Reviewer: Sharon Brunner
D.Q. Grossa’s novel When Living Becomes Forever offers a view of never reaching the ripe old age of 80 because of re-aging, outliving loved ones and struggling to find cures for diseases like cancer and dementia. The story takes place in several places. It begins in Marquette, Michigan, where two of the main characters, Matthew and Sarah, meet. A community in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan (U.P.). She is involved in a plane crash, and Matthew is one of the attending physicians. They form an attraction at their first meeting. The story is set in 1974, when Michigan state hospitals operated for people with intellectual disabilities. Following the plane crash, Sarah worked at the same state hospital as Matthew in Marquette. She is a speech therapist, and he is a neurosurgeon. The story also takes place in Italy in 48 BCE. One location is Villa Rustica, a farm. Matthius and Feliciana are two of the main characters. Feliciana is murdered. Matthius decides to seek revenge against whoever he thought killed her. Other characters in that period are Caesar, Brutus, and Antony. Sarah from 1974 struggles to believe Matthew’s story about living for over 2000 years, even after she faces a mountain of evidence.
Some of the main themes throughout the book involve Matthius’ survival during a time of war at the Roman Empire’s inception. Matthew’s goal is to figure out why he kept re-aging and returning to a younger age for many years. Is there a unique physical characteristic that he possesses that can help others fight diseases? Matthius travels to find Brutus, whom he thought killed his true love. He has to avoid battles. Many thieves and murderers travel the same trails. He uses his gladiator skills well. Matthius’ father is a senator who actually saved Brutus’ life, which in turn saved Matthius’ life. During the 1970s, while Sarah read through multiple papyri and documents from the ancient past and transcribed them concerning Matthew’s life, he conducted massive research into the biology and science behind human physiology to come up with cures. He obtained multiple medical degrees throughout various lifetimes so he could conduct extensive research.
The book that came to mind when reading this book is 11/22/63 by Stephen King. A high school teacher without any seemingly special skills finds a portal that transports him to 1958, and he tries to stop the assassination of John F. Kennedy. Many books cover time travel, but the aforementioned book really opened the door to what could happen if we could travel through time. What would have been the ramifications or changes to our country if Kennedy was not shot on that fatal day? Could he have accomplished many other important things that would have vastly improved our country? The movie that came to mind was the 1980 movie “Somewhere in Time,” which took place in the romantic location of Mackinac Island, Michigan, at the Grand Hotel. A playwright becomes fascinated by a picture of a turn-of-the-century stage actress. He travels back in time to meet the actress, and they seem destined to be together. Grossa describes in his book circumstances in which Matthius and Matthew fall in love. In fact, falling in love could have been one of the themes mentioned.
This book relates to my life in a few ways. I fell in love when I was young and in high school, and I fell in love at first sight when I met the man I am married to now. It’s relatable how two people want to spend a lot of time together and only have eyes for each other. I’ve experienced déjà vu, believing I was in a specific place when I knew I wasn’t. Does reincarnation actually occur? Have we lived multiple lifetimes? I find it hard to believe our souls have only lived in one lifetime.
I recommend When Living Becomes Forever for its historical lessons, its endearing love stories, and its intriguing de-aging and re-aging anomalies. The Roman Empire went through difficult growing pains as powerful people tried to usurp power. Grossa portrays the battle Matthius goes through as he seeks revenge, while people in his life try to steer him toward a different path. He meets famous Roman gladiators such as Brutus and discovers they also fought some of the same battles he fought when they managed to survive. Matthius falls deeply in love with Feliciana, and his heart is broken when she is found dead. A vagrant woman tries to steal his horse, and he ends up falling in love with her. It looked like he settled for Alicia, Feliciana’s sister. They married and had three children. In 1974, Matthew falls in love with Sarah. She moves in with him and learns about his secret room in his elaborate mansion. She helps him tell his story. Grossa takes readers on a time-travel odyssey involving love, danger, and the desire to help others.
Title: When Living Becomes Forever
Author: D.Q. Grossa
