T.C. Boyles’ Blue Skies
Blue Skies
“Blue Skies” is the new apocalyptic novel by the cult author T.C. Boyle. The plot is quite
gripping. The book is, on the one hand, a tragicomic family story and, on the other hand, an
environmental thriller, from which one hopes that the scenario never comes true. The
initially perfect and sheltered life of siblings Cat(herine) and Cooper turns into a veritable
nightmare throughout the story, making the narrative a page-turner. However, Boyle strikes
a more reconciliatory tone towards the end, leaving his audience with a glimmer of hope.
Willie I and Willie II
Although Cat and Cooper get along well, their lifestyles could not be more different. Cat
moves from California to Florida with her fiancé Todd. The “Barcadi Ambassador” has
inherited a house by the sea from his deceased mother. The hipster couple maintains a
sophisticated lifestyle. While Todd jets around the world for his parties, the neglected and
bored Cat discovers the influencer life for herself. To stand out and differentiate from the
flood of social media advertisers, the young woman first acquires a special type of animal
and shortly thereafter, a second one. On a whim, she names them Willie I and Willie II, which
colloquially means nothing other than “penis.”
When Cat becomes pregnant and gives birth to twins against her husband’s wishes, fate
takes its course. Both Willie II and the extreme weather in Florida play a crucial role, not to
mention Todd’s arrogant demeanor and his alcohol excesses.
A Bloodsucker Brings Doom
On the West Coast, Cooper, on the other hand, is dedicated to saving the planet with his
girlfriend. He has already successfully infiltrated his mother: instead of meat, they have
insect burgers for dinner, self-cultivated, of course. However, the persistently dry weather is
unkind to the breeder; her charges repeatedly die off. When Cooper is also attacked by a
bloodsucker during one of his field studies, it has unforeseen consequences. Thus, fate in
California also takes a grim turn, and the once success-favored sibling pair becomes two
losers driven by their destiny.
Scorched Earth
The Blue Skies under which both grew up cannot keep their promise. While it incessantly
rains in Florida, the earth in California withers away. On one side, people fight against the
masses of water that either sweep everything away or cause it to rot. On the other side,
people battle against the firestorms that leave nothing but scorched earth behind.
At the climax of the story, when the breathless reader already believes everything is lost,
Boyle pulls the literary emergency brake and signals a sign of hope. Nevertheless, the end of
the narrative remains open. The audience is left with an uneasy feeling that Boyle’s dystopia
is not so far removed from what we already partially see in news broadcasts. Fortunately,
Boyle has infused his terrifying scenario with a generous dose of black humor.
