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The Immortals
Rosa Hyde is the daughter of a time-traveller, stuck in the year 1945. Forced to live through it again, and again, and again. The same bulletins, the same bombs, the same raucous victory celebrations. All Rosa has ever wanted is to be free from that year -- and from the family who keep her there.
At last she breaks out and falls through time, slipping from one century to another, unable to choose where she goes. And she is not alone. Wandering with her is Tommy Rust, time-gypsy and daredevil, certain in the depths of his being that he will live forever.
Their journeys take them from the ancient shores of forming continents to the bright lights of future cities. They find that there are others like them. They tell themselves that they need no home; that they are anything but lost.
But then comes Harding, the soldier who has fought for a thousand years, and everything changes. Could Harding hold the key to staying in one place, one time? Or will the centuries continue to slip through Rosa's fingers, as the tides take her further and further away from everything she has grown to love?
The Immortals is at once a captivating adventure story and a profound, beautiful meditation on the need to belong. It is a startlingly original and satisfying work of fiction.
At last she breaks out and falls through time, slipping from one century to another, unable to choose where she goes. And she is not alone. Wandering with her is Tommy Rust, time-gypsy and daredevil, certain in the depths of his being that he will live forever.
Their journeys take them from the ancient shores of forming continents to the bright lights of future cities. They find that there are others like them. They tell themselves that they need no home; that they are anything but lost.
But then comes Harding, the soldier who has fought for a thousand years, and everything changes. Could Harding hold the key to staying in one place, one time? Or will the centuries continue to slip through Rosa's fingers, as the tides take her further and further away from everything she has grown to love?
The Immortals is at once a captivating adventure story and a profound, beautiful meditation on the need to belong. It is a startlingly original and satisfying work of fiction.
328 pages, Paperback
First published September 17, 2015
33 people are currently reading
1001 people want to read
About the author
S.E. Lister
3 books21 followersS. E. Lister grew up in Gloucestershire, and studied Creative Writing at Warwick University.
She has been reading stories since she was old enough to pick up a book, and writing them almost as long. Alongside her creative writing, she has written for various magazines and websites about philosophy and film.
She loves vintage clothes, art-house cinemas and growing her own courgettes.
She has been reading stories since she was old enough to pick up a book, and writing them almost as long. Alongside her creative writing, she has written for various magazines and websites about philosophy and film.
She loves vintage clothes, art-house cinemas and growing her own courgettes.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews
October 3, 2016
While I enjoyed this, with its unique take on time travel and changing voice, I didn't love it.
It never seemed to rise to a crescendo, which it seemed it was building to. It more sort of wandered off.
While Rosa's many journeys were interesting, beautiful and at times horrific, I found myself falling out of love with her character about halfway through the book.
It hasn't put me off S.E.Lister, the opposite in fact, I want to read more.
And I do have to say, it has a beautiful cover on this edition.
It never seemed to rise to a crescendo, which it seemed it was building to. It more sort of wandered off.
While Rosa's many journeys were interesting, beautiful and at times horrific, I found myself falling out of love with her character about halfway through the book.
It hasn't put me off S.E.Lister, the opposite in fact, I want to read more.
And I do have to say, it has a beautiful cover on this edition.
October 2, 2016
This book is probably more of a 2.5 stars to be fair. I wanted to like it so much, but it left me feeling unsatisfied.
Rosa Hyde is born in 1945. By the age of 17, she is still living through 1945. Every New Year's Eve, she and her family pack up their home and fall back through time to the beginning of 1945 and live the year over again in a carefully researched location where bombs won't fall.
Rosa is trapped in 1945 by the weight of her father's grief for his father, killed at Arnhem in 1944. Frustration and anger eat at Rosa until she runs away and finds that she can tumble through decades or even centuries. I love this concept and the possibilities for stories are endless. The trouble is that Rosa isn't much interested in anything.
In her first foray, she slips from 1945 to 21st century London. She learns to fend for herself before slipping back in time to encounter her first fellow traveller, Tommy, who takes her under his wing.
Tommy is a hedonist, travelling through time to drink, carouse and womanise at will. He is charismatic and empty at the same time. Rosa is more brittle but just as selfish.
The writing in this book is beautiful. It's lyrical with poetical turns of phrases, but the novel does seem to disappear into its own self-importance towards the end. The problem for me was that I like a bit of story with my lyricism and there isn't much in the way of a plotline here. It's not even really a character driven piece. Rosa is at the heart of it, but there isn't much at the heart of Rosa.
The concept of travellers falling through time is an imaginative one, but I wanted more from the story. I think I would have found it more interesting to follow Harding through his life of wars from Flanders in the 20th century to English battlefields in the Middle Ages. Rosa's life out of time just wasn't as interesting as it could have been.
Rosa Hyde is born in 1945. By the age of 17, she is still living through 1945. Every New Year's Eve, she and her family pack up their home and fall back through time to the beginning of 1945 and live the year over again in a carefully researched location where bombs won't fall.
Rosa is trapped in 1945 by the weight of her father's grief for his father, killed at Arnhem in 1944. Frustration and anger eat at Rosa until she runs away and finds that she can tumble through decades or even centuries. I love this concept and the possibilities for stories are endless. The trouble is that Rosa isn't much interested in anything.
In her first foray, she slips from 1945 to 21st century London. She learns to fend for herself before slipping back in time to encounter her first fellow traveller, Tommy, who takes her under his wing.
Tommy is a hedonist, travelling through time to drink, carouse and womanise at will. He is charismatic and empty at the same time. Rosa is more brittle but just as selfish.
The writing in this book is beautiful. It's lyrical with poetical turns of phrases, but the novel does seem to disappear into its own self-importance towards the end. The problem for me was that I like a bit of story with my lyricism and there isn't much in the way of a plotline here. It's not even really a character driven piece. Rosa is at the heart of it, but there isn't much at the heart of Rosa.
The concept of travellers falling through time is an imaginative one, but I wanted more from the story. I think I would have found it more interesting to follow Harding through his life of wars from Flanders in the 20th century to English battlefields in the Middle Ages. Rosa's life out of time just wasn't as interesting as it could have been.
October 29, 2015
I was incredibly excited when Sophie asked me if I would like to read and review the novel ahead of its September released. I absolutely loved her debut, Hideous Creatures, available here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hideous-Creat...
So, The Immortals. The protagonist, Rosa Hyde, is the daughter of a time-traveller - she and her family are stuck in 1945, forced to relive that year over and over again. As she grows older, she longs for something more, even if it means breaking away from her family.
Eventually, she manages to do just that and her first taste of a new time takes place in our very own. Equally fascinated and terrified, she spends a great deal of time in London before slipping away to a previous century. Here she meets Tommy Rust, a veteran of time travel, who shows her the ropes. They slip in between decades and centuries, sometimes together, sometimes separately. Their journeys are vast and breathtaking, but eventually they take their toll, no matter what Tommy thinks, certain of their immortality.
The premise of the story is bold and ambitious, and it does not fall short of the mark. The journeys Rosa and her fellow time travellers undertake are as complex and rich as the characters themselves. One minute, you're in a feasting hall watching Rosa teaching her hosts about the wonders of the future, and next you're at the beginning of the world, freezing and desolate, thinking about life and what it all means.
There are so many layers to this story that S. E. Lister weaves in so effortlessly it's almost unfair. The yearning to belong somewhere, with someone, while wrestling to be free. The fun and fanfare of fabulous riches and adoration while you wonder if there is more to life. The difficulty of facing your own mortality. In Rosa and Tommy's case, this becomes far more painful when they've lived their life on a plane far different from others'.
The novel is awash with beautiful descriptions and strong settings of place, so even when it's time to move on to the next destination the reader has a keen sense of what has been left behind, sometimes mourning for it like Rosa does. I had no idea how a novel like this could possibly end, but Lister handles it brilliantly. It's a fitting close for a story that dared to do and show so much.
So, The Immortals. The protagonist, Rosa Hyde, is the daughter of a time-traveller - she and her family are stuck in 1945, forced to relive that year over and over again. As she grows older, she longs for something more, even if it means breaking away from her family.
Eventually, she manages to do just that and her first taste of a new time takes place in our very own. Equally fascinated and terrified, she spends a great deal of time in London before slipping away to a previous century. Here she meets Tommy Rust, a veteran of time travel, who shows her the ropes. They slip in between decades and centuries, sometimes together, sometimes separately. Their journeys are vast and breathtaking, but eventually they take their toll, no matter what Tommy thinks, certain of their immortality.
The premise of the story is bold and ambitious, and it does not fall short of the mark. The journeys Rosa and her fellow time travellers undertake are as complex and rich as the characters themselves. One minute, you're in a feasting hall watching Rosa teaching her hosts about the wonders of the future, and next you're at the beginning of the world, freezing and desolate, thinking about life and what it all means.
There are so many layers to this story that S. E. Lister weaves in so effortlessly it's almost unfair. The yearning to belong somewhere, with someone, while wrestling to be free. The fun and fanfare of fabulous riches and adoration while you wonder if there is more to life. The difficulty of facing your own mortality. In Rosa and Tommy's case, this becomes far more painful when they've lived their life on a plane far different from others'.
The novel is awash with beautiful descriptions and strong settings of place, so even when it's time to move on to the next destination the reader has a keen sense of what has been left behind, sometimes mourning for it like Rosa does. I had no idea how a novel like this could possibly end, but Lister handles it brilliantly. It's a fitting close for a story that dared to do and show so much.
October 23, 2016
There were many things to admire about this book. Lister conjures places into the imagination - 19th century montparnasse , 21st century London and of course 1945. She really creates each one and they feel individual. The museum in the desert is a place I'd go on holiday - I almost felt the desert heat. The character pictures are good - I thought the Hyde family was best done. The interaction between Rosa and her mother is pure genius (see pp 286-) I also thought her father was beautifully drawn- what a sweet man. I felt rosa herself was a bit bland though. The idea central to this is very original and creative. I liked it.
February 5, 2016
Stunning. Loved this book from start to finish. The plot takes you from century to century: each vignette of time is fascinatingly and beautifully described, but like the protagonist Rosa we never stay put for long. I was captured by the narrative in the best possible way, and enjoyed the wonderful rich language at every turn. The only downside was a few typographic errors that have snuck into this first edition - but nothing to detract from the experience. Another reviewer mentioned "like Never Let Me Go and The Time-Traveller's Wife with added epic" - a good description! Highly recommended.
August 4, 2018
I really liked the premise of this book. Ordinary people travelling through time and the story told from the point of view of Rosa, who at the time of the story starting is 17 and tired of living the same year over and over.
I liked the book but I didn’t love it. I kept waiting for the story to start but it never quite seemed to get there. Kind of picked up a little when we finally met Harding, but then it kind of wandered off then just ... stopped. I’d have liked to have more of Rosa and Harding. A big problem for me was Rosa herself. A time traveler with no curiosity or even interest in anything, and Rosa herself just wasn’t that interesting either. So it was good but not great.
I liked the book but I didn’t love it. I kept waiting for the story to start but it never quite seemed to get there. Kind of picked up a little when we finally met Harding, but then it kind of wandered off then just ... stopped. I’d have liked to have more of Rosa and Harding. A big problem for me was Rosa herself. A time traveler with no curiosity or even interest in anything, and Rosa herself just wasn’t that interesting either. So it was good but not great.
February 20, 2018
Okay... this was a funny one.
I adored the concept, the setting, and the overall... vibe. I loved the crazy and unexpected turns it took, I loved the globetrotting, time-jumping madness. But the main character... I loathed. I’m not sure why, I just couldn’t bring myself to have a shred of affection for her. I’d recommend the book - it kept me engaged - but... if you’re a reader who (like me) latches onto characters in the blink of an eye usually... you may struggle with this one.
I adored the concept, the setting, and the overall... vibe. I loved the crazy and unexpected turns it took, I loved the globetrotting, time-jumping madness. But the main character... I loathed. I’m not sure why, I just couldn’t bring myself to have a shred of affection for her. I’d recommend the book - it kept me engaged - but... if you’re a reader who (like me) latches onto characters in the blink of an eye usually... you may struggle with this one.
April 20, 2021
But the truth was that he never grew tired of the year because he was too fascinated by his own loss, the reliving of it, and the relieving of it. [loc. 817]
Rosa grows up in Britain in 1945. That isn't clumsy wording: she and her parents live the same year, over and over, the same news stories on the radio, the same bombs and battles, the same war. Her father has the innate ability to travel in time, picking up 'tides', but he's caught up in the loss of his own father, and can't move on from his grief. Rosa rebels, and runs away from home -- and from 1945. She can't control where or when she travels, and only slowly learns to recognise the signs of an imminent journey. She encounters others like herself, most notably Tommy Rust with whom she travels through history, and realises that there is a loose collective of time-travellers with very different approaches to their gift.
Rosa decides that life as a time-traveller is precarious. She reinvents herself as the Fabulist, visiting different eras as an honoured guest, telling tales of the future and displaying books full of magical images: a photo of a satellite, a map of the London Underground, a diagram of a five-needle telegraph. It is clear to those she visits that she is a marvel, not of the ordinary world, because of the bright colours and rich gems she wears, and the strange prophecies she makes, and the way that she -- a woman -- walks fearlessly wherever she pleases.
But that doesn't last forever, and Rosa is caught up and carried away by the tides, separated from those she's come to rely on, encountering a soldier who's been fighting for a thousand years, and finally considering the question: "If you cannot die, how then will you live?"
I bought this in 2016, and it has languished in my Unread folder ever since: which is a shame, as it's an enjoyable and philosophical read. There are some poignant and powerful chapters -- the icy ocean, the medieval gardens -- and Rosa's growth over the course of the novel is logical and credible. She ends where she starts, but she is a different person, one who is compassionate and confident. I look forward to reading more by S E Lister.
August 9, 2018
This book just got more confusing the further I read on. Most of the characters are actually quite bland and the story line leaves too many open questions. Sadly, as the underlying concept had quite the potential.
January 26, 2022
One of those books where the side characters are more fascinating that the main one. Need to know more about Harris and Harding. 🥺❤️
January 23, 2022
I finished this book almost 2 weeks ago and it's taken me that long to process my thoughts because I really did love it. Well, the first half of it anyway.
The premise of this story is that Rosa Hyde and her family: mother, father, and baby sister, are stuck in the year 1945. Something I didn't understand from the summary is that it's not that they've time-traveled and now have to live 1945 and onward. No, they go back to the beginning of 1945 over and over and over because Rosa's father can't get over his father's death in World War II. Rosa hates reliving the same year, especially such a turbulent war year, and eventually runs away. Technically we open the book with Rosa returning to 1945 7 years after running away with this hauntingly beautiful opening line: "Rosa came home after seven years, in the same year she had left."
That line indicates just how gorgeously the rest of the book is written. If you don’t enjoy lyrical prose, which often means the narrator tells you exactly how the characters are feeling instead of showing you, you may not enjoy this novel. But I loved this style most of the way through. And I loved the characters. Rosa made annoying decisions at times, but at the beginning that was what made her a relatable character. She was clearly struggling with life on the cusp of adulthood and the development of powers beyond her comprehension. I liked Tommy Rust, minus the fact that he was quite a bit older than Rosa when they first met which made their relationship a bit icky at the beginning. When they reunite later in life, after their own unique time travel experiences, their relationship feels a bit more balanced.
I also enjoyed the side characters Rosa met on her travels. It was fascinating to see how others like Rosa and her father handled their unique abilities.
Here’s where the story falls apart for me. And where the spoiler section is going to begin. The Frozen Beach. This chapter takes place about halfway through the story and when it first started, I was fascinated!
As much as I loved the beginning of this novel and the characters before the frozen beach, the second half really went off the rails. And I think it was trying to be philosophical in some way, but it fails to land in any significant way. I can only give this book 3/5, although I will always have Saysair. (I listened to the book, so I have no clue how to spell the name of the northern England keep they stayed in, but that was my favorite part of the story, and I was just as sad as Rosa when they had to leave!)
The premise of this story is that Rosa Hyde and her family: mother, father, and baby sister, are stuck in the year 1945. Something I didn't understand from the summary is that it's not that they've time-traveled and now have to live 1945 and onward. No, they go back to the beginning of 1945 over and over and over because Rosa's father can't get over his father's death in World War II. Rosa hates reliving the same year, especially such a turbulent war year, and eventually runs away. Technically we open the book with Rosa returning to 1945 7 years after running away with this hauntingly beautiful opening line: "Rosa came home after seven years, in the same year she had left."
That line indicates just how gorgeously the rest of the book is written. If you don’t enjoy lyrical prose, which often means the narrator tells you exactly how the characters are feeling instead of showing you, you may not enjoy this novel. But I loved this style most of the way through. And I loved the characters. Rosa made annoying decisions at times, but at the beginning that was what made her a relatable character. She was clearly struggling with life on the cusp of adulthood and the development of powers beyond her comprehension. I liked Tommy Rust, minus the fact that he was quite a bit older than Rosa when they first met which made their relationship a bit icky at the beginning. When they reunite later in life, after their own unique time travel experiences, their relationship feels a bit more balanced.
I also enjoyed the side characters Rosa met on her travels. It was fascinating to see how others like Rosa and her father handled their unique abilities.
Here’s where the story falls apart for me. And where the spoiler section is going to begin. The Frozen Beach. This chapter takes place about halfway through the story and when it first started, I was fascinated!
As much as I loved the beginning of this novel and the characters before the frozen beach, the second half really went off the rails. And I think it was trying to be philosophical in some way, but it fails to land in any significant way. I can only give this book 3/5, although I will always have Saysair. (I listened to the book, so I have no clue how to spell the name of the northern England keep they stayed in, but that was my favorite part of the story, and I was just as sad as Rosa when they had to leave!)
packed-away
September 26, 2025abandoned at 50%. Lost interests
November 5, 2017
The Immortals follows Rosa. As the story opens she’s in her early 20s and she’s arriving home to her estranged family who she ran away from some years earlier. She gets a slightly frosty reception but mostly this is out of awkwardness – her family has already mourned her and now they don’t really know how to react. Nevertheless, they find her a room and some clothes and they get her a meal, soon warming to her presence. Rosa, on the other hand, is quickly reminded why she left.
We then jump back to those days when she was a teenager, 17 or 18 years old, to her deciding to leave and why. We discover that Rosa and her family are unusual, they can travel in time – falling forward or back through the years to explore other eras. Rosa only comes to understand this slowly, because her father, for some reason, is stuck in 1949, and every year on the 31st of December the family packs up and falls back to the first of January, to live out the year again. They find a new house and spend most of the year indoors, terrified that they should run into themselves. Otherwise, every year is the same. The same messages on the radio, the same events, the same weather, everything.
When Rosa can’t handle it anymore she leaves, falls back in time and, luckily, discovers that her family aren’t the only ones who can do this, but they do seem to be the only ones who are stuck. Thus begins her adventure. It is as much an adventure of self-discovery as it is one of exploration. It is often, but not always lonely, with the mysterious Tommy Rust occasionally appearing to hang out for a while before they are pulled apart again by the “tides” of time, which fling them across the centuries. Few of these travellers seem fully in control of where they go, or when, but there are places and times where the tides are strong and they can influence the journeys a little.
Naturally, the concept is fascinating, and the first half of the novel is almost completely given over to allowing Rosa to enjoy the freedom of this exploratory period. Reading, I couldn’t help thinking what I’d do, where I’d go, the events I’d want to see. Of course, it wouldn’t be much of a novel if everything was smooth sailing all the time and, without wanting to spoil it too much, I think it’s safe to say that the second half of the novel is haunting.
I loved this book. There’s a danger it will become one of the books that I give as gifts and that I’ll try to make all my friends read it (sorry, you guys). I want them to make a BBC drama of it with Andrew Scott as Tommy Rust and perhaps Emily Mortimer as Rosa. Or a movie. In a book where the characters can travel through time and witness any event, it’s fascinating that Lister manages to point out that those events that shape us have very little to do with where we are, or when.
We then jump back to those days when she was a teenager, 17 or 18 years old, to her deciding to leave and why. We discover that Rosa and her family are unusual, they can travel in time – falling forward or back through the years to explore other eras. Rosa only comes to understand this slowly, because her father, for some reason, is stuck in 1949, and every year on the 31st of December the family packs up and falls back to the first of January, to live out the year again. They find a new house and spend most of the year indoors, terrified that they should run into themselves. Otherwise, every year is the same. The same messages on the radio, the same events, the same weather, everything.
When Rosa can’t handle it anymore she leaves, falls back in time and, luckily, discovers that her family aren’t the only ones who can do this, but they do seem to be the only ones who are stuck. Thus begins her adventure. It is as much an adventure of self-discovery as it is one of exploration. It is often, but not always lonely, with the mysterious Tommy Rust occasionally appearing to hang out for a while before they are pulled apart again by the “tides” of time, which fling them across the centuries. Few of these travellers seem fully in control of where they go, or when, but there are places and times where the tides are strong and they can influence the journeys a little.
Naturally, the concept is fascinating, and the first half of the novel is almost completely given over to allowing Rosa to enjoy the freedom of this exploratory period. Reading, I couldn’t help thinking what I’d do, where I’d go, the events I’d want to see. Of course, it wouldn’t be much of a novel if everything was smooth sailing all the time and, without wanting to spoil it too much, I think it’s safe to say that the second half of the novel is haunting.
I loved this book. There’s a danger it will become one of the books that I give as gifts and that I’ll try to make all my friends read it (sorry, you guys). I want them to make a BBC drama of it with Andrew Scott as Tommy Rust and perhaps Emily Mortimer as Rosa. Or a movie. In a book where the characters can travel through time and witness any event, it’s fascinating that Lister manages to point out that those events that shape us have very little to do with where we are, or when.
February 15, 2017
Now here’s a quandary – should The Immortals be given 4 or 5 stars? To be honest, I’ve vacillated between the two. At the beginning I would have wagered that a 5 star would be a given, but by the end I plumped for 4.
This is no easy decision.
Since the start of my writing/publishing journey I’ve discovered the power of ratings and reviews, not only on the readers but on the authors. If I’m awarded a poor rating, or a less than enthusiastic review, I can be cast down for days. Words have power.
So may I assert that The Immortals is both fascinating and beautifully written? Really, really beautifully written. Without doubt S. E. Lister is a master wordsmith and a spinner of worlds. If only I could write like this (but I can’t)!
The Immortals has touches of The Night Circus, The Time Traveler's Wife and The Ocean at the End of the Lane – all stunning books.
But, and this is why it’s a 4 not a 5 star for me, I did feel it drifted in parts and that a skilful, guiding hand in the editing could have elevated this book to a 5 star rating. However, I’ll be scrabbling to read more by this author … very soon.
This is no easy decision.
Since the start of my writing/publishing journey I’ve discovered the power of ratings and reviews, not only on the readers but on the authors. If I’m awarded a poor rating, or a less than enthusiastic review, I can be cast down for days. Words have power.
So may I assert that The Immortals is both fascinating and beautifully written? Really, really beautifully written. Without doubt S. E. Lister is a master wordsmith and a spinner of worlds. If only I could write like this (but I can’t)!
The Immortals has touches of The Night Circus, The Time Traveler's Wife and The Ocean at the End of the Lane – all stunning books.
But, and this is why it’s a 4 not a 5 star for me, I did feel it drifted in parts and that a skilful, guiding hand in the editing could have elevated this book to a 5 star rating. However, I’ll be scrabbling to read more by this author … very soon.
November 20, 2016
Moments of magic
I found it hard to settle with the book at first and at no point did I feel compelled to stay up late to read on, but, I think others will, because despite it not keeping me awake to devour it, this is a fine book.
There is a thinness to the characters, but that reflects their fragility as they are taken by tides back and forth through history, even to a time before humanity, where wolves had not yet become wolves.
Overall, this is a beautifully written examination of ideas of time travel, what it means to the travellers, what they understand about their existence and how little they really know. For our protagonist there are two places that are a sort of home for her. One of the many family homes in 1945, and The Museum. She is drawn to both, but also wants to escape them. She leaves and returns to them, each time with a little more understanding, not just of herself but her family and others like her and them. As we near the end of the story we understand too, as much as it is possible to do and the overwhelming feeling is one of sadness.
The moments of magic are not where you'd expect them or imagine them to be, and maybe the most magical aspect of this book is that it uses genre fiction to consider our ideas about life, how to live, what is family and where do we belong in the world we live in.
So, despite my slowness to read this, I think it is a beautiful and special book and I'm happy to recommend it.
I found it hard to settle with the book at first and at no point did I feel compelled to stay up late to read on, but, I think others will, because despite it not keeping me awake to devour it, this is a fine book.
There is a thinness to the characters, but that reflects their fragility as they are taken by tides back and forth through history, even to a time before humanity, where wolves had not yet become wolves.
Overall, this is a beautifully written examination of ideas of time travel, what it means to the travellers, what they understand about their existence and how little they really know. For our protagonist there are two places that are a sort of home for her. One of the many family homes in 1945, and The Museum. She is drawn to both, but also wants to escape them. She leaves and returns to them, each time with a little more understanding, not just of herself but her family and others like her and them. As we near the end of the story we understand too, as much as it is possible to do and the overwhelming feeling is one of sadness.
The moments of magic are not where you'd expect them or imagine them to be, and maybe the most magical aspect of this book is that it uses genre fiction to consider our ideas about life, how to live, what is family and where do we belong in the world we live in.
So, despite my slowness to read this, I think it is a beautiful and special book and I'm happy to recommend it.
September 19, 2015
'The Immortals' is about all the important things - life, meaning, mortality, and time travel! It reminded me of 'Never Let Me Go' and 'The Time Travellers Wife', with added epic! - and as such, it is entirely my kind of book. I read it once at break-neck speed carried along by the adventure, and now I'm now reading it again to revisit the places that S E Lister takes Rosa over the course of the book.
So a bit about the plot...
Rosa Hyde's family live 1945 over and over. At the end of every year they tumble back to the start; move house, and live it again. As the years go by, they rarely leave their house in case they should meet themselves from a different year, and after seventeen years Rosa inevitably feels trapped, angry and determined to escape. So with all the emotional maturity of an unnaturally isolated teenager, she runs away cursing her family as she goes. She begins a brand new life - one of tumbling from year to year: living the high life with other time travellers, and making the most of all the knowledge time travel brings.
But maybe things are too good to be true? In fact, they definitely are! - The book opens seven years later, part way through Rosa's story, when she returns to her family in 1945, seemingly rather battered by her experiences... and still unable to stay put in one time.
So a bit about the plot...
Rosa Hyde's family live 1945 over and over. At the end of every year they tumble back to the start; move house, and live it again. As the years go by, they rarely leave their house in case they should meet themselves from a different year, and after seventeen years Rosa inevitably feels trapped, angry and determined to escape. So with all the emotional maturity of an unnaturally isolated teenager, she runs away cursing her family as she goes. She begins a brand new life - one of tumbling from year to year: living the high life with other time travellers, and making the most of all the knowledge time travel brings.
But maybe things are too good to be true? In fact, they definitely are! - The book opens seven years later, part way through Rosa's story, when she returns to her family in 1945, seemingly rather battered by her experiences... and still unable to stay put in one time.
September 18, 2016
I'm glad this wasn't an ARC, because I wouldn't have the faintest idea where to start with reviewing it. It's beautiful, and peculiar, and sad, and hopeful. To be honest, I'm not entirely sure why I liked it as much as I did, but I did. If you crossed The Night Circus with The Time Traveller's Wife, you might get something approximating the mood / essence of this book, but that feels inexact as a description. Idk. I liked it a lot. You might not. There's time travel and loneliness and the end of the world.
February 7, 2017
This is a fascinating concept for a book but I'm not sure I completely loved it. I think I was expecting more fun from a book about time travel but this is more a bleakly but beautifully written meditation on time and mortality. Rosa's predicament of being stuck in 1945 is curiously unsympathetic and her exploration of other times and places seems, perhaps intentionally, superficial.
September 1, 2016
Really gripping
Loved this book .lots of twists and turns couldn't put it down.excellent story of time travel,love and life.a real winner.
Loved this book .lots of twists and turns couldn't put it down.excellent story of time travel,love and life.a real winner.
October 22, 2016
Fascinating
What would you do with any time you could live?
A fascinatingly philosophical book about a rather boring time travel adventure.
What would you do with any time you could live?
A fascinatingly philosophical book about a rather boring time travel adventure.
July 4, 2024
"Immortals" by S.E. Lister is a captivating and thought-provoking novel that explores the complexities of time, immortality, and human connection. The story centers around Rosa Hyde, a young woman who, along with her family, possesses the ability to travel through time. This gift, however, comes with its own set of challenges and consequences, which are deftly explored throughout the narrative.
One of the most striking aspects of "Immortals" is Lister's lyrical and evocative writing style. Her prose is both beautiful and haunting, drawing readers into a richly imagined world where the boundaries of time are fluid. The descriptions are vivid and immersive, painting a picture of each era Rosa and her family visit with meticulous detail.
The characters in "Immortals" are well-developed and compelling. Rosa is a nuanced protagonist whose internal struggles and desires are portrayed with depth and sensitivity. Her journey is both physical and emotional, as she grapples with the implications of her family's timeless existence and the impact it has on their relationships and sense of self. The supporting characters, including Rosa's family and the various individuals they encounter across different times, add further layers to the story, each bringing their own perspectives and histories.
Lister's exploration of immortality is particularly intriguing. Rather than depicting it as a purely enviable state, she delves into the complexities and moral dilemmas that come with living outside the normal flow of time. The novel raises profound questions about the nature of life, the passage of time, and what it truly means to be immortal.
While "Immortals" is rich in thematic depth and beautifully written, it can be a bit slow-paced at times. The narrative's focus on introspection and the characters' inner lives may not appeal to readers looking for a fast-paced plot. Additionally, the non-linear structure, while effective in conveying the timeless nature of the story, can be challenging to follow for some.
In conclusion, "Immortals" by S.E. Lister is a mesmerizing and contemplative novel that offers a unique take on time travel and immortality. With its evocative prose, well-drawn characters, and deep philosophical insights, it is a book that will linger in the minds of readers long after they turn the final page. If you appreciate literary fiction that explores profound themes with elegance and nuance, "Immortals" is a highly recommended read.
One of the most striking aspects of "Immortals" is Lister's lyrical and evocative writing style. Her prose is both beautiful and haunting, drawing readers into a richly imagined world where the boundaries of time are fluid. The descriptions are vivid and immersive, painting a picture of each era Rosa and her family visit with meticulous detail.
The characters in "Immortals" are well-developed and compelling. Rosa is a nuanced protagonist whose internal struggles and desires are portrayed with depth and sensitivity. Her journey is both physical and emotional, as she grapples with the implications of her family's timeless existence and the impact it has on their relationships and sense of self. The supporting characters, including Rosa's family and the various individuals they encounter across different times, add further layers to the story, each bringing their own perspectives and histories.
Lister's exploration of immortality is particularly intriguing. Rather than depicting it as a purely enviable state, she delves into the complexities and moral dilemmas that come with living outside the normal flow of time. The novel raises profound questions about the nature of life, the passage of time, and what it truly means to be immortal.
While "Immortals" is rich in thematic depth and beautifully written, it can be a bit slow-paced at times. The narrative's focus on introspection and the characters' inner lives may not appeal to readers looking for a fast-paced plot. Additionally, the non-linear structure, while effective in conveying the timeless nature of the story, can be challenging to follow for some.
In conclusion, "Immortals" by S.E. Lister is a mesmerizing and contemplative novel that offers a unique take on time travel and immortality. With its evocative prose, well-drawn characters, and deep philosophical insights, it is a book that will linger in the minds of readers long after they turn the final page. If you appreciate literary fiction that explores profound themes with elegance and nuance, "Immortals" is a highly recommended read.
November 2, 2017
This book was difficult to rate. The story is really interesting but I felt there was a huge lull in the middle of the book.
It's about Rosa who comes from a family of time travellers who only ever live in 1945. The book starts with Rosa's return to them after running away 7 years before.
This is a tale of time travellers who have little or no control over where or when they travel. The first section of the book, which tells the story of Rosa, her family, and what she did when she left them, was the best by far. In Rosa's years away we learn about what she is and how she travels, and we're told about her time as The Fabulist. These chapters are interesting because we watch Rosa learn and grow.
It's when she goes back to her family that the lull starts. The book has come full circle but we're only halfway through?? It just gets a bit repetitive and slow, with nothing of interest or significance happening until the mysterious soldier shows up.
The soldier has an intriguing back story, but I didn't feel like we were given enough of a look into it.
This is a melancholy look at time travel...there are no worries about changing history by stepping on a butterfly, and there aren't any peaks into alternate timelines.
This is a different type of time traveller and it's worth a read if you generally enjoy time travel novels. It's a good book, I'm just not sure the story ever pays off.
It's about Rosa who comes from a family of time travellers who only ever live in 1945. The book starts with Rosa's return to them after running away 7 years before.
This is a tale of time travellers who have little or no control over where or when they travel. The first section of the book, which tells the story of Rosa, her family, and what she did when she left them, was the best by far. In Rosa's years away we learn about what she is and how she travels, and we're told about her time as The Fabulist. These chapters are interesting because we watch Rosa learn and grow.
It's when she goes back to her family that the lull starts. The book has come full circle but we're only halfway through?? It just gets a bit repetitive and slow, with nothing of interest or significance happening until the mysterious soldier shows up.
The soldier has an intriguing back story, but I didn't feel like we were given enough of a look into it.
This is a melancholy look at time travel...there are no worries about changing history by stepping on a butterfly, and there aren't any peaks into alternate timelines.
This is a different type of time traveller and it's worth a read if you generally enjoy time travel novels. It's a good book, I'm just not sure the story ever pays off.
October 19, 2023
.....📚 𝑩𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝑹𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘 📚.....
The Immortals by S.E. Lister is one of those books I'm going to struggle to describe and review, but I'd maybe describe it as a time travel, historical fiction, futuristic, fantasy(ish) novel.
An intriguing concept where travellers can move forward and backwards through time on tides, however often with no control, and only with what is on them at the time. Rosa Hyde has relived the year 1945 repeatedly since she was born, forced to live the same year with her family time and time again. At 17, Rosa beaks free of her family and falls through time, visiting different years across different centuries and meeting other travellers along the way. The travel through time on tides offers Rosa the whole world, however it also takes a toll on her and the other travellers. Can Rosa find a way to stay in one place and with one person to keep her grounded?
I was really into the concept for this book and the ways travellers moved through time with varying levels of success and control, but I'm not sure the execution worked for me. As the story went on, it felt less likely that the story would feel complete and refined. I was left wanting more. A clear story arc, fleshed out characters, and more direction. This may have worked more as part of a series where the world and concepts could have been developed over time and with some clearer planning about what each story was actually about. Going with ⭐️⭐️🌠 (2.5/5).
The Immortals by S.E. Lister is one of those books I'm going to struggle to describe and review, but I'd maybe describe it as a time travel, historical fiction, futuristic, fantasy(ish) novel.
An intriguing concept where travellers can move forward and backwards through time on tides, however often with no control, and only with what is on them at the time. Rosa Hyde has relived the year 1945 repeatedly since she was born, forced to live the same year with her family time and time again. At 17, Rosa beaks free of her family and falls through time, visiting different years across different centuries and meeting other travellers along the way. The travel through time on tides offers Rosa the whole world, however it also takes a toll on her and the other travellers. Can Rosa find a way to stay in one place and with one person to keep her grounded?
I was really into the concept for this book and the ways travellers moved through time with varying levels of success and control, but I'm not sure the execution worked for me. As the story went on, it felt less likely that the story would feel complete and refined. I was left wanting more. A clear story arc, fleshed out characters, and more direction. This may have worked more as part of a series where the world and concepts could have been developed over time and with some clearer planning about what each story was actually about. Going with ⭐️⭐️🌠 (2.5/5).
February 15, 2021
This novel, though not globally recognised, focuses on a world created by S.E Lister, a writer with plenty of raw talent and potential.
A standard and nicely put-together novel of 328 pages, with a book cover which is eye-catching and arty enough, the essence of this story is time-travel. The protagonist features Rosa, a girl that grows into an old woman whilst exploring the world, lost in the scramble of all that is the past, the present and the future. She ventures to a time before the birth of the human race, to when Queens and Kings ruled the lands, to a modern London in the 21st and 1945, the year that troubles her most, the year her only family choose never to leave, creating a depressing loop that Rosa decides to escape.
S.E Lister deserves all the credit for this nicely woven story, an author with a beautifully vivid imagination, capturing the essence and heart of settings, characters and much more. The detail, the array of words, the emotions all come together like an unbreakable stitched blanket.
I hope her success continues.
I hope she continues to write and publish even more.
Her passion and her creativity is an inspiration.
Thanks for the good read.
A standard and nicely put-together novel of 328 pages, with a book cover which is eye-catching and arty enough, the essence of this story is time-travel. The protagonist features Rosa, a girl that grows into an old woman whilst exploring the world, lost in the scramble of all that is the past, the present and the future. She ventures to a time before the birth of the human race, to when Queens and Kings ruled the lands, to a modern London in the 21st and 1945, the year that troubles her most, the year her only family choose never to leave, creating a depressing loop that Rosa decides to escape.
S.E Lister deserves all the credit for this nicely woven story, an author with a beautifully vivid imagination, capturing the essence and heart of settings, characters and much more. The detail, the array of words, the emotions all come together like an unbreakable stitched blanket.
I hope her success continues.
I hope she continues to write and publish even more.
Her passion and her creativity is an inspiration.
Thanks for the good read.
September 22, 2024
I'm not entirely sure what to say about this book. I definitely shed several tears during the last few chapters. I genuinely don't think that I've read a book that far from a happy ending. Maybe that just means that my book tastes are maturing, but I'm not sure I'm going to make a habit of it.
Overall I'd say that it was a bit difficult to get into at her first, due to the way that that the author chooses to immerse you in the story. However, as soon as your interest peaks it is very difficult to put this book down.
From the tumultuous adventures through the centuries to the protagonists own inner turmoil, you certainly will not be bored. At certain points in the story, there are chapters that feel unecessary but in the end it all comes full circle marking the execellent construction.
The characters are wonderfully human and were incredibly real to me. Though a few details about the ending are a bit blurred for me, I can tearfully say that I thoroughly enjoyed and absorbed this book. There were so many things to learn and I definitely picked some things up along this journey ;)
Overall I'd say that it was a bit difficult to get into at her first, due to the way that that the author chooses to immerse you in the story. However, as soon as your interest peaks it is very difficult to put this book down.
From the tumultuous adventures through the centuries to the protagonists own inner turmoil, you certainly will not be bored. At certain points in the story, there are chapters that feel unecessary but in the end it all comes full circle marking the execellent construction.
The characters are wonderfully human and were incredibly real to me. Though a few details about the ending are a bit blurred for me, I can tearfully say that I thoroughly enjoyed and absorbed this book. There were so many things to learn and I definitely picked some things up along this journey ;)
October 13, 2017
The base concept is definitely a five star one, with huge potential. It is thought provoking and asks more questions than it answers, which is often what turns a good book into a great book. However, here, the concept is the strongest element of the text. I did not fully engage with any of the characters. The main protagonist is not fully drawn, with her passage through time sketched in what she sees and who she meets rather than how she is changed and how she responds, except for the grim pull of the end game. Although undoubtedly poetic and occasionally enchanting, the writing did not make me care. There were too many sentences that were signposted as ‘profound’, which lacked profundity. Perhaps that is intentional, in an existentially ephemeral universe? It would have been four stars if the relationships had mattered, five if the ages that we encountered were explored on a deeper level. Quoting from the book - this sums up my experience of it ... It has been something besides what you wanted – somehow more, somehow less.
January 21, 2019
I love this book; I hate this book. It will blow your mind. It certainly blew mine. I love it because of its imagery, and Rosa and Tommy, and people who have lost their way and are floating. Immersive imagery, fantastic places. Haunting and terrifying, and wry. It is about living, and what living means - a philosophical book without any pretensions towards philosophy. Truly the most haunting book about growing up and getting old that I've ever read.
I hate it because of the feeling it gives me at the end of it, and the way I walk around for days afterwards, wondering what the meaning of life is. By which I mean, it will inspire you to think more deeply about who we are on this world, but you might not be grateful for that.
The entire emotion is nostalgia.
Listen to songs by Lorde (perfect places, ribs, world alone) for the same feeling of freedom and fear and inevitability.
Read the book "The age of miracles" for a similar haunting feeling.
I hate it because of the feeling it gives me at the end of it, and the way I walk around for days afterwards, wondering what the meaning of life is. By which I mean, it will inspire you to think more deeply about who we are on this world, but you might not be grateful for that.
The entire emotion is nostalgia.
Listen to songs by Lorde (perfect places, ribs, world alone) for the same feeling of freedom and fear and inevitability.
Read the book "The age of miracles" for a similar haunting feeling.
September 23, 2017
First of all, can I just talk about this gorgeous cover? I posted a photo of it on my Instagram as I was reading it and it seriously does not do justice to how stunning the cover art actually is. I was recommended this book on a reading spa I went to with my sister and fellow blogger Chrissi Reads at Mr B's Emporium Of Reading Delights in Bath. If you haven't been there before, I highly highly recommend it. Not just for the reading spa which was amazing (and the second one that we've actually had there!) but the bookshop itself is just beautiful and the staff so knowledgeable and friendly. Check out their website HERE and my post about our first reading spa HERE. Anyway, back to the book! I was so sure this was going to be a five star read for me, purely from the synopsis. It came ever so close in the end but didn't quite make it. However, I urge you with every fibre of my being to read this book as everything from the writing, setting and characters is all kinds of fantastic and I thoroughly enjoyed every moment I spent reading it - it's truly a story to be savoured.
In a similar manner to The Time Traveller's Wife (another of my all time favourite reads) The Immortals follows a young woman called Rosa who is forced to travel forwards and backwards in time without much control. Her father was a time traveller himself although he became stuck in one particular year, 1945 which he is obliged to re-live again and again every New Years's Eve when he travels right back to the beginning of the year with his wife, Rosa and her younger sister. Rosa is aware that her father is re-living this nightmare year because of a traumatic event in his past that he refuses to come to terms with but she is getting fed up of it so decides to run away and live her own life, flitting from decade to decade and embarking on crazy, wonderful and in some cases, not so wonderful adventures. She meets a host of interesting people, including Tommy Rust who becomes her time-travelling buddy for many years but it isn't until she meets a distressed soldier called Harding that she begins to realise the nature of time and the effect it could be having on her body.
Can I just say - what an imagination this author has to be able to write a fantastical time-travel novel such as this? It's beautifully layered, complex yet easy to read at the same time and filled with some brilliant, wonderfully drawn characters that instantly pull you into their lives and make you care about them, even if you might question some of their actions at times. I had an especially hard time with Rosa. Some of her motives and decisions are incredibly selfish and questionable as she jumps backward and forward in time yet still she seems to learn from her experiences and I felt a strange sort of affection for her as the novel progressed. The only thing I'm in a bit of a muddle about is the character of Harding. He appears relatively late on in the narrative and, on reflection, I think it would have been a slightly stronger story if he had appeared earlier and we had learned more about him as a character as I was infinitely more interested in his past than I was in Tommy Rust's. That's probably the only reason I haven't given this novel a higher rating. Otherwise, this is everything I could ever want from a novel - captivating writing, magical elements, amazing world-building....go and read it!!
For my full review and many more please visit my blog at http://www.bibliobeth.com
In a similar manner to The Time Traveller's Wife (another of my all time favourite reads) The Immortals follows a young woman called Rosa who is forced to travel forwards and backwards in time without much control. Her father was a time traveller himself although he became stuck in one particular year, 1945 which he is obliged to re-live again and again every New Years's Eve when he travels right back to the beginning of the year with his wife, Rosa and her younger sister. Rosa is aware that her father is re-living this nightmare year because of a traumatic event in his past that he refuses to come to terms with but she is getting fed up of it so decides to run away and live her own life, flitting from decade to decade and embarking on crazy, wonderful and in some cases, not so wonderful adventures. She meets a host of interesting people, including Tommy Rust who becomes her time-travelling buddy for many years but it isn't until she meets a distressed soldier called Harding that she begins to realise the nature of time and the effect it could be having on her body.
Can I just say - what an imagination this author has to be able to write a fantastical time-travel novel such as this? It's beautifully layered, complex yet easy to read at the same time and filled with some brilliant, wonderfully drawn characters that instantly pull you into their lives and make you care about them, even if you might question some of their actions at times. I had an especially hard time with Rosa. Some of her motives and decisions are incredibly selfish and questionable as she jumps backward and forward in time yet still she seems to learn from her experiences and I felt a strange sort of affection for her as the novel progressed. The only thing I'm in a bit of a muddle about is the character of Harding. He appears relatively late on in the narrative and, on reflection, I think it would have been a slightly stronger story if he had appeared earlier and we had learned more about him as a character as I was infinitely more interested in his past than I was in Tommy Rust's. That's probably the only reason I haven't given this novel a higher rating. Otherwise, this is everything I could ever want from a novel - captivating writing, magical elements, amazing world-building....go and read it!!
For my full review and many more please visit my blog at http://www.bibliobeth.com
June 13, 2017
Wow - just wow! I think this book may haunt me for quite a while. The overall impression I got from it was light, despite the fact that some of the subject matter was harrowing and hard, the whole book had a light touch and you were just wafting your way through it. It didn't matter that you didn't know what the characters looked like - it was enough just to be there with them. The middle of the book where Rosa goes to a particularly dark cold place was quite frightening and I was relieved when she was able to go forward again. There was no pretence about the characters - you felt their pain and their suffering - it wasn't an easy life by any means. Written really well also, beautiful descriptions. Definitely will remember this one for a long while.
May 26, 2018
The Immortals took me quite a while to warm to, it was an interesting enough idea, a group of people who could time travel, pulled by tides in time but at first it’s just the main character’s dissatisfaction with her life with her family, constantly repeating 1945 over and over again. Then we see what she does when she escapes this repeat and as she travels through different eras and meets different people, it’s interesting enough but nothing really happens but oh it’s worth sticking with, all that slow build anx, all that character development, by the last third of the book, the whole thing is achingly beautiful and really sad! So this book went from a three star, to a four star, to a I can’t give this anything other than five stars, this book will haunt me for a while.
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