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A review by chakgilbert
Sky Full of Elephants by Cebo Campbell
adventurous
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Book Notes: www.chakeira.com/sky-full-of-elephants
Charlie is a college professor who was recently released from prison. He embarks on a road trip with his daughter, Sidney, who he has never met. They are in an America where there are no white people. This book mixes science fiction and magical realism, forcing the reader to ask various questions. It explores black identity, culture, and self-discovery. This book was surprising, and I could see myself discussing it more. It is a hard book to recommend. While I think it will lead to discussions, people generally have mixed feelings about it.
The book mainly follows Charlie and Sidney. Charlie is a professor at Howard and was recently released from prison. His daughter, Sidney, calls him to ask him to take her to Alabama. People need approval to get into Alabama, and communication is limited in and out of the state. Sidney is traumatized from seeing her mother, stepfather, and brothers die. She is angry and scared. She is not a likable character. Charlie is generally laid back in the book. He is reluctant to explain his absence to Sidney for most of the book. I don't think the characters were fleshed out really well, but they were general enough to convey the book's messages. Many of the early conflicts centered around Charlie and Sidney and their lack of relationship. Most of the internal conflict in the book is centered around identity and self-discovery.
The world was different. The book's first half had a dystopian feel, but in the second half, it felt more like a utopia. The tonal shift between the two halves was jarring. The book left a lot of plot holes. Some I could infer because of the experiences Ive had, but I can understand why some readers did not make the connections.
This book had many flaws, but I liked it so much because of the conversations that could be had. I don't need my books to clearly explain the science behind what is going on, and while there was some attempt, I don't think it was done perfectly. I really like the first 70% of the book and felt like the latter part of the book was not as strong. I love the way the book made me think about my own identity. While there were various messages, I tended to ignore the ones that didn't interest or apply to me. This review isn't very coherent, but the main takeaway is that this book is a mixed bag. It is a 4⭐️ for me because of how it made me think and my excitement to discuss with others.
Charlie is a college professor who was recently released from prison. He embarks on a road trip with his daughter, Sidney, who he has never met. They are in an America where there are no white people. This book mixes science fiction and magical realism, forcing the reader to ask various questions. It explores black identity, culture, and self-discovery. This book was surprising, and I could see myself discussing it more. It is a hard book to recommend. While I think it will lead to discussions, people generally have mixed feelings about it.
The book mainly follows Charlie and Sidney. Charlie is a professor at Howard and was recently released from prison. His daughter, Sidney, calls him to ask him to take her to Alabama. People need approval to get into Alabama, and communication is limited in and out of the state. Sidney is traumatized from seeing her mother, stepfather, and brothers die. She is angry and scared. She is not a likable character. Charlie is generally laid back in the book. He is reluctant to explain his absence to Sidney for most of the book. I don't think the characters were fleshed out really well, but they were general enough to convey the book's messages. Many of the early conflicts centered around Charlie and Sidney and their lack of relationship. Most of the internal conflict in the book is centered around identity and self-discovery.
The world was different. The book's first half had a dystopian feel, but in the second half, it felt more like a utopia. The tonal shift between the two halves was jarring. The book left a lot of plot holes. Some I could infer because of the experiences Ive had, but I can understand why some readers did not make the connections.
This book had many flaws, but I liked it so much because of the conversations that could be had. I don't need my books to clearly explain the science behind what is going on, and while there was some attempt, I don't think it was done perfectly. I really like the first 70% of the book and felt like the latter part of the book was not as strong. I love the way the book made me think about my own identity. While there were various messages, I tended to ignore the ones that didn't interest or apply to me. This review isn't very coherent, but the main takeaway is that this book is a mixed bag. It is a 4⭐️ for me because of how it made me think and my excitement to discuss with others.