The Light Pirate is a fascinating look into the future climate change is moving us towards, especially in vulnerable states like Florida. The story follows a family who has settled in a small town that has been dying for years due to severe and increasing hurricanes/weather changes.

The novel took me a little while to get into. I felt low level anxiety reading about the bleak future we can expect. It asks questions like, what loyalty do we owe our towns and when should we give up? How do we adapt as the life we know ends? What will happen when it's too late and we haven't done enough to prepare for or counteract the dangers? I liked the characters, but I can't say I enjoyed this novel because it really brought to light how difficult life will be in the coming decades.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC. All thoughts are my own.

The Light Pirate is such a beautiful read. Lily Brooks-Dalton’s words pull you in from page one. The story is about Florida in the not-too-distant future; sad, hopeful, and impossible to put down.

Thank you to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC.

I was looking forward to this book because cli-fi is one of my favorite subgenres. I love when ecological elements and climate change are included in novels, especially storylines following Dystopian structures. However, I elected to stop reading this book at about 40%. The opening chapters following the family's preparations for Hurricane Wanda was interesting, but I was immediately turned off by the father completely disregarding and belittling his wife's fears and requests to evacuate. I also felt uncomfortable with their dominant "fixing" man meets vulnerable traumatized woman backstory. It was all extremely depressing from the beginning. Not to mention that the only two characters I felt any kind of investment in ended up not surviving the storm.

Brooks-Dalton dips into magical realism with the character of Wanda, but her abilities seemed vague up to the point I stopped reading. The author is clearly a gifted writer; she writes beautifully and characterizes thoroughly. With that said, I don't think her skills as a writer outweigh the issues and disenchantment I had with this book.

This book started out very strong. I was immediately drawn in to the chaos that the storm brought. However, the second part of the book left me unimpressed. I had a hard time connecting with Wanda. Her undefined “gift” seemed to have no real power. I kept waiting for her to use it. It was a wonderful premise but this book just fell a little flat for me.

THE LIGHT PIRATE by Lily Brooks-Dalton
Published: 12/6/2022 by Grand Central Publishing

An instant classic reminiscent of Delia Owen’s beautiful gem … “ Where The Crawdad’s Sing”. Can we continue to keep our head in the sand? Regardless where you stand in the debate regarding reality of the climate crisis, this sweeping novel of survival by one family in the face of ongoing crisis from devastating effects of extreme weather changes will captive all with its poignancy. Kirby Lowe’s family is comprised of his two sons, Lucas and “Flip” (Phililp) and his second wife, Frida, who is pregnant and near term. Kirby is a lineman for the utility company in the small town of Rudder, Florida, in the panhandle. An approaching hurricane is near landfall, and he refuses to evacuate, and has boarded up his home and strategically placed sandbags around the exterior. He deflects multiple pleas from Frida to evacuate. What follows is a claustrophobic and harrowing description of the devastation that the storm wreaks on his community, home and family. He is called away before the storm hits to fortify the grid. His two sons leave the safety of the house to explore and “have fun”,just before landfall. Terrible events will occur as they attempt to return home in the face of the brutal hurricane. Frida delivers unattended on the floor of their house, while being pelted by the force of the hurricane through the open door.
The second part of the novel ten years later describes the dire and deteriorating conditions faced by the surviving members of the family… Kirby, his older son Lucas, and ten-year-old daughter Wanda. He honored the wishes of his dying wife to name her after the hurricane who so rudely thrust her into this world. Florida has drastically changed due to the recurrent hurricanes and rising flood waters. Citizens of Miami have been offered compensation to relocate … no such offer is extended to the residents of small town Rudder. The rich have left
their devastated underwater beachfront homes, and tourists no longer flock to Florida. The infrastructure has long ago floundered. Wanda has come under the tutelage of the neighbor Phyllis, whose survivalist preparations no longer seem crazy. Wander flourishes as she learns and adapts to the ways and methods of survival in a hostile environment. Some abilities arise in Wanda that appear somewhat magical and defy scientific explanation
Lily Brooks-Dalton proves to be an amazing storyteller, as she weaves a startling narrative of survival and resilience through lyrical prose. Mounting tension and intrigue make this gem a page-turner destined to be a favorite for book clubs. Thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for providing an Uncorrected Proof in exchange for an honest review.

First of all—I am obsessed with dystopian novels and devour them left and right. I have absolutely loved some and not so much others. The Light Pirate was one of those that I absolutely loved! Based in a dwindling Florida, this story follows Wanda and her life as disasters strike. This story was well written, had great characters and was absolutely terrifying at times and kept me up reading. Great book!

The Light Pirate is the story of Wanda, a Floridian born in the midst of a hurricane that comes to define her life. Wanda is a loner from the beginning, preferring to spend her time outdoors and learning from the reclusive biologist that lives down the road. As the climate crisis worsens, Wanda refuses to leave Florida with the rest of her family, and she story of survival in the swamps is at once lovely, haunting, and maddening.

The Light pirate is terrifying look at a future where humans are unable to stop the growing storms of the future and ultimately lose large swaths of land back to the sea. The setting is an undeniable force in this novel, an Brooks-Dalton's imagery serves as a vivid reminder of what we have to lose if we can't pull it together and figure out how stop the damage we're doing to our Earth.

The Light Pirate hit shelves on January 3. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book. This is the kind of dystopian I enjoy as an adult, a quieter but no less impactful story. The writing is beautiful and emotional, and honestly a bit terrifying in its realism. Overall a fantastic read, a great way to start the year.

A brilliant evocation of how eventually the world will shed humans and go on without us. Lyrical, passionate, beautiful depictions of how glorious the Earth is. She will not miss us.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
WOW! This booked sucked me in like a … well… a hurricane. From the opening chapter where we find a very pregnant Frida stuck in a tiny house with two feral stepchildren while she awaits the return of her new husband Kirby. He is preparing for yet another Florida hurricane with the confidence that it will be “nothing to worry about”. Something in Frida’s bones tell her - Get in the truck! Go! NOW! The last hurricane took her mother and they get stronger and more frequent every year. However she is told that she is worrying too much. Her husband will take care of them.
Kirby refuses to see what is happening, he is too busy working for the power company, “keeping the lights on”. People depend on him and his crew. As he makes preparations he has confidence that they will be safe in their little house. He cannot abandon the status quo, even at the peril of those he loves. Kirby is able to deny what is happening all around him- until he can deny it no longer. By then of course, it’s far to late to do anything about it.

The book soon takes a twist I didn’t expect- but stick with it- it will pay off.
Wanda, the child born and named for the hurricane that changed everything has an insatiable curiosity for the world around her and through her eyes we see the land returning back to itself, and all of the foolishness where man has tried to tame it, are let wild again. Nature can be brutal, but can also be beautiful, as one system collapses another is born to take it’s place.
Yes, the story beats you over the head that global warming is real and this could very well be our future. For the characters in the story- it happens much faster than expected. The big Q is - are you a Kirby ( deny) a Frida ( know it but do nothing about it) or someone who makes changes to try to stop it, or at the minimum try to plan for what is coming.
Lots to think about here- Story has a satisfying conclusion, Highly recommend.

This is one of those books that will stick with me. A story told in four parts that follows the life of a girl/woman growing up in a rapidly changing climate. Born in a small town in Florida on the night of a devastating hurricane, she has only known the havoc that nature can inflict. As she grows, so do the effects of climate change. The beachside mansions that become waterside to eventually underwater. The small town that barely gets by to eventually a whole state given back to nature. The backdrop of a blisteringly hot planet with millions of environmental refugees is something that should scare all of us.

his book teaches that the natural world is consistent and regardless of what we do, good or bad, it will always prevail. Frida is pregnant and wants to evacuate but her husband, Kirby, does not. He believes that keeping Frida and his sons, Lucas and Flip, nearby is best. Each of their decisions that day affect the others in the family and their environment.

Lily Brooks-Dalton weaves a story about a family and its successes and tragedies with the fierce power of what nature is trying to teach us. The book is never preachy but simply puts out a story with the facts as they are and lets the reader come to their own conclusions. The characters are all likable and their struggles, both internal and external, are emotional. The reader will feel the wind whipping, the sky throwing torrents of rain and the cold of the pelting combination. They will silently encourage Wanda as she learns to navigate a world in which she feels unprepared and yet seems to inhabit effortlessly.

I was moved greatly by this book, both in the story and in the message that is sent regarding civilizations attempts to force nature to bend to mankind’s rules. It won’t comply and the story shows that at some point it will simply revert to what it once was. It will be up to man to adapt. Highly recommended.


I received an ARC from Grand Central Publishing through NetGalley. This in no way affects my opinion or rating of this book. I am voluntarily submitting this review and am under to obligation to do so.

A baby named for the hurricane that is happening when she is born. A name she then must carry for the rest of her life along with everything that occurred because of the hurricane. This apocalyptic story is scary in some ways because of what is happening in real life right now with climate change, but it is also a hopeful story told with a clever touch of magical realism.

I thought the opening third of this novel was SO compelling, I loved Wanda immediately and the storm images were so great. It sort of lost steam for me in the last 2/3rds.

After reading Dalton-Brooks’ other book I knew I wanted to read this one. This was another story set in the future where characters are grappling with the crumbling areas around them. I thought this was a very realistic look at what could happen. I enjoyed the characters and their relationships.

If you’d asked me if I’d enjoy a book about climate change, I’d have said no. But this book shows why fiction is important. It asks us to imagine our lives if the scientists’ predictions are correct. It gives a vision of a future that is both terrible and wondrous. Brooks-Dalton’s writing is beautiful and the plot hooked me immediately. She perfectly captures the experience of living through a hurricane. And Wanda is a great character, a victim of terrible circumstances who never allows herself to sink into martyrdom. She’s strong, resilient and brave. Despite the tragic situation, I loved that the story ended on a positive, hopeful note. What a haunting and memorable story!

As a hurricane approaches Florida’s coast, powerline worker Kirby Lowe searches for his two sons who disappeared outside to play while his wife, Frida, waits at home. As the storm gets worse, Frida goes into labor and gives birth to her premature baby alone. She names her after the hurricane which ends up causing the most deaths of any storm to ever hit the town—Wanda.

The climate changes as Wanda grows, but Wanda has a unique ability to adapt to the destruction. As the town and state dissolve around her and as everyone she knows gradually leaves, Wanda learns how to survive and thrive in this new realm of nature. We watch as she grows from a young child to an adult in a world that no one expected they would live to see. After years of loss, loneliness, and fear, Wanda discovers others who remain in the swamp, and she realizes that truly living means more than simply surviving.

Not since Station Eleven have I read a novel so ominous and moving. Author Lily Brooks-Dalton imagines a future that is terrifying in its realism and as hopeful as it is heartbreaking. The characters show an unimaginable resilience in the face of impossible circumstances. As a New Orleans resident, I couldn’t help but feel that if this book doesn’t wake people up to what’s a stake, I don’t know what will. This is one of the best novels I’ve read this year.

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Unusual read for me. Story of a child born during a hurricane named Wanda which took her mother and brother and gave her her name. She has a mystical power of adding light to water when she touches it. Story projects a dystopian future in which the entire state of Florida is submerged. Wanda and her older friend Phyllis live together for years trying to stave off the destruction of their hometown island, Rudder. The dystopian nature of the novel is a bit over the top for me. However the character development is excellent. Wanda, although unusual and eccentric, is a very lovable character and she manages to encounter many other like-minded people in her journey. I would recommend the book only to readers who enjoy this kind of story.

Florida is disappearing under the wrath of hurricane after hurricane after hurricane. Kirby, his pregnant wife, Frida, and their two sons, Flip and Lucas, prepare for the storms. Flip and Lucas disappear the night of the hurricane, and Kirby sets out to find them, leaving Frida to go into labor alone at home. She names her newborn daughter Wanda, after the storm that ravages Florida during her labor. Frida does not survive Wanda. The majority of the story follows Wanda as she grows from a child to an adult, experiencing love, friendship, extreme loss, and disaster in the midst of an almost apocalyptic world in which she must survive or die.

WOW, did this book break my heart. Then it mended my heart, then broke it again. And repeated the cycle. This was a fantastic piece of speculative fiction that is simultaneously beautiful and terrifying. The beauty lies in the writing, the setting, the magical realism elements, the friendships, the love. The terror lies in the fact that the events in this book might not be that far off in the near future. Both of these things make this a must-read.

Now, for more on the beauty - this was my first book by Brooks-Dalton and I thoroughly enjoyed the writing. It almost seemed to me as if nature itself was narrating the book as an all-powerful observer of the humans in her midst. The apocalyptic near-future Florida was haunting, but the setting felt like it was as much a part of the story as any of the main characters. I ADORED the subtle magical realism elements in this story - Wanda's relationship with nature is beautiful...it's a constant reminder that she was born during a show of nature's fierce power, and she embodies a bit of that power when she comes into contact with the water. Wanda and Phyllis's relationship was probably my favorite part of the book. Phyllis was the mother that Wanda never had. It was fitting that Wanda, a daughter of nature, found a maternal presence in Phyllis, a scientist deeply absorbed in the workings of nature. I learned quickly on not to get attached to characters, and that death definitely hit me hardest, even if it is left ambiguous.

I had mixed feelings about the ending. I thought the romance at the end didn't fit. I understand its value, but I saw Wanda as a character who would never be tethered to another human so permanently. That being said, I loved the passing of the light power to the fisherwoman in the last few pages of the novel. That was beautiful. A fantastic way to end the story and to keep it going.

All in all - it's a must-read.

<b>This gorgeously written postapocalyptic climate-fiction story offers up a future in which civilization buckles to the power of weather and ocean while certain species thrive in the extreme changes and shifted conditions.</b>

In Lily Brooks-Dalton's novel <i>The Light Pirate,</i> pregnant Frida and her husband and stepsons prepare for another catastrophic hurricane bearing down on Florida, one in a string of never-ending storms threatening to destroy the state from the outside in.

Her husband Kirby disappears in the heart of the storm to locate the kids, who have run off for some ill-advised exploring. Meanwhile Frida gives birth to a child, Wanda, who she names after the storm, and who has a special gift.

Experts have long offered warnings about the expected impacts of the ongoing global weather changes and the destruction to society that is possible, but few could have imagined the unraveling of society that takes place after the wind and water's devastation, compounded as additional storms continue to strike.

This is a beautifully written novel with a haunting postapocalyptic tone and vivid setting. The shadow of real-life global warming and weather changes add to the power of the story, and the touch of magical realism is both essential to the plot and a lovely element.

The characters of Frida and neighbor Phyllis are irresistible, and I loved the ways in which they adjust, adapt, grieve, press on, and form a makeshift family from their friendship. The way the sea persistently erodes all evidence of civilization kept reminding me of the Talking Heads song "Nothing But Flowers," and Brooks-Dalton's climate fiction descriptions of living with water, exposed to weather, and within the parameters of extreme heat and the safety of darkness were striking. The Light Pirate offers unexpected redemption, tragedy, and some beautiful resolutions.

I didn't feel that the title evoked the tone or heart of the story, but I just loved this book.

I received a prepublication edition of this book courtesy of NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing.