Paulette Jiles, the bestselling author of the highly praised novels The Color of Lightning, Stormy Weather, and Enemy Women,  pushes into new territory with Lighthouse Island —a captivating and atmospheric story set in the far future—a literary dystopian tale resonant with love and hope. In the coming centuries the world's population has exploded. The earth is crowded with cities, animals are nearly all extinct, and drought is so widespread that water is rationed. There are no maps, no borders, no numbered years, and no freedom, except for an elite few.   It is a harsh world for an orphan like Nadia Stepan. Growing up, she dreams of a green vacation spot called Lighthouse Island, in a place called the Pacific Northwest. When an opportunity for escape arises, Nadia embarks on a dangerous and sometimes comic adventure. Along the way she meets a man who changes the course of her life: James Orotov, a mapmaker and demolition expert. Together, they evade arrest and head north toward a place of wild beauty that lies beyond the megapolis—Lighthouse Island. Jiles’ dystopian novel, set in an overpopulated world ravaged by drought, follows a young woman on her quest to find her way to an island haven. Orphaned as a child, Nadia Stepan finds refuge in literature after her beloved guardian is arrested. As a young woman, Nadia has little aptitude for the government PR job she’s assigned to, and an affair with an Oversupervisor’s husband costs her the position and nearly her freedom. Nadia decides to flee to Lighthouse Island, an island in the Pacific Northwest that is rumored to have water and wildlife in abundance. Nadia finds an unlikely ally in James Orotov, a demolitions expert who was crippled in a blast many years before. After a fateful rooftop meeting, James aids Nadia in her flight, using his access to the system to help her avoid detection and arrest until he, too, falls into disfavor and has to flee. An unfortunate style and a world that, at times, feels cartoonishly evil mar Jiles’ otherwise compelling odyssey, which picks up considerably once Nadia and James are reunited. --Kristine Huntley “Jiles’s prose is a striking match for the barren landscape of this moody adventure tale.” ( Publishers Weekly on LIGHTHOUSE ISLAND) “A remarkably engaging story. . . . Jiles’s description is memorable and evocative.” ( Denver Post on THE COLOR OF LIGHTNING) “[A] meticulously researched and beautifully crafted story . . . this is glorious work.” ( Washington Post on THE COLOR OF LIGHTNING) “A gripping, deeply relevant book.” ( New York Times Book Review on THE COLOR OF LIGHTNING) “A rousing, character-driven tale.” ( Kirkus Reviews on THE COLOR OF LIGHTNING) “Jiles’ spare and melancholy prose is the perfect language for this tale in which survival necessitates brutality.” ( Seattle Times on THE COLOR OF LIGHTNING) “Lighthouse Island is a beacon of hope for Nadia, the clever, resourceful young heroine of Paulette Jiles’ spellbinding new novel. . . . Jiles’ writing is crisp and vivid as always, and although her setting is vastly different, her themes--independence, individuality, love of the land--remain intact.” ( San Antonio Express-News on LIGHTHOUSE ISLAND) “Nadia’s wandering journey maintains that hopeful anticipation of deep sleep. . . Jiles ( Color of Lightening; Stormy Weather ) has created a fascinating dystopic vision of a future world.” ( Library Journal on LIGHTHOUSE ISLAND) “The dystopian novel is beautifully written, and Jiles’ scenes of [protagonist] Nadia navigating the crumbling cityscape and her surreal interactions with the many desperate characters are vivid, shocking and often darkly funny.” ( Columbus Dispatch on LIGHTHOUSE ISLAND) “[I]nventive futurism and rollicking wit.” ( New York Times Book Review on LIGHTHOUSE ISLAND) Paulette Jiles's novels have been called "beautiful," "unforgettable," "impeccable," "pitch perfect," "life-affirming," "deeply relevant," "Homeresque," "remarkably engaging," "glorious." Now the acclaimed poet and New York Times bestselling author of The Color of Lightning , Stormy Weather , and Enemy Women limns new territory with this captivating and atmospheric story set in the far future—a beautiful and engaging literary dystopian tale resonant with love and hope. See the rain forests . . . northern beauty, misted nights. Come to Lighthouse Island . . . In the coming centuries, the world's population has exploded and covered the earth with endless cities. Animals are nearly all gone. Drought plagues the land and cloudy water is issued by the quart. There are no maps, no borders, no numbered years. On this urban planet the only relief from the overcrowding, the petty informers, and the harsh rule of the big Agencies is the television in every living space, offering dreams of vanished waterfalls and the promise of virtual vacations in green spaces for the lucky few. It is an unwelcoming world for an orphan like Nadia Stepan, abandoned by her parents