julkakulkax's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.5
sbossidis's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
theshaggyshepherd's review against another edition
3.0
The Book of Two Ways // by Jodi Picoult
The premise of this book was super intriguing so I was very excited to receive the ARC for this one. I have read a couple of books by Jodi Picoult and while this isn't my favorite genre, I've always enjoyed myself with her. Overall, I like the story that was told here, the twisty structure, and the existential questions that weave their way throughout the entire book. But I want to point out to regular Picoult readers that this book is not exactly like what we are used to.
Jodi Picoult is great at finding topics and questions that to many of us are difficult to answer or think through. She usually presents them in a way where we can see both the benefits and downsides of each path. Sometimes these things are emotional, sometimes moral, and sometimes she turns everything we think we know upside down on its head. What is different about this book though is not this particular component but what she has added around it.
Part of the reason I wanted to read The Book of Two Ways is because I enjoy learning about new topics but Picoult took this to a whole new level. I've never understood the term info-dumping that I learned from other reviewers but I know exactly what they mean now. This book has SO MUCH information coming at you the entire way through. I'm used to a lot of world-building from my favorite fantasy books but this almost feels like a school textbook sometimes, not only for Egyptology but also quantum physics and several other topics. While overall I found this all to be interesting, it was difficult to stay engaged with the main storyline sometimes. I also had several other books I was reading and found myself preferring the excitement of those the majority of the time because Two Ways was just not very thrilling. It has more of a slow and steady approach.
The last quarter of the story though definitely picked up a bit. I had several theories about how this book would end but she managed to elude me after all. I enjoy a twisty story and while it was a bit confusing when you got into the middle of this mixup, it was fun to put the puzzle together at the end. I am happy that I read this book. It's obvious that a ton of research went into it. But I do think that the description of it makes it sound a bit more exciting that it turned out to be and that this wouldn't be a good fit for a lot of her regular readers.
Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
The premise of this book was super intriguing so I was very excited to receive the ARC for this one. I have read a couple of books by Jodi Picoult and while this isn't my favorite genre, I've always enjoyed myself with her. Overall, I like the story that was told here, the twisty structure, and the existential questions that weave their way throughout the entire book. But I want to point out to regular Picoult readers that this book is not exactly like what we are used to.
Jodi Picoult is great at finding topics and questions that to many of us are difficult to answer or think through. She usually presents them in a way where we can see both the benefits and downsides of each path. Sometimes these things are emotional, sometimes moral, and sometimes she turns everything we think we know upside down on its head. What is different about this book though is not this particular component but what she has added around it.
Part of the reason I wanted to read The Book of Two Ways is because I enjoy learning about new topics but Picoult took this to a whole new level. I've never understood the term info-dumping that I learned from other reviewers but I know exactly what they mean now. This book has SO MUCH information coming at you the entire way through. I'm used to a lot of world-building from my favorite fantasy books but this almost feels like a school textbook sometimes, not only for Egyptology but also quantum physics and several other topics. While overall I found this all to be interesting, it was difficult to stay engaged with the main storyline sometimes. I also had several other books I was reading and found myself preferring the excitement of those the majority of the time because Two Ways was just not very thrilling. It has more of a slow and steady approach.
The last quarter of the story though definitely picked up a bit. I had several theories about how this book would end but she managed to elude me after all. I enjoy a twisty story and while it was a bit confusing when you got into the middle of this mixup, it was fun to put the puzzle together at the end. I am happy that I read this book. It's obvious that a ton of research went into it. But I do think that the description of it makes it sound a bit more exciting that it turned out to be and that this wouldn't be a good fit for a lot of her regular readers.
Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
annikarhyan's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
mars_bars27's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
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? Yes
5.0
varreguin01's review against another edition
4.0
Spoiler
This book was sooooo good. I haven’t read a Jodi Picoult book since I read my sister’s keeper a few years ago but that book was pretty impactful too. This book was very dense. I had never thought about death so much or in this type of way. I had no idea what this book was about and I did not expect it to be about such deep questions like how does one live a good life and who are you meant to be with and what do you do when you have a right person wrong time come back into your life. The Egyptian context made it really interesting and I could tell Jodi did her research because the detail on the Egyptian knowledge was impressive. The Egyptian descriptions did feel a little long ago times but I was just impatient to see what was going to happen next. I loved all the characters and their complexities. It’s a book I think I will be thinking of often. It touched on a lot of different but relevant topics even down to the detail about Meret and her body insecurities. I really liked how Meret, who seemed to be a side character for most of the book, became the central point by the end. She was the one that kept them all together. I remember being frustrated because I was confused about the timeline but I was pleased to see that it was intentional. My heart dropped when I expected the basic plot line of the plane crash killing Wyatt right as everything finally seemed to be going right. The twist that they both lived, that Meret was Wyatt’s, and that them being together in the end came at a price was a nice dose of reality to the story. They didn’t just get a happily ever after just because they got to be together after so many years. I liked how it was described as a slow and painful detachment from her old life rather than just a break with a big change. I do think it was interesting that we didn’t get to see how it was going to go with Wyatt needing to be in Egypt but Meret being in Boston. The consequences of the decision probably could have filled another book. The death doula job was also such an interesting concept and how it was still connected to her study as an Egyptologist was intriguing. I’ve heard of the Book of the Dead but never the Book of Two Ways. It does make one think of the afterlife and just how unknown it is and how nice it would be to have a map to help you navigate it. I luckily have not had a close-death experience or had to watch someone I live die, but I think someone like a death doula would be comforting. There is much I can say about this book and I think that’s what makes it a really good one. It was heartbreaking but real and raw. It was an interesting take on human nature in the face of certain situations. A lot of those situations are ones I hope I never have to face.saraheholtom's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
alivaster's review against another edition
3.0
I have always loved Egyptian history and you can tell this book was well-researched! However, I would have to agree with many other reviews that it had a LOT of educational material and it almost overshadows the main storyline. I still enjoyed the book, I just wish it had more going on with it. Since I listened to it on audiobook while I was multi-tasking, it's possible that I might have missed something for an even deeper meaning of the material, but ultimately it was just a fun read and not much more.
2.5 stars, rounded up to 3.
Book is third person POV written both in past and present tense (because it jumps back and forth in time).
2.5 stars, rounded up to 3.
Book is third person POV written both in past and present tense (because it jumps back and forth in time).
stormnatreadseverything's review against another edition
4.0
Relationships aren’t about photo ops. They’re about scaling mountains and crossing deserts, about getting to where you think you belong.
Despite having read The Book of Two Ways before, Jodi Picoult’s storytelling remained as moving and beautifully written as it was the first time through. I think re-reading this after losing someone and taking part in pre-death preparations allowed the opportunity to look at some of the themes explored with fresh eyes.
We are introduced to Dawn at a pivotal moment in her life. When Dawn found herself brushing too closely with death on a plane she is not meant to be on, it’s not her life with her husband and daughter that flashes before her eyes, but the life she left behind fifteen years before, with a man she loved, and a career so distant now that memories of it feel like a dream.
From here, Dawn’s story takes us between Egypt and Boston, past and present until the two paths - the Two Ways if you will - intertwine.
In true Picoult fashion, you are plucked from wherever you are, and placed deep into a story thick with research, touching moments, and recollections about missed opportunities.
Picoult has managed to take quantum mechanic theories, interweave them with detailed descriptions of Ancient Egyptian tombs, rituals and scrolls, and still end up with a stunning and emotionally wrenching journey as her main character faces the choices she’s made in life head on. As some other reviews across different platforms have mentioned, this book is heavy on the research – particularly the archaeology and Egyptology aspects - and this can be cumbersome to read. This does, however, allow for some stunning parallels to be drawn between the Egyptian’s belief in the afterlife and the way they prepared for it, and Dawn’s past and present, her unique experiences with death, and even her husband’s research into alternate universes. These were interwoven in such a beautiful way that the academic element of the book didn’t detract from the way the characters were written, and how engaging they and their stories were.
If this book does one thing (apart from teaching), it makes you feel. Despite this being my second read through, I still found myself laughing, smiling, and even with teary eyes. The first five pages alone were enough of an reminder that this would be a rollercoaster ride. You are immediately pulled in and engrossed in Dawn’s story. The ‘What Ifs’ are easy to relate to, with Dawn’s background providing a unique perspective.
I found Dawn’s story to be completely captivating, and the perfect way to explore questions about the lives we almost lived, and the choices we didn’t make.
I cannot recommend this book enough – it is well worth reading through the research heavy sections and will be a book that you reach to pick up time and time again.
Despite having read The Book of Two Ways before, Jodi Picoult’s storytelling remained as moving and beautifully written as it was the first time through. I think re-reading this after losing someone and taking part in pre-death preparations allowed the opportunity to look at some of the themes explored with fresh eyes.
We are introduced to Dawn at a pivotal moment in her life. When Dawn found herself brushing too closely with death on a plane she is not meant to be on, it’s not her life with her husband and daughter that flashes before her eyes, but the life she left behind fifteen years before, with a man she loved, and a career so distant now that memories of it feel like a dream.
From here, Dawn’s story takes us between Egypt and Boston, past and present until the two paths - the Two Ways if you will - intertwine.
In true Picoult fashion, you are plucked from wherever you are, and placed deep into a story thick with research, touching moments, and recollections about missed opportunities.
Picoult has managed to take quantum mechanic theories, interweave them with detailed descriptions of Ancient Egyptian tombs, rituals and scrolls, and still end up with a stunning and emotionally wrenching journey as her main character faces the choices she’s made in life head on. As some other reviews across different platforms have mentioned, this book is heavy on the research – particularly the archaeology and Egyptology aspects - and this can be cumbersome to read. This does, however, allow for some stunning parallels to be drawn between the Egyptian’s belief in the afterlife and the way they prepared for it, and Dawn’s past and present, her unique experiences with death, and even her husband’s research into alternate universes. These were interwoven in such a beautiful way that the academic element of the book didn’t detract from the way the characters were written, and how engaging they and their stories were.
If this book does one thing (apart from teaching), it makes you feel. Despite this being my second read through, I still found myself laughing, smiling, and even with teary eyes. The first five pages alone were enough of an reminder that this would be a rollercoaster ride. You are immediately pulled in and engrossed in Dawn’s story. The ‘What Ifs’ are easy to relate to, with Dawn’s background providing a unique perspective.
I found Dawn’s story to be completely captivating, and the perfect way to explore questions about the lives we almost lived, and the choices we didn’t make.
I cannot recommend this book enough – it is well worth reading through the research heavy sections and will be a book that you reach to pick up time and time again.