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The Immortalists cover art

The Immortalists

Written by: Chloe Benjamin
Narrated by: Maggie Hoffman
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Publisher's Summary

A Best Book of the Year: Washington Post, NPR, Entertainment Weekly, Real Simple, Marie Claire, New York Public Library, LibraryReads, The Skimm, LitHub, Lit Reactor

Instant New York Times best seller

“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.

©2017 Chloe Benjamin (P)2017 Penguin Audio

What the critics say

“A literary page-turner.... A really compelling plotline.” (Wall Street Journal)

“[An] amazing work of fiction.... A dense, yet beautifully spun and satisfying tale that spans 50 years.... Spare, yet gorgeously robust prose...and every page is imbued with [Benjamin’s] obvious storytelling skill.... The Immortalists is a can’t-put-down, makes-you-think tale of a not-so-average American family.” (Associated Press)

“The book spans decades, touching on the AIDS crisis, 9/11, race, and marriage. But, at its core, it’s an examination of free will and fate.” (The New Yorker)

What listeners say about The Immortalists

Average Customer Ratings
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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Great narration

I really enjoyed the narration, the voices for certain characters made the story come alive. The plot itself was intriguing, but fell a bit flat as the story progressed. Nonetheless, an enjoyable book— one worth listening to.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

mediocre story, wonderful performance

slow moving, towards the end, the last hour and a half, I kept thinking good lord just get on with it.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Brilliant narration

The story had great potential. I really wanted it to be better. I think there is a specific style that needed to be altered but instead it was repeated.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

The Inmortalists

Love the acting, interesting story and a life lesson. “Live and let live”. When you allow your family become a burden and when you become your own burden using your family as an excuse.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

it was good

i liked that it had seperate stories for each family member. the title was misleading. it was about family members who were told the day they would day and their lives stemming from that reveil.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Meh

Moved at a slow pace and the plot didn't get anywhere exciting. It was hard to finish it till the end.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Loved it

Excellent story and telling (perfect narrator for the story's voice). Original and well written, going through each character's lives and insights.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

What a fantastic book

Couldn’t stop listening.
Great narration. The story stirred something in me and I didn’t want it to end.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Existential Drama


Four siblings, aged 13 and under, seek a gypsy who allegedly has the ability to tell a person the date of his/her death. After finding the gypsy’s apartment, each child is privately invited into her home and told a date of death. How this information impacts each sibling leads to divergent life choices and existential subtext about the purpose of life.
The first half of the book was a solid “four star” book, but the second half felt like a deflated balloon where I got the shtick and just wanted the author to get to her point.
It is (hopefully not) a spoiler to reveal that at least one of the siblings dies. Full disclosure: As someone who has lost a sibling, this made for a sometimes emotionally-challenging experience.
I read this book for a book club, and what a perfect book club selection it is! I anticipate that the discussion will be very interesting, as we will undoubtedly debate the characters’ choices, but also our own personal philosophies about life. #Audible1

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Interesting Story Line!

Interesting story line! I really enjoyed how this book was written and how each sibling had their own section of the book. #Audible1

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