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3.71 AVERAGE
3.71 AVERAGE
I really liked this book. It took me a little while to get "into" it and I honestly didn't fully appreciate it until the very last page - that was a killer - I cried with Jonah. Would definitely recommend if you like stories that take you on a journey, with a message.
I spent some time trying to decide if I was even interested in giving this book a go, but I am glad I did. It was a cute book that really shows you how small moments make big changes. How all the multiverses are connected on some level and what it could look like should they cross.
The book ended exactly how I was hoping and wanting it to, everyone gets their happy ending, a new chapter to their book.
Grief is hard but it is how you manage it and use it to figure out your own wants and needs from your daily life.
I will say the last half was much more appeal to read than the first half, but it all connected very well and the storytelling was concise.
The book ended exactly how I was hoping and wanting it to, everyone gets their happy ending, a new chapter to their book.
Grief is hard but it is how you manage it and use it to figure out your own wants and needs from your daily life.
I will say the last half was much more appeal to read than the first half, but it all connected very well and the storytelling was concise.
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Lydia Bird loses the love of her life, Freddie, in a tragic car accident. Desperate for sleep, she finally succumbs to the pink pill she has been encouraging her to take. That night in her sleep, she sees Freddie alive as ever. Lydia suddenly feels desperate for days to become nights so she can be reunited with her Freddie. For several weeks, she lives two lives: one with Freddie at night and one, alone, during the day. Slowly, she starts to find the courage to face more days alone and discovers that she has not been alone this whole time. A fast, sweet, uplifting read.
Two Lives of Lydia Bird is a story of healing and redemption. As Lydia channels a parallel universe that is supposedly perfect, the readers are able to watch her work through two years of grief to become her own person, slowly working her way towards becoming whole again. At times heartbreaking and at other times hopeful, you will feel all of Lydia’s emotions along with her!
From the author of One Day in December, The Two Lives of Lydia Bird follows Lydia as she deals with the death of her fiancée, Freddie, on her 28th birthday. Lydia is prescribed a sleeping pill that allows her to “visit” her fiancée in a parallel world. So as Lydia prepares for her wedding in her dreams, she is learning how to move on in her real life. And so is her and Freddie’s best friend, Jonas. Through the rest of 2018 and 2019, she and Jonas develop a relationship while Lydia realizes that what she and Freddie had may not have been what she believed it was. Josie Silver does a great job with how subtly she tells this story. I was engaged with every character through this and felt every emotion that Ms. Silver was expecting of me as a reader. I appreciated that even though I could guess the ultimate outcome of the story, it was not rushed into but got there slowly. Lydia was allowed to mourn and to rediscover living. If I have one complaint about the book it would be the trip Lydia takes to Croatia because it was just odd to me. Overall, I really loved The Two Lives of Lydia Bird.
Read all of my reviews at bit.ly/PageBedtime
Last year I read One Day in December by Josie Silver and enjoyed it. I was excited to see this as a Book of the Month Club (BOTM) suggestion. Because I am trying to be realistic, I only purchase one book per month from BOTM. For this month, I chose to purchase another book and I borrowed The Two Lives of Lydia Bird from the Fort Worth Digital Library. I am glad I did.
The protagonist, Lydia, had been with her long-time boyfriend, Freddie since high school. Now in their 30s, the two were engaged to be married when he was tragically killed on Lydia's birthday in a car accident. On top of that, his best friend Jonah, who Lydia doesn't particularly care for, survived. This story is about Lydia's path to healing. In her grief, she finds a way to connect with her lost love through somewhat of a fantastical realm. These encounters help her learn more about herself and what her identity will be post-Freddie. In her real life, she goes through the stages of grief with the help of her sister, Elle, and her mom. This book is truly a story of personal growth.
In its totality I enjoyed this story. The first two-thirds of the book were very sad and read quite slow for me as I walked through the darkness with Lydia as she mourned her fiancé. The last part of the book picks up as she starts to discover herself and come out of her grief. And the ending was perfect. I think the book hit home with a lot of passages and how someone deals with losing someone who was close to them.
Recommendation: I enjoyed this book. I don't know if I enjoyed it more than One Day in December. It was a different story that evoked different emotions, but I can say that I enjoyed them both. I recommend picking up a copy for yourself.
Until next time ... Read on!
Regardless of whether I purchase a book, borrow a book, or receive a book in exchange for review, my ultimate goal is to be honest, fair, and constructive. I hope you've found this review helpful.
Last year I read One Day in December by Josie Silver and enjoyed it. I was excited to see this as a Book of the Month Club (BOTM) suggestion. Because I am trying to be realistic, I only purchase one book per month from BOTM. For this month, I chose to purchase another book and I borrowed The Two Lives of Lydia Bird from the Fort Worth Digital Library. I am glad I did.
The protagonist, Lydia, had been with her long-time boyfriend, Freddie since high school. Now in their 30s, the two were engaged to be married when he was tragically killed on Lydia's birthday in a car accident. On top of that, his best friend Jonah, who Lydia doesn't particularly care for, survived. This story is about Lydia's path to healing. In her grief, she finds a way to connect with her lost love through somewhat of a fantastical realm. These encounters help her learn more about herself and what her identity will be post-Freddie. In her real life, she goes through the stages of grief with the help of her sister, Elle, and her mom. This book is truly a story of personal growth.
In its totality I enjoyed this story. The first two-thirds of the book were very sad and read quite slow for me as I walked through the darkness with Lydia as she mourned her fiancé. The last part of the book picks up as she starts to discover herself and come out of her grief. And the ending was perfect. I think the book hit home with a lot of passages and how someone deals with losing someone who was close to them.
Recommendation: I enjoyed this book. I don't know if I enjoyed it more than One Day in December. It was a different story that evoked different emotions, but I can say that I enjoyed them both. I recommend picking up a copy for yourself.
Until next time ... Read on!
Regardless of whether I purchase a book, borrow a book, or receive a book in exchange for review, my ultimate goal is to be honest, fair, and constructive. I hope you've found this review helpful.
This was fine, but I only half listened which is partly (mostly?) where my brain is these days and partly bc I just wasn’t that vested in what was happening.
Oh I loved this book. I loved Lydia. I enjoyed being in her world and feeling her feelings. What a gorgeous and poignant book.
I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 4/5
Laughing Score: 0/5
Crying Score: 0/5
Plot: Freddie and Lydia are the dream couple. That one couple that actually makes you believe in destiny and soulmates. Everything between them is perfect, until the night of Lydia’s 28th birthday when Freddie dies in a tragic car accident. Lydia’s life is in shambles as she tries to process her grief. One night she takes a sleeping pill and finds herself in a different world where Freddie is still alive. She can talk to him, she can feel him, and although she knows it's not real, it begins to fill that void she feels in her awake state. Lydia finds herself at a crossroads between her life when she is awake, and when she is dreaming.
Thoughts: After reading One Day in December, I was looking forward to reading another one of Josie’s books. This book made me feel a lot of things, but the overall feelings were a mix of sadness and fondness. Aside from the unique, kind of unrealistic storyline, I was very fond of Lydia Bird. I think she had something tragic happen to her, and given that her support system wasn’t the best, I think she did the best she could to get through her grief. I think the book captured her grief well, as I just felt really sad for her as it showed her going through the motions. Although I understand when you go through something as she did, you can only expect so much of people, I also felt like her family was somewhat selfish and not supportive of her. I think when she went to Croatia, it was the best thing she could do for herself, and the fact that her family was upset with her, was disappointing - shame on them! Although the story portrays Lydia weakened by her grief, I honestly think she was as strong as she could be.
Although I thought the book was going to end as it did, I wasn't quite sure how it was going to get there, so I almost didn’t expect it. However predictable it may have been, I was just happy that Lydia was working towards her happy ending.
Laughing Score: 0/5
Crying Score: 0/5
Plot: Freddie and Lydia are the dream couple. That one couple that actually makes you believe in destiny and soulmates. Everything between them is perfect, until the night of Lydia’s 28th birthday when Freddie dies in a tragic car accident. Lydia’s life is in shambles as she tries to process her grief. One night she takes a sleeping pill and finds herself in a different world where Freddie is still alive. She can talk to him, she can feel him, and although she knows it's not real, it begins to fill that void she feels in her awake state. Lydia finds herself at a crossroads between her life when she is awake, and when she is dreaming.
Thoughts: After reading One Day in December, I was looking forward to reading another one of Josie’s books. This book made me feel a lot of things, but the overall feelings were a mix of sadness and fondness. Aside from the unique, kind of unrealistic storyline, I was very fond of Lydia Bird. I think she had something tragic happen to her, and given that her support system wasn’t the best, I think she did the best she could to get through her grief. I think the book captured her grief well, as I just felt really sad for her as it showed her going through the motions. Although I understand when you go through something as she did, you can only expect so much of people, I also felt like her family was somewhat selfish and not supportive of her. I think when she went to Croatia, it was the best thing she could do for herself, and the fact that her family was upset with her, was disappointing - shame on them! Although the story portrays Lydia weakened by her grief, I honestly think she was as strong as she could be.
Although I thought the book was going to end as it did, I wasn't quite sure how it was going to get there, so I almost didn’t expect it. However predictable it may have been, I was just happy that Lydia was working towards her happy ending.