Yuki and Sam's relationship splinters when Sam starts taking a new drug that could extend his life by a couple of hundred years. Yuki believes that the drug is a threat to society/humanity and that it's a privilege only available to the elite. Sam just wants more time because his creative ambitions have floundered.

This is a fascinating concept. Life quickly becomes bizarre, but convincingly so. People on the drug have to agree not to have children. They become risk averse because accidents are the only thing that'll affect their lifespan. Anxious to the extent that they pay extra in restaurants to have their food chopped up to reduce choking risk, they won't drive and they wear helmets to walk down the street. And the ones using the drug are almost all rich white people.

This is a cleverly written and layered novel set in England, Japan and America that feels almost prophetic. It's also a well realised reflection on ageing and mortality.
It's also a poignant relationship story. What happens if a couple still loves each other and one ages but the other one doesn't?

You'll love this if.you like beautifully written, near future dystopia. A captivating read.

I was not ready for this. Romantic, breathtakingly bittersweet, time bending and beautifully poetic - Who Wants to Live Forever is a timeless tale about humanity, love and loss.

Starting with immediately crafting the most stunning settings - a cool spring in Tokyo, 2039 or a rainy London afternoon in 2019 with such vivid intensity that I could smell the cherry blossoms and wet grass; and it only got better, with tiny details that created in-depth scenes, small notes that fully immersed us in the story.

The story moved weirdly, but it works — almost dreamlike, moving easily from scene to scene and slipping from the past and future and across continents with brilliant pacing, meandering through different stories and places first, taking just enough time to let us settle before time marches slowly onwards.

We meet Yuki as a young idealistic liberal woman; speaking out against the political, social and healthcare concerns an untested immortality drug could bring and I fell in love with her. Strong, outspoken, realistic but always desperately hoping for good things and not accepting reasons why they’re not possible. And of course, she makes us wonder too — what would we do in that situation?

As we watch Sam and Yuki, scientist and creator Frank, new loves and the other players from above, snapshots of life - science, heartbreak, love, friendship, work - slowly merging together to create a complex tapestry of people and places — fragmented little moments that work together and create one amazing story. Almost like a fly on the wall, we watch all the characters in the third person moving between them; at first it was dizzying switching so quickly but it soon falls into a familiar and easy to follow style that resembles a dreamscape more than a straight narrative. And while we look away for a moment, we see how society has changed around our cast - people living more, or being even more scared of dying, people dividing and new rifts and communities forming all around.

If you’re looking for something neatly wrapped up, this isn’t going to give you that satisfying rounded conclusion; at first the ending felt entirely out of character based on the style of the storytelling throughout but once I’d sat with it for a moment, it worked in an oddly real way.

Love a sweepingly thoughtful sci-fi with a side of romance and existential moral crises? Here you go!

I loved this. It's one of those books that I got into straight away. The plotline is fantastic and i didnt want the book to end, it kept me up reading into the early hours of the morning. I really enjoyed getting to know all of the characters. A definite 5 star book ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I loved this book. The concept is so intriguing and the execution was well thought-out by the author, who included world building details that would feasibly be real things that would have to be considered in a world with some people living for centuries. The characters were believable, and the relationships were heartbreaking at times. I loved the fact that the story took place over 3 different continents, it showed how different cultures would react differently to the same things. It was really cleverly written, and it made me think a lot. An absolutely gorgeous read.

There’s nothing better than finding a soul mate book. A story that comes along at exactly the right time and feels like it could have been written for you. Who Wants to Live Forever was that book for me.

This is a book about mortality, but it’s mostly about living a life on your own terms.

The story centres around an expensive wonder drug that dramatically increases life expectancy. Living in a time of such advanced scientific developments, it really didn’t feel so far out of the realm of possibility.

This is a hugely character driven story and the characters themselves were authentic and flawed. They each had to come to terms with this new world where immortality was suddenly in reach, what it meant to them and what they were willing to sacrifice in the process.

We all know that time is the most valuable currency. How often do we tell ourselves all we would do and achieve if we only had more of it… but would we? Or would we continue to make the same excuses as we do now?

I saw traits of myself in one of the characters that made me feel ashamed, and I saw values that I aspire to in another. Reading this made me want to change, made me want to stop wasting time and live every moment of my life, more so than a lot of non fiction books do.

I highly recommend this one, a thought provoking examination of humanity reminiscent of Station Eleven and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow.

This is one that I will think about for long after I have finished it. I loved Hanna's writing so much, it was so compelling and I never wanted to put the book down! Yuki is my favourite character but all of them were so well fleshed out. I will be recommending this to everyone. I think it will be an amazing book club book because there is so much to discuss (especially given the current climate) and I think everyone will have such varied takes.

Ok, finished this in a day and half because I could not put it down. What an interesting and well developed concept. This was so many different things: scifi, speculative fiction, literary, a love story, a story of growth and a story about time, an ode to nature, a novel that travelled the world…
All of the characters were fascinating and dimensional, the multiple points of view and the shifting around of time worked seamlessly, and the ending was satisfying. This will appeal to a lot of people for different reasons which is also really to be celebrated. I thoughtful and quietly haunting book about aging and the decisions we make in life. Of finding and losing ourselves, and contending with the many versions of a person we will be through our existence.

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.

A highly original, beautifully written book I genuinely enjoyed spending time with. Recommended for literary fiction and spec readers