Although Notes on Infinity shows some sparks of promise, ultimately that promise is never fulfilled. Anyone who reads or listens to the news will be familiar with the thinly-veiled plot. Taylor writes well enough but the characters are not drawn well enough for the readers to really understand them or many of their motivations. 2.5 raised to 3 stars because of the narrators’ skills. The decision to use two narrators was an excellent one,

This was so out of the realm of what I usually read but I actually really enjoyed it! The writing was so engaging and entertaining, and even for a science-heavy book it was very approachable and easily understood.

My only issue with this was how the timeline was laid out. Some paragraphs took us to the future and back to the present sometimes within the same sentence. That got confusing at times and I wish those moments were called back to toward the end of the book, but it was more like a stream of conscious thing. A bit harder to pay full attention to.

Other than that, this was a very interesting and at times devastating story! Highly recommend if this topic interests you.

Read if you like:
👩‍🔬 women in stem
🏫 college science
❤️ romance sub plot
🔬 discovering a new science

There have been many comparisons between this book and Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow. While both feature college aged main characters who are friends that start a technology-based project together, that’s where the similarities end for me you. NOTES ON INFINITY felt more character driven, and relationship and ethics focused.

Zoe and Jack are brilliant Harvard students who meet in an Organic Chemistry class where they promptly recognize each other as being equally driven, academically curious, and highly competitive. Through a series of connections, they find themselves investigating a potential cure for aging. When their research shows promising results, they drop out of school and launch a start up. But, things are not what they seem and it’s clear they are on a trajectory toward disaster.

There are significant references to the biotechnology elements of their endeavor, but my non-scientific mind was able to skim past the details and, instead, focus on the motivations of Zoe and Jack and the blurring of the lines between their personal and professional relationships. The more I learned about their origins and upbringing, the more I connected with the characters.

When an author can make you care about highly flawed people making questionable decisions, something special is happening. Austin Taylor accomplishes that feat while examining unbridled ambition and the fallibility of genius. I was surprised at how much these characters grew on me throughout the story and was unprepared for the impact of the ending.

Helen Laser and Shahjehan Khan handle the narration of the audiobook. Their performances enhance the story and are top tier. Don’t let the science scare you off. This is a highly emotional story that will sneak up on you.

Thank you to NetGalley, Celadon Books, and Macmillan Audio for the advance copies. All opinions are my own.

Notes on Infinity is a debut novel from Austin Taylor. It is a fictionalized story that was in the news the last couple of years.

"Zoe and Jack are two undergraduate students at Harvard. They hope to follow the normal career track of all students...until they believe they've stumbled on a process to reverse aging. They drop out to form a startup to commercialize the idea. Venture Capitalists are happy to give them money - lots of money - billions of dollars. But sometimes data is from outliers. What now?"

You will recognize this story. I won't mention it by name because then you won't be able to see it through any other lens. The characters were hard to relate to and to pull for. I wanted to pull for Jack because he was a scholarship kid that didn't come from much. But greed took over any moral compass he might have. This story is mostly about greed - everyone wants to get rich and be known for something amazing - no matter what they have to do to get there. There is a lot of Harvard, Harvard, Harvard in these pages. It gets to be a bit much.

Helen Laser does a nice job as the voice of Zoe. She captures the naivete of Zoe trying to run a startup and giving Ted talks. Shahjehan Khan is the voice of Jack but only near the end.

If you want a story about 20-year-olds running a startup and controlling billions you may enjoy this one.

♡ 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘈𝘙𝘊, 𝘊𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘥𝘰𝘯 𝘉𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴. 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘢𝘶𝘥𝘪𝘰𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬, 𝘔𝘢𝘤𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘯 𝘈𝘶𝘥𝘪𝘰 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘎𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺.

This was an interesting debut story. It gave me a bit of Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow vibes. Maybe a bit of Ali Hazelwood STEM, too. This one was a bit more bogged down by scientific details, though, which made it feel slower. Still, it was an interesting listen with some good depth.

Notes on Infinity follows two brilliant Harvard students through their meeting to tumultuous business and personal relationships as they drop out to pursue a novel theory on reverse aging. Similar to some real-life situations, they quickly become media and venture capital darlings, and face increasing pressure to deliver results on top of figuring out how to be adults, run a business, and navigate relationships. The science, personal, backstories, and business elements all come together well to help explain how people can get in so deep by trying to please people and tell the right story while hoping the data can match up. It's very entertaining and also exposes pretty large cracks in the system that incentivizes hype and how people can fall for the story when they don't understand or look for the facts.

Thank you to Celadon books for a copy of Note on Infinity and for providing me with the opportunity to participate in the Read Together Initiative!

Zoe and Jack meet at Harvard University. Jack immediately catches Zoe’s eye, and soon they are working together on a potential anti-aging drug. Soon, investors are interested, and Zoe and Jack take on their own startup with their discovery. But the path is a little more complicated and filled with very challenging decisions for both.

I come from a science background and am currently working on my MSc in Microbiology and Molecular Biology. So, this book was right up my alley, combining my love of genomics with my love of reading. Most of the science was written very well, which I appreciated. My only qualm is that patents and getting money for the kind of research Jack and Zoe were doing is incredibly difficult. And the tests they would be running are pricy, so it’s a little unrealistic for two 20-year-olds to take on this venture.

But let’s put realism aside. I enjoyed seeing the path through both scientist’s lenses because suddenly we were seeing that each one was hiding some things from the reading audience. It was a creative way to show how people act in the professional world. When it comes to science and research, some things are best hidden.

The novel reminds me of Theranos in some ways, which I followed in the news so that intrigued me! I listened to the audiobook for some of this while I was waiting for my book to arrive, and Helen Laser and Shahjehan Khan did a great job! In my opinion, Helen Laser can do wrong. This was my first listen from Shahjehan and I found his voice was quite soothing and matched Jack’s more relaxed attitude but adjusted perfectly to the more tense scenes!

So happy to have read this one and I can’t wait to talk to my book group about it!

I stopped listening at 27%. I was getting lost in the scientific descriptions and having trouble following the story. I thought this book had a very intriguing premise but I am not typically a sci-fi listener, so I think this just isn't the book for me.

Well, this is certainly a walk down the collegiate halls of knowledge. Thank you @celadon for my early finished copy, and the opportunity to list as well as read in print! I had a great time discussing the novel with my buddy read group.

Shout out to my buddy readers!

NOTES ON INFINITY is also a book that definitely needs to come with some content warnings, so you aren’t blindsided.

The book is broken down into parts that coincide with Zoe and Kyle’s lives. It vacillates between present time for the particular part of the story, along with flashbacks from each character strewn between. This *could* make for a confusing read, especially on audio, so I am glad I had the print version to reference regularly.

First these characters are immensely spart, and have each overcome their own obstacles in life, despite their drastically different upbringings. It is impressive how Austin Taylor sources the information needed to truly build these characters.

The content of the novel provoked MANY thoughts for me, and opened a stream of consciousness laden with questions. Questions about Big Pharma, the medical RX approval process, patents, venture capital, investors in potential new drugs, the aftermath of failed ventures, Big Pharma again buying up failed drugs (whyyy?), who is hurt the most by failures, who is our life’s work ultimately for, why does Harvard fit the token character casting, the list goes on and on and on.

Watch out for the abrupt ending, it will catch up slippin’ and blindside you.

If you are looking for thought-provoking, familial and found family drama with a scientific forefront you may truly be intrigued by this one.

In this day and age, it is important to say all of these: beware of drug use (and misuse), child abuse, loss of family members, infidelity, smokescreen and coverup lies, suicide, loss of jobs and friendships, and collegiate dropouts.

I had heard this book was akin to Tomorrowx3 and was anxious to read. The first 3/4 of the book was definitely reminiscent of said book but wasn't as strong. However, in reviewing the book without the comparison, I still enjoyed the story of two college sophomores who start working in a lab trying to perfect a new idea for an anti-aging therapy and become multi-millionaires during the startup process. The last quarter of the book felt rushed. I had hoped for a more solid ending. Still a good story.

What if you could end aging and remain forever young. That is the goal for Zoey and Jack, two Harvard students. They drop out of college and form their own startup company Mana to develop their product. Later they will deal with questions about the validity of their research and explore their relationship. The story very much reminded me of the Netflix series Dropout and the book Tomorrow, Tomorrow, Tomorrow. Thank you @macmillan.audio @celadonbooks for the ALC. Pub day is June 3rd. #bestestbookclubever

Zoe and Jack are Harvard classmates who as undergrads start researching and developing the chemistry that has potential to be the foundation for a revolutionary anti-aging drug. They quickly become friends and partners navigating the wealthy biotech startup world as 20 year olds. - what could go wrong? When researchers report data irregularity the relationships and research begin to fray.

This book is part love story, part science, and part true crime. It felt very relevant given the immense pressure on smart young people to succeed and produce, and the real world fallout from that. I really liked how the characters’ families and early life were woven into the decisions they make in the present. Zoe as a brilliant woman in science and the business of startups was a particularly well written character arc.

Thank you Celadon #partner for the finished copy and to Macmillan Audio for the ALC to review.

This was a little slow to start for me, but the content and character development was strong and the way everything came together I thought was very well done. This was a fascinating peek into biotech startups and how they work, a little scary even, as I’m sure this is not too far from reality even though it is fiction. I started this via physical copy and finished via audio during a long drive, and both were excellent ways to read this one. Once I got a good ways in, I knew it was going to take a turn, but did not expect the turn it took, and man, it got me.

There is a lot going on in here, but Taylor writes it in a way that it is not too much, in fact it really got me in my emotions and if I tried to cover everything in here I would be writing a novel myself. I enjoyed this overall, I am still thinking about it, and definitely recommend when it publishes June 3.

4.5 for sure!

A beautifully written story reminiscent of Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow, Taylor shows how the dynamics of two brilliant minds chart a course between love, success, betrayal and despair.

When Zoe and Jack stumble upon a major breakthru of Longevity at Harvard, a whirlwind success story begins. As the two drift in and out of relationships, though, they quickly find that success, and keeping one another happy, may be out of their reach.

With great character growth and a compelling story, I devoured this biotech read and wanted more!

My thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

How far would you go for an idea, for success, for love? This book explores all avenues of this question from an academic team attempting to find the next big scientific breakthrough. A slow burn of science and relationship as the reader gets ingrained in their world of young minds and big money. I appreciated the perspective and experiences that I am sure are true to life in this realm. I mostly enjoyed the developing relationships between characters. Volatile. Forgiving. Distraught.

As it has been said, I had a lingering feeling this was similar to Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow. If you loved that one, you’ll love this one!

The audiobook read by Helen Laser and Shahjehan Khan brought life to these characters. Both are easily understood at faster speeds. I listened to audio in tandem with the print version.

Thank you NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, Celadon Books, and author Austin Taylor for the ALC, eARC, and printed finished copy in exchange for my honest review.

This is a slow-paced story of two Harvard students, both brilliant, who come up with an idea and drop out to create their own startup and explore their scientific theories. And while it is slow-paced, it is intriguing and full of depth and emotion, and the pace is fitting. I liked this pacing for this story, I only mention it because if it feels slow to you, just keep going. I definitely did not understand all of the science parts, but I didn't have to. Zoe and Jack have this intoxicating and toxic pull towards each other, but they explore, as college-aged people do. I just picture these brilliant people with this inevitable pull towards each other, trying to create something in this life together. Where it winds up going was a surprise for me. I don't want to give anything away by even hinting at it, but I didn't see it coming. It adds tremendously to the emotional aspect of this story. People are comparing it to Tomorrow x3 and while it serves similar vibes, it is absolutely different and its own journey. By the end of it, I enjoyed it more than I anticipated I would at the onset. If you like interesting and tragic and quirky stories about what could be real people, give this one a go!

Book releases 6/3/2025. Thank you to Celadon Books for sending me a physical finished copy ahead of release and inviting me to join in a big "read together". Discussing things along the way with fellow readers was fun! Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC. I'm glad I could listen along while I read, I love doing that, and the audiobook narrator did a wonderful job.

Notes On Infinity follows Zoe in her pursuit of scientific greatness and the friend/business partner she tries to save along the way. Zoe and Jack set out on a scientific adventure early in their undergrad careers. Together they discover a way to reverse aging (or do they?) and soon become the young stars of the scientific world. But as venture capitalists, coattail riders, fame, and lies get involved, the tale of two bright hopefuls soon turns dark, lonely, and deadly.

This story was unexpected in the best way! Because I went in with an open mind (and no, I haven't read Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow for those saying this book is exactly like that), I thoroughly enjoyed it. I listened to this book in audio format, and was surprised to see it had a male and female narrator given the majority of the book was told from the FMC's point of view and read by the female narrator. But it totally works, just trust it.

The romance was interesting, and very real to life. It wasn't a typical romance, but more like a...work-mance? It was somewhat rooted in physical attraction, but mostly about intelligence and talent. If you're reading this for the romantic subplot, you might be disappointed. But definitely fit the tone of the story, even though it wasn't quite what I was expecting from the book blurb.

Jack's backstory was so heartbreaking and explained everything I'd still been wondering about his character. I appreciated a gender flip of the "manic pixie dream girl" trope. Zoe's personal downfall (no spoilers) felt strange and almost out of nowhere--like an unnecessary bit of melodrama--and I'm not sure if it's because it was told from Jack's perspective, but it was really the only critique I had. Still not sure why it was necessary to the story, but it was well written at least.

Zoe's family and Jack's family were well-developed and some of my favorite characters. Not because they were necessarily likeable, but they felt so real. Zoe's mom...no words lol.

Overall, VERY good read. Loved listening to the audiobook. Anyone in a scientific field would get so much more out of the scientific discussions. I followed along just fine, but it would resonate would science-minded folk.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wow. If you’re looking for a book hangover, read this. I already know I’m going to be thinking about these characters (and humming Tom Petty) for a long time.

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow meets Demon Copperhead in what’s sure to be one of my favorites reads of 2025.

The audiobook narrators are both excellent as well. Sometimes I have a strong preference between audio or a physical copy of certain stories, but you can’t go wrong with either format here.

Thanks to Celadon books for providing me with a copy of this book as part of their Read Together Initiative, and thanks for the audio copy via Netgalley because I just couldn’t walk away from this story when life forced me to physically put the book down.

After reading the blurb for Notes on Infinity, I went into it expecting something similar to Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow (which I liked but didn't absolutely love) or perhaps a knockoff of the Theranos scandal. I will admit it had a bit of both of these in its DNA (so to speak) but it was also original in very interesting ways. I thought the book captured the uncertainty and striving of the elite college environment during this time period and though the characters were definitely "types," they never verged into caricature. The "do they really know what they're doing" tension built well throughout the first 70% of the novel, and the supporting characters were well-situated to build on our hopes and doubts. When the book took its turn, I was both surprised and unsurprised, and it played out well after that point. The narrators were good and didn't distract from the story. All in all, this is one that I'll recommend to readers and listeners, and I'm putting it on the short list as a pick for our store's book club in the coming months.

4 stars | Sharp, Ambitious, and Insightful

What it’s about:
Two driven Harvard students discover a potential cure for aging and launch a biotech startup that propels them into fame—until a startling accusation threatens to dismantle everything they’ve built.

My thoughts:
I really enjoyed this one. The concept is insightful and thought-provoking, the first half had me completely hooked. The scientific detail is impressive and clearly well-researched, and the emotional undercurrent—especially the dynamic between Zoe and Jack—gave the story depth.

That said, the second half lost a bit of clarity and momentum, and the ending felt rushed given the weight of the themes. Still, it’s a bold, smart debut that explores ambition, love, and the cost of chasing immortality in a way that kept me engaged until the end.