The Immortalists

The novel moves back in time to June 1982 at Simon’s funeral. Klara returns home and reunites with her family. She’s back again three months later for the Jewish High Holy days. Throughout all of this time, Varya has been living with Gertie, and Daniel is in medical school. Gertie is distraught at the loss of her son, and she meets with her Rabbi privately. She feels abandoned by God, saying “There was no relief. There would never be any relief” (122).

In January of 1983, Klara sees Eddie O’Donoghue in the audience of three of her shows. He is the cop who once harassed Simon. After the third show, Eddie apologizes to Klara for his treatment of Simon and tells her the show has changed him: “I guess one way to put it is you gave me faith” (126). Eddie kisses her, and Klara lets him at first, then pushes him away and disappears.

Klara returns to New York for the third time around the anniversary of Simon’s death. Varya has moved out and is attending NYU for graduate school. While in her childhood bed, Klara hears a rap and thinks it is Simon.