Haunting and beautiful science-based fiction explores resilience in the natural world.
As yet another brutal hurricane bears down on Florida in the not-too-distant future, a young family is going through the usual motions of storm preparation.
Frida is very pregnant. Kirby, the dad, works as a lineman for the Florida power company and carries the weight of an under-appreciated and overworked public servant. As Kirby readies himself emotionally for the imminent hurricane recovery effort, he rallies his sons Flip and Lucas to batten down the hatches.
What happens during the hurricane changes all of their lives irreparably. And so begins the story of Wanda, a girl born during and named for the worst hurricane ever to hit Florida, who, through grit and determination and over the course of decades, strives to adapt and survive in a Florida that is slipping into the sea.
Climate displacement is happening all around the world. In The Light Pirate, Lily Brooks-Dalton brings it to our backyard with an incredibly human story about a gifted girl who loses family, gains community, and manages to hold on to hope and dignity. Peppered with elements of realistic science fiction – rising sea levels, disappearing coastlines, crumbling infrastructure, and mass relocation to the interior states – as a reader, you truly welcome the slight element of mysticism that evolves over time in the character of Wanda.
The Light Pirate is incredibly believable and realistic. You will root for Wanda, her quirky survivalist neighbor Phyllis, and yes, the entire state of Florida. You will be horrified by the suggestion of losing an entire state to the ocean, especially as another hurricane season approaches.
A story of human resilience and determination, survival, and love, The Light Pirate is a troubling look at a possible climate future, but a hopeful look at how we might exist in it. It’s out in paperback (which includes a book club guide), or you can check it out from your local library.
