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3.7 AVERAGE
3.7 AVERAGE
I really wanted to like this book more and almost gave it three stars, but I know if I had read it in print as opposed to listening to the audiobook I might not have even finished it. From the outside this book seems like everything I would like: multiple timelines, Egyptian history, death positivity. It was a huge letdown. The beginning was soooooo slow. The highly researched nature of the book lead to its demise as it's pretty boring just having two Egyptologists talk to each other (forever) at a dig site. I know it was meant to be a character driven piece, but I didn't really connect with any of the characters. The main character bothered me quite a bit. The book was slightly redeemed towards the end as I thought the structure took a unique turn I wasn't expecting. That being said, it was far too long, and the characters weren't engaging enough for it to be a character book.
*Thanks to Ballantine Books + NetGalley for the ARC!*
Unfortunately, this was a DNF for me. This book is DENSE - other reviewers mentioned that it reminded them of a textbook, and that's spot on. I was excited for the Egyptology mentioned in the blurb, but in the book it was just way too much. Instead of being informative, it was as if the story was sprinkled in amidst the learning. And then, there was more happening with quantum physics and fat phobia and just - a lot. It was a lot. As a big fan of Jodi Picoult's earlier books, I'm bummed to not love this one, but it was just too much! I'm going to add this to my pile to pick up and try again post-corona.
Unfortunately, this was a DNF for me. This book is DENSE - other reviewers mentioned that it reminded them of a textbook, and that's spot on. I was excited for the Egyptology mentioned in the blurb, but in the book it was just way too much. Instead of being informative, it was as if the story was sprinkled in amidst the learning. And then, there was more happening with quantum physics and fat phobia and just - a lot. It was a lot. As a big fan of Jodi Picoult's earlier books, I'm bummed to not love this one, but it was just too much! I'm going to add this to my pile to pick up and try again post-corona.
This story was about Egypt, but in some magical way that only Jodi Picoult could master, I found myself really thinking deep into my father’s death. I found it so comforting.
adventurous
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
informative
tense
slow-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
This book appealed to me as I love anything to do with ancient Egypt, and I have loved many of Jodi Picoult’s other books.
The book is written with chapters separated into Boston and Egypt and due to the timeline of the story moving between the past and present, sometimes I was left a little confused as to when certain events happened in relation to others - but persevere, all will be made clear.
The Egyptian parts of the book were very descriptive and you could really imagine yourself under the scorching heat of the sun, or exploring in the staleness of a long forgotten tomb.
I also enjoyed learning about Dawns unusual job as a death doula. The way Jodi writes about death, combining it with the beliefs of the ancient Egyptians was truly thought provoking.
I felt that this book leaned a bit too heavily into the non-fiction side in some areas, especially when Dawns husband is describing the physics of multiverses etc, compared to other books by the author. This was a shame as it prevented me loving the story. It was an enjoyable read however, especially if you enjoy ancient Egypt.
⭐️⭐️⭐️
The book is written with chapters separated into Boston and Egypt and due to the timeline of the story moving between the past and present, sometimes I was left a little confused as to when certain events happened in relation to others - but persevere, all will be made clear.
The Egyptian parts of the book were very descriptive and you could really imagine yourself under the scorching heat of the sun, or exploring in the staleness of a long forgotten tomb.
I also enjoyed learning about Dawns unusual job as a death doula. The way Jodi writes about death, combining it with the beliefs of the ancient Egyptians was truly thought provoking.
I felt that this book leaned a bit too heavily into the non-fiction side in some areas, especially when Dawns husband is describing the physics of multiverses etc, compared to other books by the author. This was a shame as it prevented me loving the story. It was an enjoyable read however, especially if you enjoy ancient Egypt.
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Not my favorite Jodi Picoult book. I didn’t particularly like the main character and I felt she put way too much detail into the Egyptology scenes. I was on about page 23 when I started wondering if I could make it through the whole thing. I liked the story concept and found the death doula work really interesting, but every time an Egypt section started I found myself skimming. By the end all I could think about was her poor husband, who tried so hard, and how his life is going to be worse no matter what happens.
To be honest, this book was heavy on content and took some time for me to get through. However, I'm glad I finished it. It's about a woman who is torn between 2 paths in her life and the what ifs. I learned some physics concepts and some Egyptology along the way. Some of the information about the processes around death (main character is a death doula) was hard to get through; it's not a subject I'm super comfortable with. All in all, it's a good thick emotional read.
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I love Jodi Picoult books, but this is my least favorite so far. I love how thoroughly she researches her topics, but this was a little too in the weeds for me (and I loved my Egyptology unit in 6th grade lol). Also did not love the adultery theme