Thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the Audio ARC!

My favorite story in this collection was the one about the retired suburban father who becomes obsessed with housing refugees in his backyard. The simplicity of the idea and the reality of the prose make it a hidden gem of a story. The same can be said for many of the stories in this collection. Simple ideas, excellent execution.

Thank you Dreamscape and NetGalley for the ARC!

3-stars

Reading, Atavists: Stories by Lydia Millet, was like being a fly on the wall in a community of connected characters. Listening to one story often answered a lingering question from another story and I often found myself wishing I could provide that context to the characters who didn't have it.
This short read was a welcome break from all of the fantasy I've been reading recently.

The variety of narrators really helped me visualize each slice of life. It was easy to imagine these as real people who were mostly just trying their best to find a good balance in life.

Happy Pub Day to this excellent short story collection from one of our best writers. I am a huge fan of the short story format, if you prefer novels or nonfiction or some other type of book, you might not be as enamored with this collection as I am. I love the way short stories punch you in the gut without a long preamble. You think you are reading a slice of life account of a kid who seems to be floundering, bartending just to have a job, and then you are completely heartbroken by a side character. These stories are interconnected, weaving a narrative web the reader can choose to explore, or simply take each vignette by itself. Every story is interesting on its own, woven together they create a tapestry of compassion and despair and love. A note on the narration: Normally I steer clear of audiobooks narrated by more than two people. I do not like full cast recordings. I was a bit worried when I saw this audiobook had several narrators. It was with a real sense of relief I found that each story had a single narrator. It worked wonderfully for this format. Switching narrators helped delineate between the end of one story and the beginning of the next. I started the book as a skeptic but was quickly converted to the multiple narrator format. Thank you to Lydia Millet, the narrators, Dreamscape Media, and NetGalley for the audioARC.

I really enjoy "linked stories." These stories involve people who are just tangentially related (neighbors, co-workers, therapists, etc. of a previous main character) but the last story demonstates there are hidden connections we may not even be aware of - therefore we shouldn't assume any of these characters have nothing to do with us. Some of the themes of the stories are generational misunderstandings (or connections), cancel culture, anxiety, and work stresses. Millet is a very accomplished writer and I'd definitely like to read more from her.
I listened to the audio book and it was very good overall, but on the first story narrated by a man, he trailed off at the end of sentences and I had a very hard time hearing and understanding (at my usual 1.5 speed, anyway). I was constantly turning the volume up and down.

Wow I loved this book!

I don't always find that I want to keep picking up short story collections, because there isn't any kind of suspense about what's going to happen next--and learning new characters for such a small amount of reading can feel like a chore.

This book did not have that issue! Each of these stories inhabits the same world, a world of upper-middle class, suburban self-conscious liberals. In each of the stories we experience a different character's perspective on many of the same events. Sometimes we uncover the truth, sometimes we uncover more questions than we had to begin. The stories are funny, sad, interesting and captivating.

This was an audio book and I really loved the narration, which shifted between voices for differentstories as the main characters changed. With that said, I'd like to get a copy of it as well to reread and flip around in to better understand the relationships between the stories and characters. I finished this in one sitting because I couldn't wait to learn more about all of the little weird things that Millet had introduced!

Definitely the best fiction of April so far!

Thank you to Dreamscape Media for an advance listening copy for an unbiased review.

So intimately normal. Interconnected short stories from various people in one neighborhood, such a fun takes on various moments/elements in our lives.
Loved the various narrators, gave each story its own life.

💌 Thank you so much to NetGalley for providing me with an advance listeners copy of this collection. It was well-narrated by a terrific cast. I always love when an audiobook gets multiple actors to bring the story to life. It only enhances the experience and helps to unify the overarching plot and glimpse into the lives of the characters.

I LOVE an interconnected short story collection, and Lydia Millet’s writing is such a wonderful pairing for this type of book. The topic of generational divide is at the heart of these relationship centric stories. We look at many different subjects that are integral (for better or worse) to our daily lives; climate change, social media, mental health and capitalism — what is in our power to control… and what controls us. More slice of life than anything, I enjoyed falling into these dynamics, story after story.

The depictions of the individual generations wasn’t always spot on, and not every story was a win for me. But as a whole, the collection works, and if you already enjoy Lydia Millet’s writing, I think this will be no exception.

THANK YOU #DreamscapeMedia and #NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review Lydia Millet's AMAZING linked story collection #Atavists, I was thrilled to receive this as an #audiobook (my preferred platform) and the narrators were stellar. While I was aware that this was a book of short stories, I did not realize that they were linked -- my favorite genre!!

This collection is one of the best I've read. Incredible characters and a brilliant weaving of time, places, events, and people. Each story worked perfectly as a method of informing details in companion stories. Each of the fourteen pieces serve to elucidate people's motivations and outcomes of events in some aspect. Simply brilliant. This genre is my favorite because, when it is done well - like this collection is = it feels like "real-life."

We want to know more about what interests us - how things start and how they end - but the reality is that life never ties itself up in a bow and sits at our feet. Millet, along with writers like Liz Strout, Melissa Bank, and more recently Ben Shattuck and Daniel Mason, weave tremendous narratives which inform readers, in subtle, interconnecting ways, how things are linked - for better or worse, in both fragile and enduring ways - and to me this reflects life itself. We are all, in various ways, interconnected regardless of how unique and independent we may feel. The planet, too, is part of this connection.

This book ends on a chilling note (not a spoiler!!) about how "we" as characters will"end" - also questioning what will live and endure. Politics, pandemics, climactic catastrophes all linger in the background of everything even as we try to fall into our own self-contained ecosystem(s) of work, family, etc. and grasp at the illusion of control.

For me, this collection was absolutely brilliant. Full stop. I thoroughly enjoyed every single story especially the lead off "Twist" which has a fictional single mother, Lydia, interacting with her young son, Sam, and trying to navigate the superficial and enigmatic world of social media. This story sets a variety of stages for the characters who follow and we get to see certain characters (parents, children, neighbors, customers) under a variety of lights. The ways in which the story details inform and elucidate companion stories is remarkable.

Topics like existential dread, climate catastrophes, miscommunication, division and connections between generations, family, love, misinformation, and loneliness thread throughout the stories.

Because I had the audiobook - narrated beautifully by Hillary Huber, Devon Sorvari, Patrick Zeller, and Pete Cross - the story titles were not listed on my app, but after the first story, every one that followed focused on an -ist (ex. artist, fetishist, mixologist, insurrectionist, terrorist, etc.) falling in line with the title of the collection - ATAVISTS (throwbacks to primitive behaviors).

I wanted to get this review done asap as the book goes on sale tomorrow 4/22/2025. If you appreciate well written stories (and linked collections in particular) DO NOT MISS THIS ONE!

"We are all waiting for a sign we never see."
Basically the people in these connected stories are all grappling with being stuck, they are stuck in their lives where they are searching for something.

I find it sometimes a bit lacking, I did not really get the sense of "climate activism" that I heard it was about. It was fine, but I was waiting for something more.
Millet does write interesting characters and situations, occasionally hilarious in their observation.

3.75

This was a miss for me. I don’t typically like short stories, but I was intrigued by the interconnectedness of these stories and the description of it as climate fiction, so I gave it a try. But nope. Many of the stories kept my interest and finding the connections between the characters too — and then it just ended. I kept waiting for the stories to add up to something but either they didn’t or I didn’t get it.

Thanks to NetGalley for an opportunity to read this advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

𝑨𝑻𝑨𝑽𝑰𝑺𝑻𝑺 𝒃𝒚 𝑳𝒚𝒅𝒊𝒂 𝑴𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒕 is coming out on April 22nd by @dreamscape_media and has a cast of narrators, including Hillary Huber whom I love! This is a short story collection that has a quiet interconnectedness throughout, which is becoming a form I enjoy immensely. These stories coalesce around a couple of families and I found I was quite moved by some characters, and less impressed with others, as real life is. I keep reading the synopsis to capture what this book is as a whole, but it is difficult to find the succinct sentence. It is of life, and generational differences, class systems, fears, and efforts to be relevant or meaningful. I laughed, sighed, cringed, and ultimately felt the heartbreak and hope. I was a fan of Millet after reading DINOSAURS, & this cements my fandom of hers. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

3.5⭐️ rounded up.

This is the first I’ve listened to / read by this author and I particularly enjoyed the way the author has written a series of short stories that all intertwine with each other and follow on from the previous one with great flow and ease. Usually I’d find something of this nature distracting to listen to ongoing as it’s varying characters etc but with a couple of rewinds and pauses (personal neediness) it was surprisingly manageable! I believe it’s due to the nature of the stories having a similar pattern and just overall well written.

It’s thought provocative though it’s fiction there are many aspects that touch on the world we currently live in and would be a good read for YA as well as older!

Was well narrated with particular note on the varying pitches and tone changes where applicable making the listener really feel into the clips easier fantastic job by Hillary Huber; Devon Sorvari; Patrick Zeller; Pete Cross.

With thanks and gratitude to NetGalley & Dreamscape Media for this ELC in return for this review. Wishing all at publication and Lydia Millet best wishes for publication on 22nd April 2025 📚🎧🙏🏼❤️

In a series of interconnected short stories, we follow groups of people as they navigate life and current issues in the world after COVID. This collection felt like a window into private lives that you would not otherwise see; a recent college grad’s therapy session, a couple investigating who is putting homophobic notes in their mailbox, and a woman getting her legs waxed, among others. A character study and a view of humanity from above, this left me feeling at times hopeful and at others disgusted.

I typically like interconnected stories, but I think this one may just not have been as much for me. Though it was still interesting to me, I did not feel like I took much away from it other than a slightly melancholic mood. I listened to the audiobook version of this book and found it enjoyable in that format, the voice actors put on an excellent performance!

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

This is an interconnected group of stories that focuses on current issues, like the pandemic, climate change, homophobia, social media, misogyny, etc. There are some truly interesting plot lines and characters here, but we don’t spend enough time with any for them to become truly meaningful or develop any connection. I didn’t feel there were any true standouts, and think this would have worked better as a novel; there would be more room for character development and exploration of various issues.

Brief summaries below:

- “Twist”: An interesting musing on social media and how everyone’s life looks so great until it’s dissected.
- “Dramatist”: A high school girl realizes that her brother, a recent college graduate who has become very into fantasy, is not as amazing as he’s always seemed to her.
- “Fetishist”: A comparison of the differences between sons and daughters growing up.
- “Artist”: A mother urges her daughter to start a service project.
- “Terrorist”: A gay couple keeps finding hate mail in their mailbox.
- “Mixologist”: A young man talks about the people he meets in his job as a bartender, in particular a gay couple, one of whom is married with another family.
- “Gerontologist”: The girl from “Artist” (Mia) talks about her experience working in a retirement home until she is asked not to come back.
- “Pastoralists”: A misogynistic man discusses his dating life, calling women “sheep,” commenting on their weight, and talking about how he uses them to feed his ego.
- “Cultist”: Shelley and her sister, Mia, bring their boyfriends to dinner to meet their mom.
- “Futurist”: A conceited academic is found to have plagiarized a line in his book.
- “Insurrectionist”: A woman becomes obsessed with her ex, who dumped her because of her weight.
- “Therapist”: A therapist goes hiking and muses on global warming and the dying world.
- “Cosmetologist”: A waxer has a small breakdown while thinking about her little cousin who died of Covid.
- “Optimist”: A man builds a guest house and signs up to be the hosts of Afghani refugees. His wife vacillates about it.

A great premise but the work itself falls short in almost every imaginable way. The storylines are flat and the characters are one dimensional at best.

I’m obsessed. These stories had me hooked from the very first line and didn’t let go until the last. The way the characters are revealed and connected is pure storytelling magic. Every twist, every emotional beat landed hard. I couldn’t stop reading! My heart is a little shattered and I loved every second of it. The only reason this isn’t five stars is because, while the writing was strong and compelling, I didn’t quite feel that extra layer of beauty in the prose that I am always chasing. Still, an absolutely stellar read.

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the chance to listen to this title in exchange for my honest review.

Sadly not for me…

I picked up Atavists: Stories by Lydia Millet with high hopes, especially seeing that it’s from a Pulitzer finalist. Also the synopsis sounded great. But honestly, it just didn’t click with me. The stories felt like they had too many pots on the stove—too many themes, too many layers, too many POVs—and instead of being intriguing, it ended up feeling inaccessible and kind of... boring? I wanted to connect with it, but I found myself zoning out more than once. Maybe it's just one of those books that works for others but not for me.

By the way, I really do appreciate the writing style. It was funny and darkly humorous at times and I found myself enjoying some particular stories more than the others.

Thanks to the publishers, Dreamscape Media and Netgalley for the ALC in exchange of my honest review.

Some stories resonate more than others. Writing generally strong. Offers diverse perspectives, though not all fully realized. Worth a look for short story fans seeking variety.

This short story collection touches on politics, immigration, and relationships through linked stories with recurring characters. The writing is solid, and I liked how the characters popped up in different perspectives, but overall, the stories felt a bit too brief. Just as I was getting into each one, it was already ending.

My favorite story was Cosmetologist—it stood out the most. The rest didn’t really land for me. There’s no strong plot or clear theme tying it all together, and while the characters were well-written, the whole thing felt kind of aimless. The final story especially left me feeling bleak in a way that didn’t feel meaningful—just heavy.

If you’re a fan of Lydia Millet’s style, this might be up your alley. Personally, I just wanted more depth and direction.

**.5

The collection of short stories are loosely linked, with some recurring characters. It was interesting in spots to see the same story told from different POVs, but mostly it just felt like a choppy disconnected novel, as the individual chapters both didn't quite stand up on their own and didn't have a cohesive plot or theme to really tie them together.

The book was written and is set in the post-Covid age, but many of the observations about social media (referred to as "social" in an attempt to be hip but just comes across as cringe) and other aspects of modern life feel like they were written in 2013. For instance, Millet leans hard into the Millenial/Gen Z divide. But the author is a couple of years older than me (solidly Gen X) and it feels contrived. As do the characters launching into lengthy soliloquies in the middle of banal conversations, in order to bestow their wisdom upon us. Seriously, no one talks like that!

In the pursuit to portray Modern Life in California, there is an endless stream of trying too hard to address contemporary issues. Everything from LARPing, internet porn, climate anxiety, catfishing, getting a Brazilian, Elon Musk's hair implants, Afghani refugees, and lazy digs at trump make an appearance. But there was little insight you wouldn't find in 20 minutes scrolling on Bluesky. It felt like a bunch of trendy hashtags dressed up in narrative form to attract Likes.

Millet is definitely a skilled writer, and I do appreciate what she was going for. But overall the individual stories had weak endings and got very little out of the book.

I listened to the audiobook courtesy of NetGalley. The narration was excellent.