Review: The Childless Ones by Cam Rhys Lay

The Childless Ones by Cam Rhys Lay is a remarkable debut novel that takes the concept of “story within a story” to an impressive level. This is essentially two novels in one, overlapping and interweaving thematically, reflecting and bouncing beautifully between two very different worlds.

In the real world, aspiring author Jack Ampong is dealing with a marriage that is coming unraveled, and a penchant for prostitutes. When an attack on his wife further disrupts his mental clarity and grip on morality, he turns to his writing as a respite. There, readers are introduced to an entirely new universe, a historical fantasy realm. Jack’s novel is in a unique form, and consists of a series of excerpts from journals and academic texts from this other world – and explores some of the fascinating cultures and creatures of “The Continent.”

The world building in this novel is exquisite, and Lay does an incredible job of sculpting an original landscape where the characters can play. Reminiscent of Ursula K. Leguin, this book depicts a beautifully detailed cast of races and species, mythical beasts and ancient struggles, along with richly crafted landscapes. As unusual as such a fantasy world may seem, the inhabitants are developed very well, with decidedly human traits and idiosyncrasies.

This book is the kind of unexpected marvel that not only entertains readers, but also drives them to challenges their own beliefs. There are intense moral questions being asked throughout this novel related to power, dominance and free will – universally interesting topics to explore. The brilliance of the book is the reflection between these two novels. Disparate as the subject matter may be, these stories thread within one another, discussing many of the same themes. Jack and Sarah spend the majority of the novel dancing around the hardest elements of a relationship – trust, infidelity, love, and the struggles of being a parent.

The complexity doesn’t stop there, however, as Jack is also wrestling with being a writer. The emotional depths that readers experience in this relationship is intense, to say the least, and Lay isn’t afraid to strip the characters down to their naked essence. The real world is just as relatable as the fantasy one being typed out on Jack’s pages; to achieve this accessibility on both sides of the novel is proof of Lay’s flexibility and talent.

When it comes to the technical execution of the novel, there are very few mistakes, and the writing is poignant and graceful. The author also occasionally plays with form, such as the inclusion of text messages in Jack and Sarah’s world, bringing a visceral realism to the story. This book takes risks with character stereotypes and structure, and has successfully carved out a niche in this cross-over genre. The writing is so dense and pleasurable to read that you can start this book over the moment you finish, and you will undoubtedly find new aspects to love.

The Childless Ones is a very exciting start to a promising career for this compelling and creative author.