Talk to me about 'The Immortalists' SPOILER

[Lightshines]

I've finished it and thought it was interesting but not at all what I was expecting from the blurb.

But I've just read an interview with the author at the back of the book. I haven't 'got' the book at all. Completely missed huge themes - primate research, war....

I just didn't see how the prophecies related to the life stories of the children.

Interested to hear others' views. Did you love this book and how have I missed the point?!

I think that there were so many 'points' in this book that you can take from it what you want. Personally, I loved it, the characters were so real, each of their stories was fascinating, especially the depiction of the beginning of the AIDS epidemic in San Francisco, and for me it was really a portrait of sibling relationships with the prophecy being an interesting twist or hook. It was interesting to consider how each of the siblings responded to their own prophecy, and it also threw up questions about free will and destiny - eg was the prophecy self fulfilling as it led them down various destructive paths. I thought as a portrait of second generation immigrant experience it also was very moving.
Primate research - meh - an interesting aside but not really a main theme of the book I didn't think. I guess there were so many strands that each will stand out more for different readers.