I think that the idea of the story was a lot more fascinating than the story itself. I was a little underwhelmed unfortunately. I wanted to know more about the fortune teller and the concept of the dates, however, after the characters found out their dates it was just about each sibling’s life which was nothing special or different.
I didn’t like any of the characters and just didn’t care about them. Having said that, you do want to keep turning the pages because the writing itself is great. People have loved this book so please do give it a chance as I might be in the minority. Thank you netgalley for the opportunity to read this.

Great premise, but left me underwhelmed as a novel

Have we reached a point where for a book to be regarded as ‘literary fiction’ all that is required is that it’s not genre fiction? I ask because this comes accompanied with lots of hype and buzz but personally I found it both underwhelming and eminently forgettable.

The fascinating premise asks questions about how we would live if we knew with certainty the date of our death – but this big theme gets shoved aside for what are more or less four consecutive mini stories of the four siblings who have consulted a woman who claims to know when they will die.

The first story is clichéd and obvious – Simon’s gay and promiscuous, it’s San Francisco at the start of the ‘80s – no points for guessing what ends his young life. The second story of Klara the magician takes a different approach to the issue of predestination but much of the story is taken up with magic tricks and showmanship - one of my personal pet hates in fiction.

Daniel’s story finally starts to capitalise on the family dynamics and the effects of the prophecies but it shades away into handy meetings and an unbelievably melodramatic climax. His life as a medical doctor, prominent in the blurb, is also a red herring: he might as well be an accountant for all the effect it has on his story. And Varya’s story takes us into another direction again with her research into the ageing process. The latter is researched well but fails to ignite a novel which struggles to deal with its own premise.

Throughout the writing is serviceable but has nothing distinctive or particularly stylish about it, and I found the stories about the siblings frequently a bit superficial and shallow. Daniel starts to probe questions of religion as a way to give shape to a life and what happens when religious belief is rejected – but considering that it’s 2006 and the existentialists had already faced up to the loss of faith and the personal responsibility that ensues for living a life of secular value, it hardly feels fresh or novel.

Overall, there’s a great premise that kicks off this book – but what follows doesn’t do it justice. The guiding idea gets lost or submerged, and when it emerges it's only to be treated in desultory fashion. I hoped the story of the Gold siblings would tackles issues in both an intellectual and emotive way but, for me, this was a bit of mildly pleasant puff.

2.5 stars.

I'm sorry I won't be writing a review as I abandoned the book unread beyond the first few chapters (see my comment in Opinions above).

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and Chloe Benjamin for my ARC of The Immortalists.

In 1969 a mysterious woman arrives in New York, rumour has it that she can fortell the date of your death. 13 year old Varya goes to see her with her three younger siblings; Daniel, Klara and Simon. What they hear precedes the events which follow. What would you do if you knew when you were going to die?


Simon runs away to San Francisco for a wild life of dancing, sex and a free life. Klara pursues her dreams to become a successful magician, Daniel continues medical school to become a doctor and Varya turns her studies to science. But each sibling is strongly influenced by the predictions the woman made.

The story follows each of the children in their adult lives as their predicted dates of death grow closer. It is a story of family, not just the love shared between family but the dislike, the disapproval of others decisions, the selfishness, the selflessness and the actions which lead to consequences beyond others control. It is an interesting insight into the siblings interior lives and it reads like a Man Booker Prize nominee Book. I hope that makes sense!
Thoroughly engaging, exploring several topics, something that will stay with me for a long time.