Alex Aster Shares the Secrets of Lightlark
Photo Credit: Jennifer Trahan
If you follow the world of YA publishing at all, you have probably heard of Lightlark, the young adult debut from middle-grade author Alex Aster that is fairly reminiscent of the mid-2000s speculative fiction boom that gave us books like Divergent and The Hunger Games. The novel landed like a thunderclap in the publishing world, becoming an internet phenomenon (and generating no small bit of controversy) well before it ever hit shelves, thanks in large part to the author’s deft use of TikTok to engage her audience, where she solicited opinions about the book’s story and created a contest to let fans choose the novel’s cover.
Lightlark follows the story of Isla Crown, the ruler of Wildling, one of six realms fighting to break an ancient curse that is damaging their islands and harming their citizens in specific and terrible ways. Every 100 years, each kingdom must take part in the Centennial, an event where their rulers come together to try and unravel the damaging curses that are destroying their realms—all while putting their own lives at risk. Because for the curse to finally be broken, one of the rulers must die.
If for whatever reason you haven’t heard of Lightlark yet, chances are you will pretty soon. Thanks to all this pre-release buzz, the book debuted at #1 on the New York Times Bestseller list, #1 on the indie bestseller list, and #14 on the USA Today bestseller list. It has been acquired by Universal Pictures and will be developed as a film franchise in partnership with Temple Hill. (And this is just the first book in the series!)
We got the chance to chat with Aster herself about how Lightlark came to be, where she stands in the whole Grimshaw versus Oro debate, and the influence of BookTok on her journey as an author.
Paste Magazine: Tell me about how you came up with the idea of Lightlark. I know that getting this story has had quite a journey finding its way into the world!
Alex Aster: When I first moved to New York City, I lived directly across from an old church that had a round stained glass window at its front like an eye. I would look at it at night and imagine a fantastical world around it. The church itself actually made its way into the book!
From there, the idea for celestial-based powers developed. Then, the idea for the island that only appears once every hundred years, the curses, and the Centennial game. I poured everything I love in books into this one: fantasy, romance, mystery, and plot twists that I hope will keep the reader guessing until the very last page.
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Paste: How would you describe the overall story of this book? What is its big theme/message in your mind?
Aster: Lightlark is the story of the worst possible candidate being thrown into a deadly game against the most powerful rulers in the realms. Isla Crown has secrets that could get her killed. One of the 6 rulers must die to break all their curses. She is unprepared. She is clearly the easiest to kill. And she makes bad decisions. The big message for me is that, as Isla learns throughout her journey on Lightlark, you are always more powerful than you think you are.
Paste: How would you describe Isla’s journey in this story, and how does she change over the course of it do you think?
Aster: Isla begins the story believing the hardest part of the Centennial is killing one of the six powerful rulers. Instead, she learns there are histories, lies, and secrets that make the true game much different than the one she believed she was playing. Over the course of the book, she learns that the things she thought she wanted were not necessarily the things she needed. And she learns the importance of recognizing her own strength.
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