Book Review: The Everlasting by Alex E. Harrow (by Adam Weller)

Book Review: The Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow

Book links: Tor Publishing Group | Goodreads

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Alix E. Harrow is the Hugo Award winning author of The Ten Thousand Doors of January, The Once and Future Witches, and various short fiction. Her Fractured Fables series, beginning with the novella A Spindle Splintered, has been praised for its refreshing twist on familiar fairy tales. A former academic and adjunct, Harrow lives in Virginia with her husband and their two semi-feral kids.

Publisher: Tor Books (Expected October 2025)

Formats: Audiobook, ebook, paperback

REVIEW: The Everlasting is my favorite of Alix’s stories since the release of The Ten Thousand Doors of January. It is a love story told across a thousand years, again and again. It’s a story of ambition and ruthlessness, of bravery and cowardice, of servitude and freedom. It’s a lovely, emotional, and endearing read, showcasing Harrow’s wit and insightful observations common to her stories.

Told from an alternating second-person narrative (!) that echoes through time (!!), the story brings to mind Ken Grimwood’s classic Replay in all the best ways. Stories of this particular genre seem like they’d be especially difficult to execute, but Harrow does a remarkable job at harvesting all the seeds planted throughout the story.

I’m not going to divulge any further plot details as that would spoil some of the fun. Trust that the book is full of surprises and runs the full gamut of emotions, so prepare yourself for an immersive reading experience.

Sorry for cutting this short, but I have to go. If you need me, I’ll be waiting beneath the yew tree…