very breezy and easy to read collection of short stories... finished this book in two days... more please.

Enjoyable collection of somewhat connected stories that are also connected to our current time of dealing with climate change, another unfortunate four years with MAGA, and with the endless conundrums of family life. Millet is exceptionally witty and spot-on in this collection of mostly humorous, often poignant tales.

Atavists by Lydia Millet is the sort of book you feel sad about when you've finished it because it's just so good. Relatable, interesting, fresh and very real.

Atavists is a short story collection of linked stories that deal with life. Politics, immigration and relationships are touched upon in this collection. The writing of each story is good and they do link to each other. I personally enjoyed Cosmetologist the best but the rest of the stories were pretty empty to me and I struggled to connect with the collection overall. I would recommend this for fans of Lydia Millet because this seems to be in line with her other work.

The stories in Atavists are engaging and the characters are well-drawn. Great insight in the stories and you realize all characters are connected by the last story. Millet's work doesn't disappoint. Highly recommended for lovers of literary fiction and short stories. Thanks to NetGalley and publisher for the ARC. Pub Date: April 22, 2025.

#Atavists

Atavists is the first book by Lydia Millet that I have read, but it certainly will not be my last.

This short but impactful book features an interconnected cast of characters and their stories. Set in modern times, in an era of Gen-Z coming of age, and post-#MeToo movement, insurrection, and the COVID lockdown, these linked short stories offer witty glimpses into hindsight and explore the narratives we tell ourselves as we rationalize our experiences. They reveal how we often avoid facing uncomfortable realities and mislead ourselves to maintain a sense of comfort and control in an uncontrollable world.

I plan to re-read this book because I enjoyed it but also understood how the characters were connected by the end. I think a second reading would only enhance the experience. I highly recommend this book and am eager to explore more of the author's work.

Thank you to NetGalley and W.W. Norton & Company for the advance copy.

really enjoyed the style and structure of this book! It doesn’t have a plot so much as a series of slice-of-life vignettes from an interconnected group of people. It really worked for me!

The themes are timely and relevant. It was artful how Millet was able to do such robust and individual characterization with such limited word count and across so many different generations. Some of the characters are endearing, others are awful but they’re all uniquely human. Millet doesn’t shy away from depicting humans as they are: flawed, complex, and multi-layered. Overall, the writing is fantastic - there are some beautiful turns of phrase in this book - with strong pacing. I found it really tough to set this book down!

I enjoyed this a lot! I already want to re-read to catch some of the connections between people and stories I might have missed on my first read through!

4.5