I don’t know where to begin my review of this book.  Even reading the description of the story did not prepare me for the emotions I felt while reading it.  It is equal parts disturbing poetic. Part Sci-Fi, part Horror, part Existentialism, this is a book I will not soon forget.

For their 45th anniversary, Hank and Molly Nonnar decide to undergo an experimental rejuvenation procedure, but their hopes for youth are dashed when the couple is faced with the results: severely disfigured yet intellectually and physically superior duplicates of themselves. Can the original Hank and Molly coexist in the same world as their clones? (Goodreads)

This story took twists and turns I didn’t see coming and I was more emotionally attached to the characters than I thought I would be.  From the very beginning, I understood why the Nonnar’s made the decision they do but found myself thinking about what I would do in the same situation. Would I volunteer for such a risky procedure at the end of my life?  This book also raised the question of who we are as human beings and what make us the people we are. Is it our minds? Our personalities? Our bodies?   And how far would we go to not only extend our life but return to a time of youth?

There were only a few characters but all of them left an impression on me, even the ones we only see for a few frames.  Each one had a unique story to tell and the way they view the experiment that has changed their lives.   I appreciated that this book made me think while still wrapping up the ideas and plots nicely at the end.  I was left wondering about the overall themes of the book and not what happened to the characters.

Author: Ezra Claytan Daniels

Published: 2018

Rating: 4.5 Stars