Immortality Book Review : A Bold, Romantic Tale of Power, Passion, and the Price of Forever
Dana Schwartz’s Immortality: A Love Story, the much-anticipated sequel to Anatomy: A Love Story, is nothing short of a gothic triumph. It seamlessly blends the romanticism of 19th-century historical fiction with the sharp bite of medical science and the mystique of the supernatural. Through its complex heroine, haunting atmosphere, and unforgettable twists, Immortality becomes not just a continuation of Hazel Sinnett’s story—but a thrilling elevation of it.
At its core, this is not simply a love story between two people. It’s a love story between a young woman and knowledge, autonomy, and her unrelenting will to survive in a world that has never made room for women with ambition. In Immortality, Schwartz asks: What would you risk for greatness? For love? For immortality itself? And the answers unfold in the most gripping and glorious ways.
Hazel Sinnett returns stronger, smarter, and more determined than ever. Her passion for medicine and healing continues to be the heartbeat of her story, even as she’s thrust into the dark, dazzling world of the secretive immortals—The Anatomists’ Society. Here, ethics blur, ambition burns, and death is no longer the final answer. Schwartz does an extraordinary job of raising the stakes without compromising character development. Hazel isn’t merely reacting to the world around her; she’s shaping it, questioning it, and ultimately defying it.
The prose is lush and immersive, pulling readers into a rich, Victorian Edinburgh setting laced with mystery and decadence. Every hallway, every shadow, and every whispered conversation adds to the atmosphere. Schwartz’s writing balances beauty with bite—poetic in its descriptions, yet razor-sharp in its commentary on gender, class, and mortality.
And yes, there is romance—intense, aching, and worthy of the title. The love between Hazel and Jack is not a backdrop but a driving force, steeped in longing, sacrifice, and equal partnership. In a genre often weighed down by tropes, Immortality gives us a love story that is as intellectual as it is emotional. Jack may be the ghostly, swoon-worthy companion, but Hazel is never diminished in his presence. Instead, he helps her shine brighter, and their connection underscores the novel’s central tension: the cost of eternal life when it means losing what makes us human.
Thematically, the book digs deep into existential questions: What does it mean to live forever? Can love survive beyond death? Is immortality a blessing or a curse? Schwartz doesn’t offer simple answers—she explores the grey areas, the heartbreak, and the beauty of impermanence. The result is a story that stays with you, long after the last page, stirring both the heart and the mind.
What truly elevates Immortality is its heroine. Hazel is brilliant, flawed, and endlessly courageous. She’s not waiting to be saved—she’s doing the saving. Whether performing surgery, confronting centuries-old secrets, or protecting those she loves, she remains a force of nature wrapped in silk and steel.
By the final chapters, the plot races with satisfying urgency, expertly weaving together threads of science, magic, rebellion, and love. The ending strikes a perfect balance—resolute, emotional, and open enough to leave readers yearning for more.
In conclusion, Immortality: A Love Story is a genre-defying masterpiece. It blends historical drama, speculative fantasy, and emotional depth into a novel that is equal parts cerebral and soulful. Dana Schwartz proves once again that she’s a literary force to be reckoned with, crafting a sequel that not only lives up to its predecessor but surpasses it in ambition and execution.
This is a story for the dreamers, the rebels, the romantics, and the thinkers. For those who believe that love—like knowledge—can defy even death.
