Mermaids in Paradise (Millet)

Book Reviews
It's a bold move to make mermaids the center of a grown-up story, even in a novel as hilariously funny as this one. But Lydia Millet's novels raise the bar for boldness. Through the window of the unlikeliest events or plot twists, she poses the questions many contemporary writers shy away from, or simply skirt…Millet's writing—witty, colorful, sometimes poetic—is, line by line, a joy to read, and her storytelling is immensely compelling. But there's always an equally compelling philosophical discussion humming beneath everything. In Mermaids in Paradise that discussion is about the different ways people see the world, and how perceptions form belief…In her most original way, Millet dares us to examine how we ever know when to be "hard core," or when it's safe to let down our guard. It's a testament to her novel's power that these mermaids retain their mystery, and that the ending of Mermaids in Paradise is one of the most luminous and unsettling in recent fiction
Rene Steinke - New York Time Book Review


Millet, with her keen sense of the absurd, brings the book to a surprising conclusion, and makes a point about corporate greed and the destruction of the environment without being heavy-handed.
Moira Hodgson - Wall Street Journal


A hilarious genre-bender that strikes some serious chords.
Jane Ciabattari - BBC.com


Suspenseful, philosophical, and tropical—the funniest you’ll ever read on ecotourism and the wisest you’ll ever read on mermaids.
Natalie Beach - Oprah Magazine


[A] deft satire…. Millet ramps up the suspense.
Melissa Maerz - Entertainment Weekly


(Starred review.) Absurdity and paranoia permeate the latest novel from Millet [Characters] brainstorm...how to save the mythical creatures—namely with videos, social media, and celebrity connections. In an era of uncharted connectivity, Millet comically deflates clear-cut distinctions between truth, fiction, and moral high ground.... [A] thrilling piece of fabulist fiction.
Publishers Weekly


(Starred review.) [S]mart and funny.... Millet means to criticize a rapacious culture that wants to simplify and categorize everything, from the resort profiteers to churchy types who see the mermaids as symbols of godlessness.... An admirable example of a funny novel with a serious message that works swimmingly. Dive in.
Kirkus Reviews