The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks is a nonfiction novel by Rebecca Skloot. The HeLa cells
were used for many medical advancements, such as the polio vaccine and cancer research, but
the family of the woman who gave those cells didn’t learn the truth of what happened with
herself until many years later. Rebecca Skloot documents the life of Henrietta Lacks, the story
of her cells and the life of the Lacks family after learning the story of Henrietta’s cells.
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks is not only an informative read about medical science, but
it tells a compelling and relatively unknown story of the Lacks family. Skloot’s passion and
knowledge on her subject shines through her writing, keeping the reader invested in the book.
The subject matter is thought provoking, especially about the ethical implications at the heart of
the story. While the scientific part of the story can be overwhelming, the novel is still an
interesting read.
I would recommend this novel for all readers, especially those who love science. I rate it 5 stars.