What did you think about the speculative nature of this book? Was it magic, or do you think it was magical thinking with a logical explanation? Do you like it when books blend reality and magic? To what extent do you believe we are shaped by our family histories? How does the psychic’s predictions shape the siblings’ stories, and by extension, their family’s history? Their partner’s lives? Do you believe that our destinies are predetermined, or that we create our own fates? One of the major themes of this book was the idea of predestination. What did you think of the settings in this book? Did you enjoy the New York City setting? Which one did you like the most? Which sibling did you identify with the most? The book is divided into various sections that follow the lives of each sibling–did you enjoy this structure? Why or why not?

Why do you think that the psychic’s predictions had such a lasting affect on the siblings? Do you believe that the power of suggestion was what really influenced their lives and decisions?ĭiscuss the siblings’ Jewish upbringing and how they reconcile their faith with what they believe about what the psychic told them. Why do you think people (especially young people) are so drawn to the possibility of knowing when they might die?Īs you read, did you believe that the psychic was really able to predict the kids’ death dates? This novel contains such themes as life, predestination, family, legacies, regret, the desire to know the unknowable, faith, and belief. The book is told in four parts the spans the lifetime of each sibling, slowly revealing what precisely the psychic told them, and asking big questions about life and fate. As they grow older, Simon escapes to San Francisco, Klara becomes a Las Vegas magician, Daniel becomes a doctor post 9/11, and Varya becomes a scientist obsessed with the concept of longevity and eternal life. The psychic agrees to meet with each of them individually, and what she tells them rattles each sibling–and goes on to have a profound effect on their lives.

This psychic is rumored to be able to tell anyone the day they’ll die, and the children ask her to reveal their own death dates. The Immortalists is the New York Times bestselling novel by Chloe Benjamin about four siblings living in 1969 New York City, who one day sneak off and see a psychic. Are you hosting the next book club discussion of The Immortalists? Never fear, for we’ve got a great overview of The Immortalists characters and story, a list of themes, The Immortalists book club questions, and some ideas for food and drink! About the Book

The immoralist book by chloe benjamin