differences between genetic and cultural heritage, and how much of our culture is based on conjoining the two - how much many people expect that culture is the more important piece of identity than genetic heritage, and yet, there is a piece of culture that has been transmitted by far more than surface learning; it has been proven that stress changes genes, and that the change is passed down to future generations.

Being Jewish, I can relate to the concepts underlying this novel - the feelings of alienation, of being perpetually angry at a situation created by others to make themselves feel superior by making others feel inferior. As a Caucasian, I can only feel those somewhat distantly; I can remove any external signs of my religion (I don't "look" Jewish despite my genetic heritage) in a way that many people of color cannot remove signs of their genetic heritage. This was an uncomfortable book for me to read - and it is supposed to be uncomfortable for many readers. It lays bare the cultural and genetic heritage forced upon Black people by slavers, and by all who supported the cultural norms that said that genetic heritage determined social standing in ways that, often, have to be experienced to be truly understood. It gives a window, dimly for those who have not experienced it, into that understanding. Recommended for readers ages 16 to adult; if younger teens want to read it, it should be read with someone who they can discuss the contents with.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Without the Weight

The premise of “Sky Full of Elephants” is intriguing. All white people in America walk into the nearest body of water and drown. Charlie Brunton, unjustly imprisoned in a racially motivated conviction, is contacted by his daughter Sidney– whom he has never met. She is mixed-race, although she rigorously identifies as white, and wants Charlie to transport her from Wisconsin to Alabama where she believes she has white relatives surviving.

The highlight of this novel is the road trip. The father and daughter’s struggle to understand one another is complicated by Charlie’s secret reason for his incarceration and the distance he has kept from Sidney. Along the way we also see how the vanishing of white control is affecting different aspects of the country.

Everything changes once they enter Mobile, in the Kingdom of Alabama. The atmosphere is festive, a huge weight has been lifted off the people. Now the Charlie - Sydney plot virtually disappears, as they have other priorities. Sydney also does an unreasonably sudden 360, magically embracing her black identity after a lifetime of stubborn denial.

The reason for the white erasure? Without revealing too much, it involves the profound historical suffering inflicted by white America. While it is understandable that this has lifted a huge burden off the remaining world, the abrupt transformation into an idyllic world is a stretch.

While far from perfect, “Sky Full of Elephants” makes for a stimulating read. It explores identity– not only how the individual sees herself, but how a whole race has been manipulated by the enduring repercussions of slavery.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for providing an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review. #SkyFullOfElephants #SimonShuster

Sky Full of Elephants is definitely a book to start a great discussion with. I’m not sure if this would be palatable for a broad audience but I really enjoyed the novel-ness of the situation that Cebo Campbell lays out. This was truly a thought provoking story.

When I first began reading, I was intrigued. Writers have written about a world without whiteness and white people before, but I wondered how the author would tackle this concept. The best part of this book is the first 50-100 pages. In a version of a post-apocalypse, black people are surviving and thriving in a new life without racism and oppression. There’s community building and a love of neighbors. However, the main character is confronted with a perplexing issue in this new America: he has a daughter he’s never met who wants him to drive her to Orange Beach where she is told people like her still exist. White people. White presenting, bi-racial people. Ultimately, this story boils down to a biracial child who is fighting against her blackness and longing for whiteness and white society that doesn’t exist, if it ever really did. Once the premise of the story became clear, the novelty of the plot started to wear thin almost immediately. Traveling from the Midwest to the Deep South, the writer crafts images of blackness that is both resilient and resigned. There’s even a character with a different identity who is accepted by his father and becomes a good friend. His time in the book isn’t nearly enough though. All of the conversations and interactions are an effort to prove or rather convince this child that her family and blackness is good enough and special. She doesn’t need to seek out a facade in Orange Beach. It gets old really fast.

The majority of the action centers Mardi Gras in Mobile, Al which sets itself up as the new black Utopia with a King and Queen that the outside world fears, but they really are the cause of the “event” in the first place. There are some flashbacks to an earlier period when the King and Queen are in Haiti and when they first come to Mobile, but those connections aren’t clear until later in the book. In the end, the closer to the end of the book you get, the more the racial identity crisis wears on the reader. This is one of those books that you can either love or hate, but ultimately there’s too much flowery language, dragging plot, and diversions that ultimately distract from the story.

I left the book wondering why the book ended the way it did, with father and daughter still estranged yet “connected through thoughts? , but I also didn’t need this story to tell me that blackness is powerful and beautiful and enough. In the end, there are some great moments in the book, but it wasn’t enough for me.

The best book of 2024, hands down. Campbell's poetry transcends the reader into the clouds of a daydream or maybe a nightmare, depending on how you identify. A story of love and lost.