Billed as “a dazzling reimagining of The Odyssey,” Beyond the Baths of Stars is Schneider K. Rancy’s debut novel, which follows a quartet of recent high school grads in South Florida. The Odyssey touchstones are definitely present and add an additional layer, especially for those familiar with the Greek epic or who at least saw Christopher Nolan’s adaptation this summer, but Rancy’s book stands on its own with a unique story that doesn’t feel like an uninspired remix.
I was initially drawn to Beyond the Baths of Stars because my cousin is Haitian-American and I was curious what I might learn from Rancy’s cultural perspective—and while the novel scratched that itch, I also got so much more than I was anticipating. It’s always such a pleasure to read a book that gives not just sparkling prose but a plethora of topics to mull over long after the reading experience is over. There’s so much to chew on, including class, cultural expectations, ambition, disillusionment, mental health, and the challenges of friendship. That makes Beyond the Baths of Stars viable for book clubs and robust college discussions.
It was a pleasure to pick Rancy’s brain on some of the book’s themes and craft considerations, and it’s no surprise that his responses were as deep as his authorial voice, which is something he hones in his free time when he’s not busy training to be a surgeon!
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