The Book of Two Ways: A stunning novel about life, death and missed opportunities

WOW!! I really enjoyed and loved reading this book which took me all the way to Egypt. It is about love, life and death, weaved with Egyptology and Egyptian history with a dash of physics. Along with a love story, it explores complex human emotions and unravel multiple layers of life which gets affected by the choices we make. The author describes the fragility of life and beauty of death. I, particularly, found this part very insightful. The plot is well-researched and quite rich with details that makes the writing extremely lively but because of the same it may not interest to readers who are not into history or architectural details. But if you’re even a little bit interested in either of them, I would highly recommend this book to read.
 Many thanks to Jodi Picoult for bringing Dawn and Wyatt (even though they’re imaginary) into our lives. And I’m grateful to Hodder and stoughton and Netgalley for providing an ARC to review. Thank you!

Dawn is one of 36 survivors in a plane crash. When she's asked 'can we fly you anywhere?', she has a decision to make. Does she return to her life in Boston or return to Egypt where she left unfinished business over fifteen years ago.

The Book Of Two Ways is a stunning novel that kept me guessing and gasping until the end. Jodi manages to take you on a journey of first love, what ifs and death that keeps you gripped all the way through. I was desperately rooting for Dawn to finish what she started in Egypt. The twists and turns in this novel had me going right back to the start to read it again. Extraordinary!

Jodi Picoult's latest novel is a fascinating exploration of life, love, Egyptology and Egyptian history, and Physics, regrets and wondering how life might have turned out if different life choices had been made. It has some commonalities with a book I recently read, Matt Haig's The Midnight Library, such as what makes life worth living, what really matters, and the need to focus on living, as life is short. Fortunately, reading this book was made easier as I already had an interest and some familiarity with Egyptology and the aspects of Physics which Picoult goes into some detail in the book with her indepth research, without this, I can imagine many readers finding this a much more frustrating experience.

It begins with Dawn Edelstein, living in Boston, married to Brian with a beloved daughter, Meret, on a plane that is plummeting, and her thoughts are not on the life she has, but drifting back to her past as an Egyptologist, and Wyatt Armstrong, a life that was torn asunder when a dying mother and family responsibilities claimed her instead. Fortunately, Dawn survives, and the narrative shifts locations and time to go down two possible paths for Dawn, and the ancient Egyptian beliefs and text of The Book of Two Ways on the path towards reaching the afterlife. She is beset with regrets on the one hand and what could have been with Wyatt, and a marriage which is under pressure, raising the issues of what constitutes a 'love affair' and infidelity. Dawn works as a death doula, helping her terminal clients prepare for death with compassion and love, and supporting grieving families, clients such as Win, whose issues resonate so strongly with Dawn too.

Picoult writes of the complexities of being human, the choices we make, the people that matter in her story of life, love and death, and extolling the need to live life now through her central protagonist, Dawn. She excels in her characterisation of Dawn and the painful, messy complications that life so often comprises of, with her reflections on what could have been, her sense of identity and who exactly she is. This is richly descriptive and heavily detailed, multilayered storytelling, thoughtful, insightful and well written on life's deepest questions but will not be for everyone. An emotionally satisfying and touching novel that I recommend highly to others. Many thanks to Hodder and Stoughton for an ARC.

I have never read a Jodi Picoult novel before which is why I was intrigued to try this one out. And I’m really glad I did, because this is a magnificent novel exploring ‘what if’. What if I had made different choices in my life? And a wonderful dose of ancient Egypt on the side.

It follows Dawn McDowell, who used to be an Egyptologist working on the coffin texts of the Middle Kingdom, one of which, ‘The Book of Two Ways’, is an ancient Egyptian map of the underworld, she was especially interested in - it shows two paths, one over land and one over water, separated by a lake of fire. Fast forward to the present, Dawn is a ‘death doula’, otherwise known as a death midwife, a job which entails helping the terminally ill prepare for death. She left behind Egyptology - and an intense romance with her fellow Egyptologist, Wyatt, in order to go home and look after her mother, who was dying. From there, Dawn fell into another life from the one she had been expecting - we follow both Dawn in Boston and Dawn in Egypt, her two paths and possibly two destinies. The book deals with ideas of missed opportunities, choices and fate: Dawn must consider whether she is on the right path, and if it’s too late to change; with a little bit of parallel universe theory as Dawn contemplates these issues. The end was intense, I may need a few days to recover! I’m not sure if I liked the ultimate ending but I have come away feeling that this was a terrific read, regardless.

I really enjoyed the parts set in Egypt where Dawn was doing work in newly discovered tombs, it was a fascinating blend of history alongside romance, and a philosophical exploration of the choices we make. I think that readers who enjoyed The Forty Rules of Love by Elif Shafak would also enjoy this novel, as it reminded me a little of that in terms of the themes being explored.

My thanks to @Hodderbooks and #netgalley for the arc to review.

Dawn is a death doula, and spends her life helping people make the final transition peacefully. But when the plane she's on plummets, she finds herself thinking not of the perfect life she has, but the life she was forced to abandon fifteen years ago - when she left behind a career in Egyptology, and a man she loved. Against the odds, she survives, and the airline offers her a ticket to wherever she needs to get to - but the answer to that question suddenly seems uncertain. As the path of her life forks in two very different directions, Dawn must confront questions she's never truly asked: What does a well-lived life look like? What do we leave behind when we go? And do we make our choices, or do our choices make us? 

The plot for this is very different to Picoult's recent novels. It actually reminded me of Picoult's earlier novels which made me apprehensive and to be honest I did not think I would enjoy this. Well how wrong was I! I could not help but fall in love with everything about this. Picoult has such a beautiful, easy writing style that completely swept me away. I was engrossed in the read and captivated by the words and the events that were being told. 

What makes this read that little bit extra special though? Well, Picoult captures human emotions perfectly, I do not think I have read a novel where emotions are captured so simplistically, so perfectly and so incredibly moving. The characters in this go through every emotion imaginable, and as the captivated reader, I did too. Words cannot express how stunning this read is and how perfectly Picoult has captured, love, loss and human life. 

Which brings me nicely onto the characters. As I would expect from Picoult, the characters are perfectly crafted, and just like the plot, I could not help but fall in love with them. Their story is so pure and so realistic. Picoult does not need to use twists and tricks in this novel as what makes a better story than human life. I just know these characters will stay with me forever. 

The other aspect to this novel is Egyptology, a subject I have always had an interest in myself. I have seen comments that say this felt almost like a textbook at times but I disagree. I can see why readers have commented with this but enjoy it, take an interest and learn from the history weaved effortlessly into fiction. Personally I enjoyed this aspect and thought it brought more depth to the read however I agree it makes the read a lot heavier. 

'The Book of Two Ways' is another stunning read from Picoult. I did not think I would like it and I ended up loving it; the sign of a masterful author. The portrayal of human love and life left me speechless as I read this. 

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for an advance copy.

Thank you to Jodi Picoult, Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for the chance to read The Book of Two Ways.
I would recommend this to: My smart sister.

“Who would you be, if you hadn't turned out to be the person you are now?
Dawn is a death doula, and spends her life helping people make the final transition peacefully. But when the plane she's on plummets, she finds herself thinking not of the perfect life she has, but the life she was forced to abandon fifteen years ago - when she left behind a career in Egyptology, and a man she loved.

As the path of her life forks in two very different directions, Dawn must confront questions she's never truly asked: What does a well-lived life look like? What do we leave behind when we go? And do we make our choices, or do our choices make us?”

Wow, I loved this book. I’m writing this a little bleary-eyed as it kept me up until beyond 3am - I couldn’t put it down. I won’t go into why this book reached so far into me, that’s too personal, but I turned 50 this year and there are some echoes of my life within it. Perhaps that’s why it is a clear 5 star read to me. 

Other reviewers have commented on the academic sections of the book - it’s true that there are some mind-boggling scholarly paragraphs, and as someone who didn’t go to university this had the potential to lose me, but I soon realised that I didn’t have to *learn* this information, nor even to fully understand it, to know that it was there to tell us about the characters. Rather like listening to my younger son when all he wanted to do was tell me about his latest Minecraft Mods, I just needed to know that it was important to the people I’d become invested in through the story. That said, it wasn’t written to be over our heads, as such, as I took in enough of the information to understand that it all related to the plot, and the lives that Dawn, Brian, Wyatt and Win were living. 

This was a classy novel, tackling some very difficult topics head on. I was familiar with the role of death doula, and I liked the friendship that developed between Dawn and her client Win, which was the main catalyst for everything that followed. 

[No spoilers, but some more plot references follow:]

In the acknowledgements the author tells us that there was originally an alternate ending and I wonder what that was - it might be one that I’d prefer as I’m not one to be left making my own mind up! After I’d invested so much into listening to their torments and dilemmas, the ending felt a touch unsatisfactory. But that is a personal preference - I like a wrapped-up story, rather like Dawn’s clients before they depart. 
‘What’s left unsaid?’ The ending! 

That said… in the last chapters I wanted Wyatt to stop using the name Olive - a name from the past. It troubled me that he wasn’t acknowledging that they were grown, changed people with different responsibilities, and if I were in her shoes that would be the small detail that would help me to make a decision...

I adore Jodi Picoult and this book definitely has not disappointed. This is a fantastic read which has been completely worth the wait. I haven't wanted to put this down. 

Public Review to follow on publication day

I’m a big fan of Jodi Picoult and was thrilled to be approved for the ARC.

This book is a slow burner. The strands are carefully woven and suddenly, hours have passed and you are completely enthralled. There is an incredible amount of meticulously researched technical information in this book- both about Middle Egypt and Physics. It can feel a little off putting but I found I was able to skim read without really needing to understand- the characters needed to share their thoughts and explain the importance but I really didn’t need to know why. 

As always, Jodi Picoult creates characters we care about having relationships we can identify with. I absolutely loved the mother/daughter relationship between Dawn and Meret. I have my own teenaged daughter and so much of their relationship echoed my own experiences. 

All in all, I really enjoyed this book and found it refreshingly different and interesting. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for my copy of this book.

As a huge fan of Jodi’s, I was so grateful to offered the chance to read an early copy of her latest novel. Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity.
A different type of novel to most of her previous, The Book Of Two Ways is predominately a love story centred around the life of one woman, Dawn, who begins the book by surviving a traumatic plane crash. Once she is checked over, she is given the option of a flight anywhere in the world. The question is, as in The Book Of Two Ways, which place will she choose - home, to her husband and daughter, or Egypt, to a previously love and a previous life.
I could not put this book down and the story will stay with me now that I have finished it. Thank you Jodi and NetGalley.

I was already a Jodi Picoult fan so I was delighted to be able to read this book and it didn’t disappoint. I was hooked from the first page. The great thing about Jodi Picoults books is that they are never formulaic and this is true for Two ways which has a really fascinating premise. I learnt a lot about a topic that I can’t say I was interested in particularly and the well drawn characters kept me hooked until the final page. I love this book and would recommend it highly.

Jodi Piccoult is one of my favourite authors and this did not disappoint! The amount of research that must have gone into this book is mind blowing! The story had me crying my heart out. It also made me think about my own life and what we should really value. Absolutely brilliant writing!

What a book?!?  I love the main character, i was spellbound by the first few pages. This is such a powerful thought provoking book, one which many of us can related to. The missed opportunities or bad choices in life are there for us all. The chance to start over, isn’t. This is so cleverly written, I’m never disappointed by Jodi’s books, each one is so different, yet still- dare I say- life changing. This book will stay with me for a long time.

I really enjoyed this book. I've always been a fan of Jodi Picoult and this book was not an exception. I love how her books are factual and explain niche topics that I've not really thought of, whilst linking it in to a story in the meantime. 
Ancient Egypt is a topic I do not know much about, but learning about The Book of Two Ways opened my eyes.
The story was engaging and hard to put down, with the characters being very interesting and kept me wanting more.
I cannot wait for the next Jodi Picoult.

I found this book to be incredibly interesting, absorbing and insightful. The story tells of two different points in the main character's life - before her mum died and her carrying out a PhD in Egypt and then life after her mum died and how she ended up going in a completely different direction in her life. 

I kept wondering how the two parts would come together and it was a bit of a wow moment when I realised how they were woven together. 

The ending was a bit 'happily ever after', I'm not sure that the reality would have been quite as perfectly worked out as in the story, but it was still an enjoyable read and still makes it worthy of 5 stars.

I found the Egyptology aspect fascinating and enjoyed wondering 'what would i do' in the various situations that the characters found themselves in. 

I particularly liked the teenage daughter being overweight and the difficult way a parent tries to cope with it without insulting her when she's only trying to support her - the prickly, defensive ways of teenagers are difficult to get across, but Picoult does this perfectly! A really enjoyable read with fantastic characters.

Another Jodi Piccoult book that doesn't disappoint. Beautifully drawn out characters with a fascinating back story in Egypt - stick with it if ou struggle at the beginnning. An ending that will satisfy everyone

I have read all of Jodi's books and when I started this I wasn't  sure if it was my cup of tea but I have to say she's  done it again. I loved it. I learnt a lot about Egyptology,  death and quantum physics and yet it is a love story like no other. I loved all the characters  in which is very unusual and my heart bled for some of them. Beautifully  written  and so informative.  Highly recommended

When the plane Dawn Edelstein is on is told to prepare for a crash landing, Dawn's possibly-final thoughts are not of her husband or daughter, but of her first love, Wyatt - a man Dawn hasn't seen in fifteen years. When the passengers eventually make it off the plane, the airline offers them a ticket to wherever they want to go and Dawn is faced with a choice: does she fly back to her husband and daughter and her career as a death doula, helping the dying to pass over? Or does she take a flight to Egypt and revisit the man and the promising career as an Egyptologist she left behind all those years ago?

At this point the book splits and we follow the consequences of each of Dawn's choices - a concept I loved and found really interesting. Who of us hasn't wondered what would have been if - ? This book explores that beautifully, and I loved the well-told stories, full of rich detail and each with its own rewards and frustrations. 

This is very different to Jodi Picoult's other novels, but I loved it - the exploration of the Book of the Dead, the realisation of Dawn's two choices, and the consequences of her actions all contributed to a thought provoking and at times heartbreaking novel. I'll be thinking about this one for a long time. 

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley who provided me with a free advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was thrilled when my request for an ARC was approved, another Jodi Picoult book to get stuck into!

As the title suggests, The Book of Two Ways really is a tale of love, life, loss and missed opportunities. In many ways, the novel is an all too familiar story of what we would do similarly or differently given a second chance at life - a kind of sliding doors moment. As a result of a ‘planned emergency’ Dawn finds herself at a fork in life. The story explores the outcomes for her choices, on both routes. 

However, as one would expect from Picoult, the story has an extraordinary backdrop, written in extraordinary detail. 

Although I didn’t find myself drawn to the characters, and especially Dawn as much as I would have liked, there is no denying that Picoult has written openly about our human flaws and desires to be selfish at times. As I’ve found with her more recent novels, the depth of expertise, evident research and detail in the context of the story is stunning. At times early on I found the focus on Egyptology and Quantum mechanics somewhat overwhelming; once I had adjusted to this, however, I found this detail became a fundamental necessity to support the novel’s execution.  I also found it much easier and immeasurably more enjoyable to read when I was able to give it the time it deserves. 

I love that Jodi Picoult has spent ten years developing this book and applaud her commitment and imagination. In my opinion, this is a truly worthy read and challenges the reader to think about what they might do if faced with a similar set of choices. 

Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC.

This was completely different to the other Jodi Picoults I have read, but I absolutely loved it!  Really well crafted novel that wove in and out and the attention to detail in terms of the setting gave such an authenticity to the book.  My only disappointment was the ending!  I felt it needed to be much more apparent what choice was made,  although I made my own decision... maybe that was the idea!

To be fair, I have read most of Jodi Picoult's previous novels and have always really enjoyed them. This book takes it to a whole new level. I loved the amount of research that has clearly gone into the writing of this story and the new facts that I learnt about the Egyptians. There was a considerable amount of explanation on physics,too, but I personally found that less interesting and harder to follow - though I suspect that is the way my brain works and is nothing to do with the writing. The characterisation of Dawn, Wyatt and Brian and their various relationships were incredible. What a complicated scenario Dawn finds herself in. I loved the analogy of colour v tapestry to differentiate the two relationships; I don't want to say too much, but that was sheer poetry for me and gave me goosebumps as I read it. This is an excellent read with a complicated shifting of time, which I think is deliberate and often you are not sure where you are in Dawn's life narrative: 15 years ago, the recent past, or very much in the future. This felt deliberate but made many of the events slippery and merge into each other - very clever indeed! And then that ending - wow! I will ruminate on that ending for a long time. Read it for yourself!!

One of Picoult’s best novels. Her writing just has that magic quality that makes you devour her books. Picoult is the only writer who I cancel all plans for and read from start to finish in a day. I loved how well Dawn’s story examined the complexities of  human relationships and explored the idea that decisions are never ‘black and white’; life is messy and requires compromise -land struggle. This was particularly evident from the ending. Although I wouldn’t call myself a history fan per se, I was interested in the wealth of information the book offers on Egyptology (as well as bits of science and medicine!) I am always so impressed with the research undertaken by Picoult and the thoroughness and depth of knowledge she has shines through. For me; the most interesting part of the novel was the details of being a death doula and the relationship between Dawn and Win. If I were to nit-pick a flaw, it would be that I noticed some use of repetitive language - “grin”/“grinned”/“grins” is a bit overused and there are some repeated descriptions of hands on waists being like “brackets” and “parentheses”, as well as another physical description of the “comma” of a character’s appearance.

What a stunning novel by Jodie Picoult . I wasn't sure what to expect when I started this novel but it was a fabulous story but with historical significance as well . At the heart is a love story of Wyatt and Dawn who both take different paths due to events beyond their control but who find themselves back together again working in Egypt on an archaeological site after a near death experience. Can she leave her husband and daughter and the work she does with the dying to reconcile with her first love .A great insight into what goes through your mind when you think you might not survive and the decisions you make threaten all that you love .A beautiful read

Jodi Picoult has a way of just destroying every single one of your emotions in her books and this new book is no different. Sheer brilliance!

PLOT
Dawn is a death doula, and spends her life helping people make the final transition peacefully.

But when the plane she's on plummets, she finds herself thinking not of the perfect life she has, but the life she was forced to abandon fifteen years ago - when she left behind a career in Egyptology, and a man she loved.

Against the odds, she survives, and the airline offers her a ticket to wherever she needs to get to - but the answer to that question suddenly seems uncertain.

As the path of her life forks in two very different directions, Dawn must confront questions she's never truly asked: What does a well-lived life look like? What do we leave behind when we go? And do we make our choices, or do our choices make us?

Two possible futures. One impossible choice.

Brilliant, life-changing, thought-provoking excellence. A work of art, interweaving the beauty of first love with the choices life throws at us.

I have read a lot of Jodi Picoult's books and each time I think that it won't live up to previous books and each time I am wrong. The Book of Two ways is everything you would expect from a Jodi Picoult novel and much much more. 
Dawn is a grad student studying and working in Egypt when she gets the call that will change her life forever. She  must leave Wyatt her fellow student who she has fallen for and return home to where death and life awaits her. With her life falling apart she finds Brian, a man she is able to rely on and who will guide her through everything that is happening and soon she finds herself settled with a family not quite knowing how she got there but when a chance meeting in her work as a death doula makes her start questioning everything will she have discovered that she went the wrong way all those years ago.

This book is stunning, it made me smile, it made me cry. I loved the Egyptology sections and found myself googling parts to find out more, or to give me the image in my head whilst I read. The book was wonderfully written and one that I read straight through not wanting to put it down.

Absolutely amazing! Jodi picoult delivers incredible stories every time and this one was no different! 
I couldn’t stop reading and just devoured the book!

This is the best book of the year for me, astonishing, riveting, heartbreaking and totally absorbing.  Jodi Picoult tackles the decisions we make, or are made for us, and how they shape our lives.  More importantly how we let them shape our lives.  

The twin themes of love and death run through the book.  Dawn was an Egyptologist, involved in a passionate relationship with a fellow graduate, Wyatt.  Her career was brought to an abrupt end by the death of her mother and she now works as a death doula, helping her clients as they come to the end of their life.  During her mother’s passing she fell for a fellow relative, Brian, and they are now married with a child. 

The book opens with Dawn at an unsettled point of her marriage and confronting her current and former relationships due to the influence of a new client.  Win has never got over a passionate early relationship with the father of her deceased son, despite a long and happy marriage to Felix. Win tells Dawn, “I think you can love more than one person in a lifetime.  There’s the one who teaches you what love is, even if it doesn’t last....And the one who makes you a better human than you were, even as you do the same for him”

The Book of Two Ways is an Egyptian guide to the afterlife. Dawn goes on her on own journey to her future, Jodi Picoult cleverly bends time and structure so we can’t quite follow where she is heading.  Her path of love, near death and decision making is life affirming even as it brings you to tears.  I learnt so much about Eygptology from her meticulous research and it forced me to face questions about the inevitability of death.  

This is a magnificent book, I cannot recommend it highly enough.

I found this book fascinating and absorbing. I loved Dawn’s story of her life as a death doula as well as woven in with Egyptian history was so interesting. I couldn’t put it down and like the other books I’ve read by this author, it wasn’t wrapped up neatly at the end! Great book, brilliant if you love Egypt

I started off this book not really enjoying it and I’m a huge Jodi Picoult fan so was a little disappointed but I’m so glad I stuck with it. About half way through it just all clicked for me and I loved it. It broke my heart into a million pieces which is typical of this author but it’s also a beautiful story full of a well researched novel about Egypt and the book of two ways which was fascinating as well as her job as a death doular. Great read.

I do love books that ask us to look at moments of choice in our lives! What if I had done x instead of y? This novel does this beautifully. A plane crashes and you are given the choice of just carrying on where you are or going back and finding out what would have happened if you followed your heart. Beautifully written, captivating and thought provoking. Whats not to love?

Dawn is a death doula. She spends her days helping people come to terms with their death and preparing them and their loved ones for the inevitable end but when she’s forced to face her own mortality after surviving a plane crash her thoughts turn to her life as an Egyptologist 15 years before and the man she left behind.  As her life splits off in two directions she’s forced to choose between the life she’s built herself with her husband and daughter and the man she left all those years before. 

I pride myself on giving spoiler free reviews so this one is going to be very difficult to write.  

First things first, I loved it. I’ve long been a fan of Picoult’s writing so was incredibly happy to get the chance to read this before release date, particularly as I normally wait for the paperback. The plot is quite different from a lot of her previous books but still has that signature Picoult magic about it. 

I love Picoult’s writing style, it has such a nice flow to it that I found myself completely hooked into the story and couldn’t put it down. I’ve had a fairly busy few days but was prioritising my reading whenever I could because I couldn’t wait to find out what was going to happen next. 

Dawn reminded me a lot of myself. She’s spent the last 15 years of her life putting other people’s needs ahead of her own and never really complaining. The story is told in first person narrative from her point of view so we really get an insight into who she is and how she thinks. The plot is then split into two threads, Dawn at home with her husband, Brian, and daughter, Meret, and Dawn in Egypt getting re-acquainted with her ex-boyfriend, Wyatt. We also see past events through Dawn reminiscing and having flashbacks. 

I loved learning a little about Ancient Egypt and also Dawn’s job as a death doula, which sounded really interesting. I also related to Meret’s struggles with her weight and identity. 

This is a really exceptionally told story that made me think a lot about my own life, where I’ve been and where I’m going. Fans of Picoult will love it and I’d urge anyone who’s considered trying her books to pick this one up as it really is a brilliant story with some twists along the way, including one fully jaw dropping moment that I never saw coming.

I read so much that it’s rare that a book really touches me. It was a slow start for me with The Book of Two Ways. I kept reading it at bedtime and falling asleep midway through a chapter but then I committed and wow. 
It was so beautifully written, as everything is by Jodi Picoult but I loved the focus on ancient Egypt. I read Picoult’s novels obsessively through my teenage years so it was so nice to visit. A firm favourite.

Firstly, a huge thanks to NetGalley and Hodder for the ARC of this book.

Secondly, full disclosure... I'm a Jodi Picoult fan.

And finally, my review. Dawn is a death doula - she helps the terminally ill to transition from life to death (and how relevant during this Covid-19 pandemic?), when she's on a flight she is almost killed in a plane crash. The airline tells her she can have a flight to anywhere - she chooses her first loves: Egypt and Wyatt!

The story unfolds between Dawn's current life with her husband and daughter and her previous life as a college student on her way to becoming an Egyptologist. It's a story of love and loss and how to come to terms with both.

Plus, its packed with ancient Egypt information, gorgeous details of the culture and landscape and hieroglyphics.

A must read for Jodi'd fans :)

The Book of Two Ways was everything I wanted it to be and more. It has been more than 24 hours since I finished reading it and I still can’t get it out of my head.

Followers of my reviews will notice that I tend to enjoy books by Jodi Picoult anyway, but this was another level. The characters were so skilfully created that I felt like I knew them personally and I have been left with a feeling of dissatisfaction that the book is finished. Having said that the ending is absolutely perfect, and my dissatisfaction is just a reflection of how good the book was.

Dawn makes her living as a death doula, anticipating the needs of the dying and giving them comfort in their final hours. She thinks she knows all there is about death. She is wrong.

When the plane Dawn is on plummets, she finds her thoughts are with a man she hasn’t seen for more than fifteen years rather than with her husband and daughter.  

“For someone who makes a living through death, I haven’t given a lot of thought to my own. I have heard that when you are about to die your life flashes before your eyes.

But I do not picture my husband, Brian…Or Meret, as a little girl, asking me to check for monsters under the bed…

Instead I see him.

As clearly as if it was yesterday. I imagine Wyatt in the middle of the Egyptian desert, the sun beating down on his hat, his neck wringed with dirt from the constant wind, his teeth a flash of lightning. A man who hasn’t been part of my life for fifteen years.”

Dawn is lucky enough to survive the plane crash and has to choose whether to go home to her loving family in Boston or to travel to her former lover in Egypt.

The Book of Two Ways explores both these outcomes and how much of a role choice plays in the outcome of our lives.

The book is split into two scenarios – in the first Dawn board a plane to Egypt and travels to the site of a dig lead by her former lover Wyatt. Once there she convinces him to give her a job and gets to see what life would have been like if she had pursued her career as an Egyptologist.

“One of the questions I ask my clients is What’s left unfinished? What is it that you haven’t done yet, that you need to do before you leave this life?...For me, it’s this.

As a child I can vividly remember loving learning about Ancient Egypt at school, so I relished the chance to learn more about the Ancient Egyptians during the course of this book. It is clear that Picoult thoroughly researched Egyptian views on the afterlife and has put a lot of effort into making sure every detail is right.

The second timeline sees Dawn arrive home to a troubled marriage with her Husband Brian and a troubled relationship with her daughter Meret. Try as she might she can’t seem to say the right thing to her and every move she makes pushes her further away.

In this timeline Dawn seeks refuge in her job and in the life, or death, of her latest client Win. This section of the book was fascinating for me also because I loved learning about all the different customs people have in relation to death.

Additionally, many of the things Dawn says and feels about looking after the dying are how I feel about looking after people at the end of their life. It was her compassion for the dying that helped me warm to her as a character.

“Death is scary and confusing and painful, and facing it alone shouldn’t be the norm.

I realised I could do something about that”

I felt that the author really understood the grieving process and also what it feels like to look after someone who is at the end of their life.

“After thirteen years of end-of-life work, I know that we do a shitty job of intellectually and emotionally preparing for death. How can you enjoy life if you spend every minute focusing on the end of it? I know that most people – like my mother was – are afraid to talk about death, as if it’s contagious. I know that you are the same person when you die that you were when you were alive – if you are feisty in life, you’ll be feisty at the end of life.”

There were also a lot of flashbacks in the book showing the development of Wyatt and Dawn’s relationship which I loved. In fact, I struggled to warm to Brian because I wanted Dawn to end up with Wyatt.

As for Dawn, I loved her character despite being clearly flawed and many of her actions being incredibly selfish. The book wouldn’t have worked if she wasn’t, and when the reasons for her actions are explained it is easier to warm to her.

The Book of Two Ways is utterly fantastic, I loved it so much that I may well just read it all over again.

As always, a great Jodi Picoult read. I loved the open ending, which made a nice change. Twists well executed and although the historical detail was a bit heavy it was interesting. Another 5 stars

Jodi Picoult is one of my favourite authors and this book, although a totally different style to her earlier novels is still just as good, if not better. 
The characters, the exploration of Egyptology, quantum physics, life, death, love, paths not taken..... There is so much going on in this novel, that I needed to read it slowly, ponder over some of the themes whilst thoroughly enjoying the reading process. 
I was provided with a copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Life is all about making choices. Have you ever wondered if you are on the right path in life? Where would you be right now if you had made a different choice? If you died today, would you be happy that you had a good life? The Book of Two Ways could have you reflecting on your choices and asking yourself these questions. I'm not going to lie this novel stirred up my emotions!

Dawn is a death doula, providing practical and emotional help to those with a terminal diagnosis, as well as supporting their loved ones cope with the dying process. After 15 years of marriage, she recognises that the relationship is becoming complacent. Dawn can't help but wonder how differently her life would have been if it had taken a different direction. Before her marriage, she had abandoned her studies in Egyptology and left-behind a fellow student she had fallen madly in love with. While taking care of a client's last wish she comes to realise that she cannot let go of her past and the missed opportunities.  To add to her predicament she then has to deal with being a survivor of a plane crash.

This was the first Jodi Picoult novel I have read and it certainly didn’t disappoint! My reason for not rating the novel the full 5-stars was due to the intricate level of detail around the subject of Egyptology. I do appreciate that the author has put a ton of time and research into the study of Ancient Egypt, though for me, it was a little too descriptive.  That being said, I did learn lots of fascinating facts, especially about the coffin spells and The Deceased's journey to the afterlife!  I have never considered visiting Egypt, but this book has made me curious about visiting the tombs in Ancient Egypt, though for now, a trip to The British Museum to visit their Egyptian collections  will have to suffice.  I look forward to reading some of her other novels. 

Thank you NetGalley, Jodi Picoult and Hodder and Stoughton for my ARC in return for my honest review.

The minute I read some of the reviews of this book I decided I must read it. As many other people, I have a slight fascination for Egyptology – with a copy of the Book of the Dead in my study and 800 pictures taken during an unforgettable holiday to Egypt in 2012. In contrast to the situation nowadays, as the author describes, we took trains without a problem and even visited Minya. I must admit that the situation for tourists was deemed rather dangerous, so with a group of 18 people we were accompanied the whole way by at least 20 police officers. In more than one way, a holiday I will never forget but if I could do it all over, I would take The Book of Two Ways by Jodi Picoult with me. Apart from all the other aspects that make this book so special, I could practically feel the heat and smell the smells again. And don’t forget, the beautiful colours of the paintings and the very, very impressive temples. 
You can call this a life-changing book. Who would have thought that mixing physics with Egyptology would lead to such an outstanding novel. Yes, sometimes it is necessary to have Wikipedia on hand to clarify certain details, but all in all it is a spectacular mix. We follow Dawn’s footsteps in past and present, but learn from Brian that past and present are not always what we think they are. And due to the strange habit for women to having to give up your name when you get married, at one point the story could have lead a whole other way, which sums up a big part of the book in just one sentence, spoken to Dawn when she travels to Egypt the second time. 
I had to sit and think about this book for a couple of days because it made such an impact. I’m very happy to have read it. If you are interested in Egyptology, you really must read it. If you’re not, but want to read an extraordinary story, you really must read it. It’s more than a book; it teaches us things – different things for different readers. If it was up to me, I would give this book every prize there is to be won.
Many thanks to Netgalley for this review copy.

Before I start love rambling about how great this book is, let me tell you a bit about me. I LOVE Egyptian mythology (one of my tattoos include the Eye of Horus), the beliefs of Ancient Egypt and I was brought up by a woman who taught us to believe that everything happens for a reason etc. So I absolutely adored every single aspect of this novel from the point of reading the synopsis.

The core theme of this impeccably written novel revolves around not only the two paths of life and death, but also the parallels of life, the question of how your life would have turned out if certain events never came to exist. If you made different decisions, where would fate have taken you? This is the thought process of Dawn, a woman who has dedicated her life to those who are dying, to make it as comfortable as possible. When Dawn meets with a new client who begins to strip away at Dawn's exterior with her questions and own personal experiences, Dawn can't help question where her life would have taken her if she had chosen a different path. As a plane that Dawn is aboard plummets to earth, leaving her as one of the survivors and with a plane ticket to anywhere she wants to go, of course she chooses Egypt, returning to the world she was made to abandoned 15 years prior.

With the use of timeline transitions from Dawn's life in Boston and that in Egypt, not only switching from location, but timeline and the substance that its brought to her life, we begin not only to develop an understanding of Dawn but we also become to understand how she journied to her life destination as well as what she left behind. With her extraordinary penmanship, Jodi tugs the reader into an emotive tale that talks of lost lives, life regrets, while also making you question 'is this where you want to be?' if you could rewind, would you? With this emotionally grabbing hook, Jodi has also immersed herself in the amazing world of Egyptology, as well as the research into quantum physics that create another layer to the novel. Jodi is well known for always creating novels with use of diverse novels that stays with you, while also giving that air of authenticity. For me, The Book Of Two Ways is heartbreaking, life-affirming and magical. She's incorporated shock value into the plotline, with facts and characters who are so three dimensional they could be real. The atmosphere is set from page one, you know that you're going to share smiles, as well as tears throughout.

Okay, I'm rambling, I loved it and I could talk all day about this read. When you read it, or if you have already, please pop over and chat with me! I'd love to see what you thought! And of course The Book Of Two Ways has shot right to the top of my best read of 2020 pile! Is it on yours?

‘The Book of Two Ways’ by Jodi Picoult shows how incredibly she writes about family and how great she is at research.
The story starts with Dawn Edelstein on a plane about to have a crash landing. As her perceived end looms closer, her thoughts don’t linger on her husband and daughter as much they go to Wyatt Armstrong and the life with him she didn’t have. She survives the crash but questions the life she’s leading. Though she loves her husband and daughter, she can’t shake off her past now that Wyatt is in her mind. The book shows the two ways her life can be, though the ending and her choice is anyone’s guess.

All believable characters need good research behind them but the depth of research Picoult did on her character’s professions is impressive. Wyatt is an archaeologist in Egypt, Brian, her husband, is a physicist and she is a death doula, in a beautifully bizarre mix and readers will feel educated on Egyptology and quantum physics by the end of the book. While some might find it fascinating, others who simply want a family drama might find it a little heavy.

Picoult is known for both thought-provoking and heart-warming books but this book is educating as well. It isn’t a fast read but it’s definitely one worth getting lost in.

Stunning!

The book of two ways is a book about life and death. It is a book about love. 

Do you believe that there is only one right person for each of us? Do you believe that we are destined to end up in the same place no matter what choices we make and no matter what curve balls the world throws at us? Do you believe in the multiverse?

Dawn and Wyatt are Egyptologists who have spent their careers covering the secrets of the Book of Two Ways: a coffin text believed to help the dead find their way to the afterlife. 

Brian is a physicist who believes in the multiverse and cannot believe that a science nerd like him has married an attractive successful woman like Dawn. 

The book travels through Dawn’s own book of two ways. Will her destination be different or will her two ways lead her to the same place? 

A brilliant book that looks at what it means to love, and how the meaning of life becomes clearer as you draw near to death. A book devoted to death sounds like it should be sad but this is a glorious, emotional, yet uplifting look at life, love and death in all its facets.

I won’t deny that I’m an absolute Jodi Picoult fan girl. Yet I went into The Book of Two Ways with some skepticism considering Small Great Things left me disappointed. Thankfully that wasn’t the case here.

There is always a moral dilemma in Picoult’s books, and while the same is true in The Book of Two Ways, it’s toned down a bit. The dilemma Dawn has is about love and following your heart. A much softer theme, yes, but Picoult fans will still love it.

For me, this was not really a book about love but a book about death. Due to the vast amount of information on Egypt and physics, we learn a lot about a subject many of us are reluctant to discuss: the fact that’s we can’t avoid death, how to deal with death, what people have done overtime to prepare for death, where we go afterward, our own personal beliefs around death. Believe me, the book is not as morbid as I have made it sound just there. The thought of death triggers anxiety attacks in me and I was nervous that this would happen while reading. However, the topic is death with so well, opening up discussion and dealing with the issue in a frank manner, that I got through and can have some new thoughts on the process of death.

I really thought that this review would be just me discussing how great the Egyptian scenes were and how I learned even more about the period. While this certainly was the case, I just can’t get the topic of death out of my head. Death doulas. Have you ever heard of them? Basically, it is a person who assists in the dying process, much like a midwife or doula does with the birthing process. Fascinating. We lost someone special this year and while there wasn’t a death doula there, the people who provided the medical palliative were priceless. Death doulas are much the same and I hope more people become aware of them.

On a more broad level, I loved the characters and was hooked on the storyline. Another great book from Jodi Picout for me. 10/10!

I know they say perfection doesn't exist, but it's hard to think of anything else to say about The Book of Two Ways but that it is quintessentially perfect. Jodi Picoult's writing is so absolutely stunning that if I hadn't been reading a digital copy, I would have spent my whole time dog-earing pages and underlining passages. I had to pause sometimes, to reread a sentence again and again, marvelling at its acuteness. The novel as a whole is tremendously engrossing, with its fascinating insights into Egyptology, quantum physics, and all that pertains to the subjects of life and death in general. It is beautiful, remarkably relatable and enriching both in terms of general knowledge and metaphysical outlook. A true instant classic!