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3.7 AVERAGE
3.7 AVERAGE
I am sad I did not like this book. I normally like Jodi Picoult but this one I did not. The Egyptology was hard to connect to as it is foreign to me, even though I did enjoy learning about a different culture it just didn’t all click. Also, the ending was a big disappointment to me. I don’t even know that ended but that the story just stopped, in my opinion.
Classic Picoult - people faced with impossible choices. Really interesting to learn about ancient Egypt, and the work of death doulas
I’m not a skimmer but I found that if I skimmed the detailed Egyptology information this book became much more enjoyable. I found the death doula profession very interesting, having never heard of it. (I checked, and there don’t seem to be any where I live. There should be!). As for the personal story, why shouldn’t it be possible to have 2 loves in your life, each of course different from the other, offering different aspects to each relationship? I have to say, I was disappointed in the ending. I don’t like a ‘choose your own adventure’ at the end of a book. Just tell me what Dawn’s choice was!
This book is incredibly beautiful and moving. The book centers around Dawn and her present, past and future. The first reality is Dawn and her husband trying to repair a fractured 15 year old marriage and the second reality is Dawn with the man she was in love with before her world turned upside down. The book explores loves, happinesses, death, a lot of Egyptology (perfect for the nerd inside me) and how a single moment can forever change your life. I honestly didn't know much about this book going in and i'm glad for it because it took me on a fantastic adventure. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
This book is really a 3.5 star book overall if half stars were allowed!
It was really hard to get into at first because the Egyptology in it is SO dense. Honestly I found myself skimming over long chunks of it. But I did love the philosophy in it and the joining of history/religion and physics and how they agree so interesting
But the other part of the story about her death doula was really compelling
And I always love a classic Jodi picoult twist so the last part of this book was great
It was really hard to get into at first because the Egyptology in it is SO dense. Honestly I found myself skimming over long chunks of it. But I did love the philosophy in it and the joining of history/religion and physics and how they agree so interesting
But the other part of the story about her death doula was really compelling
And I always love a classic Jodi picoult twist so the last part of this book was great
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Everything changes in a single moment for Dawn Edelstein. She's on a plane when the flight attendant makes an announcement: prepare for a crash landing. She braces herself as thoughts flash through her mind. The shocking thing is, the thoughts are not of her husband, but a man she last saw fifteen years ago: Wyatt Armstrong.
Dawn, miraculously, survives the crash, but so do all the doubts that have suddenly been raised. She has led a good life. Back in Boston, there is her husband, Brian, her beloved daughter, and her work as a death doula, where she helps ease the transition between life and death for patients in hospice.
But somewhere in Egypt is Wyatt Armstrong, who works as an archaeologist unearthing ancient burial sites, a job she once studied for, but was forced to abandon when life suddenly intervened. And now, when it seems that fate is offering her second chances, she is not as sure of the choice she once made.
After the crash landing, the airline ensures the survivors are seen by a doctor, then offers transportation wherever they want to go. The obvious option for Dawn is to continue down the path she is on and go home to her family. The other is to return to the archaeological site she left years before, reconnect with Wyatt and their unresolved history, and maybe even complete her research on The Book of Two Ways--the first known map of the afterlife.
As the story unfolds, Dawn's two possible futures unspool side by side, as do the secrets and doubts long buried beside them. Dawn must confront the questions she's never truly asked: What does a life well-lived look like? When we leave this 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 out to be the person you are right now?
Family. Love. Choices.
I have been reading Jodi Picoult for years. A friend told me about her back when I was getting my first degree. I have read most but her recent book. Since I started reading her books, there hasn't been a single of her books that I didn't fall in love with. I bought The Book Of Two Ways last year when it was released, but didn't have a chance to read it until recently. Like all of her other books, I fell in love with The Book Of Two Ways within the first few pages. I wished that I had picked up the book sooner. Jodi Picoult has a specific style for her characters, the story. The Book of Two Ways is unlike any of her books, not what I expected it to be, but so much better. A few times, I read late into the night because I couldn't pull myself away; I needed to know what would happen with Dawn and Wyatt next.
I could tell how much research has gone into this book. The amount of Egypt history, I learned so much about Egypt just from reading the book. Once I finished the book, I wanted to know more. I love historical fiction books where you get a chance to learn from them. From all of her previous books, this one seemed to have intrigued me the most. When Dawn was in Egypt and Wyatt, my favorite part of the book was more interesting than the present timeline. You could see the connection between Wyatt and Dawn right away. I couldn't help but hope that the two of them would find a way to each other. I knew that Brian loved Dawn, but there wasn't any connection and love Dawn and Wyatt had. I wondered what would happen if she didn't leave Egypt all those years ago.
I went through mixed emotions while reading this book. The Book Of Two Ways touched me in many different ways. The descriptions had me imagine being there in Egypt and wishing that I could visit. The timeline between present and past was a bit confusing at times, maybe because it was written. The Book Of Two Ways is a book that I see myself picking up in the future. One of the best historical fiction that I have read. If you are a fan of historical fiction, I would highly recommend it. I cannot wait what Jodi Picoult has in store for us next.
Dawn, miraculously, survives the crash, but so do all the doubts that have suddenly been raised. She has led a good life. Back in Boston, there is her husband, Brian, her beloved daughter, and her work as a death doula, where she helps ease the transition between life and death for patients in hospice.
But somewhere in Egypt is Wyatt Armstrong, who works as an archaeologist unearthing ancient burial sites, a job she once studied for, but was forced to abandon when life suddenly intervened. And now, when it seems that fate is offering her second chances, she is not as sure of the choice she once made.
After the crash landing, the airline ensures the survivors are seen by a doctor, then offers transportation wherever they want to go. The obvious option for Dawn is to continue down the path she is on and go home to her family. The other is to return to the archaeological site she left years before, reconnect with Wyatt and their unresolved history, and maybe even complete her research on The Book of Two Ways--the first known map of the afterlife.
As the story unfolds, Dawn's two possible futures unspool side by side, as do the secrets and doubts long buried beside them. Dawn must confront the questions she's never truly asked: What does a life well-lived look like? When we leave this 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 out to be the person you are right now?
Family. Love. Choices.
I have been reading Jodi Picoult for years. A friend told me about her back when I was getting my first degree. I have read most but her recent book. Since I started reading her books, there hasn't been a single of her books that I didn't fall in love with. I bought The Book Of Two Ways last year when it was released, but didn't have a chance to read it until recently. Like all of her other books, I fell in love with The Book Of Two Ways within the first few pages. I wished that I had picked up the book sooner. Jodi Picoult has a specific style for her characters, the story. The Book of Two Ways is unlike any of her books, not what I expected it to be, but so much better. A few times, I read late into the night because I couldn't pull myself away; I needed to know what would happen with Dawn and Wyatt next.
I could tell how much research has gone into this book. The amount of Egypt history, I learned so much about Egypt just from reading the book. Once I finished the book, I wanted to know more. I love historical fiction books where you get a chance to learn from them. From all of her previous books, this one seemed to have intrigued me the most. When Dawn was in Egypt and Wyatt, my favorite part of the book was more interesting than the present timeline. You could see the connection between Wyatt and Dawn right away. I couldn't help but hope that the two of them would find a way to each other. I knew that Brian loved Dawn, but there wasn't any connection and love Dawn and Wyatt had. I wondered what would happen if she didn't leave Egypt all those years ago.
I went through mixed emotions while reading this book. The Book Of Two Ways touched me in many different ways. The descriptions had me imagine being there in Egypt and wishing that I could visit. The timeline between present and past was a bit confusing at times, maybe because it was written. The Book Of Two Ways is a book that I see myself picking up in the future. One of the best historical fiction that I have read. If you are a fan of historical fiction, I would highly recommend it. I cannot wait what Jodi Picoult has in store for us next.
- Hospice care
- Egyptology
- Not sure I agree with her view of marriage
- Mc was a bit annoying at times, poor judgement
adventurous
emotional
reflective
slow-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:
Yes
Decent book, fairly standard JP. Exhaustive descriptions of hyper specific jobs (one of the reasons I picked this book up is bc I’m interested in death doulas) and a couple of twists that have your jaw on the floor. I appreciate complex female characters who aren’t perfect. The beginning of this book was soooo slow though, the pace is my only issue.