3.5 stars.
I enjoyed the subject matter for this, and thought the overall idea was really interesting and unique. Certain people have a condition that results in them ageing incredibly slowly, with a lifetime sometimes in excess of 900. Known as ‘Albas’, we follow one Alba - Tom Hazard as he recounts his life over the previous centuries, and the people he’s met along the way, all the while he’s searching for his missing daughter.
Tom narrates the story almost like a ghost of himself. He seems to have developed over time the ability to detach himself from really feeling anything (and even at one point admits that he’s avoided love and it’s emotional connotations on purpose to prevent further heartache). This makes him come across as quite cold at times, and I struggled to really know him as an individual, even though we were exploring his personal history. The people who seem to wander into his life seem to be brief and unsubstantial too - much like the ‘mayflies’ they’re derogatorily called by Alba leader Heinrich.
This seemed to skim the surface of its potential, with many things eluded to more than seen - such as Heinrich’s neurotic paranoid personality and his possessiveness over this ‘gift’ they all share. I would have liked to have seen a broader understanding of his background, instead of it being very narrowed in on Tom. There’s also no real plot. It’s almost a memoir of Tom’s life, with the occasional jaunt into the present day, but nothing of any real note happens. There’s no build up to anything, no mystery.
A quick read, but I found myself really questioning what the point was.
- 3 stars
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