Book Review & Discussion Guide | The Light Pirate by Lily Brooks-Dalton

This book utterly destroyed me. The Light Pirate by Lily Brooks-Dalton slams in to the reality of climate change and sea-level rise with this devastating and poignant novel. Wanda, a strange child born in the middle of a violent hurricane, hangs on by a thread through her life as Florida is slowly reclaimed by the water that surrounds it. If you like dystopian future fiction, this book delivers.

This would make a great choice for your next book club! Need help facilitating the discussion? Check out my book club discussion questions for this book below!

Book Club Discussion Guide for The Light Pirate by Lily Brooks-Dalton

1. At the beginning of the book, Lucas and Flip sneak out of the house to explore even though a hurricane is predicted to make landfall at any moment. Why do you think Flip followed Lucas even though he didn't seem to want to? How did this affect Lucas?

2. The author gives us a glimpse into Frida's thoughts on that fateful day. Why do you think she kept saying she didn't really care about what happened to the boys?

3. Years later, when Wanda had to stay home alone while her brother and father went to work on the lines, she decided she would break one of her dad's big rules by going to the Edge. Why do you think he had this rule? What was the big deal about the Edge? After all those years, why was this the first time the light showed up for her?

4. Why do you think Wanda wanted to stay in Florida so badly? Why didn't she want to go where it was safer with her brother?

5. What was Wanda's relationship like with her dad? What was it like with Phyllis?

6. What do you think Wanda's power with the light was? Why did she have it? Why didn't Phyllis want her to use it after everything around them closed down?

7. Why did Wanda stay so isolated after Phyllis died? Why didn't she trust anyone?

8. Why do you think she felt a connection with Bird Dog?

9. What do you think the future of society was at the end of the book?