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3.72 AVERAGE
3.72 AVERAGE
The lives of 4 Jewishsiblings are overshadowed by their visit to psychic fortune teller, who predicts the date each will die. This sets in motion how each of them make choices on how they will live their lives. I expected more, an enjoyable read, but not a stellar one.
Minu arvamuse leiab blogist https://triinuraamatud.wordpress.com/2021/08/13/chloe-benjamin-surmapolgurid-hea-lugu-2021/
Four siblings visit a fortune teller when they are young to find out the day of their death in the future. What follows is one of the most unforgettable book I’ve read in a long time. I️ can’t really figure out how to review this book. Half way through I️ didn’t know if I️ could keep reading it - the book is raw and sad and so painfully honest that I️ was getting discouraged. But then I️ realized that I️ just couldn’t quit these characters, I️ was so invested and in love with them all. I’m so glad I️ kept with it, this was a very though provoking read that I️ won’t soon forget.
Did a lot for me, but hard to explain exactly the what and the how. Just read it.
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A story about four siblings, an encounter with a psychic, and how each of their lives are impacted after they learn the date of their death.
This book was an interesting take on whether we determine our own fates or if our fates are determined for us. Each character unwillingly becomes obsessed with their future death in different ways, and it makes the reader consider their own relationship with the inevitable.
I enjoyed this book, for all of the strange, depressing, and melancholic moments that build on each of the members of this family and their inability to seemingly escape their moment of expiry. Even as each sibling faces their fate, we see glimpses of the secondary characters and how their lives evolve. Everyone struggles, but even those who have experienced dark and difficult times find happiness and are able to progress through the rest of their lives.
This book was an interesting take on whether we determine our own fates or if our fates are determined for us. Each character unwillingly becomes obsessed with their future death in different ways, and it makes the reader consider their own relationship with the inevitable.
I enjoyed this book, for all of the strange, depressing, and melancholic moments that build on each of the members of this family and their inability to seemingly escape their moment of expiry. Even as each sibling faces their fate, we see glimpses of the secondary characters and how their lives evolve. Everyone struggles, but even those who have experienced dark and difficult times find happiness and are able to progress through the rest of their lives.
i found this book v compelling, and read it pretty quickly. it starts when the siblings are pretty young and they go see the fortune teller bruna, who tells them all individually the day they will die. beyond this roma women's ability, the book reads like a straight fiction, without too many other instances of the other-worldly. the book explores the question of if the fortune teller can actually predict the future vs do the characters make choices/decisions based on what she told them.
simon is the youngest boy, and she tells him he will die young. his story is first. after their dad dies, he hitches a ride with klara out to SF. out there, he comes out of the closet and embraces his life as (seemingly hot) young gay man in the 70's. knowing that he will die young, i immediately thought of the AIDS crisis and it was super tragic. he became a dancer first, but still died v young, without ever really reconnecting with the family (mom and 2 older siblings) he left behind.
next is klara's story, she's always been into magic/tricking/entertaining people. i wasn't sure how much i would like her section, but i loved it. she battled with alcoholism and possibly mental illness (v later wonders if she was schizophrenic or bi-polar). she meets raj and they get married and become magician partners and she gives birth to a baby girl ruby, but their opening day at the mirage in las vegas is supposed to be her death day. she seemingly leans into it, and ultimately kills herself by hanging, which looks similar to her best trick where she rises up in the air by hanging on to a rope by her teeth.
daniel was the least relatable to me, but i still loved his section. he was an md in the military, and his section starts out with him being put on probation for being too stringent with his medical screening of folks who want to go to war, as it's post 9/11 and the military needs people. the mom gertie has moved in with him and his wife, and most of his story is around thanksgiving. he sees that raj and ruby will be performing nearby, ans asks them to spend thanksgiving with him. the parts about ruby were super sweet, she had a deep connection with gertie and even her short visit inspires her to become an md. i loved how insanely successful raj and ruby were as magicians, even if ruby just wanted to be a normal teen and go to college. daniels death was pretty off the rails. as he got closer to the day, he became obsessed with the fortune teller bruna, who he knew about since he befriended a man in the FBI who was in love with klara. he ultimately tracks bruna down, and confronts her at gun points. its not clear what he's hoping to achieve and he's a total dick to the woman, but it's still a bit shocking that the FBI man followed him and shot him, and killed him.
last is v. her story was hard to relate to in some ways, since she had major OCD and had spent almost all of her life not engaging with people and basically starving herself to maybe live longer. i liked the introduction of her long lost son luke, though it was odd that when she was remembering her life she said she went to PP to have an abortion. when luke confronts her as her son, she clarifies that she couldn't go through with it. her work with monkeys was super interesting (but maybe fucked up?), as was her ultimate breakdown. i was glad she reconnected with luke, as well as ruby, and that she and gertie remained close. it was a nice break that her story didn't end with her death, i guess since she was lucky enough to get to live to 88.
overall super enjoyable and thought provoking, would def rec or read another by her.
simon is the youngest boy, and she tells him he will die young. his story is first. after their dad dies, he hitches a ride with klara out to SF. out there, he comes out of the closet and embraces his life as (seemingly hot) young gay man in the 70's. knowing that he will die young, i immediately thought of the AIDS crisis and it was super tragic. he became a dancer first, but still died v young, without ever really reconnecting with the family (mom and 2 older siblings) he left behind.
next is klara's story, she's always been into magic/tricking/entertaining people. i wasn't sure how much i would like her section, but i loved it. she battled with alcoholism and possibly mental illness (v later wonders if she was schizophrenic or bi-polar). she meets raj and they get married and become magician partners and she gives birth to a baby girl ruby, but their opening day at the mirage in las vegas is supposed to be her death day. she seemingly leans into it, and ultimately kills herself by hanging, which looks similar to her best trick where she rises up in the air by hanging on to a rope by her teeth.
daniel was the least relatable to me, but i still loved his section. he was an md in the military, and his section starts out with him being put on probation for being too stringent with his medical screening of folks who want to go to war, as it's post 9/11 and the military needs people. the mom gertie has moved in with him and his wife, and most of his story is around thanksgiving. he sees that raj and ruby will be performing nearby, ans asks them to spend thanksgiving with him. the parts about ruby were super sweet, she had a deep connection with gertie and even her short visit inspires her to become an md. i loved how insanely successful raj and ruby were as magicians, even if ruby just wanted to be a normal teen and go to college. daniels death was pretty off the rails. as he got closer to the day, he became obsessed with the fortune teller bruna, who he knew about since he befriended a man in the FBI who was in love with klara. he ultimately tracks bruna down, and confronts her at gun points. its not clear what he's hoping to achieve and he's a total dick to the woman, but it's still a bit shocking that the FBI man followed him and shot him, and killed him.
last is v. her story was hard to relate to in some ways, since she had major OCD and had spent almost all of her life not engaging with people and basically starving herself to maybe live longer. i liked the introduction of her long lost son luke, though it was odd that when she was remembering her life she said she went to PP to have an abortion. when luke confronts her as her son, she clarifies that she couldn't go through with it. her work with monkeys was super interesting (but maybe fucked up?), as was her ultimate breakdown. i was glad she reconnected with luke, as well as ruby, and that she and gertie remained close. it was a nice break that her story didn't end with her death, i guess since she was lucky enough to get to live to 88.
overall super enjoyable and thought provoking, would def rec or read another by her.
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes