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Under Story
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Expected 1 Sep 26The New York Times bestselling author of The Immortalists returns with an intimate yet epic love story—and a sweeping odyssey of scientific discovery. Under Story invites us to consider the promise of this life, what might lie beyond it, and how far we would go for more time with the people we love, cementing Chloe Benjamin’s place among our best, and most lasting, storytellers.
“We wake up to tomorrow, never yesterday.”
At the end of the world, biologist Laurel Salter is hiding from everything she’s ever known. For ten hours a day, six days per week, she works as a dishwasher at McMurdo Station, an isolated research base in Antarctica. She tells no one that before she arrived, she was a renowned young scientist with a promising career, a husband, and a family.
But even in this remote outpost, Laurel can’t outrun her past. When a strange light appears across the ice—and draws a group of physicists to McMurdo—her former husband, Eli, won't be far behind.
Laurel is captivated by the Arc: its surreal glow; the way it seems almost alive. And though Eli is reluctant to test her wildest theory, Laurel is convinced that the Arc leads down a rabbit hole, and into a world, they can barely imagine. Can she persuade him to risk everything to fix the burden that hangs between them—to turn back the clock and live their story a second time?
A breathless page-turner and a love letter to our planet, Under Story grapples with the great questions of our time: human hubris, the precarity of the natural world, and the mysterious webs of consciousness that bind us. A modern epic of science and soul, of bravery and redemption, it offers a vision of the future that demands we reckon with what we owe to one another, and to the earth itself.
“We wake up to tomorrow, never yesterday.”
At the end of the world, biologist Laurel Salter is hiding from everything she’s ever known. For ten hours a day, six days per week, she works as a dishwasher at McMurdo Station, an isolated research base in Antarctica. She tells no one that before she arrived, she was a renowned young scientist with a promising career, a husband, and a family.
But even in this remote outpost, Laurel can’t outrun her past. When a strange light appears across the ice—and draws a group of physicists to McMurdo—her former husband, Eli, won't be far behind.
Laurel is captivated by the Arc: its surreal glow; the way it seems almost alive. And though Eli is reluctant to test her wildest theory, Laurel is convinced that the Arc leads down a rabbit hole, and into a world, they can barely imagine. Can she persuade him to risk everything to fix the burden that hangs between them—to turn back the clock and live their story a second time?
A breathless page-turner and a love letter to our planet, Under Story grapples with the great questions of our time: human hubris, the precarity of the natural world, and the mysterious webs of consciousness that bind us. A modern epic of science and soul, of bravery and redemption, it offers a vision of the future that demands we reckon with what we owe to one another, and to the earth itself.
Kindle Edition
Expected publication September 15, 2026
23 people are currently reading
2176 people want to read
About the author
Chloe Benjamin
4 books2,646 followersChloe Benjamin is the author of THE IMMORTALISTS, a New York Times Bestseller, and THE ANATOMY OF DREAMS. Her third novel, UNDER STORY, will be published in September 2026.
A Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers selection, LibraryReads favorite, and #1 Indie Next pick, THE IMMORTALISTS was named a best book of 2018 by NPR, The Washington Post, Entertainment Weekly, and others. THE ANATOMY OF DREAMS received the Edna Ferber Fiction Book Award and was long listed for the 2014 Center for Fiction First Novel Prize.
Originally from San Francisco, CA, Benjamin is a graduate of Vassar College and the M.F.A. in fiction at the University of Wisconsin. Her work has been translated into over thirty languages. She lives with her husband and two Maine Coon cats in the San Francisco Bay Area.
A Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers selection, LibraryReads favorite, and #1 Indie Next pick, THE IMMORTALISTS was named a best book of 2018 by NPR, The Washington Post, Entertainment Weekly, and others. THE ANATOMY OF DREAMS received the Edna Ferber Fiction Book Award and was long listed for the 2014 Center for Fiction First Novel Prize.
Originally from San Francisco, CA, Benjamin is a graduate of Vassar College and the M.F.A. in fiction at the University of Wisconsin. Her work has been translated into over thirty languages. She lives with her husband and two Maine Coon cats in the San Francisco Bay Area.
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February 3, 2026A mind-bending, head-popping sci-fi love story full of intrigue and tenderness.
January 23, 2026
I read Chloe Benjamin’s new book in a fever dream 24 hours where I simply could not put it down - this is a book that somehow manages to tackle big ideas - love, grief, rupture, the origin of life, time itself - in a vividly human story of two people who find themselves at the end of the earth, the end of so many things, and yet - on the cusp of discovery.
This book felt new, bold, and astonishing. It’s not so much a journey as a constant revelation.
The only question I’m left with as a reader is: Where will Chloe Benjamin take us next?
I, for one, can’t wait to find out.
This book felt new, bold, and astonishing. It’s not so much a journey as a constant revelation.
The only question I’m left with as a reader is: Where will Chloe Benjamin take us next?
I, for one, can’t wait to find out.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
⭐️⭐️ ARC Review from Netgalley
This book had a really intriguing premise, and there were a few moments I genuinely enjoyed, but overall the execution didn’t work for me.
The first 40% was weighed down by excessive backstory and unnecessary detail, which made the book drag. Some descriptions went far beyond what was needed which pulled me out of the story.
The worldbuilding raised more questions than it answered. Key concepts necessary for the story to make sense were either poorly explained or not explained at all. The rules of the world essentially didn't exist.
Late in the book, the timeline starts jumping back and forth between years, which only added to the confusion and was not necessary. It could have been told in order and it wouldn't have changed anything. It seemed like there were 15 different storylines happening at once, and half the time I didn't know which one I was as on.
If this hadn’t been an ARC, I likely would have DNF’d. There are good ideas here, and the premise itself is genuinely cool, but too much was either unexplained or poorly explained. It also couldve been easily half the length. For me, the confusion outweighed the intrigue.
This book had a really intriguing premise, and there were a few moments I genuinely enjoyed, but overall the execution didn’t work for me.
The first 40% was weighed down by excessive backstory and unnecessary detail, which made the book drag. Some descriptions went far beyond what was needed which pulled me out of the story.
The worldbuilding raised more questions than it answered. Key concepts necessary for the story to make sense were either poorly explained or not explained at all. The rules of the world essentially didn't exist.
Late in the book, the timeline starts jumping back and forth between years, which only added to the confusion and was not necessary. It could have been told in order and it wouldn't have changed anything. It seemed like there were 15 different storylines happening at once, and half the time I didn't know which one I was as on.
If this hadn’t been an ARC, I likely would have DNF’d. There are good ideas here, and the premise itself is genuinely cool, but too much was either unexplained or poorly explained. It also couldve been easily half the length. For me, the confusion outweighed the intrigue.
February 8, 2026
Under story by Chloe Benjamin. Thanks NetGalley, publisher and especially the author for the arc. Such a stunningly beautiful story filled with love and loss and heartbreak. What would you do to fix your relationship? Written with depth so you can visualise everything. Gorgeous. Loved everything about this book, the characters weren’t perfect which makes it all the more special to read.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A beautifully woven story of love, loss, and the lengths one will go to survive heartbreak. This engaging science fiction journey explores what a couple is willing to do to heal. The author creates a deeply layered main character in Laurel, whose emotional depth makes it easy to connect with her experiences. While the story is lengthy and richly detailed—at times making it easy to get lost in the science—the emotional weight and thought-provoking themes more than make up for it. Overall, this book delivers a powerful, reflective experience and earns a solid four-star rating that shouldn’t be overlooked.
Thank you Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my unbiased review.
Thank you Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my unbiased review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This is an incredibly ambitious book, unlike anything I've read before, that feels both intimate and cosmic. Under Story covers Antarctica, mycology and quantum physics, but also aging, love, memory, forgiveness and the ways our lives echo across time and space. It's heartbreaking, mind-bending and left me wanting to travel to McCurdo Station and across the duoverse. I can't remember the last time I enjoyed a book as much as this one, or the last time I stayed up until 2am reading because I couldn't put it down.
Highly recommend for fans of Nathan Hill's Wellness, Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone's This Is How You Lose the Time War and the A24 film Everything Everywhere All At Once.
Thank you to NetGalley and Headline for this eARC
Highly recommend for fans of Nathan Hill's Wellness, Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone's This Is How You Lose the Time War and the A24 film Everything Everywhere All At Once.
Thank you to NetGalley and Headline for this eARC
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Wow, this was NOT at all what I was expecting.
Under Story is incredibly AMBITIOUS and BIG. As in 500 pages big.
We start the book with Laurel Salter in the McMurdo Station in Antartica (a real place), working as a dishwasher, putting aside her teaching job for a year, to just escape from reality.
Along the way, we meet new friends, a new life for Laurel, and find out why she's there to begin with.
The most intriguing parts of this book is the science behind the station and discovering new facts I never knew about Antartica. Chloe Benjamin is incredibly smart and really breaks down the details to the reader who will probably not know anything about what we're about to learn.
When a mysterious Arc appears over the frozen ice, the world becomes captivated - what could this possibly be? And can it help finds humans a passage towards discovering basic humanity? What if it could turn back time so we could relive what was once lost?
In the most improbable of a Benjamin Button storyline, and I take that lightly, Laurel and her ex-husband Eli decide to take a chance of a lifetime, even if that means living in a parallel universe.
I don't want to reveal too much, because there's SO much to unpack. There's a ton of science, perhaps 100 pages too much of storyline, the pacing speeds up in the second half despite going backwards, if that makes sense.
There's discussion about who we vote for can change the world (ahem) and protecting the earth in all its glory, because damn it, it's all we have.
I loved the first 50%, the second half had me wishing it was 100 pages shorter. There's a lot of speculative scientific chatter going on, much that went over my head because I'm not smart enough to understand it.
I expect to see a TON of different view points once Under Story is released on 9/1/26. Can't wait to hear what everyone thinks!
Under Story is incredibly AMBITIOUS and BIG. As in 500 pages big.
We start the book with Laurel Salter in the McMurdo Station in Antartica (a real place), working as a dishwasher, putting aside her teaching job for a year, to just escape from reality.
Along the way, we meet new friends, a new life for Laurel, and find out why she's there to begin with.
The most intriguing parts of this book is the science behind the station and discovering new facts I never knew about Antartica. Chloe Benjamin is incredibly smart and really breaks down the details to the reader who will probably not know anything about what we're about to learn.
When a mysterious Arc appears over the frozen ice, the world becomes captivated - what could this possibly be? And can it help finds humans a passage towards discovering basic humanity? What if it could turn back time so we could relive what was once lost?
In the most improbable of a Benjamin Button storyline, and I take that lightly, Laurel and her ex-husband Eli decide to take a chance of a lifetime, even if that means living in a parallel universe.
I don't want to reveal too much, because there's SO much to unpack. There's a ton of science, perhaps 100 pages too much of storyline, the pacing speeds up in the second half despite going backwards, if that makes sense.
There's discussion about who we vote for can change the world (ahem) and protecting the earth in all its glory, because damn it, it's all we have.
I loved the first 50%, the second half had me wishing it was 100 pages shorter. There's a lot of speculative scientific chatter going on, much that went over my head because I'm not smart enough to understand it.
I expect to see a TON of different view points once Under Story is released on 9/1/26. Can't wait to hear what everyone thinks!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Under Story is unlike anything I’ve read in a long time. It’s quiet and intimate, but also wildly ambitious, the kind of book that isn’t afraid to ask enormous questions and then sit with the discomfort of the answers. It blends science, love, grief, and wonder in a way that feels completely unique and this story stretches from the most personal heartbreak to the edges of the universe without ever losing its emotional core.
Laurel’s loneliness in Antarctica is palpable, and when Eli reenters her life, the emotional weight between them hits hard. Their relationship isn’t romanticized or neat; it’s complicated, aching, and deeply real. The Arc is strange and mesmerizing, but what truly drives this story is the longing underneath it and the desire to fix what was broken, to reclaim lost time, and to believe that love might be powerful enough to rewrite the past. This book made me slow down, feel everything, and really sit with the cost of wanting more than we’re given.
Bold, thoughtful, and beautifully written, Under Story feels like a love letter to both humanity and the planet we’re trying (and sometimes failing) to protect. It’s the kind of novel that I will not be able to forget, not because it gives easy answers, but because it dares to imagine something bigger and asks you to feel every bit of it.
Thank you to NetGalley, Chloe Benjamin, and Putnam for the eARC of this book.
Laurel’s loneliness in Antarctica is palpable, and when Eli reenters her life, the emotional weight between them hits hard. Their relationship isn’t romanticized or neat; it’s complicated, aching, and deeply real. The Arc is strange and mesmerizing, but what truly drives this story is the longing underneath it and the desire to fix what was broken, to reclaim lost time, and to believe that love might be powerful enough to rewrite the past. This book made me slow down, feel everything, and really sit with the cost of wanting more than we’re given.
Bold, thoughtful, and beautifully written, Under Story feels like a love letter to both humanity and the planet we’re trying (and sometimes failing) to protect. It’s the kind of novel that I will not be able to forget, not because it gives easy answers, but because it dares to imagine something bigger and asks you to feel every bit of it.
Thank you to NetGalley, Chloe Benjamin, and Putnam for the eARC of this book.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I was hooked from the beginning and became very invested in these characters. I was so excited to see where it was going because it had such a unique storyline. It’s two parts, and part one could have been a standalone book for me, minus the many sidebars of facts, as I felt like I was reading a college textbook. For me, the second part was a mess of timelines, concepts and characters. I had such high hopes for this book, but it just didn’t land for me. I felt this book was very much a work in progress with a lot of concepts thrown into a book, jumbled up, and then more concepts added. For me, it was just too much. There were threads of brilliance and I was hooked in the beginning, but then it felt it just would never end. I exhaled when it finally did. I feel this is either going to be a 5 star or a NDF for most, with little in between. (I landed on a 3 star, 5 star part 1 and close to DNF part 2.) I’m very thankful to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This is an ambitious book with a sprawling plot and mind-bending twists and turns. The two main characters are flawed but easy to root for -- their relationship feels authentic and lived-in even and especially when their emotions are frayed by circumstance. On the whole it is a propulsive and engaging read, and the world Chloe Benjamin has built will stay with me. That said, there are a couple of off-notes. Some of the scientific rabbit holes are superfluous. The second half of the book drags and jumps around in time for no clear reason. And there are way, way too many secondary characters: outside of Gloria and one or two of Laurel's friends, the cast blurs into a mass of indistinguishable names. Even still, I'm glad I read this weird, inventive, and thought-provoking story. Thanks for the ARC!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Multiple universes. The power of connectivity. Existential questions.
This book was a fever dream. I'm still speechless about it, to be honest, and in complete admiration of Chloe's writing abilities. Her science knowledge (or really thorough research) shines in this book. There are moments where the science definitely went over my head, but I got the gist. Also, I am incredibly biased by saying this, but Madison, WI is the best city. Having lived there for over 10 years, I absolutely adored all the Madison references, and it made me feel even more connected to the story. Overall, I will be thinking about this one for a while!
This book is perfect for:
-fans of Blake Crouch, Andy Weir
-science lovers
-anyone obsessed with Madison, Wi
This book was a fever dream. I'm still speechless about it, to be honest, and in complete admiration of Chloe's writing abilities. Her science knowledge (or really thorough research) shines in this book. There are moments where the science definitely went over my head, but I got the gist. Also, I am incredibly biased by saying this, but Madison, WI is the best city. Having lived there for over 10 years, I absolutely adored all the Madison references, and it made me feel even more connected to the story. Overall, I will be thinking about this one for a while!
This book is perfect for:
-fans of Blake Crouch, Andy Weir
-science lovers
-anyone obsessed with Madison, Wi
February 8, 2026
Under Story is a very ambitious and obviously required enormous amounts of research for the author. Fortunately for Chloe Benjamin, her hard work paid off in this beautiful, thought provoking novel. The author explores grief, love, loneliness and friendship in a way that gets under your skin.
I read this last month and knew very little about it other than part of the book takes place at McMurdo Station in Antarctica. I’m glad I had no prior knowledge of the plot and hadn’t read any reviews. It took a week or so of thinking back on this book after I’d finished it to determine my true feelings on it. It’s brilliant, at times confusing, at times heartbreaking but ultimately hopeful and I’m so grateful that I was able to read it. It’s completely different than anything I’ve read before. At first, the science was intimidating but the author delivers the information in a way that makes it understandable to someone without degrees in physics, botany or mycology (thank goodness or I would have been lost!) It’s not a quick read by any means, being over 500 pages in length, but it’s beautifully written and I was sad to see it end.
Highly recommend. It’s one of my favorite books of the past few years.
Thanks to Netgalley, Putnam and Tinder Press for the eARC in exchange for my honest feedback.
I read this last month and knew very little about it other than part of the book takes place at McMurdo Station in Antarctica. I’m glad I had no prior knowledge of the plot and hadn’t read any reviews. It took a week or so of thinking back on this book after I’d finished it to determine my true feelings on it. It’s brilliant, at times confusing, at times heartbreaking but ultimately hopeful and I’m so grateful that I was able to read it. It’s completely different than anything I’ve read before. At first, the science was intimidating but the author delivers the information in a way that makes it understandable to someone without degrees in physics, botany or mycology (thank goodness or I would have been lost!) It’s not a quick read by any means, being over 500 pages in length, but it’s beautifully written and I was sad to see it end.
Highly recommend. It’s one of my favorite books of the past few years.
Thanks to Netgalley, Putnam and Tinder Press for the eARC in exchange for my honest feedback.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to Tinder Press and NetGalley for the ARC!
I have never read a book like this and I fear I cannot explain how interesting it was without revealing spoilers. It definitely is not something I usually read and it is long but worth it in the end. I found it fascinating about the other world where they raise their parents and an overtaker not an undertaker brings them to you. I still need to wrap my head around this but leaning towards this book Will finds its readers but not sure if that reader is me!
I have never read a book like this and I fear I cannot explain how interesting it was without revealing spoilers. It definitely is not something I usually read and it is long but worth it in the end. I found it fascinating about the other world where they raise their parents and an overtaker not an undertaker brings them to you. I still need to wrap my head around this but leaning towards this book Will finds its readers but not sure if that reader is me!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I was asked by NetGalley to review this book
This is a beautiful story of love, loss and heartbreak.
This is science fiction and concerns a couple and just what lengths they are prepared to do to heal. They are at the end of such a lot but yet they are on the verge of discovery. Wow what a reflective experience and so well researched too. Recommended - but there is a wait the publication date is September 1st 2026.
This is a beautiful story of love, loss and heartbreak.
This is science fiction and concerns a couple and just what lengths they are prepared to do to heal. They are at the end of such a lot but yet they are on the verge of discovery. Wow what a reflective experience and so well researched too. Recommended - but there is a wait the publication date is September 1st 2026.
Review of advance copy
This book is so beautiful - it made me ugly cry. It’s also deeply thought-provoking. Chloe manages to make a multiverse feel incredibly grounded, not only because the scientific principles are so meticulously researched, but also because the story is rooted in the human drama of these characters. Another stunner from Chloe. Seriously, read it!
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews