Eleutheria

By: Allegra Hyde

Narrated by: Gilli Messer

SHORTLISTED FOR THE VCU CABELL FIRST NOVELIST AWARD
FINALIST FOR THE OHIOANA BOOK AWARD IN FICTION
A NEW YORKER BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR

“Allegra Hyde’s seductive first novel tackles the big stuff of climate change and the more intimate matter of heartbreak with grace. Indeed, Eleutheria bravely braids these together, the story of a lost soul moving through the world we’re rapidly losing.” —Rumaan Alam, author of Leave the World Behind

Willa Marks has spent her whole life choosing hope. She chooses hope over her parents’ paranoid conspiracy theories, over her dead-end job, over the rising ocean levels. And when she meets Sylvia Gill, renowned Harvard professor, she feels she’s found the justification of that hope. Sylvia is the woman-in-black: the only person smart and sharp enough to compel the world to action. But when Sylvia betrays her, Willa fears she has lost hope forever.

And then she finds a book in Sylvia's library: a guide to fighting climate change called Living the Solution. Inspired by its message and with nothing to lose, Willa flies to the island of Eleutheria in the Bahamas to join the author and his group of ecowarriors at Camp Hope. Upon arrival, things are not what she expected. The group’s leader, author Roy Adams, is missing, and the compound’s public launch is delayed. With time running out, Willa will stop at nothing to realize Camp Hope's mission—but at what cost?

A VINTAGE ORIGINAL

©2022 Allegra Hyde (P)2022 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

A New Yorker Best Book of the Year
A New Statesman Best Book of the Year

“Partly satirical, the book is also an urgent, absorbing story that asks how we are meant to live.” —The New Yorker

“The narrative toggles back and forth between the tropical island and Willa’s relationship with a Harvard professor. It’s a weird, melancholic adventure novel — not a genre specimen you come across every day.” —The New York Times

“2022 was an extraordinary year for climate fiction . . . and Allegra Hyde’s Eleutheria was a notable addition. The novel is a propulsive story, braiding together the protagonist’s past relationship with a professor and her current adventure on a tropical island, and deals with activism and idealism. It’s an inventive page-turner that says something the world needs to hear: the catastrophe of climate change is vast, yes, but there’s power in centering solutions–we are not without hope.” —Chicago Review of Books

Well written with a dynamic plot

The text grips you from the beginning and is a beautiful study in belief and reality. There is the belief of Willa’s paranoid parents that becomes their prison, mainstream society and Silvia’s belief that material wealth and comfort will be a safety net even when facing climate catastrophe, Willa’s cousins’ belief that fame will save them, and Willa’s belief that commitment will bring about real change. Each reality creates a small utopia or closed system for each set of characters that blossoms and subsequently wilts away. Beautiful work.

Willa Marks Journey to save the world

What a journey! I started listening to the book and did not know what to expect. Is it a true story based on a young girl's life? Growing up with paranoid parents that injected her with conspiracy theories, Or a futuristic story full of symbolism and romance.This is the Story of Willa Marks and her journey to save the world.
I Loved following Willa's adventures while she is meeting the love of her life that brings her to fly all the way to "Camp Hope" to save the world from a climate disaster.Is she going to succeed? You will need to follow her story and be part of her adventure.
Gilli Messer's narration is absolutely mesmerizing, She is telling Willa' story with sensitivity and yet with understanding and commitment. She brings to life the character, and you want to keep listening and explore the next adventure.
This is a story of idealism, commitment, and bravery.  It is  Allegra Hyde's first book , and I hope to read more of her writing in the future.

I tried…

… but failed. Couldn’t even finish it, just way too boring. The narrator didn’t help. Bummer.