Fourth Grade Journey

A Fourth Grade Teacher's Journey Through the World of Books

Friday, February 9, 2018

The Immoralists by Chloe Benjamin

How I Heard About It:  I love when I see a book reviewed in more than one source and each one RAVES about the book.  That is what happened with this title.  In fact, I saw so many positive reviews about it that I picked it as a book club selection for my BBC (Boy's Book Club).  This is a group of male teachers that I work with and we have been reading together since 2000.  

What It Is About:  Four young children living in New York City visit a fortune teller.  Each of them meets with her on their own while she shares their future and the date of their death.  After the visit, the four siblings don't share the information each of them received.  Some believe what she told them more than others, but each of them take a bit of the information to heart.  The youngest son leaves New York to pursue his dream of dancing in San Francisco.  He travels there with one of his older sisters who wants to become a performer/magician. Each of them faces a variety of challenges some of which relate to their fortune.  Back in New York, the other two siblings live their lives which intersect the life of the fortune teller more than the other two.  Each sibling has their own story told in the novel, but of course being that they are related; their lives intersect in a variety of ways.  

What I Thought Of It:  While the story was quite good and intriguing, it didn't live up to the hype and the expectations I had for it.  I really enjoyed the first two siblings' stories of which took place out in San Francisco.  It was during this section of the novel that I found it to be a complete page-turner.  Once "we" returned to the east coast for the third and fourth sibling stories, that the pace slowed down a bit for me.  I enjoyed the second half, but just not as much as the first half. The writing was incredible and the characters were developed so well.  Talking with the other members of my BBC, I know they thought the story was just as good as I did.  

Who Should Read It:   The novel should be read by any adult reader who enjoys a well-developed plot, strong characters, and a mix of mystery thrown in.  There are a few twists and turns along the way.  Happy Reading!  

Rating:  4 STARS out of 5 Stars


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