A Sky So Hollow Review: More Monsters, More Love

For fans of Craig Montgomery’s previous novel, A Circle of Stars comes the follow up novel, A Sky So Hollow. As any follow-up or sequel novel should, this book expands the characters further, allowing the reader to really understand each of their motivations.

Montgomery doesn’t shy away from difficult conversations and situations for each of these characters. After all, they are stuck in the middle of a crisis that could destroy the whole of Novilem.

While A Circle of Stars does a fantastic job of setting the stage and creating a world readers can relate to, A Sky So Hollow breaks down those established communities and asks the readers to imagine something even better.

Casper’s Relationship with His Family

One of the established issues from A Circle of Stars is the stark difference between the world Casper comes from, Earth, versus the world he finds himself accepted in, Novilem. A Sky So Hollow really hones in on those differences by causing the two to collide in the most traumatic way possible.

There is a sickness going around Novilem involving corrupted aether, which Casper and Helix realize has extended to Earth. This is hinted at when Casper was first taken from Earth to Novilem, but this novel dives into it further through Casper’s estranged father.

All of a sudden, Casper has to not only deal with his bigoted father, but must also protect him from succumbing to whatever is causing the sickness. This requires the pair to bring Casper’s father to Novilem.

It’s a beautiful exploration of father/son dynamics in a way that stories sometimes don’t care to establish. Casper has to fight his hatred for the man who rejected him in order to show him compassion and love in the face of uncertainty.

Montgomery takes a universal queer experience and turns it on its head to seamlessly fit into the narrative of his sci-fi fantasy world. Otherworldly sickness aside, many queer readers can relate to the push and pull of complicated feelings for family members who aren’t entirely accepting of ourselves.

Helix’s Journey of Self-Discovery

One of the biggest undercurrents to this sequel is Helix’s journey of growth and understanding. In A Circle of Stars Helix is established as a character who knows exactly who he is, what he wants, and the path he is destined to take.

Unfortunately, or thankfully depending on who in the book you talk to, A Sky So Hollow turns that around, showing that sometimes we think we know who we are only to be faced with a crisis of that faith.

That is what makes Helix so captivating as a character in this novel. He started off his journey with Casper being the one who provided the support to now need Casper’s support as his whole world changes.

That’s what happens in life when we grieve a loss of some kind. For Helix that loss is both of a person and of an ideal. Which makes things twice as complex and complicated throughout.

Readers who have lost someone close to them or had an event happened that shook up their established understanding of the world can relate to Helix so definitively throughout his story.

By going on this journey and shifting roles with Casper, Helix establishes that his connection to Casper is one worth rooting for. It’s a love story that makes us ache for that level of understanding and love in our own lives.

Talleah’s Anguish

While Montgomery’s central queer pairing of Casper and Helix is the bulk of what happens in the novel, there is still space for Talleah’s character to grow and evolve as well.

In fact, one could argue that her story is just as painful and heartbreaking as Casper and Helix’s individual journeys. The evolution she has to go through as the “monster” takes over breaks our collective hearts over and over again.

After all, Talleah deserves to bask in the joy she feels at being reunited with her child after all this time. However, the universe has a different plan which keeps us on the edge of our seats hoping for a positive outcome.

Her struggle with the “monster” might be fantastical in all its elements, but the core of the issue is very much a human one. So many of us struggle with the “demons” within us even when we want nothing more than to simply exist and be happy.

Talleah’s journey reminds us that love is worth the fight no matter what happens in the end. She never gives up on protecting her daughter even as the “monster” takes control.

Through Talleah we are able to see that constant struggle of motherhood and the fears that many mothers face to ensure their children are safe, happy, and loved.

At the end of the day, A Sky So Hollow takes us on a journey of our most basic human emotions through the lens of monsters and fantastical, magical elements. Sure, most of us won’t ever find ourselves in a community inside a moon that is centered on astrological magic, but the experiences behind these elements are relatable to just about anyone, especially individuals within the LGBTQIA+ community.

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Have you read A Sky So Hollow yet? What are your thoughts? Sound off in the comments below and be sure to leave a rating!

 

A Sky So Hollow can be purchased wherever books are sold. For more information on Craig Montgomery you can visit his website.

 

 

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