"Calypso Sun," the debut novel from Clay Alexander, dives into a country slowly coming apart. It was founded by two brothers who scripted a new religion to bind their followers, but they divided the country irreversibly. Centuries later, three characters spend a night in an abandoned city filled with ghosts to try to overcome the divisions in their country. Inevitably, they grapple with a bloody past. A pragmatic general, Payton strives to unite her nation in the face of xenophobia. Payton confronts her father’s legacy, too, as she prepares to take power. Meanwhile, her top commander, Jon, finally finds himself in control after a life of abuse and torture, but he struggles between making peace with the unspeakable horrors he endured and exacting a brutal vengeance with his fresh authority. On the other side of the conflict, Jem looks outward from the nation’s minority group, long sidelined and persecuted, when a chance arises for inclusion and equality. "Calypso Sun" plunges you into a unique, original mythos swirling with legends, dormant magic, and allegories. Its story enthralls whether it’s exploring a shattered city or deep in dark dreamscapes. Ultimately, however, the novel is about its people, who doggedly refuse to surrender to the past. Biblical in scope with intimate moments throughout, "Calypso Sun" paints a vivid cast of characters who delve into the surreal to discover what makes us human.
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