When climate change forces them out of the city, one couple must choose who to trust

California — Edan Lepucki

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California by Edan Lepucki

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What It’s About

Without pomp and circumstance, the reader is dropped into the lives of Cal and Frida, a young couple who live alone in a shack in the woods. They fled Los Angeles, the life they knew gone and destroyed, and they’ve made it so far by staying far away from others and living a quiet, albeit lonely, life.

We don’t know what has happened to the rest of the world, but we do know that it has affected everyone, and that life will never be the same. Cal and Frida grieve this life and their loss of community, but they lean on each other for support in their loneliness, and their relationship strengthens because of it.

When Frida finds out she’s pregnant, the couple knows they can’t do this alone anymore, and they set out in search of a new community in this ravaged new world. But trusting others is hard, especially now when resources are scarce and people could have ulterior motives. Cal and Frida do find a new community, but is it one they can build a new life in, or is it one they should be fearful of?

Why You Should Read It

Cli-fi has been ramping up in interest, and I don’t see it slowing down anytime soon. Cli-fi — climate-centered fiction — usually features a near-dystopia, a recently ravaged Earth due to climate change catastrophes. It can also be reminiscent of sci-fi, its namesake, with a further developed world post climate catastrophe.

Station Eleven is perhaps one of the most well-known and popular cli-fi books out there, but this one should be a close second in my opinion. It takes a terrible situation, fully realizes characters who don’t have many options, and shows how their struggle brings them together, because they’re all each other has. You’ll have plenty to talk about while reading this one — it’s a great backlist pick for book clubs — and can have discussions on what it means to have a community, what you’d do if you were in their shoes, and how you’d start over if needed after a worldwide climate emergency.

Lepucki is an author that should be on more readers’ radars — she has an incredible writing style, both approachable and lyrical, and manages to capture the audience with a plot while also creating deep character portraits. I am excited to pick up her new release, Time’s Mouth, about a woman with the ability to travel through her memories.

Usually this is where I have more book pictures of what I’m reading, what’s in my library stack, etc., but for new readers: I’m in the middle of a move! I close on my house this week, move next week, and hope to be unpacking my beloved books very soon! While I definitely have some to read that are not boxed up, I miss being surrounded by my books and taking fun pictures to show you.

In lieu of book pictures, please accept these instead — my dog, Digby, turned 6 last month, and I threw him a party! He is very cute.

I’m also making my way through lots of books: House Gone Quiet (such a good story collection!), City of the Lost (already can tell I will love), and listening to the audiobook of The Stranger Upstairs.

Can’t get enough, or looking for a different recommendation? Browse the archives, or check out some popular past recommendations: 

• A woman falls in love with a ghost stuck on earth — can the relationship last?

• Read about a foul-mouthed, chain-smoking, mystery-solving nun

• Read about a mom who accidentally pretends to be a famous author

I also love hearing from readers! Let me know what kinds of books you’re looking for that you’d like to see featured, or send in your most recent five-star read (or two) and get a recommendation just for you. You might be featured in an upcoming newsletter! Reply to this email to get in touch!

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