Beautifully written and so emotional! This is a story of devastating loss, strength and hope. I could not put this down! If you are a fan of Where The Crawdads Sing, then definitely read this. Thank you for my copy Netgalley!

“Florida returning to herself. Swamps that had been dredged and drained and developed reappeared, bubbling back up to the surface in parking lots and on highways and in gated neighborhoods. Sinkholes opened up and swallowed entire blocks whole. Houses and roads and crops disappeared into the edges of the ever-encroaching wild.” Nature is reclaiming what is hers, driven by forces fueled by climate change and the hubris of humans.The Light Pirate, by Lily Brooks-Dalton paints an unsettling apocalyptic picture brushed with the strokes of magical realism that serves as both a cautionary tale and a deep dive into the power and majesty of this place we call home.

Told in four parts–Power, Water, Light and Time–in rotating points of view, this story winds it’s way through the lifetime of Wanda, the main character named after the devastating hurricane that marked her arrival. In Power, we anticipate the arrival of this Category 4 storm, witness her windy wrath, and are left on the ground in her wake. In Water, we see Wanda as a child who is different and watch her try to grapple with her otherness and navigate a world that is increasingly hostile to humans.

In Light, Wanda is a now a woman living with her older neighbor Phyllis, a biology professor and survivalist who has also chosen to stay. Canoes and rafts are the practical methods of transportation. The work of survival must be done at night as days are spent sheltering from the deathly heat. In the span of a life, we see a world transform, and while this seems extreme, it invites us to think about possibility. We see the overwhelming thoughts that accompany a life turned completely unfamiliar, where day is night, friends are foes and expectations of living a “normal” life are a distant memory. Brooks-Dalton conveys this beautifully, as Wanda thinks back to her childhood, “Thinking back that far requires her to exhume an entire life in which she had a brother and a father, a friend and a pet, a bicycle with a basket, an abundance of solid ground to walk on, and a verdant, sunlit wilderness to explore and enjoy. The old conviction that these things she had would go on being hers, that she might grow up to accumulate even more–the ordinary pillars of lives children were so carelessly promised back then: jobs, houses, loves, families.”

And in Time, Wanda’s will to stay an isolated and independent survivalist finally breaks as she accepts and embraces the presence of Bird Dog, an unexpected presence from her past.

Brooks-Dalton is an obviously gifted writer. She calls a world into being, one which we dread the possibility of, and invites is to look into its brutal, untamed, and at times achingly beautiful reality. My only critique is that I felt there were a few loose ends, but I can also see how this choice complements the winds that blow through the story. I recommend this novel to anyone who is brave enough to peek into what our future may hold. You won’t be able to look away.

Publishing date for The Light Pirate is December 6, 2022. Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for a DRC in exchange for my honest review.

An emotional and powerful story of a girl born in a hurricane named Wanda. Wanda lives in Florida, which is being taken over by the sea and the swamps. Weather patterns have changed and the hurricane season is now almost constant. Rising sea levels have taken back Miami and most of the state.

Kirby is a lineman, which is job security in the storm magnet that is Florida. Leaving his pregnant wife at home during Hurricane Wanda, Frida goes into labor and delivers this fierce girl herself. But now Kirby must raise her alone.

And when the storms take him, Wanda stays put with her neighbor. She grows and learns valuable life lessons about the world around her and how to survive in a place everyone else has abandoned.

This is a very real possibility and that made it a much more powerful story. The guts and determination of Wanda to survive after she has lost everything speak to the human spirit. A warning to all of us of what happens when we keep putting off change. Nature doesn’t wait.

Beautiful book!

NetGalley/ December 6th, 2022 by Grand Central Publishing

ARC from NetGalley. Described as "for fans of Station Eleven and Where the Crawdads Sing" I jumped at the opportunity to read The Light Pirate, as I loved both of those books.

Born during a fierce hurricane for which she is named, Wanda Lowe grows up in a near-future changing Florida. Her father and brother work as linemen, trying to keep the electricity on as climate change brings longer and more intense storms, rising water levels, and the collapse of infrastructure and eventually of society. Young Wanda spends her time with their neighbor Phyllis, a retired biology teacher and "prepper" who saw the signs and has been preparing for the environmental changes. She taps into Wanda's natural curiousity about nature and teaches her the survival skills that will serve and save her as she loses loved ones and adapts to the new environment and the fragments of humanity which remain.

My few complaints are these:
I felt the ending was really rushed.
There was an element of magic to the book which I didn't feel was necessary to the story.
And the title doesn't really feel right. Pirates steal and hurt/kill people. That wasn't Wanda. And her connection with the "lights" was not contentious or harmful.

This was an interesting premise, told with intelligence and care. The author drew me in, kept me invested, and eventually made me care what happened to Wanda, our protagonist. This was no small feat :)

I recommend Lily Brooks-Dalton's The Light Pirate. A tale of environmental disaster mixed with the hope of humanity.

I received a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The story of a family trying to navigate the end stages of the climate crisis, when Florida is rapidly becoming uninhabitable in any but the narrowest sense of the word. Survivalists survive and others flee to parts of the country not yet destroyed, but which are also devolving into chaos.

Our protagonist is Wanda, a girl who becomes a woman in this disintegrating world. She loses most of those close to her in one way or another, beginning with her mother, who dies giving birth to Wanda during the storm from which her name is derived, leaving her with a lasting legacy of despair. Wanda also has a special talent which gives the book its title.

It is easy to see where Brooks-Dalton was trying to go, telling the story of a young woman coming of age in dreadful times and finding a way to go on, providing her with a touch of magic to spice up a rather grim tale. Oddly, though the book is competently written, the reader is never able to fully engage with Wanda and her cohorts; it's as if the author is holding us at arm's distance and isn't able to make Wanda a fully real character who can engage our hearts as well as our minds. It is difficult to put my finger on where exactly this disconnect lies, but it was distinct and pervasive. It's a shame, really, since she had a beautiful premise to write from. We are no doubt going to see many, many more such novels as our environmental future continues to look increasingly grim, but this novel, lovely as it is in many ways, is not destined for the top shelf on that growing list.

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This is the story of Wanda, a woman whose entire life is lived in a quickly dying Florida town. Temperatures and water rising has life teetering on the edge. It’s largely the story of Wanda’s life and the loss she experiences along the way. But in the midst of hurricanes and deep loss is a powerful connection to the water that surrounds her and the magical creatures that live within it.

The Light Pirate immediately gripped me from the first page. The author’s descriptive writing transported me to the middle of Florida and I felt like I was really there experiencing the wild weather with the characters. The first part of the book had me wanting more as Wanda’s story and that of the people around her were being built. As the story continues further, it slowed down and some of those questions I was eager to have answered from the beginning only grew deeper.

By the finale, I was left with the feeling that there was a central part of the story missing. We got Wanda’s backstory and we know where she ended up. However, the purpose for her struggles and the “prize” at the end was seemingly skimmed over.

I am still giving this book a solid 4 out of 5, because despite the unanswered questions and a bit of a rushed ending I loved the writing style of this author and how beautifully each scene was painted and described.

And it brings to mind some real questions about how humanity may change and evolve in the future due to climate change.

I recommend this book to anyone with an interest in women’s literature and climate change. The Light Pirate comes out in December this year.

I liked the story and the writing here. It's quite good after it get going. The author has a good imagination and puts it to good use creating this tale and interesting set of characters. Good stuff.

Thanks very much for the free ARC for review!!

I’ve read many apocalyptic novels but none that present the possible coming catastrophe as well as The Light Pirate by Lily Brooks-Dalton. It’s portrayed in an almost stoic manner with each chapter of the protagonist’s life presented in the Kurt Vonnegut manner of “and so it goes”.

Wanda is born during a hurricane in Florida. She suffers the loss of mother and brother before she ever knew them. The effects of climate change, that had been predicted and ignored since the 1970’s, come to fruition during her lifetime. Her life is marked by loss, both by death and by migration. Friends, family, society as a whole change. Wanda stays in Florida with a survivalist woman who teaches her to live off the grid. When the infrastructure of Miami-Dade collapses, the government pulls the plug on them, most of the population heads north - with and without relocation packages. The ruins where the rich people once lived go from beachfront to waterfront in the waves.

The world is on a downward swing. Climbing temperatures, vengeful wildfires, rising tides. Wanda’s world is beyond being saved. As a young girl Wanda learns survivalism – a term she doesn’t even know yet but it comes naturally to her. The realism penned by the author opens the reader’s eyes to how this scenario will play out. You live the life of Wanda from cradle to grave. Plus, you’ll find things that are new and evolving in her world. Some of it, though never explained, possibly caused by her. This is a fascinating book that gives a realistic look into a possible future for us all.

I’ve read many apocalyptic novels but none that present the possible coming catastrophe as well as The Light Pirate by Lily Brooks-Dalton. It’s portrayed in an almost stoic manner with each chapter of the protagonist’s life presented in the Kurt Vonnegut manner of “and so it goes”.

Wanda is born during a hurricane in Florida. She suffers the loss of mother and brother before she ever knew them. The effects of climate change, that had been predicted and ignored since the 1970’s, come to fruition during her lifetime. Her life is marked by loss, both by death and by migration. Friends, family, society as a whole change. Wanda stays in Florida with a survivalist woman who teaches her to live off the grid. When the infrastructure of Miami-Dade collapses, the government pulls the plug on them, most of the population heads north - with and without relocation packages. The ruins where the rich people once lived go from beachfront to waterfront in the waves.

The world is on a downward swing. Climbing temperatures, vengeful wildfires, rising tides. Wanda’s world is beyond being saved. As a young girl Wanda learns survivalism – a term she doesn’t even know yet but it comes naturally to her. The realism penned by the author opens the reader’s eyes to how this scenario will play out. You live the life of Wanda from cradle to grave. Plus, you’ll find things that are new and evolving in her world. Some of it, though never explained, possibly caused by her. This is a fascinating book that gives a realistic look into a possible future for us all.

#TheLightPirate #NetGalley #Apocalyptic

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC of The Light Pirate by Lily Brooks-Dalton.

If you loved Where the Crawdads Sing, here you go, quit asking questions. What a sweet book!

In a world where Florida is quickly disappearing due to drastic weather changes, Kirby and his newly pregnant wife Frida are anticipating the upcoming storm. Her name is Wanda and she's supposed to be a doozy. But despite Frida's pleas, Kirby is not willing to leave the state, and so they all hunker down and prepare for the worst, pushing Frida into early labor. The child, duly named after the storm, is Wanda.

With every year, the weather and state continue to worsen. But Wanda continues to grow and adapt to the changes and collapse around her. It doesn't take long into her young life to discover that she holds a very interesting power with the water. But it's a power that could easily get her in trouble in this climate dystopic society where everyone is out for themself.

My heart did one of those big squeezes when I finished this book. It's wracked with all the things. Grief, loss, lessons, love, and just a touch of magic. I loved the warning that the author very quietly slipped in there. The characters were very well fleshed out, and sometimes I could picture myself there. Very fulfilling read.

Wow this book was brutal but in the best way. Compelling characters and description of what's to come.

This is a really sad story about a girl named Wanda. The setting of the story is Florida after years of global warming. The land is disappearing, and life as we know it, is changed forever. Wanda learns to adapt and survive in this dystopian novel. The book reminded me a little of Water World of several years ago.

I found the first few chapters of this book to be a little repetitive and slow but it sure picked up pretty soon after. Mostly, I really enjoyed the characters and the plot. There wasn't a main character that I didn't like and the story itself kept me on my toes, I didn't know where the book would lead so it was a journey to discover on each new page.

This story is also a lesson (and a warning). You follow the characters as they navigate growing climate disasters in Florida and it shows us firsthand how our future will look if we don't change. Although a work of fiction, the author does a good job at highlighting the politics, corruption, and greed that is going into fueling climate change. I would highly recommend this book because not only is it well-written, entertaining, but it shows us what's already happening with our planet and how it's not sustainable.

I can't stop thinking about this book. It's such a beautiful, devastating, haunting, yet hopeful read that follows two generations of a family as they survive, and adapt, in a world ravaged by unchecked climate change.

This book pulled no punches, and it broke my heart multiple times. But it also managed to fill me with hope, despite the bleak reality of what we face.

The descriptions of nature in this book were just achingly beautiful, and filled me with a kind of wistfulness.

I received a free Advanced Reading Copy via NetGalley in exchange for a complete and honest review.

One of the best books I've read in a long while.

A vibrant tale of a woman who embraces change and learns the true meaning of survival. Set in the near future when climate change has rendered the coasts inhospitable, one girl seems destined to make her own way of life. Brilliant characters and a rich cautionary world, this book reminds us that we have bullied nature to our whim, and so we can’t fault it when it starts to bully us back. That if we adapt to harmony with nature, we just might survive

Thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the arc.

Through the lives of a girl born during a hurricane and the experiences of a father and son who work as electrical linemen, the story illustrates the future of a small town in Florida as climate change progresses. The descriptions and decline of societal infrastructure are realistic. The hurricane description in the beginning of the book had me in the thick of it (even more so than a tv weatherman fighting a gale!). This book reminds me of Into the Forest by Jean Heglund. In both novels the decline of society is piecemeal and then all of a sudden. Hope in the story comes from the characters' ability to adapt and forge new social relationships.

I enjoyed the book but I think the title is deceiving. I thought it would be fantasy. While Wanda, the girl, does have a special power, I don't think it adds anything to the story and seems a bit superfluous. At one point I was waiting for her power to become important while at the same time thinking how much it would ruin the story.
3.5 stars for these reasons.

The Light Pirate by Lily Brooks-Dalton tells the story of Wanda Lowe who was born during a hurricane. Florida is going underwater and Wanda ends up living with a prepper. I was caught up in the arrival of hurricane Wanda! It felt like it was real. I liked that the book was divided into 4 parts. I’m really not sure where her light abilities came from or why. I would recommend. Thanks for letting me review this book.

A mesmerizing tale of time and change as nature drives toward a dystopian world for humans.

The story follows the story of the events that surround the life of Wanda from the days leading up to her birth to the days preceding her death. I simply love stories that encompass the whole of a character's life and this story does not disappoint.

Wanda is born during a devastating hurricane that marked the beginning of her life and the end of life as the world knew it even though it was a slow and steady decline that Wanda would struggle against for the rest of her life. Told in four parts, The Light Pirate is a fast-paced story that confronts the realities and devastation of environmental change should nature turn on mankind.

Some aspects of the story seem unbelievable like Wanda's father feeling that her mother should have been healed enough from hurricane-related trauma to ride out a horrific hurricane while 9 months pregnant, especially considering that he worked extensively as a repairman due to natural disasters. The magical element was almost unnecessary; it could have been explored more deeply to make it more prominent and powerful.

It was a book I had a hard time putting down and was chilling in its tales especially when a violent storm ripped through while I was reading and felled several huge trees nearby. A story worth reading and heeding.

‘The Light Pirate’ is set in a rapidly declining state of Florida due to dramatic climate changes and the survival and existence of the characters in the book.
I very much enjoyed the push and pull of the story and the core chararacters within it. Wanda and Phyllis stole the show for me and I really liked the way they progressed and their stories developed.
This will be a book I recommend to our library patrons!