In Who Wants to Live Forever Hanna Thomas Uose creates a world where a life extending drug exists that stops people ageing for maybe a couple of hundred years. Its existence serves to prompt some very human questions such as “What could I achieve if I just had more time? “What if I or my loved ones don’t have to get ill?” It is, of course, prohibitively expensive for the majority of people and many people, including Yuki one of the main protagonists, are opposed to it on ethical grounds. At the beginning of the novel, Yuki is campaigning against it prior to a BREXIT style referendum over whether it should be available in the United Kingdom. (It is already available in the USA). With a similar close result, the miracle drug becomes available and Sam, Yuki’s husband, decides to remortgage their house and take it.
Hanna Thomas Uose manages to explore so many of the potential advantages and drawbacks of the drug, both for individuals and for society, without ever losing sight of her characters loves and lives. They are at the centre of this poignant and thought provoking novel.
The audiobook is beautifully read by Lydia Wilson

Who Wants to Live Forever is beautifully written and the narrator was extremely good. Moral and ethical dilemmas abound within this touching love story. May seem to be aligning it with Tomorrow, Tomorrow Tomorrow but I think this work is so much better. I was disappointed with the ending but the rest is just wonderful.

*Who Wants to Live Forever* by Hanna Thomas Uose is an upcoming novel set to release on March 27, 2025. This time-bending story explores themes of immortality, love, and the human condition. It follows Yuki and Sam, soulmates destined to spend their lives together, until a miracle drug offering eternal life disrupts their plans. Sam chooses immortality, leaving Yuki to grapple with the consequences of his decision.

The novel is described as a bold, inventive narrative that spans decades and continents, blending romance, philosophy, and speculative fiction. It raises profound questions about life, death, and the meaning of love in a world where forever is for sale. A must-read for fans of thought-provoking and emotionally resonant

A thought-provoking exploration of mortality and the societal disparities in a world where aging can be halted. The narrative propels the reader into a richly imagined future, examining the ethical and emotional ramifications of (almost) eternal life, particularly highlighting how the affluent might exploit such advancements to further entrench their wealth and power.

I listened to this in audiobook, which really enhanced my experience thanks to the brilliant acting from Lydia Wilson, who was able to add further depth to the characters and their complex dilemmas. Overall, Who Wants to Live Forever offers a captivating and immersive journey into a future that feels both distant and eerily plausible.

In a Nutshell: A literary speculative-fiction novel coming from multiple characters and timelines. Innovative concept, thought-provoking exploration, excellent character-driven writing, slow pace. Can’t believe this is a debut! Much recommended but not to all. Don’t read the GR blurb.

Plot Preview:
2025, London. Yuki and Sam, both in their mid-to-late thirties, are just another ordinary married couple. Happy with each other, slightly bored with their routines, desperate to have kids but not successful yet. Yuki is an enthusiastic member of the local MP’s team and is passionate about causes. Sam is a slightly frustrated work-from-home graphic designer with ambitions of becoming a musician.
An American pharma company plans to introduce Yareta in the UK market. Yareta is a drug that can extend human life by at least 200 years and already successful in the USA. Yuki immediately joins the protest team. Sam thinks otherwise and considers taking the drug. Over this, their paths diverge.
The story comes to us from multiple decades – past, present, and near future going up to 2039 – and third-person perspectives from several diverse characters.

PSA: The GR blurb calls this a romance. It is not! A love story, yes, to some extent; a romance, definitely no. Also, the blurb contains a major spoiler about the ending.
The primary tag on Goodreads is Science Fiction, but this is more literary fiction with a dash of speculative.



Bookish Yays:
💊 The concept: believable and unbelievable at once. I still can't believe how realistic it all sounded even when the premise was so farfetched. Loved it!
💊 So thought-provoking in its exploration of the moral, ethical, political, corporate, societal, racial, and financial aspects of such an event! And all this without being melodramatic or hyperbolic. Wow!
💊 I love books that make me wonder what I would have done in that character’s place. And this book made me ask this question from many points of view.
💊 The plot doesn’t take an outright side on the debate, offering both sides of the picture convincingly. We hear from characters who've taken the drug and those who haven't. How their lives changed or didn't change, improved, worsened, or stayed the same. All character actions and reactions feel convincing, though we may not support all of them.
💊 The characters are diverse in various ways: racial background, sexual orientation, wealth, age. All of them act their age – a huge bonus. One character is of Indian origin, and I love how the story incorporated her ethnic background without making it the be-all-and-end-all of her personality.
💊 The story comes from three locations: London, Tokyo, and California. The varying thought process and attitude of the citizens reflects the places.
💊 A debut novel that doesn’t succumb to commercial constraints and handles plot, prose, and philosophy with equal prowess deserves acclaim.

Bookish Mixed Bags:
🧬 The complicated back-and-forth in the timeline. It is extremely well-written, with neat markers for all timeline changes. But keeping track is a bit tricky, especially as I had only the audio version.
🧬 While a slower pacing is anyway to be expected in a literary fiction work, a part of the final quarter seems a bit too dragged.

Bookish Nays:
💉 The ending. Can’t go into spoilers so all I’ll say is, 😥😣😒😤😳🤔😑😯🤯.


🎧 The Audiobook Experience:
The audiobook, clocking at 9 hrs 33 minutes, is narrated by Lydia Wilson. Technically, I found no flaws in Wilson’s narration or accents, but her voice took some time to grow on me as it was a bit too soft and subtle to keep me hooked. As it is, the plot has minimal dramatics, so an understated narrative voice made it sound even blander. Thankfully, the plotline was compelling enough for me to stick with the book.
That said, this was one complex book to follow on audio! Coming in third-person POVs from various characters, places and timelines (and the timelines being not just in years but with specific dates, and also shifting at regular intervals with phrases such as “Seven days later” or “Earlier that evening.”) This is definitely not a viable option for audio newbies. I’d recommend the audio only to the most experienced of listeners. While I am quite attuned to audiobooks by now, I feel that I might have appreciated this story even better if I had actually read it.

All in all, despite my dissatisfaction with the ending (not with “what happened” but with “how it was written”), I am quite impressed with this debut novel. Even with a speculative concept, the narrative stays firmly rooted in reality, never making us feel like this would never happen in the near future. (A scary thought, come to think about it!)

Much recommended to literary fiction readers who also enjoy speculative fiction. Not for readers who don’t like character-driven storylines or jumpy timelines or #&*$%#* endings.

What would you do if a life-extending drug is available to you? Think about your answer before you pick up this work.

4.25 stars.

My thanks to Octopus Audio and Brazen Books for providing the ALC of “Who Wants to Live Forever” via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the audiobook.

If you could take medication to stop you aging and keep you at the age you are now, would you?
This is the central premise of this book. It is the story of Yuki and Sam, they are happily married and wildly in love, they have had trouble conceiving but they have each other. When a miracle drug becomes available to stop the aging process, Yuki campaigns against the legislation to allow it to become available in the UK, the vote passes and the drug, while wildly expensive , becomes available. People now have the option to live indefinitely. While Yuki is vehemently against it, Sam is swayed and ultimately begins the treatment. Now he can live forever but without Yuki,
The book traces these two characters lives , the lives they were going to spend together. The book touches off several other issues that are raised by the possibility of such drug and there is a cast of quite beguiling secondary characters, all of which help make this book quite an engaging read. At its heart though this is a love story, a love story that doesn't go the way they thought it would.
I really enjoyed this, although it was maybe a smidgen too long, the conclusion was worth it though.
A great choice for book clubs and I have no doubt this book will be widely read.

4 stars.

Wholly recommend this on audio, great narration.

Who Wants to Live Forever by Hanna Thomas Uose and narrated by Lydia Wilson is the BBC Radio 2 Book Club Pick
and I can see why! This audiobook was a very powerful and compelling debut novel.

"Yuki and Sam are soulmates. and they are destined to spend the rest of their lives together.
They are supposed to love one another, forever and live a perfect life as one!

But when a miracle drug is created which can extend a human's life, indefinitely, Sam decides to live forever, rather than love Yuki forever."

WoW!

The narrator Lydia Wilson was excellent, she bought this audiobook alive.

I ended up thinking about what I had listened to over the last few days.

"Would I like to live forever? Maybe, but only with someone I love!"

Just excellent! from start to finish!

Big thank you to NetGalley and Octopus Publishing for letting me read an ARC of this audiobook! 🎧 📖

3.5 stars

Thanks to NetGalley and Octopus Audio & Brazen for providing me an advance audiobook copy.

I really enjoy books about "life-changing inventions and their consequences on society" not quite sci-fi, not quite dystopia, but somewhere in between. Think of books like The One by John Marrs or Scythe by Neal Shusterman. Now, we can add Who Wants to Live Forever to that list.

Unfortunately, the audiobook format didn’t work for me. Lydia Wilson’s narration felt too demure, almost lacking confidence, which made the listening experience somewhat unpleasant. I think reading a physical or digital copy instead would have helped significantly. But since the book isn’t out yet, I couldn’t make that comparison.

What really drew me into books by Marrs and Shusterman was how clearly they explored the societal consequences of their central concepts. They present distinct POVs and a well-thought-out world. I didn’t quite get that same level of depth with Uose’s book. While there are multiple POVs, they don’t piece together the larger picture as effectively. Maybe this book expects the reader to do their own homework, filling in the gaps with their own interpretations rather than having the answers laid out.

And that’s where I think the genre distinction happens. Who Wants to Live Forever is primarily a contemporary novel, focusing more on the personal lives of the characters than on the broader societal impact of its premise. In contrast, Marrs and Shusterman lean more toward sci-fi, emphasizing world-building and the ripple effects of their stories' core ideas.
I read a lot of contemporary fiction, so in theory, this book shouldn’t have felt so distant to me, but my expectations were different based on the synopsis, and I couldn't switch my mindset halfway, interpreting it as the contemporary it is.

I would still recommend this book. The concept is intriguing, and it offers plenty to think about. It’s best suited for readers who enjoy character-driven narratives and don’t mind unresolved endings or open questions.

Fascinating and superbly well written. As soon as I read the blurb, I knew I would love this book. It sounds so exciting to have the opportunity to take a drug that will enable you to live forever, the same age as you are right now. And right now, I'm 50 years old and loving life, so to continue like this definitely appeals.

Or does it?

Sam and Yuki are soulmates, happily looking forward to growing old together. When Sam decides to take Yareta, the drug that will preserve him at his current age forever and the drug that Yuki is actively campaigning against, their happy ever after is torn apart. In fact, the whole world is divided and we are introduced to many diverse characters, all around the world, who have very different opinions, including the inventor of Yareta.

In our current world, Big Pharma = Big Business and this brilliant book takes this to the next level. It's something that really made me think. Would you want to live forever?

I listened to the audiobook which was narrated very well by Lydia Wilson

5 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Hanna Thomas Uose and Octopus for an ARC in return for an honest review.

This is such an addictive and thought provoking debut that I think so many of you will love!

Kind of like a bittersweet love story, this novel looks at what happens when one of you wants to live forever whilst the other is totally against it morally. Whilst I found it much easier to understand Yuki’s thoughts and feelings, and at the beginning had no love for Sam at all, as the story progressed I started to become way more invested in their complicated relationship. But it was really the exploration around the morality of drugs which can help people live “forever” (200-300 years) and the fact that wealth and privilege are such factors in anyone’s ability to do so which intrigued me - after all, in this day and age who can afford to live forever other than the super rich?!

Great characters, lots of interesting discussion and an original and quirky premise - what’s not to love?

Concept that I can't stop thinking about.

4.5 stars

This is going to cause a lot of debates. It did between me and my bloke. Yuki and Sam are a couple, who have a house together and lifelong plans. They may not have managed to make a baby but things are good. But Yuki is horrified, as someone working to protest and counter a new life-lengthening drug (Yareta) to discover her partner is starting it himself.

The story is based around this pair but not limited to their story. The founder of Yareta, others related to it and other characters affected by it all give voice to different opinoins and different life journeys based around the idea of living longer at a certain age and not getting old, deteriorating or dying.

It's a hard idea to accept as possible in many ways but such a great thought experiment. Like Sam muses - what could you do with all that extra time? What could you achieve without the pressures of imminent ageing?

Lots of questions you might come up with are answered or discussed as part of this, with consequences a big part of the story.

I enjoyed the audiobook though did forget who was who and which story I was listening to a few times. I did like that we had multiple viewpoints though.

Very deep, I cried at the end as well. And will continue to think about this for some time to come. As I continue to age.

With thanks to Netgalley for providing a sample audio copy.

Who Wants to Live Forever by Hanna Thomas Uose is a compelling mix of near-future sci-fi and deeply human storytelling, making you question how you would react if faced with the same choices as the characters.

The Book Blends speculative fiction with significant emotional depth and explores a world where immortality is attainable—but at what cost? Written with emotional impact, it doesn't just ask whether we can live forever, but whether we should. It makes you ponder profound questions: What would you sacrifice for a longer life or immortality? How would that change the way you feel about time? How would it reshape society as a whole?

What truly makes this book stand out is how real the characters' actions and motivations feel. Their struggles, hopes, and fears are so believable that I genuinely cared for them, which made their choices all the more compelling. Uose's writing is immersive, balancing philosophical questions with engaging storytelling. The book perfectly captures the tension between technological advancement and personal consequence, making it both thought-provoking and gripping.

I was immediately hooked from the first few chapters and knew it was a five-star read. I immediately wanted to purchase a physical copy for my shelf. The narration is perfect, bringing the story's emotional depth to life and enhancing the experience.

I love books and media that address the possible future use of technology, like John Marrs' books and Black Mirror, and Who Wants to Live Forever fits perfectly within that category. The world-building is subtle yet impactful, with each small technological detail adding to the more significant questions the book raises. The characters are not just facing a decision about immortality—they are grappling with what it means to truly live, to find purpose in a world where time is no longer a limitation. The author's ability to weave such intimate human emotions into a speculative scenario is remarkable.

If you enjoyed the emotional complexity of Normal People by Sally Rooney mixed with the innovative storytelling of Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin, this is a must-read. It's a perfect blend of heart and high-concept sci-fi that will stay with you long after you've turned the last page.

In this ambitious story, a new drug, Yareta, comes to market which will allow users to live for hundreds of years. The story follows Sam and Yuki, a couple in their early thirties who split up after Yuki discovers that Sam has signed up to receive the drug. What happens over the next years, with an increasing range of characters, raises a series of issues about how such a drug might be received and what the implications could be.

Sam starts a new relationship with Maya, another Yareta user, who, unlike him, is determined to use the extra span of years effectively. She eventually lands a job with the company which holds the patents for the drug, working as an assistant to the CEO. This involves a lengthy diversion about her time in California while Yuki spends time in Tokyo. All of this is interspersed with flashbacks and date changes. The result is that the essential story, about Sam and Yuki does not entirely flow. Also, although Sam retains his youth by taking the drug, there is little sense of him maturing or learning by experience.

There are some interesting features. The first few chapters of the novel clearly relate the debate surrounding the introduction of Yareta to Brexit, to the extent that the referendum vote to permit its use comes out in favour by the same amount. The book also explores what happens with children and pregnancy, as well as the difficulty of maintaining progression in a career when all of the top jobs are taken by people who are going to live for a century or more.

In some ways, the book tries to do too much but it is an entertaining read and there’s lots to discuss and think about in the way the story unfolds. It’s an entertaining read and a well presented audiobook.

The premise of this book had me absolutely hooked. Imagine a world where you can choose to stop aging at a certain point? Intriguing, isn't it? I absolutely loved the concept and the world Uose built. I listened to this one on audio, and the narration was brilliant, really pulled me right in.

The story follows Yuki and Sam, a married couple, who have different views on the drug that allows people to live forever It’s a real thought-provoking read, making you ponder what you'd do in that situation.

While I really enjoyed the journey, the ending wasn't exactly my cup of tea. But overall, it was a fantastic read.

The book explores themes of mortality, choice, and what it truly means to live. It’s a great one for anyone who loves a bit of speculative/ dystopian fiction with a philosophical spin.

What an interesting idea! If there was a drug that you could take to stop you aging, would you take it? This is the world of Sam and Yuki. And their choices break them apart. This could go to so many interesting places, but stalls along the way for Yuki and Sam to do their introspective navel gazing. It does bring up the conundrum of what happens if you take the drug, but then everyone you love keeps aging, and how you end up with two societies living in parallel. It comes together nicely at the end, but does get a little lost through the middle.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an early copy of Who Wants to Live Forever. While the book has an intriguing premise, I found the execution too slow and not exciting enough to maintain my attention. I’m sure others will enjoy this book; it just didn’t resonate with me.

In "Who Wants to Live Forever", Hannah Uose examines some of life's biggest questions through the story of Yuki and Sam, two people deeply in love. Their relationship is tested when a groundbreaking drug called Yareta, which promises eternal youth, is introduced to the public. Yuki argues against taking the drug, but Sam decides he would rather be immortal to pursue his art than grow old together with Yuki, and we watch the consequences unfold.

Uose paints a believable picture of a near future where living forever affects everything around us. It shows that our choices about life and death can impact everything from our closest relationships to how the world works. It is difficult to say more without spoilers, but it is a bittersweet and worthwhile reading (or listening) experience. I listened to the audiobook and really enjoyed the narrator.

This book is perfect for readers who like "Normal People," "Everything Everywhere All at Once," and "Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow." It is for anyone curious about the ethical dilemmas surrounding technology, what it means to be human, and have true love.

Thank you to Brazen and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook.

‘Who Wants to Live Forever’ by Hanna Thomas Uose is an evocative, thought-provoking debut that explores immortality, love, and the cost of time in an intricate, dreamlike narrative. From the moment I started the audiobook, I was immediately drawn into its world. The premise is a fascinating one: a drug called Yureta promises immortality by halting aging, and the story weaves together multiple perspectives on this life-altering option, challenging the value of life itself.

At the heart of the novel are Sam and Yuki, a married couple whose lives take drastically different turns due to Yureta. Sam, an aspiring musician, chooses to take the drug to extend his time and fulfill his ambitions. Yuki, however, becomes an outspoken opponent, rallying against the political and social consequences of immortality. Their diverging paths offer a deep exploration of the personal sacrifices one must make when offered the chance to live forever. The narrative also touches on various other characters with their own views on the drug, adding layers of complexity and depth to the story.

The writing is stunning. The author creates vivid, tangible settings, from a cool spring in Tokyo to a rainy London afternoon, where every scene feels alive. These details, combined with a lyrical prose style, immerse the reader in the world and make it easy to lose track of time. The pacing of the novel mirrors the flow of time itself, moving between past and future, across continents and lives, with a haunting rhythm that enhances the emotional and philosophical undercurrents of the story.

The audiobook narrator brings the story to life with remarkable skill, perfectly capturing the emotional weight and nuances of each character. I found the shifts between perspectives, while initially disorienting, ultimately added to the dreamlike quality of the novel. It was like drifting between different lives and timelines, witnessing the subtle ways in which society and individuals evolve in response to the possibility of immortality.

The novel raises the ultimate question: What would you sacrifice for immortality? It touches on the personal costs, like the loss of loved ones, and the societal divides that could emerge from unequal access to life-extending technology. It's a powerful, reflective exploration of humanity's desire for more time, and the existential crisis that comes with it.

While the ending initially left me unsettled, as it felt a departure from the rest of the narrative’s style, after reflecting on it, I found it strangely fitting. It’s not a neat, tied-up conclusion, but rather one that mirrors the unpredictability and complexity of life itself.

In the end, ‘Who Wants to Live Forever’ is a beautiful, bittersweet exploration of love, loss, and the human desire to hold onto time. If you enjoy thought-provoking science fiction, with a side of romance and moral dilemmas, this is a must-read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Octopus Audio / Brazen for the advanced copy.

I want to extend a huge thank you to Octopus Audio and NetGalley for giving me the chance to listen to an audio ARC of Who Wants To Live Forever by Hanna Thomas Uose. I genuinely appreciate the opportunity to dive into this book ahead of its official release.

This novel offers a profound exploration of love, mortality, and the desire for eternal life, weaving together elements of dystopian fiction, speculative science, and philosophical reflection. It follows characters whose aspirations lead them to challenge the boundaries of human existence, raising ethical questions, personal conflicts, and the timeless inquiry—if you had the option, would you choose to live forever? With a narrative that spans decades and various locations, this book delves into the cost of immortality and the emotional burden it entails.

The concept of this book is truly brilliant—a blend of science, dreams, love, romance, ambition, potential, and politics. I was eager to embrace it as a lifelong favorite. However, I felt something was missing. I yearned for more—more emotion, more drama, more intense challenges. I wanted the story to resonate more deeply on a personal level, to pull me further into the characters’ struggles. That said, I’m not suggesting the book is bad—far from it! It just didn’t connect with me as strongly as I had anticipated. But trust me, this is a brutally realistic tale, and if you enjoy authentic science fiction that tackles themes of love, loss, and the pursuit of possibility, you might find yourself captivated by this book in a way that I couldn’t.

On a brighter note, I absolutely adored the narrator's style, which enriched the experience for me. I also have a deep respect for the author's vision, and while this book wasn’t a perfect fit for me, I would love to explore more of Hanna Thomas Uose’s works in the future. This is a story that will surely resonate with its ideal audience, and I truly believe that many readers will be touched by its depth and realism.

I loooooooooved this book!!! It was like a mixture between Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow, and like...the Soulmate Equation??? It was a really consuming look at love and relationships, and given the chance in a changing world, what would we give up for immortality. I loved the characters (they were the WORST - but written well). Ugh. Adore