The Immortalists: Chapter 29 Summary & Analysis

After work, Varya visits Gertie at her assisted living facility. In the months following Daniel’s death, Gertie stayed with Mira in Kingston, but in May 2007 Mira came home and found Gertie collapsed in the garden. Soon Mira discovered that Gertie could stand on her own, and later doctors labeled the incident a stroke. Varya was furious that Gertie hadn’t called for help, but Varya realized that Gertie thought she was dying and probably wanted to die. After the incident, Gertie experienced complications and became easily confused, so Varya found an assisted living facility in California, where Gertie has lived for two years.

In the beginning Gertie hated the facility, but after taking anti-depressants, her mood improved and she made new friends. In the present, Varya still doesn’t like the home very much. Gertie’s friends respond with shock and pity when they hear that Varya is childless and unmarried, and they show little interest in her research.

Varya brings Gertie a book of poems, dill pickles, and a vase of lilies. Gertie also asks to see a picture of Frida, though Varya is technically not supposed to share photographs of her research. But Gertie is so excited by photos and videos of Frida that she can’t stop. Still, Varya comforts herself with knowing that the videos she shows are old, recycled ones. Gertie doesn’t remember the old videos, and Frida isn’t as happy as she used to be. As she watches, Gertie asks why Varya keeps Frida in a cage.