HOW THE DEAD DREAM by Lydia Millet

I am finding it hard to post a review about this book. It's difficult to know what to say.

HOW THE DEAD DREAM is a character study of T., a real estate developer who has difficulty making connections with his fellow human beings. Eventually, he starts to draw connections between his role as a developer and the extinction of many of the world's animals. He also recognizes something of himself in the lonely nature of these animals that are placed in zoos for their own protection and he begins breaking into zoos just to commune with the animals.

I found T's struggles to find and understand his place in the world compelling and his identification with the animals moving. The book is well-written and thought-provoking but not especially enjoyable to read. Those of you who are sensitive about animals should be warned. There are some scenes with violence towards and the death of animals that are difficult to get through. Overall, it is a very solid and well-done book but I found it difficult to get through. Not one I would read again.