Under Story, Chloe Benjamin (Review by Abigail Blake)

Rating: 5.0/5 Stars

Sometimes, you read a novel that is truly captivating in its creativity; its ability to tap into just what fiction and human imagination can create. Chloe Benjamin’s Under Story is one such novel. While it presents like classic Science Fiction, it really follows one couple through their lifetime(s) struggling against the existential questions that plague all of humanity: life and death, love and loss, the depths of grief and how to keep moving forward. Questions of physics and biology play out as the characters navigate their lives and choices in an attempt to maybe, just possibly, prevent their personal tragedies.

Laurel, a brilliant yet struggling biologist who specializes in mycology, escapes to Antarctica to wash dishes after the death of her son and ensuing divorce from her husband. She arrives to find comfort in her fellow support staffers and becomes captivated by “the anomaly” glowing orb-like in the distance. Her renowned physicist ex-husband Eli unintentionally follows when he is asked to provide his insight on the mysterious light show. As theories about the strange structure percolate, Laurel and Eli realize they might have the opportunity to change the past, and see their son again.

Time travel never plays out like a story’s protagonists think it will; and in this case, physics and biology itself operate according to an opposite set of rules. Laurel and Eli must face the depths of their own despair and enduring love for one another to make it back home.

Under Story explores a theory of the universe through the lens of one family, and it’s a beautiful triumph of love and lives well-lived. Its connections and overlays are stunningly executed, showcasing dual natures of existence that play off one another in perfect synchronicity. Laurel and Eli’s story is unforgettable, and will leave you thinking long after the last page.