The author teases us by inviting us to consider whether Simon’s death was an accurate prediction by the fortune-teller, or whether being given a date of death drives us towards fulfilling that prediction. Simon dies – but that might not really be a spoiler, because you know it had to happen! Once Simon’s death becomes inevitable, the narrative of the book becomes clear. Simon’s behaviour has a kind of death-wish about it. It is the early ‘80s and there is talk of a terrible new ‘gay disease’.
We watch with trepidation the hedonistic lifestyle that Simon leads.
It also means that someone else will have to care for their mother, a role that Daniel expected Simon would take on. Simon not only moves to the other side of the country, but he breaks away from the family completely, much to the consternation of Daniel, who sees Simon’s behaviour as wilful and selfish.
Simon could never follow in his father’s footsteps. Simon is gay, something Klara recognises clearly, but they both know that this truth would be devastating to their traditional Jewish mother. With the fortune teller’s prediction preying on his mind, he is easily persuaded by Klara to leave New York and make a new life for himself in San Francisco, where, free of family expectations, he can lead a more fulfilling life. It was expected that Simon would continue the family tailoring business, but this is very far from his intention. This leaves their needy mother, Gertie, distraught. The novel jumps forward ten years when the children’s father, Saul, dies. The younger children seem more vulnerable and more preoccupied, particularly Simon, who at this point is only seven years old, and who is told that he will die young. Their reactions vary Daniel, the second oldest, for example, says he thinks it is all rubbish. The mystic consults each child privately about their fate. The novel begins in 1969 with the four children of the Gold family – Varya, Daniel, Klara and Simon – visiting a fortune-teller in her grimy downtown New York apartment, who is said to be able to predict the date of a person’s death. The following review contains one or two spoilers. Chloe Benjamin, in this novel at least, is definitely one of those authors. As a writer myself, this is, I feel, not one of my strengths, so I am in awe of those for whom it clearly is.
I am a huge admirer of authors who can come up with clever, original, twisty plots.
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