By Larissa Page
This novel opens with Frida making supper for her husband and two stepsons as they prep the house for Hurricane Wanda to hit their small community in Florida. What transpires during the hurricane changes all of their lives irreparably. And so begins the story of Wanda, a girl born and named for the worst hurricane ever to hit, and who lives her subsequent years in a Florida that is quickly being overtaken by the ocean. The Light Pirate gives us an incredibly believable and realistic look at climate change in the growing, and at points terrifying, genre of climate fiction.
I truly loved this novel. I was hooked from the start and didn’t want to put it down. I fell in love with Frida, and Wanda—and, truly, all the characters. It ripped my heart out then put it back together again, more than once. The characters were well written and well developed right from the start. I instantly felt connected to them; I could feel their grief and sadness, their push and pull.
I also loved, and hated, how realistic the climate-induced dystopia was. Every part of the story— the increase in hurricanes, the decrease in coastline, the movement into the central US—was believable. The descriptions of the impact on Florida AND the impact on the interior states made sense. I hated this because it is scary; I loved it because it made the story believable and because I hope it will also work to open people’s eyes to the climate crisis.
I knew nothing about this novel going into it. It hadn’t been all over social media and I hadn’t seen it hyped anywhere. So, I am here to hype it for you! Fall in love with Wanda, and Florida. Be terrified by the very real possibility of losing an entire state to the ocean amid increasingly brutal hurricanes. Enjoy the slight touch of magic this novel brings, a small magic that doesn’t overtake the human story whatsoever but instead helps steer it here and there.
This is a story of human resilience and women’s resilience. A story of determination and grit, survival and love. It’s a bleak look at climate future but a hopeful look at human adaptation to it.