Mermaids in Paradise

By: Lydia Millet

Narrated by: Cassandra Campbell

In this hilarious novel from Pulitzer Prize finalist Lydia Millet, a honeymooning couple makes friends with a marine biologist who discovers genuine mermaids in a coral reef - and who, the next night, apparently drowns in her hotel bathtub. As a resort chain swoops in to corner the market on mermaids, the newlyweds (opinionated, skeptical narrator Deb and handsome online gamer Chip, the world's friendliest man) join forces with other vacationers - including an ex-Navy SEAL with a love of explosives and a hipster Tokyo VJ - to protect the mermaids from the corporate "Venture of Marvels" that wants to turn their habitat into a theme park.

©2014 Lydia Millet (P)2014 Dreamscape Media, LLC

Critic reviews

"An admirable example of a funny novel with a serious message that works swimmingly. Dive in." (Kirkus Reviews)

Rewarded for hanging in with this one

Where does Mermaids in Paradise rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I love many of the audiobooks I listen to - I dislike a very small number and don't even finish many of those. This one is an odd one that falls a bit more in the middle. I liked it a lot, but didn't absolutely love it.

What did you like best about this story?

A good story about mermaids is hard to find.

What does Cassandra Campbell bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I think I would have put down the book actually. There was something warm about her tone despite the thick irony at the beginning.

If you could rename Mermaids in Paradise, what would you call it?

Wouldn't rename it.

Any additional comments?

As I have indicated - a bit too ironic and sarcastic at the beginning but I was rewarded for staying the distance. The story all catches up with itself and is very entertaining and interesting once you break through.

Somebody had elocution lessons!

The story is unremarkable, giving way to the terribly obvious attempts at proper elocution from the narrator. I do not recommend.

monotone...

The story could have been interesting if it weren't for the cliche phrases & feigned intellectualism. Not what I was looking for in what I thought would be a fun beach read. I won't start on the narrator... Someone should get her a cup of coffee & have her try again.

What a silly story.

This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

Somebody who wants purely escapist fiction who has a low bar of quality.

Would you ever listen to anything by Lydia Millet again?

Not likely.

Any additional comments?

I ordered this because it was on several "Best of the Year' books. I can't imagine why.

Whimsical with some darkness

narrator is fine - just speed up the recording!
I like the story and the writing,