#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From the author of Small Great Things and A Spark of Light comes a “powerful” (The Washington Post) novel about the choices that alter the course of our lives. NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY MARIE CLAIRE 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. … 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 of 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, their beloved daughter, and her work as a death doula, in which she helps ease the transition between life and death for her clients.
But somewhere in Egypt is Wyatt Armstrong, who works as an archaeologist unearthing ancient burial sites, a career Dawn 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 that the survivors are seen by a doctor, then offers transportation to wherever they want to go. The obvious destination is to fly home, but she could take another path: 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 with 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?
more
Absolutely the most gorgeous writer. Fascinating right up to to the surprising ending. Five plus stars.
A compelling story filled with fascinating details about Egyptology and physics.
I am completely blown away by this unique beautiful story. It’s vivid and rich in emotion and stunning in its complexities. Egypt, ancient history and archeology have always been my deepest dream and desire so to have it all put so perfectly to paper like the author did has given me a gift. As Dawn and her possible futures unfold on the pages we see a woman who thinks of the people around her first. When she starts to realize that what she has may not be what she wanted in her deepest darkest places hidden away from even herself, she does the only think she can. Wyatt. Bryan. Het daughter. Her brother. They are all woven together in her heart, and how does she choose between pieces of her soul? The dreams she had for herself are never to late to reclaim and actualize. She is not one of her patients, coming to terms with their lives slipping away from them. She is not one of the mummies wrapped in tombs for thousands of years waiting to be unearthed. Life is for the living and as Dawn comes to terms with life she wants we live it with her. I loved every minute of this once in a lifetime read and I recommend it to everyone who has more than one love, or has experienced a shift in their paths, a crossing of fates or that long sought after second chance romance that takes your breath away.
“The Book of Two Ways” is a journey through the life of Dawn McDowell. Her husband, Brian, is a theoretical physicist who believes in parallel universes. Dawn had once planned to be a researcher studying the Ancient Egyptians and their journey into their alternate worlds. Now, she assists people who pass into other universes of their own; their deaths are her job. She is a wife, a mother, and a doula, one gives aid and comfort, not medical care, to individuals and families as they face death.
The characters are complex and compelling; the plot is filled with tales both of today and of Ancient Egypt. The story unfolds through Dawn’s first person narrative and is driven by her thoughts and conversations; she talks to others, talks to herself, and talks directly to readers. She shares her conflicts, her joys, and her tragedies. Dawn takes readers back and forth in time, through her two realities, previous and present, coexisting and intermingled, yet separate and conflicting. She looks back on her past, evaluates her present, and anticipates her future. Events have split her in half, into “Water” in Boston and “Land” in Egypt. These alternating universes, these two stories, are all part of the same, yet divided, person. She does not know how to put herself back together, how she can choose one at the expense of the other.
.
“The Book of Two Ways” is a compelling journey with drama and conflict. Dawn’s world implodes; she must resolve a plane crash and startling actions from the past that complicate her present. The book ends with a startling twist that may not please everyone. I was given a copy of “The Book of Two Ways” by Jodi Picoult, Random House, and Ballantine Books. The ending, well, I am starting to accept it.
Two stories, one person, considerable conflict
I’ve seen many of the reviews so I went into this story with some preconceived thoughts and they were mostly true until page 301. I skimmed over all the historical parts because they were just too detailed and detracted from the story (for me). By the time I turned to page 301, I felt like Jodi’s writing style of her older stories had started to seep into the story. I really liked the story from page 301 until the ending. I would have liked to know Dawn’s decision but that’s the beauty of Jodi’s writing. Any ending can happen!
I loved this story. Everyone can relate to the “what if” scenario. Jodi P. handles this story in a great way that builds empathy for all the characters.
I didn’t care for this book. Too much about Egyptology. The protagonist, Dawn, doesn’t know what she wants or appreciate what she has. The two stories are confusing and there is no resolution. I recommend that readers pass on this book.
As an author it’s a rare book that allows me to become so immersed in the story that I stop noting the various story-telling techniques or word choices. It is even rarer to find a book that slays me emotionally and challenges me intellectually. The Book of Two Ways did all that.
Perhaps it’s because of my age, living through a pandemic, or watching my parents age and pass on, but Dawn’s story made me question what I am doing with my life and how I want to be remembered.
Don’t get me wrong, the other reviews you’ll read that complain about the minutiae of detail concerning Egyptology and quantum physics are valid. Could Picoult’s message have been delivered without all that? Probably. But that’s a subjective decision and I’m not about to question the author’s and editor’s decision to include it. I found it interesting and it didn’t pull me out of the story.
There are a few books that I can say changed my life. Will this be one of them? Time will tell. But the way I look at my life this morning is different than it was when I started reading this book.
I read this book in two days, enthralled by the dual storyline and the puzzle of the main character’s dilemma and the Egyptology and the ways we make mistakes on our path. Excellent.
The Book of Two Ways by Jodi Picoult gives us a story about choices and where they lead us. Dawn has been married to her husband for years and loves her daughter. However, after a near death experience, it is her first love, Wyatt, she thinks about. Now she has to make a choice and decide which pate she will take. What choices would you make if you had a second chance? The story gives you history, will make you thin and provide so many feelings throughout. A complex story about life, choices and so much more.
Happy reading!
I love a book that makes me think. That makes me want to Google phrases to understand more of what the book is about. That stays with me after I’ve read it and makes me wonder, what if?
The Book of Two Ways hit all of what I love in a women’s fiction novel, but it was more than that. It made me question my own romantic relationships and where they might have gone. The ‘what if’ factor is huge.
There is much talk of death, but for the most part, it’s not depressing. I would have to say it’s eye opening. As a society, we do not talk enough about something that we’re all going to face. Since the book revolves around Egyptian burial traditions, archeological digs, and discoveries, and the main character is a death Doula, I learned much.
I was a bit confused at the beginning of the book, it was in the present, then the past, then where was it? The confusion of where you are, present or past, resolves itself at the end so stay the course!
Another thought-provoking book by Ms. Picoult.
The book opens with a woman Dawn Edelstein preparing for a crash landing like all of the other passengers on the plane. Expecting to see her husbands’ face before the crash she is surprised when the face that appears in her mind is from her past, Wyatt Armstrong. They were together on a dig in Egypt when she was a grad student at Yale. She had not thought of him or Egypt in years since she had to leave suddenly because of her mother having cancer.
Here is where the book begins to take you on a journey of her getting a plane ticket to Egypt and finishing what she had once started. Also, you have the author going back through her life of being married, having a daughter, and why she would even want to think about that. There is a lot to this book and the characters are good. It just seemed long and at the end well? Anyway, a good story. I got this book from Netgalley.com I gave it 4 stars. Follow us at http://www.1rad-readerreviews.com
Jodi Picoult is one of those authors who can introduce to you a new concept and 300 pages later you will love it. I think The Book of Two Ways will be of much interest to those who already have an introduction to/interest in Egyptology as much of the action centers around the mystery and methodology involved in understanding Egypt’s history, and applying those lessons learned into your own life. I know for me those scenes at the tombs were my favorite parts but like protagonist Dawn Edelstein I have always had a fascination with the historical and Egypt’s contributions to life as we know it.
And I am old. Looking back from 71 is a much different perspective than that experienced at 25. In our rearview mirror we tend to question concepts and decisions made in the long ago, and actually see the twists in the road of life because of those choices. At 25 you mostly just want to get there, faster, please.
This was a book that really caught my interest, and kept me on the edge of my seat. It is a change of pace for Jodi Picoult but an excellent example of her ability to bring us into her world. I found the death duela segments fascinating. This is an approach to life-ending choices and chores that I would love to see better represented in my neck of the woods. I learned a lot from The Book of Two Ways. Thank you, Jodi Picoult. It is a book I will want to read again and savor.
I received a free electronic ARC of this novel from Netgalley, Jodi Picoult, and Ballantine Books. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me. I have read this novel of my own volition, and this review reflects my honest opinion of this work.
Who amongst us, hasn’t wondered what their life would look like if they had chosen a different path when they hit that proverbial fork in the road? Who hasn’t pondered the paths traveled and mused about those that were not? And who hasn’t struggled with their share of choices, losses, and regrets? In her latest novel, “The Book of Two Ways,” author Jodi Picoult puts these concepts under the microscope, as we follow one woman’s journey of discovery along two distinctly different roads.
While I loved the characters and overall premise, the extreme emphasis on the factual details was a bit off putting. I found myself skimming those heavily comprehensive portions in favor of the one-on-one human interactions. And while not totally unexpected, I found the ambiguous ending an anticlimactic conclusion to an otherwise riveting story. Yet, despite the disappointing execution, I still found that “The book of Two Ways” an interesting and thought-provoking read.
Never underestimate the power of a few words. Prepare for an unplanned landing are definitely at the top of the list of life altering statements. One would think the first thoughts that comes to mind are your husband and child so it comes as a huge surprise that they are not who pop in to Dawns mind. It is the man she left behind years ago. So begins Dawns journey down the rabbit hole of “what if”. This book reminded me a lot of the movie Sliding Doors. An accident and through mental images and memories what her life would be depending on which road she chose. Dawn gave up her beloved dream career of being an Egyptologist when her mother became ill and she returned to the states to take care of her much younger brother. She met and married Brian, had a daughter and built a new career as a death doula. She seemingly loved the life she created. And then the crash and all of the memories it brings to her make her question each and every choice she had made. Did she make the right choice for her, think about the consequences or was she lying to herself, her husband, her daughter and the man she left behind? Yes and no, but mostly no. I am a big fan of Jodi Picoult and love how she teaches us, navigates through difficult emotional terrain and holds nothing back. I started out enjoying the read and finding the info about Egypt very interesting and educational, though it became a little too much, more like a text book. Again, I liked the info and found myself wanting to learn more, but that was not what the intent of this book was supposed to be, at least not for me. Her style of writing shows characters to be real. Not all perfect or all bad, like actual real and flawed humans. And yet this is the first of her books where I really did not connect or like the main character at all. I found her to be selfish at her very core, a hypocrite, withholding, a cheater and a liar and those are least negative things I could say. She was in my opinion horrible and treated people that trusted her most like they were not as important and valid as she was. There were a lot of twists and turns true to her style of writing and there are always surprises in the end, but this one just made me mad and disappointed I spent a few hours reading about such an awful person. She was in my opinion not worthy of my time.
Jodi Picoult has done it again. She has woven a beautiful tapestry about life, choices, and the curiosity we feel when we look back and wonder if those choices were ultimately the right ones. Do we settle into our choices and don’t look back? Or do we always wonder if we could have chosen better? Throughout this story, threads and strands come together, slowly and deftly, revealing bits of the story that revealed with each stitch what had happened before and why certain choices were made. We go from archeological sites in Egypt fifteen years ago to present-day Boston, back and forth. Ms. Picoult’s knowledge of Egyptian tombs, artifacts, and hierglyphics is impressive, and she passes much of that knowledge to us in a way that is informative and adds to the story. You will understand why Dawn loved what she did fifteen years ago. And why she’s not doing that now. If she’d been able to do things differently, would she? I had lots of questions as the story unfolded. And I became conflicted about what I wanted for Dawn and those around her. A tapestry becomes beautiful one threaded strand at a time until it becomes what it’s meant to be. That’s how this was for me. A question answered, one strand at a time. I became riveted to this book. I think you will too. Thank you to Netgalley and the author for the advance reader’s copy. I will remember it for a long time.
While a lot of this book dealt with Egyptology, with so much information that was way over my head, I did find it fascinating and found myself going online to look up a lot of the information Ms. Picoult was writing about. Wow! What a well-researched book. The Book of Two Ways, to me, not only dealt with Egyptology, I felt it was a way to make the reader think about how things in your life would have turned out differently if you’d made a different choice other than the one initially made. And if you had a second chance to relive your life, the one you dreamed of living, would you do it even if it meant hurting those you love? The story goes back and forth to Dawn Edelstein’s past life and present life. I did find it confusing at first, but I did finally catch on and found it to be very well done. The beginning of the book appears again towards the end of the book and that was a “wow” moment for me. So even with all of the Egyptology and physics that was in the book that, again, was over my head, I did enjoy this book very much, more than I thought I would. It really left me thinking, especially at the end which was a real surprise to me. I have to say I was a little disappointed but I guess it’s because I wanted more. Perhaps it’s one for the reader to decide and to discuss which one of the two ways Dawn decides to take.
Thank you to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the review copy.
Thank you to Netgalley, Random House Ballantine and the Author, Jodi Picoult for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I am familiar with other works by this Author and this book sounded so interesting that I really wanted to love it but I struggled to read it. While it was a great story and fascinatingly rich with Egyptology I found myself spending too much time looking up words and wishing I didn’t feel like I was reading a textbook on Egyptology.
I’m a great fan of Jodi’s but this book just fell flat for me.
3 stars
I have read all of Jodi Picoult’s book. I like how she presents issues and shows that a problem is not just one way or another. I loved Small Great Things and A Spark of Light. I was excited to receive an ARC of The Book of Two Ways. I liked the beginning as Dawn survives a plane crash and the book alternates when Dawn looks at her past decisions of which life path she should have taken. Is it with Wyatt who she met while doing graduate work at Yale in Egyptology or with her present husband, Quantum Physics expert Brian and her teenage daughter Meret. She met Brian when she had to leave Yale to take care of her grandmother who is in hospice and who raised her. She became a death doula. Looking at your life and the choices that you make is on most of our minds.
I had to start and stop this book several times in the past few months.The problem I found was that there was too much about Egyptology. I felt like I was taking a course and had hours of reading to do to prepare. When the story focused on the characters who I liked and breezed through their stories but there was just too much detail about Egyptology which took away from my enjoying the book.
My thanks to Ballantine and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Dawn is a death doula. She works with hospice patients to ease their way into the afterlife. She is lead to this career after her mother passed away and this is also when Dawn’s life shifted from Egyptologist to wife and mother. As of late, she is questioning her choice. And the pull of an old lover, Wyatt, may be too much for her to handle.
This book is so well written and I loved it! Now, it is totally out of this author’s normal type of book. It is what I call a “smart read”. It is full of science and historical Egyptian references. Not sure everyone will feel the same way I do. But, I was so captivated by Dawn and her Egyptology and throw in her husband and his quantum physics with parallel universes and I was hooked.
But, that is not what made this book for me. The characters and their plight and the unique way Picoult wove the tale together is absolutely amazing. You do not want to miss this one! Makes you think…in more ways than one!
I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.