The Immortalists: Is Knowledge Always Power?

Do you ever put off a book because it's been raved about, and you're saving it for a special time? Do you pick your books on mood, or do you plan your reads in order based on some logic or strategy only you understand? I put off books that I expect to become my favorites because I want to savor the read. I don't want the book to be over because my expectations are so high. The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin was one of the most raved about new books for the start of 2018, and it was selected as a #1 Indie Best Pick for January as well as an instant New York Times Bestseller. I put this off for the first quarter of 2018 and let some of the hype die down so that my expectations wouldn't be impossible to meet, and I'm glad I did.

My book club picked The Immortalists for our April read, and it was not our typical pick. We've done mostly thrillers and we wanted to switch up the pace. Chloe Benjamin takes us deep into the story of the Gold children, two brothers and two sisters growing up in New York in 1969. They're bored, they're hot, and they're looking for an adventure. When older brother Daniel suggests that they visit the old lady on Hester Street, his siblings are skeptical. The woman is able to predict the day of a person's death, a scary topic for children. Seven-year-old Simon is the youngest, and his older sister Klara is just 9. They're probably the two most affected by the news of their death days, news that guides their every decision for the rest of their lives.

The story that follows is broken into four parts. Each section tells the story of one of the siblings and their journey through life knowing when they will die. As you might expect, the book gets dark. As one after another of the predictions becomes true, the siblings - and the reader - begin to lose sight of the point. Counting down to your death can be either inspiring or debilitating, and we see both reactions from the four characters. Simon, who learns he will die first, strikes out to live fast and free while he can. Varya, who will outlive them all to 88-years-old, becomes obsessed with prolonging life and pursues a career in genetic research. One drawback of the story is that the four sections are focused on the final years of each sibling's life - so you see only the end, and miss many of their brighter days before their deaths.

The book forces the reader to reflect on their own life and how they might react to knowing their last day. I appreciated Benjamin's writing style and her reflection on death's effect on life. This book will encourage you not to wait to seek the adventure you've always dreamed about, but also to value your health and wellness so you can live long and happy. The contrast between Simon's short but happy life to Varya's long and lonely one encourages us all to find our own balance for longevity and joy. If you enjoy well-written prose and thinking beyond the narrative for your own self-reflection, this might be your next great read.