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darcyharper's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
laura_corsi's review against another edition
4.0
4.25 STARS! I don't usually go for dystopian novels or climate fiction but this was really good and avoids a lot of excesses that so many in this genre fall into. Plus, the writing is gorgeous and the characters are finely drawn. Just lovely.
philly37898's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
bookph1le's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 stars
This was a really lovely, really melancholy book about love and loss. Though there is a scifi element in that it envisions a future where nature reclaims Florida after humans fail to figure out how to stop climate change and live in a more sustainable way, this isn't a disaster novel in the traditional sensem so if you're looking for a pulse-pounding thriller, this isn't it. Instead, it's more a story of interconnectedness, of the ways in which human lives intertwine with other human lives and how human lives intertwine with nature. It's sad and full of tragedy and heartbreak, but never in a way that felt egregious or exploitative to me. To me it's a meditation on life and the ways in which it offers us joy one moment and despair the next.
This was a really lovely, really melancholy book about love and loss. Though there is a scifi element in that it envisions a future where nature reclaims Florida after humans fail to figure out how to stop climate change and live in a more sustainable way, this isn't a disaster novel in the traditional sensem so if you're looking for a pulse-pounding thriller, this isn't it. Instead, it's more a story of interconnectedness, of the ways in which human lives intertwine with other human lives and how human lives intertwine with nature. It's sad and full of tragedy and heartbreak, but never in a way that felt egregious or exploitative to me. To me it's a meditation on life and the ways in which it offers us joy one moment and despair the next.
cinnamoon's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.5
jennrocca's review against another edition
5.0
Loved! I read a description that describes this as a story for those who like Station Eleven and Where the Crawdads Sing and that is a very accurate description. Highly recommend.
mslaura's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
cedarwins's review against another edition
5.0
What is magic but science that is not yet understood? What is science but magic with an explanation? (230)
It is a wonder that one book can hold such a vastness. The Light Pirate follows Wanda’s quest for belonging from the moments leading to her birth, to those just before her death. In between, we find a thought and emotion inducing novel which ponders how we face the uncontrollable force of change.
The first 100 pages of The Light Pirate contained some of the most intense, gripping, and affecting storytelling I have ever experienced. Lily Brooks-Dalton controls the length of each chapter to enhance pace, cultivates layers of empathy for every character’s perspective, and sets the stakes off the bat so that no characters are safe from nature’s brutal power.
I rarely find a book which elicits verbal gasps, and unintended exclamations from me, but throughout The Light Pirate I couldn’t help but react with the characters. It is a testament to Dalton’s masterful development of empathy through thoughtful articulation of emotions. One can’t help but feel those same emotions reflected within themselves.
Dalton creates a bouquet of complex and beautiful connections as we watch strangers become family. I was enamored by the relationship between Phyllis and Wanda, and the dynamics between magic and science explored in their characters. “Wanda is thrilled by the hunt for an explanation, but she doesn’t require one. To her, these organisms are a magic she doesn’t need to name. To Phyllis, they are science that requires categorization. And who is to say they cannot be both?” (168).
Through beautifully selected, carefully strung sentences, we watch as these characters learn the art of “finding beauty amid the violence” (209) through “a simple and enduring desire to notice (301).
The terror of natural disasters is in their revelation of our lack of control. Try as we might to command and shape the natural world, she will take it back. “Florida would be released back into the wild. Released, they said, like a creature the country had tried to tame but ultimately couldn’t,” (218). Amazingly, The Light Pirate explores the violence of environmental catastrophe and simultaneously reveals a glimmer of hope. A knowledge that the earth and her inhabitants will return to their natural cycles, and dawn will break on a new world each day.
bookwormjimmy's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
A captivating and emotional book that focus on characters in times of change amidst the backdrop of climate change and a deteriorating society. The book starts off with Frida, 8 months pregnant, watching over her husband's two kids Lucas and Flip as one of the worst hurricanes approach. But they've been through this before. What could go wrong? But the approaching storm combined with the two kids deciding to go exploring in their neighborhood, trouble is coming.
Told through multiple perspectives, the story continues along at a brisk pace, jumping in time periods as the setting physically changes over time. It's tough to watch the slow deterioration of society and how these characters react to these changes. With such a broad stroke over the lifetime of these characters, no one moment is ever lingered on for too long. I would have liked to learn a little more about certain characters, such as the twins Brie and Corey and where they fit along in Wanda's journey. But perhaps because we are so focused on Wanda's story that we're not supposed to learn more other than through her own observations.
It's a story about grief and pain in a world where climate change is happening, and how we learn to adapt to this evolving environment. If you're looking for an emotional rollercoaster of a book, definitely check this one out.
Told through multiple perspectives, the story continues along at a brisk pace, jumping in time periods as the setting physically changes over time. It's tough to watch the slow deterioration of society and how these characters react to these changes. With such a broad stroke over the lifetime of these characters, no one moment is ever lingered on for too long. I would have liked to learn a little more about certain characters, such as the twins Brie and Corey and where they fit along in Wanda's journey. But perhaps because we are so focused on Wanda's story that we're not supposed to learn more other than through her own observations.
It's a story about grief and pain in a world where climate change is happening, and how we learn to adapt to this evolving environment. If you're looking for an emotional rollercoaster of a book, definitely check this one out.