This book is great! Would definitely recommend. Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I'm a sucker for stories that do interesting things with time, and I loved the structure of this one. Overall, though, this wasn't one of my favorite stories by Picoult. I've read all her books, so maybe it speaks more to my evolution as a reader than her writing, but I didn't find myself as invested in these characters or the storyline as I usually am. I did love all the research she did about Egyptian tombs; having visited Luxor last year, her descriptions definitely transported me back to the Valley of Kings and the bat-infested pyramids we explored.

Jodi Picoult is famous for writing books that deal with controversial topics like racism, abortion, gay rights, school shootings, etc. I was expecting more of the same in her newest book. While she deviates from the topical issues in THE BOOK OF TWO WAYS, she still provides the reader with a thought-provoking novel about marriage and choices. There's not as much social commentary in this book, but the novel is stuffed full of Egyptology (i.e., their religious practices and the process of mummification). Now, I happen to be interested in this subject, so it didn't bother me that Picoult included so much history about ancient Egypt in this book. But some of the information is a bit forced and could have been excluded from the narrative. She also gives a lot of information on quantum physics, parallel universes, death duology, etc. But again, these are all subjects that interest me personally, so I didn't mind the information overload. However, some of these themes might turn off a reader who is picks up the book for the actual story--which is about a woman who must decide between her husband and her former boyfriend. I was less interested in the main storyline than I was in the fascinating side subjects.

Still, I have to give Picoult credit for being a strong storyteller. The main storyline could have easily devolved into schmaltz, but Picoult's characters come across as very lifelike--flawed enough to be realistic, frustrating but still likable. While her writing, especially her metaphors, can be heavy-handed at times, 95% of her prose is intelligent and provocative. I look forward to seeing what she does next.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest opinions.

I have always loved Jodi Picoult books. It is a guilty pleasure. The Book of Two Ways at first was a little confusing on what was happening with all the talk of tombs and mummies and it kind of seemed like a new writing style. The story returns to Picoult's heart tugger about half way in. I love the theme of death and second chances.

Jodi Picoult is a gifted writer and The Book of Two Ways continues to showcase that gift. Dawn Edlestein is on a plane that is forced into a crash landing. As she realizes what is going on, Dawn's thoughts turn, not to her husband, but to a man she met on an archaeological dig fifteen years before. Dawn survives the crash, but now she must take a close look at her life choices. She loves her husband, daughter and career as a death doula (someone who eases terminal patients into death). Wyatt Armstrong is in Egypt on an archaeological dig - something Dawn was once passionate about. The title involves the Book of Two Ways - an Egyptian book about the afterlife. Now Dawn has to examine her own two ways. Should she return home to her husband, daughter and the life she built? Should she fly (free as recompense for the crash) to Egypt and become reacquainted with her former life and love.
This is an excellent book club choice - there is so much to discuss! The story is engrossing and a quick read that will leave you with lots to think about. Any reader will love this book, especially fans of Picoult. I appreciate the chance to read the advance copy.

3 stars: 3/5 Star Rating

I am a huge Jodi Picoult fan, but this one just didn't do it for me. There was so much detail of Egypt and the archaeological digging that just left me skipping parts as it became too much. I was more interested in the romance and possibilities that Dawn was exploring. There was limited detail on that end. It's definitely worth reading though.

I received a digital version of this book from netgalley and Ballantine Publishing. All opinions expressed are my own.

This was one of the more difficult Jodi Picoult books to get through. I don't say that in a negative way- Jodi is always trying to get her readers to learn, think about different experiences, etc. She challenges her readers. In this book Dawn survives a plane crash and has the opportunity to fly anywhere she wants. Instead of going home to her family she chooses Egypt to try to live out dreams she had several years ago. This is where it gets difficult, while in Egypt we learn so much about it. You can certainly tell Jodi did her research and it can be heavy at times as if reading a text book. It gets a little overwhelming at times. But overall I enjoyed this book and it has me wondering about my own life and what I would do in that situation and what it means to live a purposeful life. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Full confession, this is the first Jodi Picoult book I've been able to finish. I love the descriptions of many of her past titles and have started reading some, but there has been something about them that just didn't hook me...until now. The Egyptology geek in me truly geeked out. Sometimes the descriptions, etc., grew a bit heavy, but I learned so very much. The romantic in me didn't stop swooning. This is the answer to the quintessential "what if" questions we all ask of ourselves about the one that got away... Highly recommend and can't wait to discuss it with my Picoult fans.

Ballantine Books and NetGalley provided me with an electronic copy of The Book of Two Ways. I voluntarily chose to review this book and my opinion is freely given.

As her life flashed before her eyes, Dawn Edelstein found herself thinking of the love she lost. Drawn to her past, as it was unresolved and unfinished, will Dawn choose to finish what she started fifteen years before?

The Book of Two Ways explores the life of Dawn Edelstein, from her past as an Egyptology graduate student, to her present career as a death doula. Though the lessons about Egyptian customs and culture are a bit tedious, the author uses that backdrop to explain Dawn's choices. Broken down into its simplest form, the story is about love lost and second chances. Although some readers may not like the deep dive into Ancient Egypt, the aspects of the story that deal with the culture and customs are what set it apart from a normal romance/family drama.

Having read all of Jodi Picoult's books, The Book of Two Ways is near the middle of my list of favorites. Dawn is not one of my favorite characters, but I found her story to be compelling in a lot of ways. Her career choice as a death doula was interesting and gave a different view of end of life care. The author's perspective regarding helping those who are nearing death find the closure they need was thought provoking and well expressed. For these reasons, I would recommend The Book of Two Ways to other readers and I look forward to more by Jodi Picoult in the future.

This was just ok for me. I normally love Jodi Picoult’s books and I eagerly await her new releases. I felt like this was very heavy on the Egyptian history and less on the story until the last 100 pages or so. This could just be a matter of the wrong book at the wrong time. I did finish it but I didn’t love it.

I really enjoyed the cross-over in genre in this one. There was a historical aspect as Picoult dives deeply in to the main character Dawn's life as an archeologist in Egypt, researching the book of Two Ways and digging for ancient tombs. Dawn leaves that life to be by her ailing mother's bedside in Boston. She leaves her lover, Wyatt behind and finds her self pregnant and in a safer, more stable relationship with Brian and settles into family life. The story alternates between her live and loves in Boston and Egypt. I thought the story of her marriage was realistic, the deep love, sometimes getting lost in another person and finding your way. I especially liked her as a loving and devoted mother to her teenage daughter. Her career as a Death Doula was touching, emotional and brought tears to my eyes with memories of losing loved ones. Her near death experience causes her to question her decisions and ask the ultimate question, who would you be if you hadn't turned out to be the person you are right now? The reader may or may not agree wit h her decisions. Overall it was a thought provoking read, a little too heavy on the history for me. It is a 3.5 read for me.

This was a deep book. After just finishing THE MIDNIGHT LIBRARY, it was funny to see a more realistic version of "the path not taken." And that is exactly what this book is about--a women backtracking to the life she left and correcting her mistakes before its too late.

The main character Dawn has the most interesting life in this story. As a young woman, we see her in Egypt studying The Book of Two Ways. This is a book found in many pyramids and crypts in Egyptian culture, and the amount of research done for that piece of the story is extremely impressive. Jodi Picoult did her homework.
In Egypt, Dawn meets Wyatt. He is a fellow student with an English accent (that was really fun to listen to on the Audible version.) Dawn and Wyatt start as rivals, but that rivalry quickly turns into something more passionate.

The very beginning of the story starts with a plane crash that Dawn survives. We learn later Dawn was on a mission to complete a last request for her dying patient when this near death experience occurs. Dawn is a death doula at this later point in her life. Post Egypt, post Wyatt, and we see the details slowly unfold of how she got here. It was not the life she was expecting. She was called away from the pyramids because her mother was dying. She ended up finding solace with a man she meets in a bar. Dawn gets pregnant, and she chose a life for her daughter--a life with that family. And she tries to forget about Wyatt and the life she could have had.

This story hops around in time a lot. At some points it was a bit confusing while listening to it, but it also was fun to see secrets reveal themselves due to that timeline.
The book has some great surprises that I didn't see coming. Overall, it was also an emotional journey about not leaving open ends in your life. Dawn as a death doula has seen so many people get to their deathbed with regrets. We see a detailed instance in the book as Dawn works with an incredible woman dying of cancer. It took Dawn years, but finally she realized Wyatt was her regret and she couldn't ignore the fact that she has always been in love with him.
The story goes back and forth from her approaching the point of this realization to her actually going back to Egypt and tracking down her first love.
It was a beautiful story, but there was a lot of different elements thrown at you. Picoult discussing Egyptology, parallel universes, death, motherhood and love. It was a lot for one book, which is why I am hesitant to give it a very high score. I think you have to be prepared to start this story and not just pick it up on a whim.

In high school, I went through a B I G T I M E Jodi Picoult phase; I’m pretty sure I own almost every one of her books - and will cry no matter how many times I read them. So, I was incredibly thankful to @randomhouse and @netgalley for gifting me an eARC of her newest book - The Book of Two Ways. Then, I conveniently got my own hardback copy in my monthly @onceuponabookclubbox!⁣
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Her newest book follows Dawn Edelstein as she explores two futures, two lives and two timelines. One on hand, we see her in a troubled marriage, but with a husband and daughter who she loves and appreciates deeply. On the other hand, we see her following her passion for Egyptology, archeology, and her first, passionate love, Wyatt Armstrong. This book served romance, heartbreak, and struggle - with some Indiana Jones’ vibes. ⁣
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While there was definitely an emotional struggle, this wasn’t nearly as emotional and doesn’t tackle a societal issue or conflict like some of Picoult’s other works. However, I still thoroughly enjoyed this book, and was so eager to see what path Dawn followed. It doesn’t hurt that I lowkey wanted to be an Egyptologist and archeologist as a kid…until someone told me that everything had already been found. OH. It’s okay though; today, I am still in love with mythology and antiquity. ⁣

Another wonderful book from Jodi. This book takes you on an Egyptian journey, a great long lost love and life’s most difficult decisions. Who will she choose?

This book was very different than others by Jodi Picoult and I didn’t enjoy it as much as previous ones, but she did an amazing job on all of her research and putting it all together. Much of the book focuses on Egyptian history, and less on the story plot we are used to from a Plcoult book. It’s worth a read, and I’m sure she worked hard on this one, but it is not her typical book. Just be forewarned.

After my first read by Jodi Picoult Small Great Things, which received a multitude of 5-star reviews (including mine), I was excited to get started on her latest release.

Unfortunately, I may have chosen the wrong book to continue the journey. There were so many reviews revealing the primary focus was on Egyptology, while the storyline itself got lost along the way.

Sadly, I couldn’t agree more.

Even though I went in with an open mind, willing to discover something new, it began feeling more like a text book. As though I was back in University looking for the lecture hall for contemporary fiction but ending up in Egyptology 101. Still I tried to power through, though admittedly my mind wandered. So much so I found myself skimming the history lesson and just trying to piece together the rest of the story.

I’m not giving up on this author! Susanne just gifted me seven of her previous novels, now on my shelf waiting for me (us).
I just know this one wasn’t the right fit for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine Publishing for an ARC to read and review.

The Book of Two Ways, by Jodi Picoult, is a challenging read for several reasons. First, there are parallel timelines that overlap and diverge, and it is difficult to follow where the timelines merge. Second, a significant portion of the book focuses on the excavation of an Egyptian tomb and the meaning of death for Egyptian royalty. There is a lot of dense reading about archaeology, Egyptology, and hieroglyphics. An equally significant portion of the book centers on what it means to die in modern America…both in terms of the physical mechanics and the emotional tying of loose ends. There are also references to quantum physics. Readers have an opportunity to learn a lot…should they choose to. Third, I did not particularly like the main character. Fourth, the ending intentionally is left open. While this is in keeping with the themes of the book, I missed the closure I usually have when finishing a novel. I admit that I felt somewhat manipulated.

Yet, I relentlessly have thought about the questions raised in this book related to death, dying, living, and making choices. Respecting the fact that we live for a comparatively short time, perhaps it does make sense to ask ourselves who matters, what unfinished business can be addressed, and to make peace with the choices we have made. This is a provocative book that I would recommend, but it comes with all of the caveats discussed above.

Thanks to NetGalley, Random House Publishing-Ballantine, and Jodi Picoult for the opportunity to read a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

#NetGalley #TheBookofTwoWays #RandomHouse #JodiPicoult

We all have that moment when we make a decision that sets our life onto a certain path. Are there parallel universes where both choices are being lived? When Dawn survives a plane crash she begins to search for the life and love she left behind. As readers we travel both paths with her as she lives both choices and sees that unraveling the past is not as easy as one might think.

I'm a big Jodi fan but this one dragged - too much Egyptian speak. I couldn't get involved in the story.

“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.