To Live or Let Live

by S.J. Vivant

We'll live to 150 in the future – but there's a catch...

Immerse yourself in a near-perfect world a hundred years from now. Climate catastrophe has been averted and the holy grail of medical science has been found: Human life expectancy has doubled.

But this breakthrough comes at a price, a price that only new parents must pay.

Caro faces a dilemma: Is becoming a parent worth dying early? She confides in her mother, but Nina, facing the prospect of outliving her daughter, can’t bring herself to support Caro’s dream.

Nina sees unsettling echoes of her family's issues in her work with her psychotherapy patients: a suicidal teenager, a childless woman and a world-famous scientist who feels his extended life lacks purpose.

Caro’s choice triggers unforeseen consequences that threaten the family’s unity. Will it survive?

Despite its thread of dry humour, To Let Live is a serious book dealing with complex issues. Emotionally nuanced, it gives the reader an intriguing insight into what goes on in a therapist’s mind during psychotherapy. The book is simply written, plot driven and carefully paced, making it an accessible and engrossing read.

Genres: Science Fiction

369 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 3, 2024

Reviews

[Haly Hoards Books]

To Live or Let Live poses the reader with a profound futuristic dilemma. What if you could live to be 150 or 160 years old? What if you wanted to have a child, but to do so you would have to give up half of your lifetime? Knowing that you would age at an advanced rate and that your child, parents, grandparents, spouse and friends would continue to reap the benefits of Life Extention (LE) would you still want to have a child? These, and many more, questions are what face Caro and her husband, Dave.
To Live or Let Live makes the reader really ponder each potential life shortening decision the characters are faced with. Caro's thoughts and feelings are described fully throughout the book, as are those of her mother, Nina. I would have liked to have the point of view of Dave, after all, the decisions to be made affect him as well. I think it would have been a more impactfull experience to know what Dave was thinking and feeling.

Thank you to SJ Vivant, Wherry Publishing and Goodreads for the Advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Gigi Bucciachio]

I did not finish this book so I will not rate it. I won it in a giveaway and feel that I owe Goodreads a review. I’m very grateful for being gifted this book, but I’ve learned I’m not the audience for this story. The dystopian world this author has created is intriguing and the characters have depth. The main characters have an emotionally analytical inner monologue on account of the mother being a therapist. Though I do love dystopian novels and can appreciate where this author was going, I am someone who isn’t interested in motherhood and therefore cannot connect with the characters in this story. I may have to circle back at a different time in my life. If you love dystopian novels and are or planning to be a mother, I would definitely recommend this. I did find it interesting that only the women having the children had to give up life extension and not the men they were having them with. Bringing light to a current inequality in a classic dystopian fashion

[Oceane]

Very interesting book with cleverly crafted characters you end up wanting to know more about. The plot twist at the end will leave you stunned… !

[Nika Skwirba]

S.J. Vivant’s To Live or Let Live is a captivating story that dives deep into moral dilemmas and the complexities of human nature. The book masterfully balances emotional depth with gripping tension, making it hard to put down.

The characters are well-drawn and relatable, with their internal struggles adding layers to the story. Vivant’s writing is both poignant and engaging, tackling difficult themes with sensitivity and thoughtfulness.

While the narrative is powerful, there are moments where the pacing feels a bit uneven, and certain plot points could have been explored further. However, these minor issues don’t detract from the overall impact of the book.

To Live or Let Live is a heartfelt and thought-provoking read that will stay with you long after you’ve finished. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a story that challenges and inspires. A solid 4 stars!

[Alicia Torrez]

I really enjoyed the world building in this futuristic novel. It didn't feel forced and all the future tech felt very feasible, making it a fun and imaginative read.

I liked mom's journey told through therapy sessions with her patients, and I liked the challenges faced by the characters.

However, I felt like everything happened "too fast," like we were just being told a story instead of being thrust into one.

Great world building, good character building, but I wish there was more detail in the story building.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and if you want a quick but good read, I recommend!

[Michael Sive]

To Live or Let Live presents a compelling set of moral complexities, as experienced through the lives of its multifaceted characters. The author has created a fascinating near-futuristic world that blurs the line between utopia and dystopia, leaving the reader with much food for thought. A thoroughly captivating read from start to finish.

[Nancie Lafferty]

Very intriguing premise well-expanded. Well-developed characters and story, although I didn’t find the protagonist particularly likable. Will we ever get to a point where every person has equal rights and responsibilities? One can only hope and do their individual best.

[Natalie Goodman]

Very different from other futuristic books. I don't know if it qualifies as dystopian, but it was a good read. I actually wish it was longer; I want to know more details about the ending. 3.5 stars - loads of grammatical errors and a little slow at parts.

[Kohigirl]

Thank you to Goodreads Giveaways for sending me this book.
I enjoyed the futuristic world built by the author. Many philosophical questions were posed causing the reader to consider how they would react.

[Jessica Space]

I loved this book and the questions it makes you think.

[Christine Hall]

I picked this up almost by accident—it’s been sitting in my Kindle library since 2024—and quickly realized it wasn’t for me. The premise (trading half your lifespan for parenthood) is certainly creative, but as someone with no maternal impulse, the entire setup felt alienating. The therapy‑session framing only added to the sense of slog.

[Margaux]

Thanks to the author, SJ Vivant, the publisher, and Goodreads for the opportunity to read To Live or Let Live in digital format thanks to winning it in a giveaway. I will post my review to Amazon and Barnes & Noble as well. This interesting and unique context for a story asks a lot of tough questions about life, grief, loss, and being present. Having children in the world of this novel costs a lot more than just financial setback. In order to give birth, you are forced to age faster and allow your ancestors to enjoy the years you've sacrificed. This book made me wonder a lot about what I would do in a similar situation, but ultimately it was entertaining and made me feel emotional at moments. The perspective itself was engaging because I liked getting that insight into therapy and the mind of a therapist. Overall, the author has a lot of potential with a good voice.