The Immortalists

Four siblings visit a fortune teller in 1969 New York City who claims to be able to tell them the exact dates of their deaths. Each child receives their prophecy in private, and the knowledge of these dates influences the paths they take in life. The story follows the Gold siblings - Varya, Daniel, Klara, and Simon - across five decades as they pursue different destinies. Their individual narratives span from San Francisco to Las Vegas to the military to scientific research facilities, showing how each responds to living with the weight of their predicted death dates. The novel explores questions about fate versus free will, and whether belief itself can shape reality. Through the siblings' complex relationships and choices, it examines how family bonds endure despite physical and emotional distance.

Readers appreciate the philosophical questions about destiny versus free will and how knowledge of death dates affects life choices. Many found the four siblings' distinct stories compelling and praised Benjamin's character development, particularly Simon and Varya's sections. Common criticisms include pacing issues, with some finding the first half stronger than the latter portions. Multiple readers noted the siblings become less connected as the story progresses, making it feel like separate novellas rather than a cohesive narrative. Some felt the premise wasn't fully explored. Reader "Sarah" on Goodreads writes: "The concept hooked me but the execution left me wanting more interaction between the siblings." Ratings: Goodreads: 3.72/5 (153,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.1/5 (2,800+ ratings) LibraryThing: 3.8/5 (850+ ratings) Professional review aggregator BookMarks shows: Positive: 13 Mixed: 7 Pan: 0

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🔮 While researching for the book, Chloe Benjamin spent time with psychics and fortune-tellers in New York's Lower East Side to understand their practices and clientele. 📚 The novel was inspired by Benjamin's own fears about mortality and death, which she developed after losing her father's mother at a young age. 🗽 The book's 1969 Lower East Side setting was meticulously researched, including details about the neighborhood's Jewish immigrant community and the social changes of the era. 🎭 Before becoming an author, Benjamin studied theater at Vassar College, which influenced her ability to inhabit different characters' perspectives throughout the novel. 🏆 The Immortalists spent 12 weeks on The New York Times bestseller list and was named a Best Book of 2018 by multiple publications, including NPR, The Washington Post, and Entertainment Weekly.