No Two Persons by Erica Bauermeister was such a beautiful and moving book! The writing was poetic and just draws a reader in. Because of all the different POVs it feels like you get to read a dozen different books all in one collection. This is the kind of book that you can go back to again and again, always getting something different from it.

Saying that I loved this book is an understatement. It was one of those that was near impossible to set down once you pick it up. Each POV is so unique and moves you in a different way. Despite only getting a chapter from each perspective, you feel like you really know the characters, and I cannot give the author enough praise for that feat! Even though there are so many different views and stories, they ebb and flow so well. This book was like a river with each chapter being a tributary that leads in to the main river. There is a story within all the other stories, all with different lessons. I loved how it all came together into a cohesive story as the book went on. At the beginning it is just a lot of different stories about different people, but as you go they start feeding into each other and then culminating into a very satisfying and cohesive ending.

The only reason that this may not be the book for you is if you do not like books that are lyrical and a bit of a slow burn. This book is not an action-packed thriller or big mystery, it is truly a work of art. I can see how some who do not like beautiful and slow flowing writing wouldn't appreciate it.

That being said, I absolutely adored this book. It is a top read of the year for me and I am going to be singing it praises from the top of my lungs. I will most certainly be watching for more books by this author!

I’m not sure where to start with this review. This book affected me in profound ways that I haven’t even begun to scratch the surface of.

This book is about the fictional book “Theo” and how it affects/colors the world of ten people (including the author) during and after reading it (or in the author’s case writing it). Each person (i.e. an actor, a caretaker, a teenager, etc.) is in a different place and time in their lives and most of them pick up “Theo” as just an afterthought. The book is not a bestseller or even originally on anyone’s particular radar. But as they become immersed in the story of Theo’s life, they find something resonating from his story in their own lives. What begins as an outpouring of grief and loss from the author, transforms into something deeply personal and meaningful to these readers…as all truly great books do.

I already knew and loved Bauermeister’s prowess with the written word from her book “The Scent Keeper”…so no surprise there. But this book, which reads somewhat like a short story volume, does something that I always look for in books that I love and recommend to others…in a few short pages each, it showcases characters who are so visible and real that I felt that I knew them on a visceral level. I cried with them, laughed with them, simply lived alongside them. The author took very different characters at very different stages in life with very different motivations in those lives and brought them together for a tour de force of how the written word can wring every last emotion from you leaving you weak and unsteady but then motivate, illuminate, encapsulate your life in all its messiness but also preciousness.

While physically this book is only a mere 300 pages, it felt much longer to me as I found myself slowing down to savor EACH sentence, its meaning and its beauty, before moving on to the next. I also found myself dreading reaching the final page…again, as I feel with all great books.

I’ll sum up by saying, I know that every novel is not for every reader. But while some (I can say with some certainty) will not receive goosebumps and a-ha moments from this particular one, I do think it’s one to read just for the sheer beauty and flow of the author’s writing expertise. Highly recommended.

My heartfelt thanks to the author, NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing the free early ARC of No Two Persons for review. The opinions are strictly my own.

[arc review]
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
No Two Persons releases May 2, 2023

<i>“Each story has its own life. In the beginning, it lives in the writer’s mind, and it grows and changes while it’s there. Changes the writer, too, I’d bet. At some point it’s written down, and that’s the book readers hold in their hands. But the story isn’t done, because it goes on to live in the readers’ heads, in a way that’s particular to each of them. We’re all caretakers of the stories. Writers are just the lucky ones that get to know them first.”</I>

No Two Persons is an innovative story that takes us on a chronological journey of a book called “Theo”, where each person it comes into contact with is impacted by it in some way. As readers, we all know that feeling of coming across a book that nestles its way into your core and gives you a feeling like no other; one that you savour the words of and cherish when you reach the last page.
While I didn’t get those feelings reading <i>No Two Persons</i>, I can certainly appreciate the concept the author tried to convey.
It’s best to view this as a collection of short stories that all have a common thread between them, which is the book “Theo”, though it’s not always front and center to the story.

Maine, 2010, The Writer:
Alice, a young woman and a writer. She faced a period of time where writing was a struggle, having lost her brother to an overdose/suicide, but we slowly see her get her passion back. After querying her manuscript and receiving rejection after rejection, she submits “Theo” to Madeline Armstrong Literary.

New York City, 2010, The Assistant:
Lara, a reader at Madison Armstrong Literary, who is a mother to a newborn boy and works from home. Her job is to find the needle in the haystack among countless submissions from authors. She generally only gives time to five pages before deciding whether to move on to the next. Alice’s book “Theo” lands in her pile, and Lara is completely enamoured, deeming it <I>the one</i>.

British Columbia, 2011, The Actor:
Rowan is the golden haired actor we all know and love, but as his career progresses, so does his vitiligo. As he tries to grapple with his skin condition that keeps evolving, his self confidence diminishes and he doesn’t believe that he’s perfect enough to suit the roles he’s normally casted in. His sister suggests being the voice for audiobooks. “Theo” is his eighth audiobook job.

Washington State, 2012, The Artist:
Miranda is gifted “Theo” in the mail by her mother. Though she doesn’t ever end up reading it, she does use the pages for one of her art projects.

Florida, 2013, The Diver:
Tyler is a deep diver. One day he was too ambitious and overshot his dive and had a stroke which left lasting damage to his body. His girlfriend (who happens to be the sister to Lara from The Assistant), leaves him and the book “Theo” on his table. Tyler then reads about a boy who didn’t love water, which is difficult as that’s something Tyler deeply loved but can no longer have in the same capacity.

Northern California, 2014, The Teenager:
Nola, attending school by scholarship, lives in the shed on school grounds. Her English class is reading “Theo.”

Maine, 2016, The Bookseller:
Alice, the author of “Theo”, came into the bookstore where Kit works. Soon after, Kit picks it up to read and it leads to giving him a lot of clarity towards his current relationship.

Eastern California, 2017, The Caretaker:
By reading “Theo”, William is able to process the grief of his wife by reading along with her annotations.

Southern California, 2018, The Coordinator:
Juliet is an intimacy coordinator for movies. On a flight with no other reading material, wifi, or an Ambien to sleep, she listens to the audiobook of “Theo.” It turns out, she used to teach Rowan, the voice narrator, how to fence.

New York City, 2019, The Agent:
Coming full circle, we reach Madeline Armstrong (head of the Literary Agency that published “Theo”). Her health is declining, and she has had a series of mini strokes. By chance, Nola (the girl from The Teenager), lands a week long job on a whim to organize Madeline’s four story home, starting with the books.


“But that was the beauty of books, wasn’t it? They took you places you didn’t know you needed to go.”

“Books spoke to specific people for specific reasons, and it had everything to do with where they were in their lives.”

The set up of No Two Persons is unique. Each chapter is told from a different character’s point of view. The common thread is a book called Theo. We meet the author, the agent, the audio narrator, and others. Some have a closer connection than others, but they all have the book in common in some way. I don’t usually like it when a novel is basically a bunch of short stories, but this is an exception. I loved everything about this book. I have read a couple other books by Erica Bauermeister which I also loved. She is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors.

Erica Bauermeister's No Two Persons is a gorgeous, deliciously unique book that takes us on the journey of Alice's debut novel as it passes from the hands of one reader to another. Told from varying perspectives, we see how Alice's Theo impacts the lives that it touches in dozens of different ways. I didn't want this beautiful story to end and I felt a connection to every character whose life was changed by Alice's words. From Nola, a young girl whose life has been a series of obstacles, to Kit, the bookseller who realizes that contentment isn't necessarily happiness, to us as the lucky readers who get to meet these real and flawed and amazing people... this is a tribute to the power of words on a page that last forever in the hearts of those who take them in.

“No two persons ever read the same book, or saw the same picture”. - The Writings of Madame Swetchine, 1860.

This book is so unique and different from the books I’ve been reading lately. The book starts with Alice, the book writer of Theo. It sets up her story and journey as a writer. The book takes her 5 years to write and then begins the process of trying to get it published. The following chapters follow 9 various people who at some point encounter the book, Theo. The book impacts them in someway in their life. Each chapter is like a short story for each of the various characters. It’s a very fascinating story how one book can be experienced in many different ways by the various readers. Many thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the digital review copy of this novel. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

⭐️ BOOK REVIEW ⭐️
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NO TWO PERSONS
Release Date: May 2

“Books spoke to specific people for specific reasons and it had everything to do with where they were in their lives”.

One of the things I love best about books is how we can interpret them differently based on interests, circumstances and experiences. This book really dives into that. and does it incredibly well. The first chapter is about how the author, Alice, creates her book “Theo” from her grief about losing her brother and how the story gets sent out into the world. After that, each chapter focuses on a different character who crosses paths with her book and how the book affects their lives. I really wasn’t sure exactly what to expect with this book, but I ended up really loving it. Each chapter had very real and complicated characters and I related to every single one of them in some way or another. Also, I LOVED the little interconnections some of the stories had. I was not expecting that at all and it was such a cool touch. I felt like this book was almost a little reminder to readers that we all come into a story with different perspectives and life experiences and it does shape how we read a story and how it affects us. Not every book is for everybody and that’s okay. But this one was absolutely for me and I’m very thankful to have read it.
TW: suicide, death, abuse

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advanced digital reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review.

Beautifully written but this is not a novel. It's a collection of short stories that are rather weakly connected by a novel ( that touches the lives of various characters) Sadly, the novel that connects each story never reveals itself in a dynamic way. It's simply a link.

Very interesting approach as the reader follows a certain book and how it impacts a variety of characters. I truly enjoyed.

I was intrigued by this book the minute I read the synopsis. No Two Persons is essentially a collection of short stories, each focusing on a different character who is touched in some way by the fictional book, Theo. Some of the chapters were heartbreaking, but all of them were beautiful in their vulnerability. I loved how Theo was woven uniquely into each of the stories in varying degrees and how different characters would cross over into other chapters. As hopeful as some of the stories were, this was not a light and fluffy read. I found myself taking breaks between chapters to really reflect on the characters. The Writer, the Teenager, and the Caretaker were probably my favorites, but I enjoyed each chapter so much. This is definitely a 2023 favorite for me.

I know this book will resonate with readers in many different ways and that the short story layout might not work for everyone, but that’s the beauty of it all and isn’t that the point?

CW: suicide, death of loved ones, assisted suicide, stroke, homelessness, financial hardship, child abuse, bullying, food insecurity, strained parental relationships, grief, addiction, parental abandonment

*I voluntarily read an advance review copy of this book*

3.5 While I have read books before that tie characters together by an object, event or idea - No Two Persons does so in a unique way, through a book. It isn't an uncommon thought or feeling that any given book will hit different for a number of different people. What I love, you may not and vice versa, and of course timing plays into that as well. But in No Two Persons we go a step further in how someone's journey may be altered by reading or even just the existence of this particular book. I did like it quite a bit, yet sometimes its disjointed nature was just a tad much for me. Those that love deep character driven novels may love it even more than I did. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an early release e-copy in exchange for my honest opinion. No Two Persons will be released on 5/2/2023.

This was such a unique book and I can honestly say I've never read anything quite like before. The entire book revolves around a novel called Theo. We first meet Theo's author and then a series of people connected to her who are all impacted by the novel. The book is told in chapters that focus on one person and tells their story, including how Theo plays a role in that part of their life.

The book goes person to persona and dives into their story. I loved this and read it in one sitting on a plane. I was completely pulled into the narrative and loved how the connections were loose but all the characters were connected by Theo. The chapter each character gets took about 25 minutes or so to read and I felt they were the perfect length. It was like I was reading a collection of short stories that were linked together. The stories were wonderfully written and the characters stayed with me after I put the book down. No Two Persons was thought provoking but still had light moments. I highly recommend this and feel it's a great unique fiction read.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

If you are a book lover — and I assume you are or why would you be reading this review? — you will want to read this book. The underlying premise, that we each bring a different perspective to our reading experience, is nothing new, but the story is engaging and the writing is perfection. In the opening chapter alone, I had to restrain myself from underlining almost every paragraph. Language lovers will surely understand what I mean:
. “And Miranda’s mother had turned herself into the human equivalent of the perfect house—elegant, well appointed, and impervious to the elements.”
“ Time had detached the mesh from the screen door, the metal fabric curling back like the spiral of a conch shell”
[And after Miranda had not felt inspired to visit her studio in awhile]:
“When Miranda opened the door to her studio, the spiders looked up in surprise.”
Writing that is perceptive, beautiful, and witty and all in the cause of telling a complex and perfectly balanced story.
The narrative is centered on the writing and publishing of a book titled Theo, The story is told through multiple times and places and people. Some are firmly connected while others less so and others seem more like lost opportunities. Of course, it won’t be long before you will want to get your hands on a copy of Theo, but the details of that story unfold slowly and deliberately in the course of this book and it will tantalize you to the end.
My advice is read this book and discuss it with others. You may find that No two persons will have the same reaction, but you will all love it.

I was drawn in from the first page -- this book was so clever and interesting. I loved it. It is a story within a story and follows a book and 10 people who are touched by it (ie who read it and how/why). It reminded me that we all have our own stories and they affect how/why/when we interact and relate to certain books. I also loved how the author connected the characters and intertwined the stories. The only thing I didn’t love was the title (I can’t seem to remember it!) and reading on a kindle was hard — I think a print version would have been easier so I could flip back and forth. Thanks to the author, St. Martin's Press, and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC and share my thoughts.

Alice has written a debut literary novel that’s caused a minor stir in the book world. As readers encounter the book, each finds something different in the story that resonates. No Two Persons introduces us to nine of those readers who are loosely connected and have their lives changed by the book.

The summary is simple, but I cannot even articulate how beautiful this book is. It may be a case of “right book, right time” for me, This book wonderfully illustrates the transformative power of books.

This is not a fast-paced beach read, but I read it on the beach and couldn’t put it down. It’s structured as a series of connected short stories–not my favorite format–but I loved every one of them. I love books about books, and this is quite possibly my favorite I’ve ever read.

“Books are the plane, and the train, and the road. They are the destination, and the journey. They are home.”― Anna Quindlen, How Reading Changed My Life

It is true, no two persons reads the same book. We got into them with our own histories, our own points of view and are own interests. What one person loves, another may not. In this book, there is one book and it changes many lives. Alice has always wanted to be a writer. She has always written but it is only when something happens that she writes her debut novel titled "Theo". Her book will not only change her life but it will change the lives of nine readers who read it.

“No two persons ever read the same book.”- Edmund Wilson

This was a beautifully written book that tells the story of each person who reads Alice's book and the impact the book has on them. This is something that all book lovers can relate. We have all read a book that moved us, that spoke to us, that was there at the right time and felt as if it was written for you at that time in your life. There are beauty in the words and in the connections.

Each of the characters in this book have something going on in their lives. They are struggling and dealing with their individual issues. None of them read the same book when they find themselves reading "Theo"

I enjoyed and connected to the concept of this book. Very original, very moving and very well done.

This is a story about a book and the ten different people who read it and how it impacts them all differently over a ten-year period. It was profound how the book uniquely moved each of the readers. This was such a beautiful story and I loved the fact each character is connected to each other, and the book, in some small way. I loved getting to know each character and how the book touched their life in a multitude of ways.

As an avid reader, the book spoke to me. The premise was such an intriguing one and was executed flawlessly. Every voice was clear and concise and the author did a wonderful job doing so. Do not let the long chapters fool you. I usually dislike long chapters but they work here and they flew by as I was absorbed into each story giving the reader an in-depth look into each individual character. The writing is lyrical in a simplistic way that flows beautifully and before you know it, it is complete in a very satisfying way.

The topics that this book covers all but guaranteed a 5 star rating from me: the writing process ( and how it can be shaped by trauma) the joy/ power of reading, imposter syndrome in multiple stages of life, and a publishing process full circle ( writer, publishing agent, audiobook narrator “the internet”, and the readers it impacts)

It all comes full circle at the end, with beautiful moments of connection between characters laced throughout. I have a feeling this will be a top 5 of the year for me!

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an advanced copy for review. This novel will be published on May 2, 2023.

I truly loved this novel, and I think readers who enjoy books about reading/writing/publishing will also love it. The structure weaves different characters/story arcs in each chapter (some become interconnected later on), and how a particular book called "Theo" impacts their lives in unique ways. I was very impressed with how the author fleshed out each chapter and new set of characters--they all have incredibly different lives and challenges, and I really enjoyed getting to know all of them. The downside to this is not getting to spend enough time with characters you want to know even more. Their chapter ends, and while their story may be woven in a bit later on in the book, I still felt like there were many questions left unanswered.

I also enjoyed the author's writing style--it was succinct but literary. Words are not wasted, and the ones used are beautiful and explanatory. While this is an emotional book, it never felt too flowery or over-the-top.

I'd recommend this novel to readers who enjoy books about books and the love of reading. This was a quick read for me, and it really blew me away with it's poignancy. Highly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

If you’re into really great character build, this is a great choice for you. Told from multiple POVs, I expected this one to be somehow centered around how their lives were influenced by this book, and I assumed all of their paths would cross……but not quite. I wanted more about the creation of “Theo”, the book in question, and I feel like we got a taste but I wanted more. I’ve said in multiple reviews that I’m a very plot-driven reader - I love a plot that makes me feel, and this one has zero plot….like every time I thought it was going somewhere, we met a new character and started over again, and I honestly couldn’t really keep them all straight.

That being said, I’m landing on 2.5 stars rounded up because I can tell the author is a really talented writer and does a great job with her descriptive character development, I just think maybe I’m the wrong audience for this one.

Again, a thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advance copy in exchange for this review!