The Immortalists (Unabridged)
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3.6 • 124 Ratings
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- $14.99
Publisher Description
A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: Washington Post • NPR • Entertainment Weekly • Real Simple • Marie Claire • New York Public Library • LibraryReads • The Skimm • Lit Hub • Lit Reactor
AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
“A captivating family saga.”—The New York Times Book Review
“This literary family saga is perfect for fans of Celeste Ng and Donna Tartt.”—People Magazine (Book of the Week)
If you knew the date of your death, how would you live your life?
It's 1969 in New York City's Lower East Side, and word has spread of the arrival of a mystical woman, a traveling psychic who claims to be able to tell anyone the day they will die. The Gold children—four adolescents on the cusp of self-awareness—sneak out to hear their fortunes.
The prophecies inform their next five decades. Golden-boy Simon escapes to the West Coast, searching for love in '80s San Francisco; dreamy Klara becomes a Las Vegas magician, obsessed with blurring reality and fantasy; eldest son Daniel seeks security as an army doctor post-9/11; and bookish Varya throws herself into longevity research, where she tests the boundary between science and immortality.
A sweeping novel of remarkable ambition and depth, The Immortalists probes the line between destiny and choice, reality and illusion, this world and the next. It is a deeply moving testament to the power of story, the nature of belief, and the unrelenting pull of familial bonds.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
Four siblings navigate their lives with a special knowledge of their ultimate fates in this sweeping family saga. In the summer of 1969, the rebellious Gold children—Simon, Klara, Daniel, and Varya—visit a psychic who tells them the exact day they will each die. Brilliantly, the novel then follows the Golds through the decades as they all explore their chosen paths, from studying the science of longevity to embarking on a daring stage career to tracking down the psychic herself (who may have been a con artist). We loved the structure and tone of this highly impactful novel, with its raw, hard-hitting sense of emotional drama. Narrator Maggie Hoffman adopts a pitch-perfect voice for each character (especially nagging mother Gertie), deftly altering her tone and pace to follow the rises and falls of the Golds’ roller-coaster ride. We were utterly enraptured by their fascinating journeys, even when they’re plagued with depression, alcoholism, and regret. This is an exciting ride and a deeply moving listen.
Customer Reviews
I’ve never completed a book and been unclear about whether or not I was satisfied.
The storytelling was very nice, although some parts were stronger than others. There was a certain theme that felt almost stereotypical. At the end I wasn’t quite dissatisfied but I was left wanting just a bit more oomph. It was well written and thought provoking, the narration was solid. There were two great openings in my opinion for a couple of the characters to bring a little more to the table. Overall, the end just didn’t quite meet the quality brought in the beginning but it was still enjoyable.
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mid
Boring Hard to Follow
Not fan couldn’t keep track of what was going on from the start only finished half before finally giving up.