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3.7 AVERAGE
3.7 AVERAGE
“Dawn’s two futures unspool side by side, as do the secrets and doubts she’s kept buried. And then there are the questions she’s never truly asked: What does a life well-lived look like? When we leave the earth, what do we leave behind? Do we make choices or do our choices make us? And, who would you be, if you hadn’t turned into the person you are right now?”
The literary parallels in this book are scrumptious! She’s an archaeologist researching on the Book of Two Ways - the first known map of the afterlife - while simultaneously reviewing the two ways her future could play out after surviving a near death experience.
Dawn also works as a death doula (like me!) and spends the book analyzing and working with death in one form or another. Either a the bedside with a dying client, or deep in the earth in a dusty Egyptian tomb studying the hieroglyphs and beliefs of people long-since passed.
It’s obvious throughout the novel that Jodi Picoult did thorough and extensive research into the passions of an archaeologist, ancient Egyptian burial traditions, death doulas, and the nuances of a plane crash. The knowledge and accuracy made the story feel that much more real and deep… until it didn’t.
I really really wanted to give this book 5 stars but I felt like it got so caught up in showing off the technical aspects that the plot got lost in the details. So many times the extensive display of knowledge took me out of the story.
Overall it was an enjoyable read and I’m grateful to all the people who recommended it to me!
The literary parallels in this book are scrumptious! She’s an archaeologist researching on the Book of Two Ways - the first known map of the afterlife - while simultaneously reviewing the two ways her future could play out after surviving a near death experience.
Dawn also works as a death doula (like me!) and spends the book analyzing and working with death in one form or another. Either a the bedside with a dying client, or deep in the earth in a dusty Egyptian tomb studying the hieroglyphs and beliefs of people long-since passed.
It’s obvious throughout the novel that Jodi Picoult did thorough and extensive research into the passions of an archaeologist, ancient Egyptian burial traditions, death doulas, and the nuances of a plane crash. The knowledge and accuracy made the story feel that much more real and deep… until it didn’t.
I really really wanted to give this book 5 stars but I felt like it got so caught up in showing off the technical aspects that the plot got lost in the details. So many times the extensive display of knowledge took me out of the story.
Overall it was an enjoyable read and I’m grateful to all the people who recommended it to me!
Really enjoyed learning more about Egyptology + physics concepts - two fields that the main characters were in. This book made me think and I liked the 2 different timelines and their overlaps. Made me think more about death (and it's delicate balance with life).
4.5 / 5
the last quarter of this book destroyed me. i hated what Picoult dragged me through emotionally, i am devastated and heartbroken and sobbing about this story. and yet, at the same time, i cannot turn away from the fact that this author drew these emotions out of me. that’s a hard thing to do.
i respect so much what Picoult did with this story. i understand the duality of reviews, many not liking it because of the heaviness of historic and scientific facts being thrown around constantly. perhaps i am one of the few that enjoyed that, as i once saw a path in Egyptology for myself—but i wholly understand why this is off-putting for so many readers.
for me, ultimately, i enjoyed the subject matter, and although the emotional rollercoaster was generally not fun, it has been so long since an author gave me that gift in a novel. i’m grateful for the experience.
the last quarter of this book destroyed me. i hated what Picoult dragged me through emotionally, i am devastated and heartbroken and sobbing about this story. and yet, at the same time, i cannot turn away from the fact that this author drew these emotions out of me. that’s a hard thing to do.
i respect so much what Picoult did with this story. i understand the duality of reviews, many not liking it because of the heaviness of historic and scientific facts being thrown around constantly. perhaps i am one of the few that enjoyed that, as i once saw a path in Egyptology for myself—but i wholly understand why this is off-putting for so many readers.
for me, ultimately, i enjoyed the subject matter, and although the emotional rollercoaster was generally not fun, it has been so long since an author gave me that gift in a novel. i’m grateful for the experience.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Wow, this is my favorite book I have read in a while.
Another great Jodi Picoult book with complex characters, obfuscating timelines, and well-researched deep dives into niche topics. She beautifully wove together The Book of Two Ways, the concept of multiverses, the death doula pieces, and the structure of the book itself. Truly masterfully done! I enjoyed all of the Egyptology parts, and the dig setting really came alive to me. Dawn and all of her complexities and emotions felt so deeply real. Her relationship with Win was another great part of the book.
If the Egyptology or quantum physics became too technical, I was able to skim while still appreciating.
One of the (several) parts that really got me was whenMeret was telling Wyatt about how scientists recently used physics to discover a new tomb. More than anything, that part made me feel like this group of people will somehow make it work in the end.
While I’m glad Dawn ends up with Wyatt (this feels clear to me, though others seem less sure) I do feel very sad for Brian. But I also feel sad for Dawn and how quickly her life shifted and how she didn’t know what else to do but follow it. I saw other reviews bashing her for being an awful person, and those miss the point for me. Sure, I didn’t love all her choices, but that’s what makes it interesting and real! I believe that she will be published on Wyatt’s research and will get to finally finish her degree. I think Meret and Brian will always be close.
The one thing I didn’t really understand was Dawn’s reaction to Brian’s *almost* infidelity.
Another great Jodi Picoult book with complex characters, obfuscating timelines, and well-researched deep dives into niche topics. She beautifully wove together The Book of Two Ways, the concept of multiverses, the death doula pieces, and the structure of the book itself. Truly masterfully done! I enjoyed all of the Egyptology parts, and the dig setting really came alive to me. Dawn and all of her complexities and emotions felt so deeply real. Her relationship with Win was another great part of the book.
If the Egyptology or quantum physics became too technical, I was able to skim while still appreciating.
One of the (several) parts that really got me was when
The one thing I didn’t really understand was
I had taken a break from the author because I thought her books were too formulaic. This one is a departure and I commend her for that. It was well researched and her style is very readable. All that said, it was very difficult to get through and way too textbook-like. Too many lectures on Egyptology, physics, science, etc and the timeline/location jumps were jarring. I skipped the middle because I had already renewed the book from the library and needed to move on to something more engaging.
I usually love Jodi’s books, but this one just wasn’t for me. Part of that is my fault (the death doula aspect was just too much for me personally), but part of that is the book’s fault too (Egypt info-dumping in places it’s just not relevant to the plot (and I’m fascinated by Egyptology, but it just did not flow), Dawn being an absolutely awful character whose actions are just incomprehensible to me). I’ll still read anything she writes, though!
I just really wanted to know who she picked. I see a lot of people complaining about the book being too detailed as regards Egyptology/quantum physics, I just feel like with most if her books, she delves into topic and it just so happened that this book were academic topics.
I completely enjoyed reading it.
I completely enjoyed reading it.
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Okay. I didn’t like this one at first. But a little after half I was sucked in and am v pissed at that ending, even though that is the best ending there could be for a book like this.
Anyway. Reminds me of me, in, like, not even the same universe of sameness, but also, same. And I feel like JP wrote the end of Brian and Wyatt with some real life experience in there because….wow.
Also, bravo to JP for her research and commitment to this kind of thing. I am always impressed but this was next level.
Anyway. Reminds me of me, in, like, not even the same universe of sameness, but also, same. And I feel like JP wrote the end of Brian and Wyatt with some real life experience in there because….wow.
Also, bravo to JP for her research and commitment to this kind of thing. I am always impressed but this was next level.