Ahhhhh. Completely not what I’d expected before I started. Apart from the prologue, the story actually doesn’t focus on the theme of magical realism as much as the synopsis would suggest. It tells of the lives of 4 siblings after, in the prologue, they visit a woman who told them the dates they would die. The story would’ve been pretty unremarkable if not for the way Benjamin’s lyrical, perceptive prose made up for it.

Instead of the focus being on a series of events (although there is, still, a series of events), the book is more literary fiction, divided into 4 parts, one for each sibling, focusing on each sibling’s growth, emotionality, characteristics, aspirations, leading to their deaths. Each sibling navigates their mortality differently - for eg one living life fearlessly, partaking in high-risk situations, one in defiance by committing her life’s work to longevity studies in science.

The book is fiercely human, and familial, characters real and relatable. My only complaint is how Daniel’s death felt rushed and forced, and honestly I don’t really understand him.