A Fire So Wild

Ruiz-Grossman’s debut centers on several people impacted by a raging wildfire converging on a prosperous neighborhood in Berkeley, CA. Ruiz-Grossman introduces listeners to the main characters prior to the blaze: slightly smug fundraiser Abigail with her unhappy wife and son Xavier; Xavier’s girlfriend, climate activist Mar; and Sunny and Willow, who are living in their van as they look for permanent housing. Affordable housing is a key topic that serves as a catalyst for a fundraiser Abigail is hosting at her home. Despite continuous warnings about the approaching wildfire, the fundraiser’s guests delay evacuation, with devastating consequences. The fire causes nearly everyone to reevaluate their values, needs, and futures, causing some to change tack entirely while others try to make sense of their irrevocably changed lives. Anger and helplessness vie with determination to affect change, even as the novel ends with the observation that real change may be out of reach. Narrator Marisha Tapera provides a solid performance, although it takes a bit of time to establish each character as individually recognizable. Tapera is particularly good at portraying Abigail’s complete bafflement at the emotions of her loved ones.