Scan barcode
shona_reads_in_devon's review against another edition
4.0
I really really liked this. I was unsure at the beginning, the dialogue felt a bit forced and clumsy. The interesting premise kept me going and the dialogue settled and the characters got a bit less cliched.
I found it pretty hard to read in parts, having a 4 yo son myself.
It was an easy read and you could take as much from it as you wanted - the plot was novel and interesting and was enough on its own without delving any deeper. But if you wanted to take something more ponderous from it then that was there for you, in themes around the afterlife, reincarnation, karma and the nature of souls.
I found it pretty hard to read in parts, having a 4 yo son myself.
It was an easy read and you could take as much from it as you wanted - the plot was novel and interesting and was enough on its own without delving any deeper. But if you wanted to take something more ponderous from it then that was there for you, in themes around the afterlife, reincarnation, karma and the nature of souls.
eesti23's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
There was something about the cover of this book that drew me in, and then the story quickly grabbed me as well. This is the sort of book that makes you start to wonder and think about and to find out that there is some research in the area makes it even more so. I liked the interlocking effect between Noah (and family) and the doctor. As things progressed there were some elements that didn't feel as natural (the first family, for example), but overall the book came together in a really interesting way and what an ending. Very enjoyable.
margardenlady's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I really enjoyed this mind bending glimpse at the possibility of reincarnation. The story centers on the meeting of a single mother in crisis over her increasingly confused preschooler, Noah, and a researcher at the end of his career who has been diagnosed with a progressive aphasia. This psychiatrist's topic of research had been reincarnations and he had traveled the world to document cases of extremely young children claiming knowledge of other lives. It turns out Noah suffers these same symptoms. The story unfolds among a series of snippets of research findings from other countries. As these people search for their own personal completion, their paths join briefly and life for all changes in indelible ways.
teri_loves_books's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
3.75
janiebee's review against another edition
3.0
I would actually give this 3.5 stars. It has moments of brilliance. Then ending works better for me than the beginning and it is a very quick read.
emstermeegs's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars!
This book had such an interesting, unique subject that I knew I had to read it. I don't regret that decision one bit!
This is a story of reincarnation, love, and life. Noah is four years old and know things that he just shouldn't - he also suffers from terrible nightmares, where he is drowning, and asks his Mother, Janie, often when his "other mama" is coming and stating he wants to go home. His mother is at the end of her rope.
Enter our second perspective, Dr. Anderson, who has spent his life investigating cases of reincarnation himself. Dr. Anderson has just received news of his failing mind, aphasia, and is more desperate than ever to finish his work and publish his book.
Janie stumbles upon Anderson's work, makes contact, and voila... our story takes off.
Containing both a mystery and a new idea (at least to me), this book had me turning the pages (when I could find time to read!). It held my interest and made me feel for the characters. I won't give spoilers - I'll just leave it at this: if you have even a slightly open mind and enjoy a nicely written story, pick this one up.
This book had such an interesting, unique subject that I knew I had to read it. I don't regret that decision one bit!
This is a story of reincarnation, love, and life. Noah is four years old and know things that he just shouldn't - he also suffers from terrible nightmares, where he is drowning, and asks his Mother, Janie, often when his "other mama" is coming and stating he wants to go home. His mother is at the end of her rope.
Enter our second perspective, Dr. Anderson, who has spent his life investigating cases of reincarnation himself. Dr. Anderson has just received news of his failing mind, aphasia, and is more desperate than ever to finish his work and publish his book.
Janie stumbles upon Anderson's work, makes contact, and voila... our story takes off.
Containing both a mystery and a new idea (at least to me), this book had me turning the pages (when I could find time to read!). It held my interest and made me feel for the characters. I won't give spoilers - I'll just leave it at this: if you have even a slightly open mind and enjoy a nicely written story, pick this one up.
strangenoquestion's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
librarianinperiwinkle's review against another edition
5.0
Janie's son Noah is an unusual child. He is four years old and refuses to bathe. Not just the usual temper tantrums either, but full-fledged terror-filled panic attacks. She does her best to keep him clean with hand sanitizer and diaper wipes, but that only goes so far. Then his preschool/daycare calls her in to let her know they are going to call child protective services because of some of the stories he's been telling them, and she has to explain that ever since he learned to talk, he's told stories of places he's never been, people he's never known, and about things he's never seen. Every night, like clockwork, her sweet boy has nightmares where he begs and pleads to "go home" and wants to be with his "other mother."
Janie is exhausted, frustrated, broke, and in despair. She has taken Noah to an endless series of doctors and psychiatrists, and the only diagnosis they can come up with is schizophrenia. In desperation, she contacts a doctor she would otherwise consider a loony-tunes quack, Dr. Jerome Anderson, whose life's work has been to document cases of children remembering past lives and past traumas. Janie doesn't know it, but Dr. Anderson has been diagnosed with aphasia--he's losing the ability to speak and remember words--and he needs one last case in order to publish his book before he's too far gone to write. Or care.
They embark on a journey that upends Janie's worldview and alters the lives of two families.
It took me a couple of chapters to really get into the story and figure out what was going on, but once I did, I was hooked. Haunted, really, and not in the "scary-ghost" sense of the word, but in the "can't-stop-thinking-about-it-long-after-lunch-breaks-ended" sort of way. Reincarnation isn't a new idea, but this novel had me thinking about the possibility in an entirely new light. Hoping, in fact, that it might be true, and that these reborn souls might be able to bring peace to themselves and their previous families if we would just listen and help reunite them.
The intense, palpable pain and despair felt by each and every character broke my heart--even the killer's. I'm amazed that Ms. Guskin managed to make the book feel ultimately hopeful, given all that anguish and loss. It struck me that not a single character seemed to have a support network of any type--no really close friends, family, or faith community to rely on in any way. I think that fact is crucial to the story; if any one person had been less lonely, isolated, or in the depths of despair, I think the novel would have collapsed or at least gone in a different direction.
For readers' advisors: character doorway is primary, story doorway is secondary. There are some crude situations and language, including some profanity and teen drug use. There is also love that survives anything, even death.
My thanks to Bookbrowse.com for the free advanced reading copy (ARC) in exchange for my honest review.
Janie is exhausted, frustrated, broke, and in despair. She has taken Noah to an endless series of doctors and psychiatrists, and the only diagnosis they can come up with is schizophrenia. In desperation, she contacts a doctor she would otherwise consider a loony-tunes quack, Dr. Jerome Anderson, whose life's work has been to document cases of children remembering past lives and past traumas. Janie doesn't know it, but Dr. Anderson has been diagnosed with aphasia--he's losing the ability to speak and remember words--and he needs one last case in order to publish his book before he's too far gone to write. Or care.
They embark on a journey that upends Janie's worldview and alters the lives of two families.
It took me a couple of chapters to really get into the story and figure out what was going on, but once I did, I was hooked. Haunted, really, and not in the "scary-ghost" sense of the word, but in the "can't-stop-thinking-about-it-long-after-lunch-breaks-ended" sort of way. Reincarnation isn't a new idea, but this novel had me thinking about the possibility in an entirely new light. Hoping, in fact, that it might be true, and that these reborn souls might be able to bring peace to themselves and their previous families if we would just listen and help reunite them.
The intense, palpable pain and despair felt by each and every character broke my heart--even the killer's. I'm amazed that Ms. Guskin managed to make the book feel ultimately hopeful, given all that anguish and loss. It struck me that not a single character seemed to have a support network of any type--no really close friends, family, or faith community to rely on in any way. I think that fact is crucial to the story; if any one person had been less lonely, isolated, or in the depths of despair, I think the novel would have collapsed or at least gone in a different direction.
For readers' advisors: character doorway is primary, story doorway is secondary. There are some crude situations and language, including some profanity and teen drug use. There is also love that survives anything, even death.
My thanks to Bookbrowse.com for the free advanced reading copy (ARC) in exchange for my honest review.
annies1's review against another edition
4.0
Very good book about reincarnation. Fictional but has some true case studies sited.
dmillet's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0