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Mermaids in Paradise: A Novel
Mermaids in Paradise: A Novel | Lydia Millet
29 posts | 26 read | 36 to read
Hilariously funny. . . . Lydia Millets novels raise the bar for boldness.Rene Steinke, New York Times Book Review On the grounds of a Caribbean island resort, newlyweds Deb and Chipour opinionated, skeptical narrator and her cheerful jock husband who's friendly to a faultmeet a marine biologist who says she's sighted mermaids in a coral reef. As the resort's "parent company" swoops in to corner the market on mythological creatures, the couple joins forces with other adventurous souls, including an exNavy SEAL with a love of explosives and a hipster Tokyo VJ, to save said mermaids from the "Venture of Marvels," which wants to turn their reef into a theme park. Mermaids in Paradise is Lydia Millet's funniest book yet, tempering the sharp satire of her early career with the empathy and subtlety of her more recent novels and short stories. This is an unforgettable, mesmerizing tale, darkly comic on the surface and illuminating in its depths.
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Cosmos_Moon_River
Mermaids in Paradise | Lydia Millet
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Bailedbailed

I could not get into this one. I don‘t feel connections to the characters and can‘t get into a reading flow. I wanted to love it because my bff sent it to me and it has a cool title and cover, but there are so many other books to read, I‘m not wasting my time on it right now. What makes me want to read a little more, is as I just searched on google and Ed Helms may be making it into a movie, and I he‘s pretty funny… maybe I‘ll come back someday.

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Addison_Reads
Mermaids in Paradise | Lydia Millet
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Pickpick

I love Lydia Millet! 😍 That being said, this is definitely not my favorite by her and I would not recommend it to people who haven't read other books by her previously.

Millet yet again delivers an insane story full of satire and social commentary that had me engaged and entertained.

And then....she tossed in an off-the-wall ending that was completely crazy, yet strangely satisfying, even if it left me thinking WTH did I just read. 😂

StaceGhost What a great review! This was actually my first of hers and I loved it! Very dry, for a book about mermaids haha 2y
Reggie Yes that last 5 pages and her mic drop! Llololol 2y
44 likes1 stack add2 comments
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k8makesart
Mermaids in Paradise | Lydia Millet
Mehso-so

A book that felt "now" with a touch of the mystery thriller vibe. Most times the contemporary social commentary felt smoothly integrated into a well-paced story. Nothing life changing, but a good read.

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8little_paws
Mermaids in Paradise | Lydia Millet
Pickpick

OK, I love Lydia Millet but if you haven't read her, this is not where you start. This is a little wacky even for her, and I do think there was some pacing issues. I did get a decent amount of laughs from this satire though, and the ending is sure to result in a HUGE reaction by the reader--I thought it worked absolutely perfectly. This book is six years old, it is absolutely perfect for 2020 though.

JenniferP I just read A Children‘s Bible, the first I‘ve read of hers. It was weird but intriguing and made me want to read more of her books! 4y
8little_paws @JenniferP i think I'm going to reread sweet lamb of heaven soon. Definitely recommend fight no more 4y
Reggie Yeah that little revelation in the end made laugh so hard at the audacity of the author. But overall I really liked the message of how people can still come together to accomplish something great. This was a @cinfhen rec❤️. (edited) 4y
See All 9 Comments
Cinfhen I thought this one was wonderfully whacky!!! Have you read any others @Reggie 4y
8little_paws @reggie that revelation is SO PERFECT for the 2010s. Worried about these things we think we can control but turns out we were just avoiding the big problem. And here we are in 2020! 4y
8little_paws @reggie I tagged you in that spoiler but I am not sure if you can see it since it's a spoiler! I don't want to post anything that might tip off anyone b/c that reveal makes it part of the fun of reading it! 4y
8little_paws @cinfhen I've read this book, fight no more, sweet lamb of heaven and a children's bible. I honestly can't pick a favorite. Maybe fight no more. But a children's bible is excellent too. 4y
Cinfhen Thanks @8little_paws ❣️I‘ll see what I can find 4y
8little_paws @cinfhen do you have hoopla at your library? Lots of her stuff is on hoopla. 4y
32 likes9 comments
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hollylynnbee
Mermaids in Paradise | Lydia Millet
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New prized possession 🧜

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Susanita
Mermaids in Paradise | Lydia Millet
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This book about a wacky honeymoon was part of the library‘s summer reading program a few years ago. Looks...fun?
#mermaids #anewchapter

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Love the cover!!! 6y
Reviewsbylola 🧜🏼‍♀️🧜🏼‍♀️ 6y
52 likes1 stack add2 comments
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MaggieCarr
Mermaids in Paradise | Lydia Millet
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Bailedbailed

I gave it a fair chance, but not for me.

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Texreader
Mermaids in Paradise | Lydia Millet
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I saw this on Pinterest and just had to share with my Litten friends!

Centique Excellent! These are my kind of mermaids 👍 7y
Texreader @mrsmarch @Centique I love this so much!! This reminds me of our Little Free Libraries! 7y
mrsmarch @Texreader @Centique Little Floating Libraries! 😂 7y
90 likes5 comments
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Matilda
Mermaids in Paradise | Lydia Millet
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#riotgrams day 19: Art & Illustration

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Reggie
Mermaids in Paradise | Lydia Millet
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Pickpick

This was a pick for me before those last 5 pages. It'll still be a pick after I pick up my jaw and stop laughing at the audacity of this author. This ecological tone poem uses a couple's discovery of mermaids on their honeymoon to illustrate the end-times craziness of the world in which we live. Please don't let that statement put you off because there's a lot of hope and laughs in here. This book was bananas but good bananas.

Reggie @Cinfhen thanks for this book. It was a lot of fun, and I'm still smiling at the fact that she fails to mention the asteroid heading for Earth until 5 pages before the end. Lololol 8y
Cinfhen I agree, this book was ????crazzzy! I termed this read "Literary Lunacy" because the writing was so sharp but that ending..... 8y
29 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Reggie
Mermaids in Paradise | Lydia Millet
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I'm on page 40 and no mermaids yet. But there is this cast of crazy characters. The Plague Death is the BDSM club where her friend Gina, who revels in irony, had the MC's, Deb, bachelorette party, in a room named the Ravage Room, where women in corsets crying blood were serving drinks and a man sucked on Gina's toe as the main show. Not at all what I was expecting but quite a ride so far. Lolol.

sprainedbrain All that in 40 pages? Stacked! 😂 8y
Cinfhen Hehe...the mermaids are coming soon..and tons more of lunacy!!! 8y
31 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Cinfhen
Mermaids in Paradise | Lydia Millet
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#RockinMay Day 19 This book is literary lunacy and it's #FunFunFun 🌈🌈🌈( wish they had mermaid emojis) Deb is witty and clever, she's planning her dream honeymoon, and she believes she's found the ultimate destination. But Deb never could have known that her magical location is home to an undersea mermaid sanctuary! This book is quirky & campy but has a few serious undertones. Just go with it! #BelieveinMermaids #ProtectSeaBeings #ItsFriday

Dragon Sounds like a fun read! Adding it to my tbr👍 8y
Cinfhen It's goofy but fun! Just don't pay $15.95 like I did 😝 @Dragon (edited) 8y
TrishB There's a comment on the library needed there 😂😂 I'm going to struggle on this one - fun books don't figure very highly on my shelves - must be a miserable bugger!! 8y
See All 6 Comments
Cinfhen 😂 🤐🤐if I ever locate my copy, I'll send it to you! It's been lost at sea for over two years!!! @TrishB (edited) 8y
Reggie Just go with it/make the leap kinda books are my kinda books. Stacked. (edited) 8y
TrishB It's with the mermaids 😂😂 8y
104 likes5 stack adds6 comments
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Posh_Salad
Mermaids in Paradise | Lydia Millet
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Bailedbailed

I couldn't take it. The narrator disparaged everyone and everything and it just wore me out. And somehow the kitschy wedding rites are vaguely related to pedophilia - which is just a straight slap in the face to people who've been molested.

The book cover says this title was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. All I could think of was that review committee got a different book than I did.

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the_alternate_ending_library
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Listed in my eBay shop ---> factorystress Perfect beach match ❤🌊☀️👣

93 likes2 stack adds
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Sweettartlaura
Mermaids in Paradise | Lydia Millet
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You guys... Oh. my. God. I left a bookstore without buying a book.
😮😮😮
I went in to HPB to find a used copy of this. I've already read it, but we're discussing it for Book Club next week. In reading some comments posted by our group, I thought maybe I should speed-read it to talk about it.
There wasn't a copy here... And I didn't get anything else!!!
Mark the day, for it may never occur again

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EsquireGirl
Mermaids in Paradise | Lydia Millet
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Mehso-so

A honeymoon, mermaids, and murder! There was a lot going on in this book, which wants to pass itself off for a light, comical murder mystery. It was a quick read, with a fun group of characters, but it took me awhile to get thru because it just didn't hold my interest. The author threw in some very dark issues regarding environmental exploitation and destruction, which definitely dampened the frivolity of the story.

Sweettartlaura Do you like the twist at the very end? 8y
EsquireGirl Where they are out in the water and the whales appear? Meh. 8y
3 likes2 comments
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Cinfhen
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#augustphotochallenge #day10 #recommendsday So I'm offering a 2 for 1
My Wednesday fun pick & laid back read is the quirky, silly & entertaining Mermaids in Paradise. Newlyweds Deb & Chip get thrown into a madcap adventure on their Caribbean honeymoon...

12 likes1 stack add
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Fuzz
Mermaids in Paradise | Lydia Millet
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Mehso-so

Hmmm: I'm not sure about this one... It had a few moments, was sorta funny in a snarky/looking down on everyone not in my circle kinda way. The ending left me wondering why??? It seemed like an afterthought thrown in on the last page. Meh 😶

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Sweettartlaura
Mermaids in Paradise | Lydia Millet
Pickpick

What I LOVED about this book was that you find out that it's really all about something else in the last page or two. I had to re-think the entire thing at that point. Brilliant!

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bookwrm526
Mermaids in Paradise | Lydia Millet
Pickpick

Not, for me, as laugh out loud funny as I was expecting from some reviews. It was a good story, with lots of sarcasm and snark, and several of the passages were strikingly on point for the current political and social situation. The last 10 pages were a little head-scratching to me.

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bookwrm526
Mermaids in Paradise | Lydia Millet
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This has been particularly true in the last few days. I have blocked, hidden and unfriend e's so many people on social media recently because of the vitriol, and it has made me sad and tired.

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JPeterson
Mermaids in Paradise | Lydia Millet
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Pickpick

Quirky, light, easy read.

4 likes3 stack adds
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Bookgirl
Mermaids in Paradise | Lydia Millet
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Mehso-so

Amusing at times, boring at times, fun at times, annoying at times. Far too many comments about how "Middle America" is nothing but xenophobic ignorant bible beaters. And the ending! What? Frothy beach read with a fun cynical view turns into a bleeding heart cautionary tale on being Eco-conscious.

Bookgirl @Shortstack Ultimately I don't recommend this. Bummer, it started out entertaining. 9y
Shortstack Oh dear! Thank you for the warning! 9y
BookishFeminist @Bookgirl I feel the same way. I love Lydia Millet's wry, satirical tone, but boy, that ending. Felt like she'd written the book for nothing, though I guess that may have been part of her plan. 9y
Bookgirl @BookishFeminist It felt like two different books in one. 9y
20 likes4 comments
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Bookgirl
Mermaids in Paradise | Lydia Millet
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The narrator on her mother in law: "So I try to see his mother less as a malevolent, live person and more as a short, gnarled, wooden figure hulking in a shady corner of a room, a kind of totemic minor demon whose presence inoculates folks against purer forms of evil." This book has me laughing!

Shortstack If you remember, tag me in your final review. I'm intrigued on what you'll think of it as a whole! 9y
ReadingOver50 Such a great cover. Makes me want to read it 😀 9y
27 likes8 stack adds2 comments
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JPeterson
Mermaids in Paradise | Lydia Millet
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Only a few pages in, and wondering why I waited so long to read this.

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the_need_to_read
Mermaids in Paradise | Lydia Millet
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Starting this one tonight. Has anyone read it?

Rebeccak Yes! Really enjoyed this! 9y
11 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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corydora
Mermaids in Paradise | Lydia Millet
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Panpan

I liked the sound of this: mermaids? A satire on chick lit tropes? Sounded right up my alley. Sadly, the story followed a weirdly Scooby Doo-ish trajectory, with the most wtf ending I've read in a long time. And not wtf in a good way. It made me feel cheated and regretful that I didn't bail earlier.