A review by winyeemichelle
When the Lights Go Out by Carys Bray
3.0
Eco-fiction is a new-to-me genre and one that I have found works with varying degrees of success.
There’s no denying that climate change and emergencies are already here: wildfires, flooding, typhoons and unprecedented weather mood swings are a regular occurrence. When the Lights Go Out tells the story of Chris and Emma, a married couple living on the site of an ancient waterbank. It simultaneously deals with the ecosystem of a marriage and of their immediate surroundings, a deeply human look at relationships in the face of disaster on many levels. Chris is preparing for climate disaster; Emma is optimistic and ready to rally. This novel looks at how necessary and fragile both can be.
I really enjoyed the way the book talks about climate change: we must face the issues head on, but not lose our heads in the process. Uncomfortably, we see Chris descend down a rabbit hole in the face of the climate emergencies and the impact that that has on the couple’s marriage and relationship. I found the middle section of the book to read quite disjointedly and it lacked focus, although that did add, I suppose, to the general atmosphere of chaos. What I did enjoy was the humanity of the story and how it talks about something we’re all facing. The setting of the book was perfect for this and, while a bit on the nose, this is an accessible eco-fiction read.