The Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow is an emotional time travel fantasy. The blend of time travel and fantasy is something I had not really experienced before. Outlander is the closest comparison I can think of, though that leans more toward time travel mixed with historical fiction. The Everlasting reads like a fable or a lost fairy tale. It feels like a fusion of Somewhere in Time and 12 Monkeys, closer in spirit to the television series than the film. This unusual combination creates a sweeping romance and an unforgettable time travel story in which everything is connected.

Harrow has created a world that mirrors our own while drawing heavily from Arthurian legend, with a woman in the role of the knight. The story also carries echoes of World Wars I and II, as well as the Viking raids on England.

The central theme of the novel is legend versus fate. Are you born to become a legend, or can you change fate and claim that status for yourself? The Everlasting offers a great deal to discuss and reflect on. I think it would make an excellent book club pick because of the questions it raises.

The pacing is solid overall. The opening is slow, but the book is carefully laying the groundwork, showing scenes that will later shift and repeat in different ways as time changes. The language is absolutely beautiful, though it did cause me to read more slowly than usual. That early pace may be challenging for some readers, which would be a shame because the novel is extraordinary. Once I reached the second half, I could not put it down.

The ending is stunning. The story goes to places I never expected and manages to close its time loop in a way that feels complete and emotionally satisfying. Time travel endings are notoriously difficult to execute, but The Everlasting succeeds. I was left with no unanswered questions and a deep appreciation for what Harrow accomplished.

The Everlasting was nominated for the Goodreads Choice Award in Fantasy for 2025.

The Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow was first published on October 28, 2025

Why did I read The Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow?

I have been a fan of Alix E. Harrow since her debut, The Ten Thousand Doors of January. I also loved A Spindle Splintered, her inventive take on Sleeping Beauty. She is an author who consistently lands in the four to five star range for me. When I learned she would be attending the Southern Festival of Books in Tennessee, I was excited to meet her and tell her how much I loved The Ten Thousand Doors of January. I had somehow misplaced my copy, but she kindly signed The Everlasting and the Fractured Fables duology that includes A Spindle Splintered and even gave me a bookplate for when I find or replace my missing copy. She is not only a wonderful writer but also a genuinely kind person.

Plot Summary:

Owen Mallory is a decorated war hero in name only. In truth, he considers himself a coward who wants nothing more to do with war. He becomes a scholar, obsessed with the legend of Sir Una the Everlasting, a fearless female knight. He receives a nearly one thousand year old manuscript written in an ancient tongue and begins the painstaking work of translating it. Through the text, he falls in love with Una.

The manuscript is stolen, but an address is left behind. Owen follows it to the capital, where he meets the newly elected Chancellor Vivian, who sent the document as a kind of test. Owen is offered the role of chief scribe for the legend of Sir Una, but the position comes with a terrible cost. Before he can fully understand what he is agreeing to, he is thrown back in time and comes face to face with Una herself.

She is a fierce and dangerous warrior, but she is not beloved. The townspeople blame her for the devastation of their lands and see her as a curse rather than a hero. Even Una herself is tired of the quest and wants to abandon it. Owen knows how her story is supposed to end. He must convince her to continue and become the legend history remembers, while also confronting his own fear and finally telling her how he feels. As the past and future collide, he begins to question whether fate can be changed and whether he can truly be part of the legend.

What I Liked:

The handling of time travel is thoughtful and well constructed. I was initially confused by the mechanics, but the novel gradually clarifies how it works and explores the consequences in fascinating ways. The idea of time looping in on itself, like a snake eating its own tail, strongly reminded me of 12 Monkeys.

I loved the reversal of traditional gender roles. Una is the fearless warrior, while Owen is the emotional and hesitant one. As the story unfolds, both characters grow, with Owen finding courage and Una allowing herself vulnerability.

The villain is wonderfully manipulative. Their long-running schemes, carried out over more than a century without detection, are chilling and impressive. The villain’s perspective is written with such care that you almost feel sympathy, even as you are horrified by their choices.

The supporting cast is excellent. Sir Ancel, Professor Sawbridge, and even Hen the horse feel fully realized and memorable.

The novel also celebrates the power of storytelling itself. It made me reflect on how legends are shaped and what the real people behind them might have been like.

The ending is magnificent. The book delivers two emotional conclusions, one that feels like a fairy tale and another that is more tragic and dramatic. Both are deeply satisfying and provide closure for the heroes while ensuring the villain faces the consequences of their actions.

What I Disliked:

The slow beginning may discourage some readers before the story has a chance to fully unfold. The payoff is worth it, but the early pacing requires patience.

While the time travel system is mostly clear, I was still a little uncertain about how specific dates are selected, even though the overall mechanics made sense.

Recommendation:

The Everlasting is a beautiful and ambitious novel that I wish I had read sooner. It would have been my second favorite book of last year, just ahead of Atmosphere. It strongly reminded me of Somewhere in Time, one of my favorite romantic films, and of the television series 12 Monkeys, which deserves a much larger audience. The way time functions in that show is very similar to how it works in this novel. I wholeheartedly recommend The Everlasting to all my followers. It is now my favorite book by Alix E. Harrow.

Rating:

The Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow. I rated it 5 out of 5 stars.