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Top 10 books of 2018

#1

I‘m finally here. And only 20 days after my self imposed deadline!

This is book guys. Millet is a genius. What this book does is so difficult, and she makes it look effortless, makes her hard work almost invisible. If you believe fiction is about empathy, that the purpose is to fully inhabit lives that you otherwise wouldn‘t get to inhabit, then this is the book for you.

This book is a collection of interconnected short stories that revolve around a real estate agent and the people whose houses she sells. The stories have a very modern feel and encompass issues of race and poverty vs wealth. The characters are widely varied from wayward teens to older Holocaust survivor. Each is told from the perspective of a different character and the individual voices ring true. More of a character study than a story. 3.5⭐️

Not so much a short story collection but a novel with a different character narrating each chapter. Lydia Millet is a master of controlling the reader's emotions throughout, and you'll find empathy in places you'd never expect. Highly recommend. Shout out to @Waynegjr for the rec!!

Pub day on this spectacular book! Head on over to your local independent bookstore and grab one.

Holy crap, I can‘t wait for everyone to get a hold on this book. I very tightly interconnected set of short stories, Millet has written a masterclass in empathy, marking us fully feel the humanity of a half dozen characters, even one truly disgusting one. The rest of the year will have some steep competition for favorite book of the year.

See?

Lydia Millet is astoundingly talented.