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The Light Pirate: GMA Book Club Selection Hardcover – December 6, 2022

by Lily Brooks-Dalton (Author)

4.3 2,765 ratings

Editors' pick Best Literature & Fiction

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FINALIST FOR THE DAYTON LITERARY PEACE PRIZE

Set in the near future, this hopeful story of survival and resilience follows Wanda—a luminous child born out of a devastating hurricane—as she navigates a rapidly changing world: A “symphony of beauty and heartbreak” (Associated Press).

USA TODAY BESTSELLER!

A Good Morning America Book Club pick · #1 Indie Next pick · LibraryReads pick · Book of the Month Club selection · Marie Claire #ReadWithMC book club selection · 2022 NPR “Book We Love” · New York Times Editors’ Choice

Florida is slipping away. As devastating weather patterns and rising sea levels wreak gradual havoc on the state’s infrastructure, a powerful hurricane approaches a small town on the southeastern coast. Kirby Lowe, an electrical line worker, his pregnant wife, Frida, and their two sons, Flip and Lucas, prepare for the worst. When the boys go missing just before the hurricane hits, Kirby heads out into the high winds in search of his children. Left alone, Frida goes into premature labor and gives birth to an unusual child, Wanda, whom she names after the catastrophic storm that ushers her into a society closer to collapse than ever before.

As Florida continues to unravel, Wanda grows. Moving from childhood to adulthood, adapting not only to the changing landscape, but also to the people who stayed behind in a place abandoned by civilization, Wanda loses family, gains community, and ultimately, seeks adventure, love, and purpose in a place remade by nature.

Told in four parts—power, water, light, and time—The Light Pirate mirrors the rhythms of the elements and the sometimes quick, sometimes slow dissolution of the world as we know it. It is a meditation on the changes we would rather not see, the future we would rather not greet, and a call back to the beauty and violence of an untamable wilderness.

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From the Publisher

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

An Amazon Best Book of December 2022:This propulsive page-turner will sweep you away, just like the devastating cyclone it opens (and closes) with. In a future that doesn’t feel so far off, headstrong Kirby refuses to abandon his Florida home despite an ominous hurricane barreling down. His family pays a steep price, none more so than his pregnant second wife and his two younger sons. Careless mistakes reverberate through generations, through place and time, and into a rapidly changing landscape in which Florida becomes a dying state and is deserted. And then we meet a baby “born at exactly the wrong time, under exactly the wrong circumstances, given exactly the wrong name.” There is no lull in the narrative: characters shockingly die, relationships are forged and then ripped apart, nature reveals its awe-inspiring power that renders climate change denial a moot point. And yes, there’s even a romance. You’ll inhale this climactic, dramatic story, all the while wondering if it’s a fantasy or a warning. —Lindsay Powers, Amazon Editor

Review

"Brooks-Dalton has a different sort of vision for the post-apocalypse, one that’s not so dystopian . . . It’s good to read an alternate and more hopeful story of how life might be experienced on a planet that is partly dying but also evolving, even if fewer humans remain."―New York Times

"A reverent observation of nature’s power . . . The novel rewards readers with peace and solace after persevering through a series of tragedies that feel too close to home. The Light Pirate is a symphony of beauty and heartbreak, survival and loneliness. Combined, it’s a haunting melody of nature."―Associated Press

“Feels like a small miracle: a book about a world wrecked by climate change that manages to be full of warmth and compassion . . . The real genius of The Light Pirate lies in the gentleness with which Brooks-Dalton treats her characters . . . Proof that climate fiction is maturing, producing works that are both nuanced and nourishing.”

―Washington Post, Charlie Jane Anders

"A formidable young woman’s coming-of-age . . . Brooks-Dalton creates an all-too-believable picture of nature reclaiming Florida from its human inhabitants, and her complex and engaging characters make climate disaster a vividly individual experience rather than an abstract subject of debate."

―Kirkus, Starred Review

“Brooks-Dalton paints a luminous and wrenching portrait of a frighteningly possible future.”―Booklist, Starred Review

“Harrowing and hopeful, Pirate reveals an all-too-possible future.”―People, Book of the Week

"Timely . . . Reminiscent of Delia Owens' Where the Crawdads Sing, readers especially loved Brooks-Dalton's vivid writing style."―Marie Claire

"Gripping . . . sustains a steady pace from one storm to the next. Climate fiction aficionados will eat this up."―Publishers Weekly

"A devastatingly beautiful, yet heavy story that pictures a dystopian American in the midst of climate change disaster . . . Wanda’s deep connection to her home and a special ability keep her tethered to a place she loves, with people she loves, even if disaster has diminished the community."―Buzzfeed

"A stunning work of literary fiction . . . Both an urgent reminder of the various crises that our planet faces and a tender meditation on change and adaptability, The Light Pirate is one of the best, most sobering and downright gorgeous novels I have read in quite some time. Right from the start, Brooks-Dalton immerses readers in the tension and immediacy of an approaching storm, employing the crackling energy not just in the atmosphere but also in her characters’ inner lives . . . A searing call to action that is as daring as it is luminous and moving, [Brooks-Dalton's novel] is an instant classic and a damning portrait of our time."―BookReporter.com

“There is a luminescence here, a force that takes on a quality of the intelligence of the universe. In the glow of that light, hope and exhilaration bloom. And in these moments before the new, violent storm hits its readers, the world of this novel is unforgettable.”―New York Journal of Books

“A symphony of beauty and heartbreak, survival and loneliness. Combined, it’s a haunting melody of nature.”―Winnipeg Free Press

"Riveting, imaginative, and encouraging."―Christian Science Monitor

“This is one of the most daring, deeply imagined and moving novels I have read. The writer asks us to consider a near-apocalyptic future, but, in prose that is beautiful and precise, Brooks-Dalton offers us hope that we are capable of remaking this world as a gentler and more generous-hearted place. Readers will not forget this beautiful book.”―Meredith Hall, Author of Beneficence

"I read this book in a whirlwind, voracious as the hurricanes at its heart. Lily Brooks-Dalton writes with the kind of intricate sensitivity that leaves one grateful to be—faultily, flimsily, adaptably, temporarily—human. Harrowing, tender, and urgent, The Light Pirate is a novel of global scope and exquisite intimacy."―Rachel Lyon, Author of Self-Portrait With Boy

"Lily Brooks-Dalton is an audacious, exquisite writer whose work pulses with humanity and hope. In The Light Pirate, her mesmerizing new novel, Brooks-Dalton achieves the impossible: she leaves us feeling grateful to be alive even as she describes, with pinpoint precision, the end of the world as we know it. Gripping, poetic, and wholly original, this book changed how I see the future. I’ll never forget it."―Jillian Medoff, Author of When We Were Bright and Beautiful

"This is fiction of rare and riveting achievement: it is equal parts prophecy, elegy, and revelation. The Light Pirate describes a world much like ours, one of rising seas and changing coastlines, and peers around the corner into the future to show us what awaits. How will human beings endure such loss? How will we mourn, and how will we persist? Lily Brooks-Dalton has captured the fragile beauty of our world, and our lives, with a tenderness that is both moving and galvanizing." ―Anna Pitoniak, Author of Our American Friend

PRAISE FOR GOOD MORNING, MIDNIGHT:

"Lily Brooks-Dalton is an uncanny chronicler of desolate spaces, whether it’s the cold expanse of the universe or the deepest recesses of the human heart.”―Colson Whitehead, New York Times bestselling author

"Fans of Emily St. John Mandel’s Station Eleven and Kim Stanley Robinson’s Aurora will appreciate Brooks-Dalton’s exquisite exploration of relationships in extreme environments."―Washington Post

"Brooks-Dalton writes beautifully about ambition, loss, grief, and, most compellingly, what it means to love and be loved."―Fredricksburg Free Lance-Star

"A truly original novel, otherworldly and profoundly human . . . This beautiful story reminds us of our deep longing for connection—with those we love, with strangers, with ourselves. We come to understand that, across time and distance, in the face of isolation and emptiness, it is tenderness and communication that keep us tethered to each other."―Keith Scribner, Author of Old Newgate Road

PRAISE FOR MOTORCYCLES I'VE LOVED:

"Lily Brooks-Dalton is wonderful, fresh on the scene with a big heart, a fierce spirit, a writer's eye, and a lovely sense of humor.”―Anne Lamott, New York Times bestselling author

"Lily Brooks-Dalton has blazed a trail all her own."―Rosie Schaap, author of Drinking with Men

"Wow! A MUST READ! . . . Brooks-Dalton’s wonderful characters draw you in and her immersive settings capture the beauty of nature and its power, making for an incredible read."―BookTrib

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Grand Central Publishing (December 6, 2022)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 336 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1538708272
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1538708279
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.07 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.25 x 1.4 x 9.37 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #31,241 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #2,647 in Literary Fiction (Books)
- #4,645 in Action & Adventure Fiction (Books)

Customer Reviews:
4.3 2,765 ratings

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Lily Brooks-Dalton

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Lily Brooks-Dalton's first novel Good Morning, Midnight (Random House, 2016) has been translated into seventeen languages and is the inspiration for the film adaptation The Midnight Sky (Netflix, 2020). Her second novel, The Light Pirate, is forthcoming from Grand Central in December 2022. She is also the author of a memoir, Motorcycles I’ve Loved (Riverhead, 2015), which was a finalist for the Oregon Book Award. She currently lives in Los Angeles.

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Catherine Collingwood

what was the purpose of this book?

Reviewed in the United States on February 13, 2023

Verified Purchase

The prose was amazing, and the descriptions lush and well-drawn. But what was the purpose of this book? The author tells us more than she shows us about Wanda, and the plot (what there is of it) stops more than it ends. So what was the point? That climate change is coming? We know that. That hurricanes are going to get worse? We know that too. That Florida is sinking? Ask any denizen of Miami whether we already know that. That lots of people are going to die as a result of governmental failures combined with climate change? We know that. That humanity has to adapt or change? That's nothing new. That lesbians are going to save the world? Yawn. That not everything can be explained by modern science? Um, we know that too....

The language echoes throughout the book and it is truly beautiful. But I can't help but wonder why the author wrote the book. It's not much of a story, but it's too complicated and fictional to be an essay. I think one sentence sums it up: "this is the world that Wanda is born into." Beautiful, haunting, evocative, but ...in the end, says very little and leaves you not particularly caring one way or the other.

Unless *that* was the point?

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S. GThank you for your inquiry. TThThank you for your inquiry. ank you for your inquiry. hank you for your inquiry. . MaThank you for your inquiry. cKinnon

Wow, just wow!

Reviewed in the United States on May 1, 2024

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Well-written and the first newish book I've read in a very long time without distracting grammatical errors. The characters are amazing, three-dimensional, and believable. I'm awed and at a loss for words. I just loved this story. It gives me hope for our planet and its inhabitants human and non.

Reviewed in the United States on January 18, 2023

Verified Purchase

When a book shows up on multiple book lists, I assume it’s going to be an amazing read. When I watched the GMA episode in which this book was announced as their December 2022 book pick, they had Ginger Zee as the hype woman. Ginger Zee is incredibly passionate about climate change, she talks about it daily. When I started this book, I assumed the subject matter was going to primarily be climate change, and while I wasn’t completely wrong, I was right either.
Wanda is a compelling character: her life is one of profound loss. She was born during a hurricane (for which she is named), and she lives her life in a Florida that truly never recovers from said hurricane. Her family is fractured in multiple ways, and her life is adversely affected. In my attempt to not divulge details, I won’t elaborate. However, I feel like this book is more about the people and their relationships than the effects of climate change. Although, upon further reflection, it occurs to me one of them would follow the other. Wanda seems to flourish in this new, primitive land; one that doesn’t include the technology that we all rely heavily upon (upon which we rely heavily?).
I felt like the entire story was incomplete. It was almost like there was a soft blanket of snow over the whole thing, muting the full vibrancy of the story. The younger brother, the mom, the older brother, dad’s death, her relationships with others in the area, it was all just unfinished. I found it to be thoroughly unfulfilling.

13 people found this helpful

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Sabredog

Amazing story

Reviewed in the United States on April 19, 2024

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I absolutely loved this book. I was captured from the first page and couldn't put it down. What a wonderful set of characters. I highly recommended this book to everyone.

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Jackie

The Complexity is Magical

Reviewed in the United States on March 20, 2024

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This book is far too complex for ME to review with words. It brings back emotional memories of having lived in Florida from the time I was 17 until I became 50. As I read it, I felt a deep understanding of the people and the experiences they had in this book and the life I led. My experiences weren't the same, but they resonated. Your book, Lily Brooks-Dalton was captivating.
Thank you!

One person found this helpful

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RJWells

Makes You Think...What If?

Reviewed in the United States on March 21, 2024

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I loved the character development in this book. The author did such a good job that I felt like I knew each character personally. Their stories were interesting and heartbreaking.

One person found this helpful

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Amazon Customer

Great book

Reviewed in the United States on March 7, 2024

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I’m enjoying the book now. Very interesting. Good character development. I’ll review further after I’m finished reading it,
Great book. I’m still thinking about the what if the this did happen. I think it could if we don’t stop climate change.

2 people found this helpful

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Suzanne Person

story of loss

Reviewed in the United States on March 14, 2024

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The events that unfold, one after another, tragic as they are, stitch together a fabric needed for survival, repeating lessons for navigating steps to stay alive.
This story revealing the dramatic warming of the earth and the changes people have to make, will cause you to wonder if you personally would be that change.

One person found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

Krista Kirkland

Very vivid in descriptions

Reviewed in Canada on December 7, 2022

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Just the other day i was talking to someone about how the water due to weather is threatening our land.

So this is a frightening and scary book because at some point In the next 100 plus years Florida will probably be underwater.

I love "The Light Pirate", how it's written..each of the four parts are in four elements..Power is whiplash fast, Water, Light, and Time are slower, hold more detail and reflection.

The authors writing and the description of the place, the storm, and the entire vividness of the changing landscape made me feel as if i was there.

This is a powerful story that i suggest and recommend you read. Now I need to go read Good Morning, Midnight by this author

Steveg11Sings

A portent of the future?

Reviewed in Canada on January 3, 2023

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Loved this book. It’s a great fictional story of what American life could be if we don’t get a handle on climate change.

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