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

This quote that appears on the dedication and is explained even more in the Author’s Note had me really thinking for a moment and truly is what is at the heart of this book. No Two Persons is not really one story, but rather the story of ten different characters, each of whom is touched by the novel, Theo, in a different way. We hear the story of the author, then nine other people who find the book in their hands for various reasons, and learn what the book means to them based on the context of their lives the moment the book finds them. In each story, we learn more about each character and how exactly this one book changed their life. What is so special and so magical is the idea behind the opening quote: despite each of them reading the same book, they each find a different meaning in it based on their current circumstances. And how beautiful is that? To make it all even better, as you read you start to find some of these characters are interconnected, despite finding the book in different years and different locations around the US.

This book is one that will stick with me for a long time and will likely be one I continue to recommend for years to come. In fact, immediately after closing it, I was already texting people telling them this NEEDED to be their next read. Not only is the premise such a unique love letter to books and how they can change us, but the writing itself is beautiful. I was fully immersed in this story from the moment I picked it up, and could not stop until I was finished. I can without a doubt say that this will be one of my favorite books of 2023.
The audiobook is read by multiple narrators which is perfect as we hear each unique story.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the advance copy.

The synopsis of this book hooked me. I could tell I was going to love it and it did not disappoint. If you're like me and are a sucker for a book with meaningful quotes then this book is for you. I listened to the audiobook and noted a few, but I will be buying a paper copy so I have my own version to go back to and read again later on. This was written with each chapter being more of a short story than a sequential plot line, but Bauermeister did a great job intertwining the characters through a shared connection of a novel. There is a central theme around the quote, "No two persons ever read the same book" which explores how your life experiences and current circumstances shape your perception of the world and in turn the books you read. This was an interesting concept that I have often thought about on my own, but was great to see explored at a deeper level. While the format reminded me more of short stories, that didn't take away from developing characters with depth and emotion. The characters were likable, relatable and real. Would definitely recommend to a friend, but it is more of an emotional story than a light hearted read so keep that in mind!

Thank you Net Galley for this arc audiobook!

Quotes:
“I think 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.” He smiled at her, then continued. “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, Alice. Writers are just the lucky ones that get to know them first.”

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

Former Reese's Book Club pick author Erica Bauermeister returns with a touching and hopeful collection of interconnected short stories united by the common thread of the power a single book. The audiobook features multiple narrators. My personal favorite was the story of The Editor. Great for fans of The Reading List and Bauermeister's previous novel The Scent Keeper. I received an audiobook advanced reader version of this title via NetGalley.

Almost an anthology of stories on a common theme, a book titled Theo, this culminates into an engaging story overall.

No Two Persons tells the story of one book and the ten lives it touches. First, with the author who always had a dream of publishing a book. Her story leads into other, sometimes interconnected, stories where the book features in different ways.

As a book lover, I truly enjoyed this unique take on reading and books. Books come into our lives and can shape it in so many ways – and that can look very different to different people. I feel that No Two Persons really brought this to the surface and celebrates the affect books can have on people.

I both listened and read to this book. The audio experience is especially nice with a cast of narrators.

Special thanks to the NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Macmillan Audio for this ARC. All thoughts in this review are honest and my own.

NO TWO PERSONS by Erica Bauermeister walked into my life just at the right time. I have been looking for a book that will speak to my soul and I am glad I found it. This is a captivating exploration of the transformative power of literature. Through interconnected stories, Bauermeister highlights the profound impact that a single novel can have on the lives of diverse readers. Alice, the talented yet reserved writer, weaves a tale that resonates with individuals from all walks of life. From a homeless teenager to a grieving widower (these two stories had me in tears), each character is profoundly affected by the words on the page, finding solace, inspiration, and new directions in their own lives. Ms. Bauermeister's prose is beautifully crafted, inviting readers into the intimate journeys of these characters and illustrating the ways in which literature can unite and transform us. This extraordinary book celebrates the universality of storytelling and reminds us of the profound connections that exist among individuals, making it a heartfelt and thought-provoking read.

𝐍𝐨 𝐓𝐰𝐨 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐛𝐲 @ericabauermeisterauthor
𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐫: 𝐒𝐭. 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧’𝐬 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝟓.𝟐.𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟑
𝐀𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐨𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 @macmillan.audio

I enjoyed this unique story (stories) within a story, where Alice bravely releases her debut novel into the world. We then hear how nine different readers are affected by her words. Each story is very separate and distinct; some I liked more than others. But it aptly shows how each reader can have a different takeaway from reading the same book, yet those words and stories can still connect us.

4.5⭐️This book was about so many things, but the best thing was telling the reader how book’s effect us. Everyone is different and yet it’s usually life changing.
And have we really thought about audiobooks. I mean the making of an audiobook, like the practice of making an audiobook? Side note: I chose to listen to this and ALL the narrators were awesome! The audiobooks part really had me thinking and I really had no idea how complicated it would be.
I highly recommend this and I’ll be thinking about this one for days.
Thanks Macmillan Audio via NetGalley!

#Changingyourlivesonebookatatime.
#dontfallforfiction

Alice has lost her brother and she is having issues processing her grief. She has dropped out of college but her college professor keeps pushing her to write the novel he knows is inside her. And when she finally puts Theo on paper, she doesn’t realize how many lives it will change.

This story follows a book. Yes one book. And it touches so many lives in so many ways. I have never read a book like this. This book melted my heart. This is why I love book blogging. A story means so many different things to so many people. The author nailed this fact with such beautiful prose and meaningful content. To say I loved this book is an understatement! You will have to read this and tell me what it meant to you. This is a novel I want to discuss!

Talk about a production. You can see all the narrators names above. And each and every one did an excellent job. I love when there is a production of narrators. It really makes the story come alive.

Need a novel built just for a reader…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

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

The novel is so beautiful! And so well written. It’s the kind of story that sticks with you & you think of often. I loved that each chapter was told by a different person & I loved getting to read how each person experienced the book. This concept describes beautifully why I love to read! Stories can stick with you and change! This was probably my top read of the year!

A book about a book - a bookish book, about the part of a book‘s life - an author who writes, an agent‘s assistant sifting through the slush pile, the agent, the audiobook narrator, a bookseller, and several readers who come to this book - some eager, some reluctant, some just because someone else read it … what does this book mean to people and what can it do for them, which role can it play ? This book ponders on this question in beautiful vignette- like outtakes of the different people’s life. In a poetic an beautiful way, with lush prose and an eye for detail and the tiny things that make a person. I loved reading this beautiful book.
I had access to both the advance listener copy and an eARC and I am so glad I had both since the full cast recording with all those different voices was fantastic but some scenes were so heartbreaking and beautiful that I went back in and read them to highlight sentences !

No Two Persons by Erica Bauermeister is quite honestly, a book lovers dream. We all react differently to books, and our reactions depend on so many factors. Your mood, emotional/mental state, current life events, and so on. It might spark joy in you, but darken your friend’s day. You might burst out laughing, but your neighbor will shed tears. You might rate it 5/5 stars, but the next reviewer will give it only one. Some books come into our lives at the best possible time, and bring us comfort. You can never predict how a book will make you feel after reading it. This book almost felt like I was reading a collection of short stories. “𝑶𝒏𝒆 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌. 𝑵𝒊𝒏𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒔. 𝑻𝒆𝒏 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒅 𝒍𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒔.” A bestselling novel lands in the hands of multiple people, and it affects each of them differently. No Two Persons explores the magic of a writer’s words reaching a reader’s heart. This book is beautiful. It made me smile, laugh, sigh, frown, and really ponder my reading life; especially how certain books impact my life. I 100% recommend the audiobook as it’s narrated by a full cast, and was phenomenal! SO well done!

No Two Persons is the story about one book, nine readers and ten changed lives.

Alice has always wanted to be a writer. Her talent is innate, but her stories remain safe and detached, until a devastating event breaks her heart open, and she creates a stunning debut novel. Her words, in turn, find their way to readers, from a teenager hiding her homelessness, to a free diver pushing himself beyond endurance, an artist furious at the world around her, a bookseller in search of love, a widower rent by grief. Each one is drawn into Alice’s novel; each one discovers something different that alters their perspective, and presents new pathways forward for their lives.

Together, their stories reveal how books can affect us in the most beautiful and unexpected of ways―and how we are all more closely connected to one another than we might think.

This book is a cumulation of short stories that intertwine. Each person’s story is deeply emotional and it’s interesting how to see how they are all related. This is very much a character driven story and also includes a book in book format.

If you like short stories, a character driven format and character vulnerability consider checking out No Two Persons!

I originally read the ebook version of No Two Persons by Erica Bauermeister but I enjoyed it so much I couldn't resist a second read via audio. This multi-narrator cast did not disappoint!!! Each narrator gave voice to a beautifully created character that jumped from the page/earbud. I cannot recommend this book highly enough, all the stars!!!!!

“That was the beauty of books, wasn’t it? They took you places you didn’t know you needed to go…“

Well, this book was a surprise.

I don’t know exactly what I was expecting, but a collection of what amounts to short stories, wasn’t it.

That is not to say I didn’t love this work, because I did. I loved the uniqueness of using Theo as the touchpoint for every story. I loved the variety of settings, particularly the free-diving. I loved the manifold characters. Actor, artist, diver, child, bookseller, widower, agent, and a partridge in a pear tree. Everyone made an appearance.

My biggest frustration and disappointment involved the general lack of character/plot resolution. I wanted to know what happened to everyone, and, if I’m honest, my Disney Heart wanted one unifying scene, where all the characters coalesced. Or, at least, a Return of the King inspired set of epilogues. Sometimes you want Scope for the Imagination. Sometimes, you want everything to come, wrapped in pretty paper and a ribbon.

I’m so excited to know that this new-to-me author has a back-catalogue.

7/10

Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Macmillan Audio for this truly unique ARC.

3.5 There is a book for every reader but every reader won't feel the same about any given book. I'm sure like myself you've read a book given four or five stars by your friends and wondered whether you were reading the same book. This book highlights how the same book was received by different readers. A book written by a young woman who wanted to create a new and different world for her brother.

We meet many different readers and read their stories on the effect this book had. As with books of short stories I thought some were more developed than others. In many cases I felt I didn't get enough to form an attachment. I did though, admire the premise of the book, and liked that some of the characters walked through scenes of others.

I Did enjoy the narration though I couldn't help but wonder if I would have connected better with the written word.

This collection of short stories is a testament to the power of the written word. It's fascinating to follow the path of how *Theo* profoundly affected ten lives, from the author to the homeless teenager to the artist who didn't even want to read the novel.

I listened to the collection as an audiobook, and I recommend experiencing it in that format. Each story is performed by a different voice actor who brings their character to life. Hearing the different voices reinforces how unique each character's relationship with *Theo* was.

Thanks to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for an advanced copy of the novel for review.

If there was a way to give this book more than 5 stars, I would. This is hands down the best book i've read this year and probably one of the best books I've read in a long time.

This book doesn't follow a person, it follows a book. It follows a book and how it came to be, how it affects different people at different stages of their lives. How the book utterly changes them, but in different ways and for different reasons.

THAT'S THE MAGIC OF BOOKS! That's the magic or reading and sharing. One of the many lives of this story had me crying. And i'm not one to cry over books. I honestly can't remember the last time I did.

This book is so utterly beautiful. And having a different narrator for all the different lives of the book is stunning and brilliant! All the voice actors did such a beautiful job, and it all felt so connected. It was the beautiful puzzle of people and voices and lives.

The title hits certainly shows us what the book is about. The book follows an array of people and shows the readers experience while reading the same book. Everyone’s season is different and a book may not always leave someone with the same impressions. A short story that deals with an array of emotions. Some I enjoyed more than others and at times the story is over quickly. I really enjoyed the character that’s an author POV in the book, especially at the end.
The audiobook has a cast of narrators and together they bring the story to life. Truly. It was a fantastic listen and I loved how the narrators brought their characters to life. Just brilliant.

A very special thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC.

Alice writes a story that becomes a widely popular book after enduring some hardships during her teenage and young adult years. The book impacts a wide variety of its readers in many different ways, as they read Alice’s story and connect with her character.

I loved this book. The reader gets Alice’s story to begin with, which gives you insight into who she is as an author and how her story came to be. Then we get other characters who are touched by Alice’s book in some way. Each one is facing a different challenge and Bauermeister makes these people so full and real in one chapter that you are hurting and loving them within one chapter. Her personification is amazing in such a short amount of time. The stories are easy to connect and empathise with. I adored how the power of reading and books is a theme that is woven throughout. Obviously all of us on bookstagram can relate to that.

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

This quote perfectly sums up this book.

From the time of a books inception, through editing, publishing, and the many shelves it'll find itself on in it's lifetime - it'll touch many people, negatively or positively. There will be multiple opinions on said book. Depending on where one may be in their life - the current situations that one finds themself in - a book may hit differently. The person that gives/recommends the book to you can even be the reason for your opinion on the book. It shows the reasons for discrepancy in book reviews and that you should give most books a chance. It may just be the perfect one for you at the time.

I absolutely loved this book. I've already added it to my wishlist in hopes of receiving a physical copy!

I think every reader, author, editor, publisher, etc would appreciate this book.