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Ever since she made a deal to save her son's life in Roman-occupied Jerusalem, Rachel has been doomed to live eternally, but as her descendants develop new technologies for immortality, she realizes that, for them to live fully, she must die. "What would it really mean to live forever? Rachel is a woman with a problem: she can`t die. Her recent troubles--widowhood, a failing business, an unemployed middle-aged son--are only the latest in a litany spanning dozens of countries, scores of marriages, and hundreds of children. In the 2,000 years since she made a spiritual bargain to save the life of her first son back in Roman-occupied Jerusalem, she's tried everything to free herself, and only one other person in the world understands: a man she once loved passionately, who has been stalking her through the centuries, convinced they belong together forever. But as the twenty-first century begins and her children and grandchildren--consumed with immortality in their own ways, from the frontiers of digital currency to genetic engineering--develop new technologies that could change her fate and theirs, Rachel knows she must find a way out. Gripping, hilarious, and profoundly moving. Eternal Life celebrates the bonds between generations, the power of faith, the purpose of death, and the reasons for being alive."--Dust jacket.… (more)
User reviews
So – was this a good book? It asks so many questions and doesn’t give many answers. The clear take away is: Be careful what you ask for – you might get it!
What would it be like to never die? To always return as an eighteen year old when one “life” is ended? What
The book is well written, the characters are strong and sympathetic, the situation – well – that is a problem. First, the God who loves people, and is the God Rachel knows, wouldn’t condemn a penitent to an eternal punishment. The premise the plot is based on is false. Second, the probability of one person finding another in ancient times, or even in modern times, is minimal. So Rachel and Elazar would be unlikely to keep meeting. However, the questions the book asks are important to ponder.
So – suspend belief and enjoy the writing and the characters. It is fiction after all!
4 of 5 stars
But as the twenty-first century begins and her children and grandchildren—consumed with immortality in their own ways, from the frontiers of digital currency to genetic engineering—develop new technologies that could change her fate and theirs, Rachel knows she must find a way out.
Gripping, hilarious, and profoundly moving, Eternal Life celebrates the bonds between generations, the power of faith, the purpose of death, and the reasons for being alive.
MY THOUGHTS:
I received this book in exchange for an honest review. When I first read the synopsis to this book, I found myself getting a bit of “The Age of Adeline” vibe, a 2015 movie directed by Lee Toland Krieger. Not an exact replica vibe, mind you, but one of similar context. The main points being, the female Protagonist couldn’t die, a miracle occurred, only one other person knows the truth about her, a man she once loved passionately, but thought she was dead until a chance meeting. She too had scores of relationships and was being sought after.
If you are looking for a literary fiction written with superb quality, then this book is for you. Her style is unique and so descriptive of human emotion which is perfect for reading about the Protagonist who suffers losing family and friends with each lifetime she lives. There’s a saying: “No parent should outlive their children.” This story makes you feel this pain deep in your gut.
I loved this book and think everyone who loves this genre and style of writing should give it a try. It’s filled with Roman and Jewish historical references and fills the pages with regret, pain and suffering while making revelations about life and its sacrifices.
It’s so well done. I absolutely loved it.
The story bounces back and forth between ancient lives and the present day. Although the writing in various sections is captivating, and I especially loved the scenes in ancient Jerusalem, I felt like it was missing a more in depth view of why Rachel was so unhappy. It was clear that she had experienced some horrific experiences in life, losing children, and living through persecution and wars, but there must have been some redeeming parts of life. I also felt that as a character, Rachel didn't grow that much. She still seemed rash and impulsive. 2000 years! You would hope that there would be some wisdom gained along the way. But overall, it's hard not to enjoy Dara Horn's writing -- always a good story.
Author Dara Horn, in "Eternal Life," reminds her readers what life is really all about, and just how precious it is - but is that mainly because it comes to each of us in such small doses? Rachel, who has been around for more
"Eternal Life" is her story.
By the end, I really disliked Rachel. I
In some ways, our lengthened life spans would seem miraculous or magical to people of the 1st century, when Dara Horn’s main characters Rachel, daughter of a scribe, and Elazar, son of a high priest, were born. So, you might suppose, it is only fitting that we
Rachel and Elazar are born and live their original lives during the days of the First Jewish-Roman War era (66-73 CE). They meet, fall in love, have sex, and Rachel becomes pregnant. She marries Zakkai, a boy indentured to her scribe father, who himself learns the scribing trade. She has the baby, a boy she names Yochanan. He becomes deathly ill. Elazar, his secret father, proposes a way to save him: take a sacred vow of eternal life. They both do. Yochanan lives. He grows to become a great teacher (he’s a real historical figure) who preserves the oral word of the Torah (redacted later in the written Mishnah) after the destruction of the Temple Mount by Titus and his Roman troops. As a result of their vows, Rachel and Elazar find themselves condemned to eternal life that includes an eternity of memories (like the siege and destruction of Jerusalem) that both must deal with, well, forever.
The novel focuses on the 21st century Rachel, an eighty-four year old, who doesn’t look her age and her meeting up with Elazar. He loves her and for him she is the only woman in the world, regardless of the century. She has conflicted feelings for him, in the extremes, uncontrollable passion and hatred, the latter for things Elazar did in their past. At eighty-four, she is at the end of her lifetime with her latest family. She must leave, but she can’t seem to. Her one great desire, shared, by Elazar, is death. And in her granddaughter, a biochemical researcher, she thinks she might have found the answer to ending her life.
Horn tells the tale succinctly, but some readers may sense a vagueness in how Rachel and Elazar pull off moving from life to life, or living those lives without folks becoming suspicious, especially when they advance in age. It’s a book for those who enjoy fantasy and who are comfortable with magical thinking.
In some ways, our lengthened life spans would seem miraculous or magical to people of the 1st century, when Dara Horn’s main characters Rachel, daughter of a scribe, and Elazar, son of a high priest, were born. So, you might suppose, it is only fitting that we
Rachel and Elazar are born and live their original lives during the days of the First Jewish-Roman War era (66-73 CE). They meet, fall in love, have sex, and Rachel becomes pregnant. She marries Zakkai, a boy indentured to her scribe father, who himself learns the scribing trade. She has the baby, a boy she names Yochanan. He becomes deathly ill. Elazar, his secret father, proposes a way to save him: take a sacred vow of eternal life. They both do. Yochanan lives. He grows to become a great teacher (he’s a real historical figure) who preserves the oral word of the Torah (redacted later in the written Mishnah) after the destruction of the Temple Mount by Titus and his Roman troops. As a result of their vows, Rachel and Elazar find themselves condemned to eternal life that includes an eternity of memories (like the siege and destruction of Jerusalem) that both must deal with, well, forever.
The novel focuses on the 21st century Rachel, an eighty-four year old, who doesn’t look her age and her meeting up with Elazar. He loves her and for him she is the only woman in the world, regardless of the century. She has conflicted feelings for him, in the extremes, uncontrollable passion and hatred, the latter for things Elazar did in their past. At eighty-four, she is at the end of her lifetime with her latest family. She must leave, but she can’t seem to. Her one great desire, shared, by Elazar, is death. And in her granddaughter, a biochemical researcher, she thinks she might have found the answer to ending her life.
Horn tells the tale succinctly, but some readers may sense a vagueness in how Rachel and Elazar pull off moving from life to life, or living those lives without folks becoming suspicious, especially when they advance in age. It’s a book for those who enjoy fantasy and who are comfortable with magical thinking.
The writing is great and I'm a sucker for sci fi so it's in my wheel house. It's not really sci fi, though, much more focused on the characters and the framing of eternal life as a curse rather than a blessing. I can't help thinking of a recent book in this vein, Wild Seed by Octavia Butler. I wonder if Horn read that- very similar in that both books are about immortal couples navigating the world of mortals including their own children, and trying to define what their relationship to each other means.
Anyway, I'm new to Horn, who has had some publicity lately for her new book "People Love Dead Jews", but I thought I'd try her fiction first. I'm hooked, and ready for more from her.
Rachel and Elazar give up their mortality to save their son's life.
My issue is with the main character, Rachel. After living for more than 2000 years, she doesn't seem to evolve with the times. She remains tied to traditional roles and doesn't seem to adapt to, or even notice, changes in the role and place of women in society. I guess it would be harder to show the price she'd paid if her incarnations were more varied and interesting, or if she hadn't constantly outlived her children. That said, I still found her extremely frustrating!