Dinosaurs

By: Lydia Millet

Narrated by: Paul Heitsch

Over twelve novels and two collections, Lydia Millet has emerged as a major American novelist, writing vividly about the ties between people and other animals and the crisis of extinction.

Her exquisite new novel, the first since A Children’s Bible, tells the story of an Arizona man’s relationship with the family next door, whose house has one wall made entirely out of glass. The story delivers attraction and love, friendship and grief. But Millet also evokes the uncanny. Through close observation of human and animal life in the desert, she captures the daunting scale of human society without losing sight of the real difference one person can make in the world.

Written with humor and benevolence, Dinosaurs asks big questions: Can a person be good? Can a man be good?

Compellingly told, emotionally moving, and intellectually rich, Dinosaurs may be Millet’s finest novel yet.

©2022 Lydia Millet (P)2022 Dreamscape Media, LLC

Very Simple; Great Writing

It was a nice novel about the interior thoughts of a privileged, modern man. He’s a good guy with simple, interior struggles who stands up for the little guy. It was simple, but I found it very interesting and appealing. The reader has a consistent, good voice.

Savored this one

A lovely novel with endearing characters that feel very real. Will recommend to friends and plan to reread. I wasn’t sure about the narrator at first but he grew on me. And I loved the reflective nature of this text, how political and ecological undercurrents were present but not overpowering. No one existed outside of Gil’s compassion. I miss him already.

Fantastic!

Lydia Millet is a new favorite writer. Her ability to craft characters from material that sounds like real dud, is amazing. The story pulls the reader in, and wraps you in the world she creates.
I will be looking for more her writing!

Couldn’t quit listening and I’m not sure why. Wasn’t a fantastic story. It was just a guy talking about his life happenings.

Great writing. :) I’m not easy to please either I get bored quickly , and it kept my attention ;) thanks for writing it

Leaves imprint in mesa

A “Miss Lonelyhearts” for the Great Recession. Millet’s quiet sparseness is not to everyone’s taste, but her “takes” are thoughtful and her dialog tags quietly cutting. Narrator Paul Heitsch reads in a deadpan, unsmirking saunter well attuned to the author’s comic rhythms. This book is not as gentle or antic as some reviews suggested, and he as reader “gets” that. This book is not her biggest or best, but I think it is uncommonly thoughtful, small- and big-c Catholic… and consequently unmarketable. I miss when she goes really dark, as in her unforgettable George Bush Dark Prince of Love, but there are flashes of those teeth here. Hope for more of those teeth next time as the world burns.

Beautiful book

Without an ending.; it just falls off . But it’s worth a listen because character development and relationships are excellent.

Enjoyed this one

Big fan of Lydia Millet's novels, I look forward to digging into her older titles next.

Great character development

Just a wonderful story about people living their lives and learning from their experiences together

If Batman was a real guy and not a superhero

A modern day contemporary realist Batman story. Gil, a vulnerable wealthy orphan, learns to connect to others from his goodness, surrender to goodness and use goodness against cruelty and unconsciousness then finally receive goodness back.

A Day in the Life of Gill

3.5 stars for this touching, albeit meandering story about Gill. This book made several "Best of" lists for 2022. I agree it was well written and heartwarming, but it didn't change my life. It is really the story of Gill and a short two-year chunk of his life when he for no well explained reason decides to walk to Arizona from NY and move into a castle next door to a glass house. He has money to burn and there is a lot of internal monologue regarding him coming to terms with his worth in a non-monetary way. The neighbors have two kids, and he befriends the little boy, Tom, who occasionally gets picked on by a bully. He also volunteers at a Women's Shelter and meets a bird enthusiast and then self-appoints to backyard bird vigilante to protect the birds that are getting shot in the neighborhood. And, so it goes. It's truly a lot of Gill saving the day. If you enjoy books with no plot but a really thoughtful and well-developed character - this is for you. I do recommend it, but as I said, it wasn't a read that has changed my life in any huge way. It's short and sweet and sometimes that is exactly what you need. However, if you are looking for a character driven novel that will leave you with a tear in your eye and thinking about it long after it is done, I recommend, A Man Called Ove, by Frederik Backman. Dinosaurs was kind of a watered down but similar story.