While the idea/plotline was interesting, I struggled with why the protagonist was mad at her husband. I felt like she used her anger to justify revisiting the past. The writing was superb - it's Jodi Picoult! However, I struggled to identify with the main character, and her love interest/s. But I will say again Jodi knows how to tell a story and she makes you feel and have reactions towards her characters- you either love them or not.

Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley. My review opinions are my own. I have read many of the author's books and always enjoy her escapism writing. This book did not resonate with me as her other works did but it has a great deal of value and is worth reading as it challenges the reader. I did not give up on it and I am so glad I kept reading it to conclusion.
This book is a study of Egyptology with a weak background plot. There is a lot of overwhelming information about Egyptian rulers and hieroglyphics to an extreme that it reads like a thesis. The main charcter is Dawn, a death Douala. , I did not like that she is married and has a long term boyfriend and has sex with both men. I found that highly offensive and skipped most of the book about their relationships . It had no value to the subject of Egypt. The part about Egypt was interesting but not for the average reader. I am a skilled speed reader so I was able to get through it. For anyone interested in Egypt I recommend this book.

Full of impressively researched information on Egyptology but falling a little short on the engaging plot typically found in Picoult's novels, The Book of Two Ways felt like a memoir from an archaeologist rather than a tale of lost and found again love. The depictions of grief were well written and believable, but the "surprise twist" wasn't actually very surprising and the disordered timeline was more confusing than dramatic. A fascinating look at Ancient Egypt, and a mediocre modern love story.

Jodi Picoult has done it again!! She has written us a book that allows us to stretch our mind to the breaking point. However, instead of incorporating hot button topics, she brings forth the "What if?" scenario in the storyline. The way she weaves the past and the present together sucked me in so quickly. And I actually was intrigued about the Egyptian history and the use of the hieroglyphics. It was also interesting about the process that a death doula goes through with a client.

The ending left me wondering what will happen next. This will stay with me for a long time!!

This is the perfect book for this particular year.

I've been a fan of hers for years, so I would have loved this book regardless of when I read it (seriously, can she write anything that isn't amazing?) but there is something particularly relevant to 2020 about a book that deals with science, death, grief and the life we're living vs. the life we thought we would be living.

It was profound but at the same time, just as captivating as her other books have been. This will be my favorite read of 2020.

I did not finish this book. It is very romance-y and I don’t like romances.most of Me Picoult’s books are really good but this one was just blah.

I usually love Jodi Picoult's books but this one just wasn't my favorite of hers. The beginning immediately grabbed me but the story eventually gets bogged down in so much historical details that it starts to feel like a textbook. I often felt the need to Google names and definitions to make sure I wasn't missing any important details. I loved Dawn's story and wish the book had cut back on Egyptology 101 at the beginning and gotten to the Picoult drama and characters we all come for sooner.

Thanks to NetGalley, Ballantine Books and the author for an advanced copy to review.

This book is mostly love story, but I think I can be used as a teaching tool. Jodi did a lot of work with the characters and it shows. We as readers are faced with some things that most people never talk about. For instance I learned a lot about end of life care and the characters in the book helped me face some uncertainties that I have about death. It also helped me come to terms with the choices that we make in our lives, and how they affect us. I think this book can appeal to anyone, but readers of fiction, mystery and romance genres may enjoy it most. TW: death, plane crash, divorce, affairs

In present day Boston, Dawn is a death doula with a husband and a young daughter, but fifteen years ago she was an archaeologist searching for the the Book of Two Ways, an ancient funerary text in the Egyptian desert until something forced her to return to Boston. When her plane crash lands, she is forced to reconcile the path she might have taken with the one she ultimately took. A man she chose over someone she left behind.

Each chapter in the book is a glimpse into a different path that can be taken. The Egyptian Book of Two Ways describes two paths that the reader can take to get to the afterlife. This is how the novel is set up too, Jodi nods to the different paths taken in the Egyptian book with her own words. Dawn's life in Boston is known as the water route, and her life in Egypt is known as the land route. This style structure worked for me--when I figured it out. Some readers may find it challenging.

I give this book 4 out of 5 stars. The story was engaging, the characters were brilliant and very well rounded. I did find the opening and the first few chapters confusing, and some readers may not be satisfied with the ending of the book.

Jodi Picoult always breaks my heart into smithereens, and this was no exception. Having lost a fiance to suicide, I am keenly aware of the concept of "two ways," and Picoult absolutely nailed the idea of those painful, commonplace "what if"s.

So the book blurb had me hooked. I mean I had to be the perfect target audience - someone who had gone to grad school in Boston (the setting), was determined to be an egyptologist (the premise) as a kid, and a big fan of two of her earlier books The Storyteller and Small Great Things and own a few more. So when Netgalley offered this as an ARC, I jumped right in.

But I was not enamored with the structure. The multiple parallel timelines creates a good deal of uncertainty which is great for drama, but as a reader, I felt like I was being misled and confused on purpose by the author (and not the characters). It felt like we jumped around too much. Also, none of the central characters (with the possible exception of Wyatt) were likeable or memorable.

Lastly, considering this was a contemplation of life and death I was immensely underwhelmed on that front. This is no overture to Camus or Kierkegaard. There were moments where I feel that in a different world, and with slightly different choices Picoult would have reached the highs that she reached in The Storyteller. Sadly not in this one.

I would say 3.5 stars, but the last 25% of the book finally felt like the Picoult I was expecting and I was happy-ish about it. And remember the peak-end rule. We really remember the highs and the end, and while I don't exactly like the actual vagueness of the ending, I feel I know Olive well enough right now to guess what she would do.

Favorite moments include the "Olive.. YOU" dream/nightmare scene (very clever) and the expository deference shown to hieroglyphics and all things Ancient Egyptian. Made me feel like the 10 year who had gotten a 3 volume encyclopedia on Ancient Egypt again.

#netgalley #arc

Jodi Picoult is one of the authors that I automatically read, regardless of the book’s topic. This one reminded me why. I love reading fiction that also teaches me things or gets me interested in things I didn’t know much about before, while still having a great love story behind it. I really enjoyed the characters in this one and truly felt like I got to know them. The timelines were a little confusing, but nothing too complicated. The story wouldn’t have been complete without that element, so it worked. I definitely recommend.

I loved this book. For those of us that have ever had an 'I wonder what if' thought (or 20), this is a great read. Picoult is always at the top of her game in writing, but this might be my new favorite of hers. Yes, it's that good.
Clear your schedule, grab the book. You'll read until you finish, then be sad it's over.

This book was good, you just have to know it’s technical and a lot of information and decisions are needed to be made. This was a book I wasn’t sure I would like but i could not put it down. I wanted to know what happened. Jodi Picoult is a great author.

There has been a lot of chatter surrounding this book and how heavily laden it is with textbook talk. Some people feel they need some sort of companion reader or footnotes in order to understand it, but it is this very fact that drew me to it in the first place.

For starters, I thoroughly love Egyptian art, culture and history. I can't remember when it started but I wanted to be a librarian for Egyptian antiquities helping to preserve long lost texts and papyri records. Totally every 9-year-old's dream, right? No? Just Me?

In short, the Book of Two Ways (the Egyptian one) is a map of the underworld depicting how the deceased can reach the afterlife. There are two paths, one blue and one darker, separated by a sea of fire. In Egypt, it is the goal of the deceased to reach the afterlife where they will live eternal. The map and the spells that were drawn on the inside of the coffin are meant to aid the deceased in their journey towards to afterlife, defending themselves against demons and guardians of the netherworld. The two paths are treacherous and often cross over one another with the intention of distracting the deceased and making them lose their way, and, ultimately, their chance to reach the afterlife.

Dawn lives a peaceful life with her husband and daughter. She does good work as a death doula helping to ease the transition into death for those that are dying. Dawn is content in life, that is, until she is confronted with her own death. Her plane has to make an emergency crash landing and Dawn prepares for impact with thoughts, not of her current family, but of someone long gone in a completely different life.

Dawns once wanted to be an Egyptologist who studied the coffin texts and nearly was, if not for the death of a parent that called her away from her work. She never returned to complete her work and, instead, surrounded herself with a different type of death: the dying. After her experience she sets out to explore the other of two paths she could have had once. And it is through this adventure that she is able to explore the Book of Two Ways deeper than she could have thought possible.

In this book, Picoult uses the Book of Two Ways as a metaphor and symbolism for Dawn's life. Dawn is something called a "death doula," which is someone who helps the dying prepare for their death. In a way, Dawn is creating a map for each of her clients and giving them tools (like the Egyptian spells) to help them go into death more peacefully. This can be simple things like helping to prepare for the funeral, setting up a plan for their belongings or estate, or even just helping loved ones to stay strong after the passing.

The Book of Two Ways by Jodi Picoult resonated with me. So much wisdom and knowledge can be gained in reading this book.

I am a huge fan of Jodi Picoult and always look forward to her next novel. She had great character development within the novel and you felt yourself being drawn in and sharing empathy with all of the characters. The storyline was well woven and enjoyable. With that being said, I am so torn on the ending of this novel!

I was enjoying this book so much until I got to the end of the book and it disappointed. It felt unfinished.
I was hoping for so much more.

I have read a lot of Jodi Picoult's book, while this one was different than her others, I really liked it! I would call it a must read!

There are two types of book I am a sucker for. As in, I don’t care what anyone else says, I don’t care about the goodreads rating, I’m gonna read it anyways:
1) A locked room mystery
2) A story that explores a Sliding Doors moment, or rather stories that explore a moment in time that alters the trajectory of a life.
This book was a perfect example of the latter, and I loved it!

It’s been years since I read a Jodi Picoult book, and I remember now why I enjoyed reading her so much way back when. There were so many shrewd observations about life and marriage that I found myself wanting to start a quote notebook. The Book of Two Ways was such a stimulating examination of life, death, marriage and motherhood and I found myself in that reader’s conundrum that happens with a really good book: do I sink in and read without looking up until I’m done? Or do I savor each page and chapter and make it last as long as possible?

**I will say: the character in this book is an Egyptologist and there is a LOT of Egyptian history, myth and folklore woven in; it almost seems like overkill and may be distracting for some, but it isn’t the main focus of the story and could even be skimmed. If you wanted to...

Sitting down to review a new Jodi Picoult novel always catapults me into a state of awe. She’s a terrific writer who always envelops me in her story, and those stories are rich in layered textures, interwoven like brilliant tapestries. Her work is characterized by a deep, consistent trust in the discernment and judgment of her readers. She never bashes me over the head by telling me how to feel or what to think about any event, situation, or character. So here goes The Book of Two Ways According to Deborah:

The “Two Ways” in the title refers to many things: in Egyptology, a map depicting two paths a dead person may follow to find the afterlife, one by water, one by land. It also refers to “the road not taken,” the “might-have-beens” in any person’s life. How would things have been different if we had chosen one career over another, or committed ourselves to one first love instead of letting them go?

More importantly, what happens when the chosen life and the might-have-been collide in real life?

Dawn’s first and abiding passion in life was the study of Ancient Egypt, in particular a new interpretation of The Book of Two Ways painted on the insides of mummy cases. She didn’t expect to also find human love with an equally obsessed, brilliant British archaeologist, Wyatt. But when her mother was dying, she left both career and lover to return to the US and a long, excruciating hospice vigil that she survived thanks to the gentle, loyal Brian, whom she eventually marries. She finds new meaning in her work as a death doula, supporting dying clients and their families through their transitions (and echoing the Egyptian practice of guiding the dead to their destination). Dawn’s daughter Meret becomes the shining star in her life. A near-fatal airplane crash fractures Dawn’s neatly assembled world and sends her back to Egypt, and Wyatt.

So much for the plot. First of all, the book itself isn’t linear in chronology, and a good part of it is layered, spiraling back to themes and situations previously touched on, each revisitation offering new insights.

Secondly, Egypt! Tombs! Mummies! Mysteries! Unearthing objects not seen in millennia! Just about every kid I knew was fascinated by Ancient Egypt at one time or another, me included, and Picoult presents the scholarly material and methods in her typical blend of passion and accessibility.

Thirdly, what does it all mean? Can we ever truly pick up the pieces of the lives we might have lived? How do we know if we want now what we wanted then, or have we ourselves changed so there is no going back?

Is it possible to love two people, each in different ways? How does any of us choose between love and the demands of an all-consuming vocation?

In the end, Picoult presents us with an ending that reflects as much what we as individual readers have experienced or longed for, as the text of the previous story.

As usual, highly recommended.