I couldn't get into this book. I'm sure it's great for others, but it wasn't for me. I loved the idea of dual perspectives, but for me personally, the dual perspectives tied with the historical fiction was a little much for me.

I am a huge Jodi Picoult fan - and this book really did it for me! Usually Picoult presents us with a this-or-that scenario and makes the reader see both sides to the story. While The Book of Two Ways followed a similar arc, it had a different feel than her past stories. You follow Dawn who is involved in a plane crash and instantly chooses to follow a different path home. The first 75 pages or so were very heavy in Egyptology background and despite that I still loved the story because you could feel how much research the author put into this story. I definitely shed a few tears while reading this book that dives extremely deep into grief, love, loss, and the meaning behind life.

This book was a little lengthy and dense but overall I still enjoyed it. It deals with a woman who essentially cannot stop thinking about an ex in a moment where, the audience would say, should be thinking about her husband. This book deals with a topic that many women face when they are married. It lets us explore the path not pursued through the lens of the character and provides insight on how to follow your heart or appreciate what you have, depending on your perspective. In my eyes, Jodi rarely fails with her books. Would highly recommend.

I really enjoyed this book as I do with all of Jodi's books. I've read reviews that the book was slow and there was "too much" information about ancient Egypt. I didn't find that to be the case. I really enjoyed learning the back story. The overall idea of the book - exploring the "what if" concept was also fantastic. I loved seeing how each of her decisions really impacted how she got to where she was. It was simply a beautiful book!

Dawn is on a plane when she hears the words we all dread "Prepare for a crash landing". She survives.
But what flashed through her mind wasn't her husband, but the man she left 15 years ago. She sees this as a sign to find out what her alternate reality she would've had if she had stayed. Her current calling in life is to be a death doula. To help people navigate the time just before they die to prepare themselves and their family for that moment. Her previous calling was to look through the tombs left behind by those who have already passed. Dawn makes a decision to see what she left behind and see how that can work with her current future.

I went into this one totally blind. I didn't want to know what it was about AT ALL. And I'm so glad I did. I loved how this one developed. You had the opportunity to see what could've happened vs what did. And what I really enjoyed is how the potential path didn't always diverge from the actual one. I really liked how this one ended. It let the reader decide how it ended.... which can be awesome or infuriating. Four out of five stars for me.

Thanks to Netgalley and Ballantine books for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Jodi Picoult can do no wrong! I’d read anything she wrote. Not my favorite of hers but definitely left you with lots to ponder and would make a fantastic book club choice because I must now discuss this book with someone!!

DNF -did not finish. I decided not to keep reading this novel because I did not connect with the writing and plot. Thank you, netgalley and publisher for the early copy.

Like most, if not all, Jodi Picoult books, there is a great story in these pages. Dawn was studying to become an Egyptologist before her life was turned upside down, but 15 years later, she wonders what might have been and returns to Egypt, where she faces her past, including a former love. The book seems well researched and includes a TON of interesting information about Egypt, hyroglyphics, and Egyptology, as well as science, but sometimes I felt like there was TOO much of that and these parts dragged me down a little from the story (it took me longer to read this book than usual), but overall it was a good read, good story, and highly recommended.

Jodi Picoult never disappoints and this book is no different. Loved the MC and the amazing story. Will always tell my customers about this book.

Jodi Picoult was once my favorite author. I wish she would go back to the stunningly intricate and amazingly powerful stories that weren't so contrived. I enjoy her early works, but it seems that things have changed and she no longer creates the same level of literature that she once did.

This was such a great book! I could not put it down. I enjoyed how the story unfolded between the two timelines. I couldn't figure out how it was going to go and there were some surprises. There was some historical facts about Egypt and the whole academia of that field, but I found it interesting. There was also some physics and science stuff and I didn't mind it at all. I thought the characters were so well written, particularly the daughter, Meret. I thought she captured the feeling and emotions that come with being a parent. The ending, well actually the last paragraph was not satisfying to me, but overall the book was a 5 star read. Highly recommended!

Dawn is a death doula, someone who is there for others as they are confronting their mortality. She used to be an Egyptologist and she dreamed of making great discoveries but her life path took her another way and she stayed in Boston away from digs and is married to a physicist and they have a teen daughter. However as the novel opens she’s headed back to Egypt to confront her past and as the plane begins to experience major turbulence and passengers and crews prepare for a crash her thoughts are on the handsome, Win who stole her heart. What if her decisions had been different, how would her life have turned out?

There is so much to unpack in this novel from the what-ifs to archeology and from physics to the afterlife. It is a lot and while I like a bit of all the things mentioned, well maybe not physics, trying to put all of this in a novel did not work out well in my opinion. And, then there is the ending. I read this long, slow book for that ending? I’m sorry, I think Picoult can really write an engaging story but this was not one of those.

Not gonna lie; I was a bit confused reading through this book. Dawn is a death Dylan (someone who helps terminally ill patients through the death process); however her first passion was Egyptology which she was studying before being called home to her mother's sickbed. She and Wyatt(partner and mentor) were on the verge of a breakthrough with The Book of Two Ways (Egypts answer to the path that wasn't taken) now, 15 years later, Dawn is married with a daughter and practicing as a death dula when she meets her client who asks her to deliver a message to an old flame before she dies. This starts Dawn's escape to follow the path that wasn't taken....back to Wyatt. The last 100 pages was probably the best.

This was not my favorite book of jodies. It was hard to get through however I am looking forward to a future book of hers

This story has the classic “road not taken” vibes. After surviving a plane crash, the main character can fly wherever she’d like (though I’m not sure I’d want to get back on a plane after surviving a crash). Instead of going home to hubby, she goes to see an old friend instead. I was interested In the characters and wanted to find out what her ultimate choices would be. Decent read!

This is a beautifully written book with an interesting premise, but there were a lot of detailed discussions about Egyptology. I felt like I’d taken a class by the end of the book! The sheer number of technical descriptions detracted from the story in my opinion. I did enjoy it, but the book took a long time to read. 4 stars.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I did not care for this book and neglected to leave a review because of it. I should have done so.

I will say that I have loved so very much of this author's work that I have purchased her work for friends and family. this one just didn't do it for me.

I'm a huge fan of Jodi Picoult's books. I've been reading her books for decades.

I don't know if it was my mood or what, but I couldn't get into this one. It was too dry for me and I ended up stopping it before I finished. The premise is fascinating - a "slidjng doors" concept of alternate realities/possible worlds.

Surviving a crash gives new perspective to the main character's life, and a new lease on life and revisiting what could have been. I wanted to enjoy this one, but just struggled to stay motivated to care about the characters.

Jodi Picoult is a true writer. With enough research and a hefty imagination, she can pull readers into any number of stories. This book is no exception. Marriage, Egypt, past, present, mother/daughter relations, death. It has it all. Great read!

I love Jodi Picoult books so much and this was so different from her usual style! I enjoyed it though and will forever be an auto-buy author from me!