Bourbon and Books: Sky Full of Elephants

Full disclosure... I did not like this book. And yet, I'm still going to tell you to read it. 

Why?

First off, it's a compelling story. All the white people walk into bodies of water and die and those who are left, forge lives anew without the oppressive shadow of white supremacy. Second, it’s beautifully written. You can see this world that is left behind, partially crippled due to the previous concentration of knowledge and power among white people. However, it endures and flourishes, propelled by the newly unleashed ingenuity, resourcefulness, and brilliance of everyone else.

I was captivated by most of the secondary characters in the novel. Those who clearly saw and relished the freedom they had finally been given and stepped fully into living their best lives. I finished the book in small part for the glimpses of that Black joy. I HATED the main characters. Sidney, her father, the King and Queen of Alabama and all of their children evoke a visceral dislike in me. I threw the book across the room and cried angry tears on numerous occasions, upset that they were allowed to take up so much space with their views and interpretations of this new world. It took me a month to finish this book which is UNHEARD OF as I am noted for finishing novels in “3.85 seconds” according to my friend Hannah. I had to talk about why it made me so angry with my therapist. 

In other words, it made me feel my feelings. 

Which is why you should read it. To feel your feelings. To sit with the concept of a world free from white narcissism and question how you would show up.  Are you like me, after a lifetime of hard work, confident enough in yourself, your values, your purpose to grab such freedom with both hands and dance for joy? Will you interpret for others what a new regime looks like? Or will you need a moment to figure out who you really are without the backdrop of the white gaze?

I'm deliberately withholding further details about the characters and the plot of this novel. This is unless you're the type of person who spoils movie endings by reading the Wikipedia summary but watches the film anyway. I don’t want to bias your perspective, I genuinely want to hear what others think of this book.

Sipping a 54th regiment with this one because I needed something bracing and rooted in the past to remind myself why it is okay to feel your feelings so that you can see the bright opportunities when they arise.