Huge thanks to NetGalley and Octopus Publishing for letting me read an ARC of this audiobook! 🎧 📖
This was absolutely excellent. As someone whose career is focused on public health research and messaging, I was hooked from the very first chapter. The whole book was a little uncanny as the possibility of this drug feels not too far fetched, and I loved that aspect of the story. What I loved even more was how thought provoking it was, and I found each character’s experiences so interesting and moving. I’ll think about this one for a while, I reckon. Yuki was such a wonderful character especially. 100% recommend!

A fascinating and well-paced story that bounces around the globe and spans multiple timelines can be confusing, as the story jumps back and forth. That said, it’s an enjoyable listen! Would you want to live forever? With Yareta, you can but at what cost?

Audiobook narration. At times, I struggled to hear what she was saying, even with the volume turned up. She sounded far from the microphone, and her voice was so quiet but other than that, the audiobook production was perfect. I've not listened to anything Lydia Wilson has narrated before, but I'll look out for more titles she narrates in the future. She does accents well and distinguishes between characters well, it was a calming and easy listen.

Thank you Octopus Audio, Brazen and NetGalley for allowing me to listen to this audiobook before it's released on 27th March 2025! #WhoWantsToLiveForever #NetGalley

4.5 ⭐️ Audiobook review
Thanks to Netgalley and Octopus Audio for allowing me to listen to an ARC of this audiobook!
The premise of this book really intrigued me as it seems like something that could be so close to becoming a reality and I just couldn’t stop listening - I also think the fact Yuki and Sam, our 2 main characters are a similar age to myself when their story begins makes it feel a lot more relatable. I feel like i’ll be thinking about it for some time, what would you do if offered a drug that could expand your life and make you live ‘forever’?
The last 5 minutes of the story surprisingly got me emotional, I was really rooting for Yuki 🥲
Also thought the narration was great, initially I thought it was a little too soft spoken but actually this made it easy to follow and listen to.

I feel like I'm missing something. Because this book just kind of...ended and I had no idea what was going on. With an abrupt, rather ambiguous ending and such an enormous topic that had been slowly unspooled through the rest of the book, it felt like the author just didn't know how to end things, so she ended it like...that.

Billed as the successor to 'Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow' - and I will admit, there are similarities in style, tone, and execution, 'Who Wants To Live Forever' is an ambitious literary debut exploring what would happen if the ability to prevent ageing suddenly became a reality for humans. It follows a couple through decades of their lives as they grapple with this idea as one takes the miracle drug and one decides to go without. It's a fascinating concept and not necessarily a bad book - three stars for me is decent. But I felt the execution wasn't as successful as it could have been, hence the chosen rating.

The book jumps wildly between different time periods, which both works and doesn't work. I found myself getting lost - particularly as there are perspectives from supporting characters which adds little to the the two lead protagonists - and unsure which character was which in the narrative. Even from the beginning, I couldn't say I felt drawn in and compelled by the narrative because I was trying to focus on what was happening when and what year it was and what did we already know.

I have no doubt this is going to be a 'literary sensation' as the marketing is eager to remind me, but it's one of those books where I kept waiting for something profound or thoughtful or life-changing to appear and it just never did. It tried to cover so much in so few pages that it didn't really explore anything much at all.

What if Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow collided with Normal People in the universe of Everything Everywhere All at Once? It would spawn WHO WANTS TO LIVE FOREVER, a time-bending, decades-long quest for immortality catapulting you from Japan to Silicon Valley to eternity.

I was given this as an ALC from @netgalley.

Sam and Yuki are married professional couple, battling failed IVF treatments- Sam is a failing musician and Yuki campaigns against the life extending drug Yureta entering the UK market. After the vote goes against Yuki’s wishes she finds out that Sam has went behind her back and is now looking to extend his life up to 280 years. This book bounces between London, Tokyo and the US This opened a whole world of questions of ethics, politics, eugenics, and the abuse and black market of such a drug. Would this drug spell the end of innovation as people stay within their jobs and roles for hundreds of years. People not wanting to marry and instead choosing ceremonies where they commit to each other for 7 years. Having to apply for a permit to have children.
If you extended your life in order to achieve your goals - but what if you STILL don’t reach the heights you think you will?

I really enjoyed this book and the conversations it struck up when discussing the dynamics within it, the pressures society can often feel to look young and stay beautiful. The diameters placed on those who took this drug - the age limit of 25-50, and the price tag that comes with it ensuring only the rich can take it. What would it mean for those chronically ill or disabled, the fact the characters hire helpers as now their lives are worth so much they become risk averse? Is that a life worth extending ?

I wish we had heard more about what happened after you finished taking the drug. There’s a lot of characters within this book and it does bounce around quite a lot but I’m glad Yuki got her happy ending. I really dislike this cover though!!!

This was such an interesting read that looked at the result of life extending drugs beng introduced, it raised so many interesting questions, such as:

Is spending lots of money/time worth the extension of your life?
What happens when people misuse the drug?
How do counterfeit drugs play a role in this world and what effect do they have on the people who take them?
What happens to your relationship with the people in your life who choose to not take the drug?
How do beauty standards change when you can ‘freeze time’?

While this book was incredibly thought provoking and intriguing it didn’t grip me as much as I thought it would. I didn’t feel a strong connection to any of the characters, however the world was more than interesting enough to keep me hooked!

While this book explores the result of life extending drugs and their impact on this world, it also looked at different paths you can take in life, and the differences between taking your own path vs the path that looks the nicest or the path that you are expected to take. I love stories that look at this and it was a great aspect of the book.

The audiobook was narrated well, however I found the jumps in time a little confusing and I would have loved to have the chapter names added to the audiobook player. I will definitely reread a physical or digital copy in the future.

**Listened to the audiobook**

This book has really been hyped up as one of the biggest books to come in 2025 - so of course I wanted to get on the band wagon and read it for myself before the hype starts.
The premise of this book is really intriguing, and definitely feels like this is something that could be coming sometime in the future - it really feels like it's a possibility.
The narrator was great, and she played the different characters really well - there are lots of characters here and she made differentiating between them very easy.

The pacing of this book is very very slow, the first half of the book felt like it took an age to get through. It looked at the government and introducing the policy into law. I just wanted the book to get going with the ageing or lack of - once this did happen, I had lost a lot of interest in the characters.

This book was just OK - I may try reading again in the future - not on audio - as it could be a case of right book, wrong time for me.

4.5⭐️ rounded up

The only slight issue I had was that there were quite a lot of characters throughout this story, which, on occasion, I found challenging. However, I am aware this is a me thing. I am not necessarily sure I can say what was written was too much for the storyline involved.

Primarily the author focuses on Yuki and Sam who were a couple in love expecting to spend their lives together until Sam chooses to take the "wonder drug" that promises eternal youth and no more of the aging process while Yuki has been advocating against this she was shocked at this ultimately leading to the breakdown of their relationship.

It was a time of great breakthroughs in a fast changing world, and although Yuki didn't hold any grudges, she just couldn't quite understand or go along with Sam's decision.. Much of this world we live in today people are acclimatised to the superficial of life and how one SHOULD look etc. Seeing this as more important than many other aapect of their lives. I can understand the prospect of not to face ill health and pain within the storyline. However, the superficial comments around 70% mark had me reeling because this is exactly what we face already today. People get slated for wrinkles, etc, pushing more to consider botox or fillers, etc, when they maybe didn't previously feel overly concerned about this in the past!

Many people grow old gracefully but sadly too many feel the pressures from those who are not only friends, colleagues etc and social media platforms but the core of this really comes from advertising, from those in higher powers or positions in this world stage, singers, actors, political figures etc, whome everyday people look up to. They are already setting certain standards of what is to be expected, making the world much more diverse in such topics. I could easily see how this can and will be something that is happening in our future.

The storyline plays out in a dualiastic timeline of mostly 2020 and 2039 (roughly). There is so many thought provoking moments in this where you can very easily see how this is exploitation in all it's glory, political moves, business whether you agree or disagree on the ethics of the product it is out there... This is something that is really already on our doorstep and I genuinely can and do understand how fantastic the idea would be of knowing you won't have to face ill health etc there are just so many layers to this, many morals and ethics that really only each individual can and will have their own view here and although I've highlighted a couple of areas of significance this doesn't share my overall opinion but points out how thought provoking this piece of writing actually is...!

What would you decide if given the choice?

Fantastic work and beautifully narrated a really peaceful tranquil voice that Lydia Wilson has. She was absolutely perfect for this audiobook.

With much gratitude and pleasure to Netgalley & Octopus Audio for this ELC, it is one I will remember.

Sam and Yuki are a young married couple, soulmates, destined to grow old together; or so it should be. Things get complicated when Sam decides to start taking Yareta, a drug that promises eternal youth.

The books tackles such an interesting premise in the most incredible way, making it all feel so grounded in reality. It brings up so many questions, and is incredibly thought-provoking; it's definitely one of those reads that will stick with you for a while for a reason or the other. The characters were so compelling, very easy to root for and very fascinating to follow through their lives. I also really loved the writing, it was so beautiful, and captivating, making it impossible to put this down. I listened to the audiobook, and I also really enjoyed the narration,

Many thanks to Octopus Audio & NetGalley for the ALC. All opinions are my own.

A powerful and compelling debut novel, that’ll keep you thinking long after you’ve closed the book.

Uose cleverly poses the question would you want immortality? If you could buy a drug that preserved you at the same age for eternity would you take it? At what cost?

Sam and Yuki are a young married couple, soulmates, destined to grow old together. Sam is an aspiring musician. Yuki campaigns against the introduction of Yareta, the drug that promises eternal youth. Sam decides to take the drug and essentially leave Yuki behind. As the story unfolds we are introduced to a diverse cast of characters the world over, but the world is changing and seems divided between those on Yareta and those who are ageing.
It’s big business. It’s political. It’s believable, fascinating and a little bit terrifying, yet tender and beautiful.

The writing is stunning, I didn’t want the story to end. I predict big things for this book! Don’t miss it.

I really enjoyed Lydia Wilson’s audio narration on the title🎧

Huge thanks to Octopus Audio via NetGalley for the opportunity to review this ALC 🎧

I received the audiobook arc of this book. Unfortunately the narrator voice isn't the type I enjoy listening to. So I'll wait to read this one physically because I do not want my rating to change because of a narrator (which isn't their fault)


Thank you netgalley for the copy.