We chat with author Caryl Lewis about The Danger of Small Things, which follows a teen who uses her art to protest injustice and galvanize others to resist in this near-future dystopian novel about girls finding their voices in the darkest of times, perfect for fans of The Handmaid’s Tale and Girls with Sharp Sticks.
Hi, Caryl! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Absolutely! I live on a farm in the Welsh hills with my husband, three children and various animals. I’ve been a writer for over twenty years and started my career writing only in Welsh. I’m a beekeeper and am passionate about nature, reading and fragile cultures of all kinds.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
I used to love to read as a child. I lived in quite a rural location, so reading was my escape. The library van would come to the farm (a mobile library service) and it was the most exciting day of the month!
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: It was called ‘Smot y Ci’ (Spot the Dog)
- The one that made you want to become an author: I read a book called ‘Un Nos Ola Leuad’ by Caradog Prichard set in North Wales. It’s a heart-breaking read translated into English as ‘One Moonlit Night’
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: I have too many! As a teenager I read Z for Zachariah (Robert C O’Brien) and it made an impression on me. Timing is everything.
Your latest novel, The Danger of Small Things, is out March 24th! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Dystopian, tense, lyrical, feminist, and hopeful.
What can readers expect?
The book is set in a near-dystopian future where all the bees have died. Famine and wars stalk the land and climate change has accelerated. In this world, children are taken from their homes. Boys are taught to fight and girls have to pollinate crops by hand. The book follows Jess’ story as she begins to fight back against the system. Readers can expect a tense emotionally charged dystopian book about survival resistance and creativity.
Where did the inspiration for The Danger of Small Things come from?
I’m a beekeeper and am acutely aware that our bee populations are very unhappy. They are the canary in the mine and are trying to whisper to us that the state of nature is precarious. Hand-pollination is already carried out in some parts of the world where local bee populations have collapsed. I find the fact that people seem oblivious to this terrifying. I also have a teenage daughter who spends her time painting. The destruction of nature leads to the roll-back of women and girls reproductive and bodily rights. I wrote this book for her, to tell her how important her voice is.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
I really enjoyed writing the relationship between Jess and Eliot the guard as their interactions are so dangerous for both of them. I also loved writing Charmian. I can’t tell you why or I’ll spoil the story!
Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?
My novels are usually filled with natural descriptions and I love to write about the subtleties of the changing of the seasons etc so writing a landscape that had little to nature left in it was tricky! There was no easy way around it so I leant into describing the heat, the soil and had Jess imagine the beauty of nature instead. In the end I think it added poignancy.
What’s next for you?
I’m delighted to say that I’m writing the sequel to The Danger of Small Things.
Lastly, what books are you looking forward to picking up this year?
I’ve just read Gone for Good by Sarah Crossan which was brilliant. I’m looking forward to read Land by Maggie O’Farrell too.
