Pulitzer Prize finalist and National Book Award finalist and longlist honoree Lydia Millet talks with Zibby Owens about her stunning and original new double novel, Fair Ones. Grounded firmly in reality compared to her past surrealist works, the book focuses on how a sudden, shocking act of violence upends a tight-knit circle of friends in New York City, serving as a catalyst for an exploration of the complex nature of human grief. She explains her deliberate choice to rely heavily on fast-paced dialogue as a shortcut to character, shedding light on her protagonists' blind spots and capturing the unique, shared lexicon that naturally develops across decades of friendship since college.
Lydia reflects on the distinct texture of mourning a peer in one's 40s or 50s, diving into how unexpected tragedies instantly jolt us out of the comfortable normalcy of relative privilege. She unpacks the book's dual-narrative structure—spanning the distinct perspectives of best friends Mara and Jen—and details how she created a closely mirrored, Rashomon-style reflection of shared history. Lydia also opens up about why she finds process questions boring, her deep love for hiking among the alligators and swamps of Big Cypress, and how her writing has gradually evolved from the sharp cynicism of her 20s into a mellower, kinder perspective.
Learn more about Lydia’s work here, and follow her on Instagram @lydia.millet. You can purchase Fair Ones here.
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