Wow. I've never read a book like this before! The story is rich with detail, ranging from Egyptology to quantum mechanics to death - the author did a ton of research and it shows, and that detail added another dimension to the story that wouldn't have been the same if Dawn's story solely took place in Boston or Phoenix or somewhere else. The characters are well developed, including minor ones like Win which made me so invested in the outcome of Dawn's story. There were times it was tough to keep up with the timeline because the story jumps from present to past and back and forth and sometimes I had to skim through Brian's physics lectures and stories of Egyptian royalty because they were just too complex for me - The Book of Two Ways is a book to savor and eventually reread. When time slows down I would like to reread it and hope pick up those things that I missed or misunderstood. Thanks to #NetGalley for the opportunity to preview #TheBookofTwoWays by #JodiPicoult - I absolutely loved it.

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.

4.5

I've only read a couple books by Jodi Picoult in the past -- they're on my list, but my list is long so I haven't gotten there yet -- which might have helped because I didn't have the same expectations as other reviewers. Overall, I really enjoyed this book.

The book opens with Dawn Edelstein on a plane that is crashing. Miraculously, she's one of the few survivors, and the airline tells her they'll fly her anywhere she wants for free. So she flies to Egypt where she was once an Egyptologist studying The Book of Two Ways with the first love of her life, Wyatt Armstrong. Or, does she fly back home to Boston, where her husband Brian and their daughter Meret and her career as a death doula wait for her? In this book, she does both. In alternating chapters, we find out what happens to her depending on which path she chose, which was a really interesting set up for this book.

The author explains that the Book of Two Ways is an Egyptian text included in the coffins of the dead to help them find the path to the afterlife. There are two paths to the end -- one by land and one by water -- and they get you to the same place if you follow the map. I loved how the author had Dawn follow her own Book of Two Ways throughout this novel, and while the ending left me wanting more, it absolutely worked for the whole overlying message of this book.

Yes, it helps to have an interest in Ancient Egypt to really love this book, but the love stories work anyway.

However, the piece of this book I didn't love quite a much was Dawn's relationship with her daughter Meret. She says all the right things, but she doesn't do what needs to be done to really connect to her. I felt so sorry for Meret's character from the beginning of this book all the way through the end since it just seemed like no matter what path Dawn ended up on, Meret was an afterthought.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. It has not influenced my opinion.

Thank you NetGalley for an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. The love story was wonderful and so beautifully written following the sliding doors theory but I found the egyptology and Quantum Physics Information too overwhelming which changed my 5 star rating to a 4

I enjoyed the latest from Jodi Picoult, but I think she's really in her element when she's writing about medical ethics and quandaries. That being said, this was an interesting book about a woman who is leading a productive life, who has a career and a family, but upon thinking it might be over, wonders what if? What if she had taken a different path and made the choice to follow her dreams? As a woman, wife, and mother, I often feel the same way and so I related to that. The Egyptian studies and quantum physics were certainly interesting but at times overwhelmed the central story and took away from the theme of the book. This is a little different than what we've come to expect from Picoult but I still found it an enjoyable read.

Jodi Picoult never disappoints me in a book. This one was a little different though. Jodi always does research on her topics, but this one had so many facts/history about Egypt! I felt like there were at times, too many details. I did enjoy the story though and would recommend to Jodi fans!

Thank you NetGalley for the advance copy.

I really don’t know where to start with this. I hated it. I’m a loyal Picoult fan. I have read every single one of her books. I blame 2020 for not liking it since everything seems upside down.

The beginning grabbed me. Then it seemed the book was more about shoving Egyptian culture and quantum physics down your throat. I kept saying “get back to the story”. The only thing I was really interested in reading about being a death doula.

If this is your first Picoult book, I promise you, give her another chance. I’m so sad I didn’t fall in love with this book as I have with others. I still blame 2020. Lol.

Jodi Picoult is a fearless author who writes novels that address social concerns. Last year’s A Spark of Light was about abortion and the book before that, Small Great Things, was about race and privilege. Now, Ms. Picoult takes on what I think is a huge challenge, to write about death, life and the choices that we make. Readers should be aware that, as the story unfolds, there are many, many facts about ancient Egypt, death rites, physics and more.

This is the story of Dawn. Is she named Dawn because of the symbolism of a new day with its new beginning? Could be as each day she has choices to make.

The story begins with Dawn being given the chance to change her life after having been in a plane crash. Instead of going home, given the chance to go any where that she wants, Dawn goes to Egypt. Egypt is where, in an earlier stage of her life, Dawn was a Ph.D. student and working on excavations. In her Egyptian existence, Dawn was very involved with fellow student Wyatt.

Dawn leaves the dig when her mother becomes ill. This leads her to meet Brian, whom she marries, and to her work as a death doula. Readers learn that a death doula serves a similar function to a birth doula; the doula is there to help the client with whatever they need. In this story, readers get to know one such client, Win, very well.

Dawn lives two lives over the course of the book. In one she is in Egypt, while in the other she is in Boston. What existence is the right one for her? Will they converge? How do we each live a meaningful life and also come to experience death? There are the huge questions contained in this novel.

The title of this book carries several meanings. There are two ways that Dawn could live her life. There is also literally a Book of Two Ways, a book that guided the ancient Egyptians at death.

If you are a fan of Ms. Picoult and/or if you are ready to take on some big themes and are happy to have your read interspersed with facts on an academic level, this could be the book for you. I found that this novel made me think. It made me care about the characters so I believe that Ms. Picoult has done it again. She has written that “big” novel.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

I usually like Jodi Picoult's books but this was a disappointment. Constant switching of timelines without warning, waaaaay too much detail on Egyptian history for me, and characters I couldn't relate to. There was a lot more history and explanation than there was story and that made for some tedious reading.

I began reading this ARC just prior to the publication date, thinking I could breeze through...I thought wrong.

Holy cow, is this a heavy read. Not emotionally heavy like My Dark Vanessa, but heavy like, "I have huge exams for my Egyptology, Quantum Physics, and Death for Dummies classes tomorrow and I haven't even started studying! I need crash courses...let me go find my Jodi Picoult book, The Book of Two Ways..that should do it!"

Egypt. Death. Quantum Physics. Uh...

The actual story seemed to be secondary to the teaching. And while the information is mostly interesting (though way too heavy-handed), it simply didn't read much like a fictional story. The characters are great, and I found the Win thread particularly captivating, but the abrupt conclusion annoyed me.

My recommendation is this...unless you're looking for a grand learning experience in your next read, I probably wouldn't pick up Picoult's latest.

Available Now!

**Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for my review copy.

I struggled through this book. Honestly; if it wasn’t written by Picoult, I likely would have quit. It was so collegiate in its description of Egyptology, I felt like I was reading a textbook. However, I liked the storyline, so that’s what kept me going. Not my favorite by far, but I am glad I finished.

Enjoyed this book more than I expected. This author’s books are hit and miss for me. Some of my most favorite books ever have been written by her and some that have made me so angry... either way it speaks a lot about an author to be able to muster so much emotion with their writing. I enjoyed the sliding doors plot line was a slow burn for me but some of the themes got too heavy at times. I did appreciate the themes of what makes a life worth living- something we are all pondering right now in 2020 when the world seems to have tilted... no tied up endings like her other books. Maybe a sequel- not her usual style but?

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy.

Wow! Ms. Picoult’s The Book of Two Ways, in its historical of ancient Egypt. So much so that fiction sounds like a history lesson. Ms. Picoult has rsearchethe subject matter, thoroughly. And uses her fictional characters as the backdrop. Would I recommend this book.....yes for ancient Egyptian history buffs. But, I found the the book boring, and not an interesting read,

When I was approved for an ARC from Netgalley I was very excited. I haven't read the last few Picoult's books, but the description of this book intrigued me enough to request it.

I would give this a solid 3.5 stars. Dawn has been married to Brian for 15 years. They have a daughter, Meret. The book begins with Dawn on a plane when it's announced they are crashing. Dawn finds herself thinking of the man who got away, Wyatt Armstrong, instead of her husband and daughter. The book then splits between Dawn in Egypt with Wyatt and Dawn at home with Brian and Meret. If you can wade through some heavy explanations of quantum physics plus textbook like passages of Egyptology the story is good. As with all Picoult books there is a twist. And the ending is extremely open ended which is disappointing.

I had some quibbles with some small things. Dawn left Egypt and Wyatt in 2003. The author acts as though the only forms of communication back then were handwritten letters or phone calls. I know at that point I was using a school email address plus a personal one. I think most people around my age were comfortable with technology at that point, especially if they were still in school. Dawn and Wyatt were supposedly in love, but neither try that hard to find the other one until Dawn suffers her mid life crisis. Because that is what this story really is - a woman having a mid life crisis wondering if the choices she made were the correct ones. And I agree with what is said in the book - it is perfectly acceptable for a man to walk away from his family, but it's considered selfish if a woman does it.

As with other reviewers I was bogged down by some of the textbook like passages of the Egyptology. I found myself skimming to get to the rest of the story.

I would recommend this book if you like love triangle stories and have a high tolerance of academic information throughout.

I usually start my review with a quote. I found, however, that nearly ALL of this narrative was worthy to highlight, so I'll just come out with this: you must read this book. It's profound. It's heartbreaking. It poses questions that will make you examine every decision you've ever made. and, strangely enough, this is a story that I loved despite feeling that the main character was superfluous in so many ways.

The synopsis provided by the publisher gives the overall premise (which actually isn't very accurate but NO SPOILERS) and introduces the concept of a woman who has a second chance to evaluate a choice she'd made 15 years ago. A do-over in a way. The story is told in an unusual narrative that mimics Dawn's obsession with her research on THE BOOK OF TWO WAYS, a coffin text found on the floor of the coffin holding a mummified body in the Middle Egyptian necropolis of Deir el Bersha. (Dawn gave up her doctoral candidacy in archaeology at Yale due to a family emergency and retrained to become a death doula.) In short, the "two ways" refers to the two paths that lead to the netherworld and eternal afterlife. One path is water and the other is land, and the chapters in the book are labeled that way.

But, I digress. What captivated me was the information. I was fascinated by all of the archeology details and the history. The descriptions also included line drawings that fully engaged my attention and, though the learning curve was steep, I love when I find a novel that makes me think. In addition, the topic of assisting someone in the dying process was extremely riveting. There was so much in this book to absorb and contemplate, the least of it being Dawn and her search for herself. Sorry, but I did not care for her selfishness and her behavior. This was a very complex novel that dealt with the real life questions about "what might have been" and paralleled the hurdles and tests in that guidebook for the Egyptians navigating the afterlife. Once I had a couple of hours to sit down and read, I could not put this book down until I reached the end.

Bravo to the author for the intense research she did in order to be able to expound on everything from quantum physics to ancient Egypt. If you're looking for mindless entertainment, this is not the book for you. Jodi Picoult was able to translate her passion for all the subjects within to the page with her incredible writing talents.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the e-book ARC to read, review, and recommend. I'm well aware that this review doesn't do this book justice but I can only say that I hope it moves you as it did me. What a great selection for a book club and I am hopeful that a film adaptation is forthcoming as well.

This book is unlike any Jodi Picoult book that I’ve read. It is still a deep book that makes you think, but it doesn’t have the typical controversial topics that Jodi likes to include. Instead, this is a book about love, life, and the choices we make. Think, Sliding Doors or Maybe In Another Life.

Dawn has had two loves in her life. The first was Wyatt while they were in Egypt during grad school. The second was her husband, Brian. After Dawn gets in a plane crash, she must decide between going home to her family, or going to Egypt to see Wyatt again. The story then goes back and forth between Egypt and Boston.

This book was surprising in many ways. First of all, I loved Dawn’s career as a death doula. It was not a major part of the book, but it was definitely important to the storyline. Another thing I loved about this book was the mother/daughter relationship. It was almost as important to the storyline as the romantic relationships. The reveal towards the end completely changed the story, and I ended up really loving it. Some people won’t like the ending, but I thought it was perfect for the story.

With all that praise, you might be wondering why I only gave it 4 stars. That’s because the beginning was extremely difficult for me to get into. I ended up not reading my e-arc, and instead preordered the audiobook. If I hadn’t needed to finish the book for Netgalley, I would have DNF’d it. I’m so happy I didn’t though. This book is definitely worth the read!

Jodi Picoult has delivered another good read. In a nutshell, this is the story of a woman torn between two loves, two lives. The one she left behind and the one she is currently living. The storyline bounces between the two in alternating chapters. While in Boston we learn of her life as a death doula, a wife, and a mother. While in Egypt we learn of her life unearthing coffins and transcribing their hieroglyphics along side the man stole her heart years ago. Personally, I prefer the Boston storyline – to me it is more personal, emotional, and reflective whereas the Egypt storyline has more facts and history mixed in that at times I felt was just too much. Overall, I think the two storylines come together nicely but the ending does leave you wanting a little more. But truly, it was probably the best way to end it.

What I Liked...
» This was very different from the previous Picoult books I’ve read, and I really liked that she attempted something outside her typical book style.
» I enjoyed the way Picoult weaves this story together, alternating between Dawn’s past and present, suited the story well. If you are not a fan of nonlinear plotlines, this will not be the book for you.

» Picoult explores many different themes in The Book of Two Ways. Themes included in this story were death, decisions, grief, second chances, and regrets. I found the exploration of these themes to be very thought-provoking and engaging.

» Dawn’s occupation as a death doula was one of the most captivating aspects of this book. I had never heard of death doula before this book, so I was very unfamiliar with what exactly a death doula was. I enjoyed watching her work in action and her interactions with her clients. The kindness that Dawn shows her clients was heartwarming, and many of her client interactions were profound.

What I Didn't Like...
» While I appreciate all the research that must have went into this book, there was WAY too much Egyptology info dumping going on. While the Egyptian history was the thing I was most excited about, it was much too dense and bogged down the story.

› Recommended to ⇒ Egypt fans

› Trigger/content warnings ⇒ death; cheating

*Thank you to Random House Books for providing a review copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

Wow, what a book this was. The research that was done to write this was amazing. And it paid off in a story that was so interesting and filled with information I had no idea about. I learned about the book of two ways, but also about Egyptian rulers and burial ceremonies. I also learned about death doulas and even quantum physics. I mean really, there was a lot of information to unpack in this book. At times, it was a little too much, but all of the information built the story into something more.

Dawn started out in college working toward being an Egyptologist and spent time unearthing burial chambers and looking for the next big discovery, but when her home life changes she makes the hard decision to return home, leaving her studies and Wyatt, her main competition but also someone she has growing feeling for. Back at home she cared for her mother at the end of her life and became guardian to her brother. All of that responsibility was eased by Brian a man who was also experiencing changes in his life. Now, years later, Dawn feels her life changing again and her thoughts return to Wyatt. She must figure out what she needs and how she wants to move forward.

There was so much emotion in this book and there were a lot of relatable parts. I think that in some ways the story is so big that everyone will be able to see a little of their own life and relationships in this book. For me that made the reading more intense and I really felt more invested in the characters and how their lives would come out. Another well researched and highly engaging book from Jodi Picoult.

I love Jodi Picoult, however thought this book was terrible. Maybe if I were into nonfiction etc, I would have liked this book. I read the first part, skimmed the next two, and decided I had zero interest. This is nothing like her normal style.