And Again

Gifted artist Hannah was supposed to die of lung cancer, Congressman-for-sale David of brain cancer, has-been actor Connie of AIDS, and housewife and mother Linda trapped by immobility forever. Yet this quartet comprise the first SUBlife cases, and some of their brains—the parts where memories are housed—are transplanted into genetically perfected new versions of their failing bodies. Given a second chance, each must relearn his or her identity, repeating, modifying, discarding, and inventing a future none would ever have thought possible. Returning to relationships with partners, family, and friends as healthy individuals proves to be a daunting, even unimaginable, challenge. As intriguing as the premise is—what determines identity, who gets to live, can science beat death, and so much more—debut novelist Chiarella's execution devolves too quickly into embarrassingly predictable antics—bed-hopping, family dysfunction, miscommunication, all with a seemingly limitless supply of tedious self-absorption…times four. Even the interpretations by veteran narrators Julia Whelan, Joy Osmanski, Rebekkah Ross, and Corey Brill fail to disguise the overwrought drama.