Review of ‘Our Infinite Fates’ by Laura Steven. Discover the hauntingly beautiful story of reincarnation, destiny, and a love that defies time. Our Infinite Fates blends the sweeping romantic tragedy of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue with the poetic intensity of This Is How You Lose the Time War, following two souls bound together through centuries of love, betrayal, and murder. With a unique take on gender-fluid reincarnation, diverse historical settings, and a curse that forces its characters to fight fate itself, this novel offers a gripping exploration of love, identity, and the struggle to break free from an endless cycle. But does the emotional weight of the story truly land? Keep reading to find out whether this time-bending fantasy delivers on its ambitious premise.
‘Our Infinite Fates’ by Laura Steven is a fantastical, time-spanning love story that struggles with pacing and emotional depth
Synopsis
‘Maybe that’s all love is, in the end. An endless tempting of fate.’
Evelyn can remember all her past lives. She can also remember that in every single one, she’s been murdered before her eighteenth birthday.
The problem is that she’s quite fond of the one she’s in now, and more importantly, her sister needs her for bone marrow transplants to stay alive. So now she has to:
1. find the centuries-old enemy who hunts her through each life and destroy them forever
2. figure out exactly why she’s being hunted in the first place,
3. try quite hard not to fall in love with them
…again.
Review
I received a free copy from bol.com and Penguin Random House UK in exchange for my honest review. This does not affect my review. Thank you for this review copy.
Imagine being trapped in a cycle of love and death, reincarnating century after century, only to be murdered by the same soul every time. That’s the premise of Our Infinite Fates, a novel that blends The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue with This is How You Lose the Time War in a mesmerizing tale of fate, reincarnation, and the unbreakable connection between two souls. It’s a concept that immediately grabbed my attention, and while I loved the originality of the story, the execution left me a little conflicted.
One of my favorite aspects of this book was its sheer uniqueness. The idea of two souls locked in an endless cycle of love and betrayal, spread across different centuries and locations, was fascinating. I loved how diverse the backstories and settings were. We weren’t just revisiting the same type of life over and over again, but instead got glimpses into different cultures, eras, and versions of Evelyn and Arden. It gave the novel a rich, immersive feel, and I appreciated the effort put into making each life feel distinct.
The queer representation was also a major highlight for me. The book focuses on Evelyn and Arden’s souls rather than their physical forms, meaning they reincarnate as different genders, which was such a refreshing take on romance. The love between them isn’t tied to any specific body, but rather to the connection between their souls. It felt deeply emotional and beautifully done, and I adored that aspect of the story.
That said, I had a few struggles with the pacing. The novel is on the lengthier side and moves at a medium to slow pace, largely due to the sheer number of flashbacks. While I appreciated the depth these flashbacks added, I often found them disruptive. Some were essential to the plot, revealing crucial information about the curse and their pasts, but many felt like they were there simply to enrich the world rather than propel the story forward. Every time I found myself getting deeply immersed in Evelyn’s present-day struggle, I’d be thrown back into another past life, which made it hard to stay engaged. If the flashbacks had been streamlined, I think the pacing would have been much stronger.
I also wished the book had provided more insight into the central mystery earlier on. For a large portion of the story, neither Evelyn nor the reader truly understands why this reincarnation cycle keeps happening, and by the halfway mark, I started feeling a little frustrated. I kept waiting for that moment of revelation, and while it eventually arrived, I think having a few more breadcrumbs along the way would have made the story even more gripping.
One thing I did really enjoy was the plot twist. It wasn’t one of those reveals that you see coming chapters in advance. It genuinely surprised me, and I loved the way it recontextualized everything. That said, I wish we had gotten snippets of it earlier in the story. Instead of holding back all the information until the big reveal, I think small hints woven throughout would have added more intrigue and suspense, keeping me more invested in the mystery earlier on. When the truth did come, though, it was worth the wait.
Another thing I would have liked to see more of was the supporting characters. Evelyn’s sister, Gracie, is central to her motivation. Her need for Evelyn’s bone marrow transplants adds real stakes to the story, but characters like Nia (her coworker) and their mother felt somewhat underdeveloped. They had so much potential, and I wished we’d spent a bit more time exploring their relationships with Evelyn.
Most importantly, though, I struggled to fully believe in Evelyn and Arden’s connection. While we get glimpses of their past, I never really felt their love. The book tells us over and over that they have this deep, timeless bond, but I wanted to experience it more naturally. I wanted to see them grow together, understand their emotions beyond just the tragedy of their fate. Instead, their romance felt somewhat distant, more of a concept than something tangible. I wanted more time with them in the present, just existing and learning to love each other, rather than constantly being thrown into past lives where I was supposed to already believe in their love. Because of this, while I found their story fascinating, I wasn’t as emotionally invested in their relationship as I wanted to be.
I also feel like the ending was wrapped up too quickly. The entire book is almost 400 pages long, but the resolution only takes about ten pages. After such a slow build-up, it felt rushed, like the story had suddenly run out of time. I kept turning the pages expecting more, but it was already over. There’s something off with the pacing, and while it didn’t ruin the book for me, it did make it harder to fully enjoy. I did find myself liking the uniqueness of this book it despite its flaws.
Final thoughts
Our Infinite Fates is a beautifully ambitious novel with a concept that had me hooked from the start. The reincarnation theme, the focus on souls rather than physical bodies, and the richly diverse settings all made for an intriguing read. The romance was compelling in theory, and the queer representation was handled in such a thoughtful way. However, the heavy use of flashbacks slowed the pacing, and I found myself longing for more answers earlier in the book. More than that, I wanted to feel the love between Evelyn and Arden rather than just be told it existed.
That being said, the plot twist was genuinely surprising and one of the book’s strongest moments. I just wish hints of it had been introduced sooner to add more tension throughout. The rushed ending also left me feeling a little unsatisfied, especially after such a drawn-out build-up.
If you love stories that span centuries and thrive on slow-burn mysteries, this might be the perfect read for you, but be prepared for a book that takes its time unraveling its secrets.
Rating
6,25/10
Details
- Trigger Warnings: Abandonment, ableism, abuse, blood, body horror, cancer, child death, classism, colonization, death, death of a loved one, domestic abuse, emotional abuse, fire/fire injury, forced institutionalization, genocide, grief, homophobia, injury/injury detail, kidnapping, medical content, medical trauma, misogyny, murder, physical abuse, racism, sexism, sexual assault, sexual content, stalking, suicidal ideation, suicide attempt, terminal illness, torture, violence, war, xenophobia
- Themes: The story prominently features themes of fate, reincarnation, love beyond time and gender, the burden of memory, cycles of violence, survival, and breaking free from destiny. It also explores themes of familial responsibility, sacrifice, and the moral complexities of vengeance versus forgiveness.
- Representation: The book includes LGBTQ+ representation, with queer characters in the cast. Both main characters are gender-fluid across different lifetimes, emphasizing love as a connection of souls rather than physical form. The story also includes diverse characters from various cultural and historical backgrounds.
- Pages: 395
- Publication date: February 27, 2025
- Publisher: Penguin Random House
- About the author: Laura Steven is an author and journalist from the northernmost town in England. She has published several books for young adults—such as the bestselling Every Exquisite Thing, YA Book Prize-shortlisted The Society for Soulless Girls, and CWIP award-winning The Exact Opposite of Okay—many of which have been widely translated and optioned for TV and film. When she’s not writing, you can probably find her trail running, reading chunky fantasy novels, baking cookies, playing old men at chess, or ignoring her husband and son to perfect her Stardew Valley farm.
heavenlybookish 