A thoughtul family drama beginning with a provocative premise: "How would you live your life if you knew the date of your death."

This book started out the way that I anticipated. I was really looking forward to reading the rest of it. However, the sexually explicitly was too much for me and I did not finish the book. I appreciate being given the opportunity to review this book but I am refraining from posting this on my usually sites, as I did not finish the book and I only write for review for books that I have completed.

In 1969 four siblings visit a mystical woman who tells each one the precise date of their death. This knowledge will define each sibling's life in various ways, be it because they live their life in spite of the knowledge or because of their knowledge. It is a novel about fate and agency, about finding a place in the world, about family and selfhood, about mistakes and guilt and forgiveness.

This book's prologue was absolutely bloody brilliant. It had me engaged immediately and I could not stop reading there (I actually read it again when I finished the book - it was that great). Chloe Benjamin had me, hook, line, and sinker. I needed to know what happens to the children and how the knowledge of their death date will influence their lives.

Each section of the book then follows one of the children until the day they die; I especially found the first two sections following Simon and Klara to be brilliant and unputdownable. They move to San Francisco in search of a place for them: Simon is gay and Klara wants to become a stage magician instead of anything serious. Simon's story broke my heart, his family's rejection to its inevitable conclusion; Klara's story was equally engaging and their relationship was absolutely beautifully executed. The following two sections following Daniel and finally Varya were still great but more difficult as those two were not as easily likable as their younger siblings.

It is fitting that I read most of this book while on holiday with my sister because at its heart this novel is about siblings - and I do love stories about siblings a whole lot. Weirdly enough, I gravitated towards the younger, less responsible siblings for a change (I have talked elsewhere how I am the Bert in most of my relationships). I think this shows how brilliantly the characters were constructed and how real they felt. As such the characters and their believable interactions were the best part about this book.

First sentence: "Varya is thirteen."

4 and 1 / 2 stars

It’s 1969 in New York City. It’s a hot and boring summer, and the eldest of the four Gold children Daniel gets the idea that his siblings Varya, Klara and Simon should go with him to get their fortunes told. The woman he wants to see can even predict when they will die. They gather their allowance and go to see the woman. For years none of the siblings tell one another the dates of their supposed deaths.

Daniel and Varya are the eldest children and Klara and Simon are the youngest.

Some years later, Varya is studying biology. Daniel is studying medicine and wants to be a military doctor. Klara wants to be a famous magician. Simon is to take over the family’s garment business. However, Simon is gay in a non-tolerant family. Klara is the only family member who knows Simon’s secret. She tells Simon that they ought to go to San Francisco where she can be a magician and Simon can be himself. He begins to think over the idea.

Simon is only sixteen when he and Klara arrive in San Francisco. He begs for a job at a nightclub and lands one dancing. The owner of the club sends him to ballet school. Scared at first, Simon takes to dancing the ballet. He has found a home so it seems. He avoids calling or speaking to his family, except for Klara. He revels in being gay in the Castro District, a predominately gay area of the city.

Klara is taking temp jobs and still dreaming of being a magician. Klara’s career is struggling when she runs into Raj a former friend from when she and Simon first arrived in San Francisco. Raj becomes her business partner. Raj is very mechanical and creates the props that Klara uses in her illusions. She calls her act “The Immortalist.” The book gives an interesting brief history of magicians and their tricks. Interspersed with this is a history of the Gold family.

Klara and Raj become very close and Klara has a daughter she names Ruby. She gets so wired after a show that she begins to drink to calm down. She forgets things. She hears knocks and believes it is Simon trying to communicate with her. She has a shameful secret. Against her better judgement, Raj and Klara move to Vegas where they audition. They are hired to open for Siegfried and Roy. On opening night in Vegas Klara loses the plot.

Some years later, Daniel is suspended from his military post as doctor for two weeks. It gives him plenty of time to think. He begins to think about Simon and Klara’s deaths. Did the fortune teller really predict the dates of the four siblings’ deaths? Or did she put the idea in their minds to obsess about and alter their behavior to bring about the predicted result? He knows and understands the relationship between psychology and physiology for he has participated in placebo studies as a student intern. He begins to become driven to find the woman.

Varya now works for the Drake Institute for Research on Aging with monkeys doing primate research. She is more than a little paranoid about germs and dirt. She is afflicted with OCD. She, like Daniel, believes in the power of the human mind. She tries to make the world conform to her rational outlook. She also harbors a secret.

This book is very well written and plotted. It is filled with likeable characters and memorable situations. The idea that psychology informs physiology is not a new one. However this book brings it home in a unique and thought-provoking manner. The trip to the fortune teller was the downfall of the family and one must wonder just how much the power of suggestion plays in our lives. Were the events inevitable, or were they a product of the mind?

I want to thank NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam/G.P. Putnam’s Sons for forwarding to me a copy of this most remarkable book to read and enjoy.

I intended to just take a nibble of this novel before tucking in for the night and ended up savoring the whole book at one sitting. I knew what was going to happen but had to stick with the Golds until the bitter end. What an engrossing and entrancing story.

Daniel Gold overhears some older kids talking about visiting a fortune teller who told them the dates of their deaths. He and his three siblings gather all their allowances in a little bag and head for the Lower East Side where they hunt down the woman, who gives them what they asked for. The four Gold kids, Varya, Daniel, Klara, and Simon think they have pooh-poohed the idea, but they hold these dates in the back of their minds as they grow and step out on their own.

Each of the Golds is a wonderful, believable character, heading in different directions in life but still bound to each others. Their exasperation with and joy in each other is so genuine, you'll be hooked and dawn will be glowing before you can leave them behind.

"The Immortalists" is a great book club pick because there is a lot to discuss and interesting places to go with those discussions. I recommend it for anyone who wants a thoughtful, exciting, engrossing, and satisfying read.

This is one of the most well-crafted, thought provoking novels that I’ve read in a very long time and I highly recommend it.

If you could find out when you were going to die, would you? Inquisitive siblings Varya, Daniel, Klara & Simon ranging from 13 to 7 visited the fortune teller on Hester Street and quite possibly changed their lives forever. Did their awareness shape how they lived their lives? Was their knowledge a conduit to a self-fulfilling prophecy? Did they hear their fortune and never think about it again?

The story evolves as these children become adults. Life choices can lead to a long life or one cut drastically short. The siblings must cope with love and loss, the dynamics of a less than perfect family, expectations and what’s expected as well as their own hopes and dreams. And subconsciously some of them hear the clock ticking. Whether the woman was a true sage or a total quack is almost irrelevant, it’s what each believes and internalizes is what matters.

I received an advance review copy of this book from Great Thoughts Ninjas. All opinions are my own.

4.5 stars. This novel asks, what if you knew the date of your death? Four bored young siblings decide to visit a medium who can (and does) tell them the exact dates of their death. The youngest, Simon, has the earliest date:

It’s the prophecy, too, something he would very much like to forget but has instead dragged behind him all these years. He hates the woman for giving it to him, and he hates himself for believing her. If the prophecy is a ball, his belief is its chain; it is the voice in his head that says Hurry, says Faster, says Run.

All of the siblings are affected by the prophecy and what it says to them. They take risks or avoid them to the point of paralysis; they make plans or discard them; they look to the future or the past. Varya, the eldest: “it was evident in Simon’s spirits, in Daniel’s tendency toward anger, in the way Klara unlatched and drifted away from them.”

Read if: You think you would like a mash-up of San Francisco in the 70s (think Tales of the City), magic shows, a meditation on duty to others, and another meditation on connection, all in a family saga.

This novel opens with four young siblings meeting with a clairvoyant who gives each of them the date of their death. The novel then proceeds in four parts, each outlining the life of the siblings in turn and how they were affected by their death predictions. A strong premise that began strong but petered out about halfway through.

4 young siblings visit a woman and don't like what they hear. But does what she tell them become a self fulfilling prophecy? A beautifully written story.

I actually cried when it was over. I think you should get this book ASAP and read it.

I received an advance review copy of this book from The Great Thoughts Nina Review Team. All opinions are my own.

If you knew the exact date of your death, how would you life your life? Would the impending date loom over your entire life and cause you to leave in fear? Would you seek to live as full a life as you could, no matter how little or long you had? Or would you simply ignore the warning and live your life as you see fit?

Four young siblings sneak out of their house one day to seek out a woman who can predict the date you will die. Each sibling is given their own date in private, and the novel follows each siblings throughout their lives as they live (or don't) with the knowledge they hold hovering over them.

With characters who each have their own distinct voice and narrative, The Immortalists is an excellent novel exploring the possibility of a known death in a fun and exciting way. There was never a dull moment as the narrative raced towards the death dates of the protagonists.

This was highly enjoyable read, and I would recommend it to as many people as I could. I absolutely loved this novel!

This book examines the question: “How would you live your life if you knew the date of your death?” Would it cause you to live life to the fullest or live in fear? Four siblings visit a fortune teller and are each individually told their “death date.” The author focuses on one sibling at a time, and follows each through a portion of his or her life. Since they are siblings, each is influenced to some degree by the actions of the others, and lots of family dynamics are at play.

The storyline is creative and the characters are extremely well-developed. I almost felt as though I knew each of them personally, and could picture the psychological burdens they carried. The stories are interesting, touching on topics ranging from gay life in San Francisco in the 1980’s to performance magic to military medicine to scientific research on longevity. It brings up questions on the meaning of life, and does so in an entertaining manner. It shows how a single event can have far-reaching psychological repercussions. It explores how much of what one believes to be true leads to a self-fulfilling prophesy. Themes include science vs. religion, the power of words, dealing with uncertainty, the impact of knowledge (both good and detrimental). There was a bit of graphic sex in one of the parts, and another was a bit of a stretch on the suspension of disbelief, but overall, I found it almost spell-binding and particularly enjoyed the author’s elegant writing style.

Highly recommended to readers of thought-provoking literature.

The Immortalists is an incredible book. I could not put it down and was fully immersed in the lives of the Gold family. The premise may sound like a fantasy novel, but it is NOT. It is a remarkable, engaging and wonderful book and I am definitely keeping Chloe Benjamin on my radar from now on.

I received an advanced review copy of this book from The Great Thoughts Ninja Review Team. All opinions are my own. After finishing this book I sat in my chair and had a moment of silence. I really don't know what to say that will give this book the justice it deserves. I honestly believe that this book will be one of the best books of 2018. It's simply that great. It's a strong plot with characters you can relate to. This should definitely be on your pre order list and prepare to ignore everything else while you loose yourself in the story.

Let me start by saying that I honestly thought that we would spend a great portion of this novel in funerals and grief. That’s not what happens at all. This novel is as much about life and the paths we take in it, as it is about a foreboding prophecy.

I’ve been reading a lot of books classified as suspense as of late, but this was a family drama that really gets to the heart of relationships. The plot takes us through five decades and I really love how the writing is grounded in time and makes just enough pop culture and historical references to really place us there with these characters. There are bits of nostalgia when we get to the 2000s that I remember from school! (Pink Motorola Razors anyone?)

Chloe Benjamin also handles the 50-year time span well. When I hear that novels take place over decades I always wonder how the writer is going to handle time, especially since we’re dealing with four different narratives, I thought that we might be referencing the same points over and over. That also didn’t occur.

Each section is beautifully crafted bringing us to a different moment in the siblings’ lives. I never felt like this book was dragging. There was always something happening and there was a purpose to each section. Even when there is a brief reflective section it feels natural and is compelling at that point in the story.

I ended up reading this novel in about three days because I was so drawn in by the characters. Not only are the three siblings unique, three-dimensional characters, but each of their lives is populated with characters just as well-formed.

I could not put this book down! From the beginning, when the four siblings visit the fortune-telling gypsy who reveals the date of each one's death, the plot and characters took hold of me and did not let go until the end. Broken into sections that tell the story of each sibling, the book is well-balanced as the stories overlap. The author broaches the subject that the ancient philosophers wrote about, and that is, if we know our fate, is it avoidable? Does it make us live our lives .carelessly or carefully? I am so glad to have been able to read this book. The characters and themes will stick with me for awhile. Much thanks to Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Gobsmackingly gorgeous. I am recommending this to everyone. A perfect winter's tale for the times.

This book was not my cup of tea. I tried a couple of chapters, but couldn't get into it.

Chloe Benjamin's The Immortalists is an eerie, yet gorgeous exploration of youthful follies and how they impact our adult lives in myriad and unexpected ways. When the four Gold children set out to visit the fortune-teller rumored to have taken up residence in their neighborhood in 1960s New York, they have no idea that day will haunt them for the remainder of their lives. As they go in, one-by-one, they learn from the old woman the exact date of their deaths. But is it real, or just a scam? And can they ever forget what they've heard? Or defy it? The Immortalists is a beautiful study of how the choices we make can cast long shadows over the lives we live.

My Rating: 5 Stars

A great story-line, a fresh and original idea: a great novel. Have you ever thought about the day of your death? Have you considered the consequences, how that little piece of information could influence the rest of your life?

In the year of 1969, four siblings are told by a fortune-teller the exact date of their demise. In time, the brothers Simon, Klara, Daniel and Varya follow their own lives, considering their choices, their actions and choosing the opposite in desperate attempt to avoid fate. But can you really or everything is already laid down for you?

This debut novel is everything I could want in a novel. It's original, attention-grabbing and it makes the reader question what exactly is fate and it exists or not.

The plot is brilliant; it's well-developed and beautifully told. The novel is divided into sections: the lives of Simon and Klara; and those of Varya and Daniel, which leaves enough space to get to know them individually throughout the novel. It does make you think and question if we truly have a hand in our fate if we know when we're going to die what and how we would our lives. One of the first lessons of this novel for me: some things aren't meant to be known.

The style of writing is melodically beautiful; Benjamin is a great storyteller. For me, it's a very important factor to grab my attention right from the beginning of a book and Benjamin makes it seem effortless. The details of the characters and their lives are revealed slowly, in a very subtle way, involving way.

The characters are complex and have a great depth to them. The sections of the novel were well thought and the reader gets to see the two sides of the coin: the siblings that moved away and take the foreknowledge seriously and the other two that stay with their family and take a more grounded approach to life, trying not to give the foreknowledge a lot of thought. Even though there are four siblings, I really enjoyed reading about the connection between Simon and Klara. They leave together to San Francisco which shows their great connection and their closeness.
As characters, they are all different and all aspire for different paths: Simon dreams of living in a big city where he has the freedom to be himself without the pressure of his parents, and Klara the quiet and obsessed with magic dreams of showing her talents to a big public no matter the cost. Varya and Daniel have a more grounded approach and both take careers dedicated to helping others and researching longevity. As they didn’t have the chance to “escape”, they are envious of the freedom that their siblings have. But in the end, everything comes together perfectly and family wins.

The author did a brilliant job in representing the family and how the foreknowledge influences their choices. Even though at times there are reckless and act without thinking, they are making choices and take chances that they might never have taken without that knowledge. The way they rationalise and the way they consider their options made me consider how would I react or even do in a similar situation if I knew the date of my death.

I recommend this book to all the lovers of fiction that enjoy a new concept, a fresh narrator and a brilliant story.