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A review by okiecozyreader
The Light Pirate by Lily Brooks-Dalton
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
Such a unique novel, The Light Pirate wasn’t what I was expecting. Cli-fi, dystopian, climate fiction about a life in Florida, in the not so distant future, in which hurricanes destroy so much, and the ocean waters rise, and Florida begins returning to its natural state.
“A lonely pirate and her light. A seeker and her sight.”
P319
4 parts: —-
Power: Frida is pregnant and her husband Kirby is a lineman. Hurricane Wanda is coming and lots of things aren’t right. I loved Frida’s thoughts about motherhood.
“It wasn’t always like this. She used to be brave. Didn’t she?”
…
See, she tells herself, it isn’t real. No one else feels it. Everything is fine. She holds this assurance. Examines it. Does she feel better? Maybe.
…
Everything is not fine.” P6-8
“The truth is, Kirby’s happiest when he’s fixing things. Sometimes she worries that this is the reason he married her.” P10
Water—
Such an interesting section - Kirby’s life is so different. Lots of adjustments. His daughter Wanda is a few years old and has a scare. He puts her in the care of a survivalist named Phyllis, and her love for nature soars.
“All she knows is that she fels different, like something inside her that used to be closed is now open.” P111
“Curiosity never retires.”
…
“Because everything is changing. And the way it's changing….. well, I'm curious about it. We all should be curious about it, because the way we live has to change, too.” P13:
“Adaptation always comes back to survival,…” p160
(Went on a deep dive about Dinoflagellates and Bioluminescence in shorelines)
Light—
Wanda becomes her own woman.
“Over the years, Phyllis taught her to think of the light as a tool. She taught her to use it sparingly.” P221
“And in the center of the clock, inside the now - choices gather, waiting to be made. The swamp is alive with information. Dangers and saviors. Lovers and predators. The lie is in the separation. The truth is always growing.” P280
Time—
A short section at the end, we see how time has come and gone - and what remains. Looking forward to discussing with my bookclub - there is a lot to discuss!
This book does deal with a lot of grief, tough living and tough decisions. It’s not for the faint of heart or a light read. But it is a read that makes you think about nature and how it adapts and changes.
“A lonely pirate and her light. A seeker and her sight.”
P319
4 parts: —-
Power: Frida is pregnant and her husband Kirby is a lineman. Hurricane Wanda is coming and lots of things aren’t right. I loved Frida’s thoughts about motherhood.
“It wasn’t always like this. She used to be brave. Didn’t she?”
…
See, she tells herself, it isn’t real. No one else feels it. Everything is fine. She holds this assurance. Examines it. Does she feel better? Maybe.
…
Everything is not fine.” P6-8
“The truth is, Kirby’s happiest when he’s fixing things. Sometimes she worries that this is the reason he married her.” P10
Water—
Such an interesting section - Kirby’s life is so different. Lots of adjustments. His daughter Wanda is a few years old and has a scare. He puts her in the care of a survivalist named Phyllis, and her love for nature soars.
“All she knows is that she fels different, like something inside her that used to be closed is now open.” P111
“Curiosity never retires.”
…
“Because everything is changing. And the way it's changing….. well, I'm curious about it. We all should be curious about it, because the way we live has to change, too.” P13:
“Adaptation always comes back to survival,…” p160
(Went on a deep dive about Dinoflagellates and Bioluminescence in shorelines)
Light—
Wanda becomes her own woman.
“Over the years, Phyllis taught her to think of the light as a tool. She taught her to use it sparingly.” P221
“And in the center of the clock, inside the now - choices gather, waiting to be made. The swamp is alive with information. Dangers and saviors. Lovers and predators. The lie is in the separation. The truth is always growing.” P280
Time—
A short section at the end, we see how time has come and gone - and what remains. Looking forward to discussing with my bookclub - there is a lot to discuss!
This book does deal with a lot of grief, tough living and tough decisions. It’s not for the faint of heart or a light read. But it is a read that makes you think about nature and how it adapts and changes.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Death, and Grief
Moderate: Child death and Death of parent