The Light Pirate

"The beginning of the end. How quickly it all unraveled."

I'm surprised by how moved I am by this one, how much I loved it. The story is broke in to 4 parts. Each part is centered around the current issue to survival. Because the world is dying. Sure, it's slow, but we always think we have more time. We won't see the break down of nature and society in our lifetime. We have time.

But in this world, they are running out of time. Weather in Florida has become even more unpredictable. The storms are larger than they've ever been and keeping the infrastructure of roads and power and water going is becoming difficult and costly.

I like that our story is somewhat cocooned. I think if this story was about the complete breakdown of it all, it show more would be too sad, too real. I like that it focuses on this small town, this small moment - each part jumping in time to give you the next step of survival.

The connection you feel to both the people and to the land/nature as the story goes on is quiet. It sneaks up until you realize you are mourning each loss of parts while celebrating the return of others. It wasn't a fast read but it was moving, I'm glad I got this as my BOTM read. It was so good! show less

"Homes could no longer be rigid, immovable things... The blue house was a relic, as all the houses in Rudder were. Structures that belonged to an old paradigm. A series of rooms built upon a series of ideas, none of which had withstood the test of time: the idea that what was here would always be here; the idea that the limestone beneath their feet would go on holding them forever; the idea that the coast was a faithful, unmoving line in the sand. None of this was true anymore. The thing was, it never had been."

Climate fiction ("cli-fi") is having a moment. Or has been for a few years now, really. It's not surprising, given the state of the global environment and the very real threat of climate change, which is already affecting so show more much. [The Light Pirate] is a thoughtful and thought-provoking exploration of what happens when the environment changes faster than anyone expects and forces people to either flee or find new ways of living. It's told through the life of Wanda, born during - and named for - a hurricane in southeast Florida. As Wanda grows, hurricanes become more frequent, infrastructure more dilapidated, and resources scarcer and scarcer. This isn't just a climate horror story, though. It's a very intense and moving look at family and human connection and what lasts when the world as we know it begins to collapse. I didn't expect to like this book as much as I did. My thanks to those of you who have sung its praises, especially Laura, whose comments about it finally tipped me over the edge into putting it on my library list.

4.5 stars show less

The Light Pirate is both a compelling story of coping with adversity, and a realistic depiction of the impact of climate change on daily living. Set in Florida in the not too distant future, the novel opens with a hurricane’s devastating impact on a community. Kirby works as a lineman, repairing power outages. His wife Frida is heavily pregnant and struggling to be a mother to Kirby’s two sons from a previous marriage. The baby is born during the hurricane and given the same name as the storm: Wanda.

Wanda quickly becomes the main character in the novel. Her childhood includes many of the usual milestones children experience today. But every year the hurricane season is longer and the hurricanes are more intense. The population of show more Wanda’s small town decreases after every storm, as people move north. Florida’s major cities begin to permanently evacuate. This eventually has an impact on schools, local government, retail, and even Kirby’s job as a lineman. But in the face of this dramatic change, Wanda stays put and matures into adulthood in a world very different from the one she was born into.

This novel delivered on multiple fronts. I was invested in the characters and emotionally affected by events in their lives. The book also made me stop and think, as the pace of climate change accelerated. Most people were surprised by its impact, having always expected it to happen “later.” And the organizations that usually come to the rescue – government and human services – were unable to help, Highly recommended as a way to increase your own awareness. show less

In near future Florida, a child born during a hurricane has a mysterious ability. Will it help her survive when the ever-encroaching ocean begins to take back the land?

Once again with the works of Lily Brooks-Dalton, I find this one hard to summarize. It has a light (heh) touch of speculative fiction, but it's more about survival, loss, family, and what it means to live beyond just surviving, with a fascinating backdrop of the entire state of Florida being reclaimed by the rising tide. The author's speculation into what that might look like in the face of unchecked climate change seems plausible to me. As with Ruins, I plowed through this book quickly, the writing and plot carrying me along. Unlike Ruins, this book had more likeable show more characters, though they had their flaws, as well. I would say I liked this book even better. Highly recommended. show less

This novel grabbed and held my attention all the way through. I cared about the characters, and followed the story of Wanda, born during and named after a hurricane in Florida, while the coasts are receding under water. It’s the story of the dissolution of her family and the crumbling of the social structures that connect us as climate change eats away at the shoreline and the fabric of the community. And it’s also a story of resilience and belonging to a particular place.

I am really starting to get into cli-fi aka climate dystopians! The Light Pirate chronicles the life of a young girl who was born during a horrible, life altering hurricane. Delirious and dying her mother named her after the hurricane itself and Wanda grows up in a world much different than that of her parents. Hurricane seasons get longer and longer and Florida is barely hanging on. It is slowly reverting back to its swampy ways and the United States is ready to cut its tether to it. Her father is a lineman - one of the people who keeps the power on - but with the near constant hurricanes - how much longer is that even feasible? Wanda's best friend and mentor is a woman who lives down the street and has spent her life preparing for show more this exact eventuality. Known as a survivalist - if anyone can withstand what is coming it's her. This book felt more real than not and as Venice keeps sinking and the sea level keeps rising - who knows what is in store for Florida during my lifetime. A unique and captivating read! show less

This was a beautifully written, elegiac story that paints a frighteningly realistic picture of what may happen once the effects of climate change ramp up. Set in Florida, it begins during a hurricane and follows the life of the girl born during that storm and named for it, Wanda, as civilization disintegrates and she must adapt to the new reality. I couldn't help comparing this to Brooks-Dalton's first novel, as the themes are similar: the placid endurance of nature, the reverence for a place, the sense of being isolated in a world that isn't cruel, necessarily, but is indifferent. The characters in this second novel were stronger, though. Wanda and her people were people I felt I came to know and understand. A lovely book, with an show more undercurrent of resignation that isn't quite hopelessness. show less