Immortality

 Tell me a story… about the quest to live forever

Immortality: A Love Story by Dana Schwartz

Publication date: February 28, 2023

Date read: February 24, 3023

Audiobook narrated by Mhairi Morrison and Tim Campbell

When Hazel Sinnett saves a life that leads to her arrest, she seems doomed to rot in prison until a message intervenes: Hazel has been specifically requested to be the personal physician of Princess Charlotte, the sickly granddaughter of King George III. Soon Hazel is dragged into the glamor and romance of a court where everyone has something to hide, especially the enigmatic, brilliant members of a social club known as the Companions to the Death.

This book is the sequel to Anatomy: A Love Story. 

I loved Anatomy when I read it last year, and while I don’t believe this book is quite as good, it still holds up and makes for an interesting story. 

The first book was more setting the scene, and exploring the difficulties for a woman to become a physician - a book that was much more focused on the people than the somewhat fantastical plot points. This book, as the title implies, focuses more on the effects and complications of the Immortality potion. 

I did love the way that this book brought in a lot of real historical people and events, especially how it dealt with the “madness” of King George. While I missed the personal relationships of Anatomy, I did like (for the most part) the direction that Immortality took. 

Without giving away any plot, I didn’t love the conclusion of the Charlotte storyline, which did make me rate the book a little lower than I might have otherwise, but it was still a strong story and one that I really enjoyed. Hazel was still wonderful, and I liked her interactions with the other characters in the story. She’s one of the most believable strong women that I’ve read in historical fiction in a while (even if some of the plot points are fantastical), and I would definitely read more from this series if the author decides to continue. 

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, with the caveat that there are fantasy elements involved with the potion of immortality. It is necessary to read Anatomy before this one, however, because while this is more or less a standalone story, the backstory of the potion and Hazel’s relationship with Jack are necessary to really enjoy this one. But they’re both great reads, so don’t let that hold you back. 

I also highly recommend the audiobook - Mhairi Morrison narrates both and does a wonderful job. 

Content warning: gore, execution, misogyny, classism, detailed medical descriptions, miscarriage/abortion. 

Rating: 4/5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book.