In the novel with alternating timelines, the story unfolds in two distinct threads. The first timeline takes place in 2062 at the Palm Meridian retirement home in Florida, where a group of retirees live in relative isolation from the outside world due to the harsh climate changes, including tornadoes and tropical rain. The residents of the retirement home are engaged in various activities, from hula hooping and podcasting to nursing hangovers and redrafting wills.
The novel’s protagonist is Hannah, a seventy-two-year-old woman who has been diagnosed with terminal cancer and has chosen to end her life through assisted suicide. The day before her scheduled death, she gathers important people from her life for a farewell party. These include Christine, a Black prize-winning journalist; Nate, a trans man who runs the bar; Ricky, a young resort employee who is beloved by all; and Eileen, a lesbian couple who have been together for fifty years. Esme, Hannah’s first love and oldest friend, is also present, along with other expected guests, Luke (Hannah’s business partner) and Sophie (the love of her life).
The first thread of the novel takes place over the twenty-four hours leading up to Hannah’s death, with each chapter marked by the passing of hours (e.g., 8am, 10am, 12pm). The other thread spans from 1990 to 2026, covering the first 35 years of Hannah’s eventful life in various locations, including Quebec, Vermont, Japan, Switzerland, and Las Vegas.
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