The title, the premise, interested me far more than the actual book. No two persons can read the same book... no two persons .... what? My detachment from my initial excitement with the possibility that lay in that premise arose from the broken promise. Instead of exploring the power of one book, one set of words as they made their mark on people who read it, the meadering "story" births itself again and again from the persons themselves, the ones that read the book, and ... well, they did not seem to come away from the reading marked or changed or connected. It was not the book's effect, the book's centrality that was explored, but the idea of a book that was used as a mechanism to gather together a zoological study of wounded creatures. The descriptions of the readers was remarkably adept. The characters were broken, wounded, and filled with quivering pathos. The storyline -- "there is one book that came into our lives" -- created the starting point for a string of wildly different and totally improbable characters that the book's readers already were when they took the book into their hands . That some of the stories were allowed to overlap at the edges seemed to be another scheme to bind a string of these studies together. The book that gave the story its premise was simply a name, a random title, a kind of mechanical tool that allowed the author to string wounded creature upon wounded creature together until they fade into a questionable springboard for another stab at painting a picture of brokenness.
There were moments of good writing in some of the character sketches, and pretty pictures and turns of phrase, but not enough to build a book or make good on the promise inherent in the original premise.

5/5

This book is a love story to books. It’s a collection of nine vignettes, of the people a book touches from the author through to the reader. Erica Baumister balances perfectly peering into each persons life just enough to leave you craving more but not feeling unresolved. The characters weave together seamlessly, the prose is beautiful and it truly was a pleasure to read.

Go buy this book when it comes out, if you don’t enjoy it I’ll buy you a drink.

A wonderful celebration of fiction and how it touches and changes lives in so many ways. Thanks so much for the review copy. I adore her writing and look forward to reading other books by her.

I could sum it up in four words (Gorgeous. I loved it.) but I won’t. This one really moved me and will stay with me.

I loved this one and read it in a single day. I couldn’t stop thinking about it when I wasn’t reading, and have continued thinking of this gorgeous multiple POV story since.

My only issue (which isn’t a real issue) with this was that I wanted more from each story, to learn further about the characters and their futures.

Finishing this led me to goodreads, which led me to wonder - how have I never heard of this author before?! If you want to find me, I’ll be busy adding more of her books to my tbr list.

This is definitely going on my most adored books of 2023 list. I loved this novel and fully recommend it.



Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the DRC!

No two persons read the same book..

This book was a stunning depiction of ten different people’s responses to the same book. Each chapter covering a different person with little to none connection with the others still made me feel a deep connection to each and their struggles. Beautiful!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this advance copy.

Spellbinding, incredible, storytelling done in such a unique engaging way! Erica knows how to sweep readers
Up into the world of her characters! Thank you, thank you so much!

Great premise and engaging tale with relatable characters… a little slower-places but this is definitely worth the read, y’all. Pick it up!
Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for this ARC opportunity

Quite simply, this is the best thing I've read in several years. Several of the stories moved me to tears, and every tale made me feel and think. I'd give it ten stars if I could, and my only complaint is that I had to stop reading.

Masterful.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book is a patchwork of personalities of whom the only link is the book Theo. The way it touched every character demonstrates this books' versatility and shows that regardless of the circumstances, and shown by the ending, all we can only do is try. We can only try as these people in this book and how it the meaning of the book impacted us whether it be us living our lives as an actor, agent, caretaker or young child. What matters is how it spoke to us and why we felt strong enough to keep it around. Alice thought she only had one book inside of her but that is enough; however, she found herself knowing she could do more.

No Two Persons is my first read by Erica Bauermeister and I was immediately intrigued. Normally I am not a fan of multiple POVs, but Erica did an excellent job of developing each character she introduced. I enjoyed discovering how each person related to the one book in the novel and how intertwined they all were – a wonderful example of how small the world can be. I look forward to reading more by Bauermeister. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC.

I may be biased because I absolutely LOVE everything by Erica Bauermeister. The Scent Keeper made me realize my love for magical realism. After that, Erica never disappoints. I really enjoyed all the points of view and the different writing style to incorporate the multitude of characters. 5/5!

How can a book change the lives of authors, readers, and associates of both? This theme carries through intimate glimpses into the lives of a diverse group of characters in a style that keeps the pages turning long into the night. Bauermeister is skilled at enlivening each character with concise, well-constructed writing, bringing connections to light as the plot comes full circle to a satisfying conclusion.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in return for an honest review.

The book is based on the quote attributed to Edmund Wilson that “no two persons ever read the same book.” The premise is there is one book, one author, nine readers and ten changed lives.

The book is titled Theo, and is written by Alice. In her childhood, Alice used books as a means to escape her unhappy childhood. Alice’s father invested in making his son the best he can be, and overlooked Alice completely. She makes her way to college, and is determined to be a writer. Once Theo is published, we then see how the book affects nine other seemingly random readers, i.e., an actor turned recluse, a homeless teenager, a bookstore clerk, an eccentric artist, a recent widower, a publishing agent.

Guess the quote above is true, as I really didn’t enjoy this book as much as Goodreads’ reviewers. It didn’t work for me because each story does touch on how the book touches each of the readers, but only to a small degree. Each character’s chapter is an insight into the person before they have read the book, and I really wanted to learn how they changed after they read the book (or not). The characters start out interesting, get bogged down in redundancy and their story ends when they discover the book. There is a full circle of some characters as they are interconnected, which I felt was exaggerated. As for Theo, I really didn’t see how it would move each character as the plot is pretty much a mystery through most of the book.

https://candysplanet.wordpress.com/

No Two Persons by Erica Bauermeister is a beautifully written celebration of the power of fiction to enrich and transform our lives. The novel follows nine diverse readers who are each impacted in unique ways by Alice’s debut novel, a work that shares her own struggles The characters include a teenager hiding a secret, a widower dealing with grief, and a free diver facing struggles of his own.

Bauermeister’s writing is evocative and heartwarming, as she explores the ways in which reading can offer solace, hope, and new perspectives to those who need it most. The novel is a testament to the enduring power of literature to connect us to one another and to the world around us, and it is sure to leave a lasting impression on any reader.

Overall, No Two Persons is a beautifully crafted and deeply moving tribute to the magic of literature. It is a must-read for book lovers of all ages and is sure to inspire readers to pick up their next great read. So, it is highly recommended.

No Two Persons is a story about a book named Theo that was written by Alice and the impact that it had on various readers going through their own personal situation. It shows that based on what a person is currently going through the book can be viewed in a variety of ways: a book that inspired you to take a chance on something, opened up your views, or brought you clarity in a time where you really needed it. It was an interesting book that was told in the view point of different people with each chapter named after their career/stage of life.

I liked that the book was told from multiple points of view and sometimes you would see names overlap in chapters and the reader would try to figure out how the two came together and how their lives intersected. You can then compare them and see how the book had a different impact on each person which I enjoyed doing.

I thought the idea was a creative one but I felt the book was slow moving and didn't have me hooked. Overall I rate this a 3/5 stars because I liked the original idea of it.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC!

Thank you to St Martin’s Press and the author for giving me the opportunity to read an early electronic copy of No Two Persons.

No Two Persons by Erica Bauermeister is a story about a book and the impact it has on ten different people’s lives.

No Two Persons brings a book, titled Theo, to life and demonstrates how words can be interpreted in different ways for different people.

Words have the ability to make us feel a variety of emotions. I loved reading each chapter and learning about how the different characters were going to interpret the book, Theo, and how it might change their life. As all book lovers know, books can do that for people.

A few years ago, The Scent Keeper was the @reesesbookclub pick. I feel like I don’t see this book on IG as much as I would have expected. It is still one of my favorite Reese’s Book Club picks. I loved how the author had a way of making the sense of smell come to life. In No Two Persons, the author has tapped into the sense of sight and how words can be interpreted in different ways. I love how vivid her word choice is and how her books make the reader feel. This is going to be an excellent book club pick for readers everywhere!

Erica Bauermeister’s “School of Essential Ingredients” is a book that I count as one of my favorites of all time. It has stuck with me, 13 years after I first read it. I’ve devoured all of the books she’s written since, so when the advanced reader copy of this one became available I jumped at the chance to read and review it.

This is a book that will have you turning the pages back to verify that yes, this person is connected to the people who came before them. It shows that literature can mean different things to different people, and that we are all guardians of the story that is presented to us. Even when a book is not a new release it continues to touch people and bring meaning to their lives. I found it especially meaningful that the art that inspired Alice to write her next story was, in part, inspired by her last story. That the literary agent who championed her first story was helped by someone who had been helped by Alice’s story. This book will make me keep thinking, and will probably warrant a rereading just to cement more of the connections. And always I will think of Peter.

No Two Persons
A Novel
by Erica Bauermeister
No two persons ever read the same book. Wow, The truth is there.
This is a very great read. This book will stay with me. A new year and a home run for the reading. It is not an average book, it is magic. It grabs you in wonder and you are hooked. I have no spoilers, but sometimes a book comes along that is one you want to share, but will always have a copy to keep.

Really, really, really enjoyed this one! Unique premise - I’ve never read anything like it! I loved that many of the characters storylines intersected! Anyone who loves reading will enjoy this book!

This is a book about a book! Alice has always wanted to be a writer but can’t find her voice until she experiences a personal tragedy and writes a best seller. No Two Persons is the story of nine people who read the book and how it impacted their lives in ways big and small. The stories are separate but interrelated and tell how books can affect us. An outstanding book for anyone who loves books!

My thanks to NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book.