This was an easy and enjoyable read. I liked the different characters and their unique perspectives and story lines. I wanted to know more from certain ones but generally was happy with it!

It all starts with Alice...

The novel begins with a portrait of Alice's life, the love she has for her brother, how he drifts out of her life, flits back in but only for a moment. How the events in her life drive her to conjure up this story of a boy, Theo, so real to her that it finally allows her to open up as a writer, put the words down on paper and share that story with the world.

In a short story-like fashion we then meet various people who were touched by or affected by reading this novel about Theo. The woman who worked for the literary agency that signed the book, who discovered the story in the slush pile. The man still grieving his late wife, now lost to him, found again in the notes she left inside her copy of Theo. The boy who worked at the book store who finally realizes his girlfriend doesn't see him, doesn't understand him, after she can't compute what the novel means to him. And so on, we learn of others, all interconnected in one way or another, all connected through Alice's novel.

It's hard to articulate how much I enjoyed this (audiobook)novel. I love the idea of interconnection, that we can be complete strangers and not even know it, but affect each other in ways that reverberate from one life to another to another.

I'm always awed and so very impressed by an author's ability to create such a rich landscape in few words. Sometimes it can take the entirety of a novel to paint the complete portrait of one's life. Here though, the author deftly draws u into a window in time of each of many different characters in a way that allows u to feel you've gotten a full-length novel feel of their lives.

I found it to be relatable and inviting- though ur not quite sure what you're being invited into, you leave the party with a satiated feeling, your mind well quenched with insight, the kind u find in the mundanity of day to day occurrences. You leave the novel with this overwhelming sense of fullfilment, the kind that can only come from being the omnipotent reader, with the ability to hover above and watch as things come full circle.

A few strings of the author's words that meant something to me:

"There are things you can't see until you are ready to look"

"Tell me a secret about your day"

"The edges of those words would cut their lives into pieces"

"Novels were company that kept ur secrets"

"But anger was a propulsive form of energy. That's what is so attractive. It was easier to use it to blast off, fly away, rather than stay and pick up the necessary weight of another's point of view."

Such a great concept for a book. I loved each story and how the book effected each person. This will be a great book club read.

Beautifully written so that it speaks to your soul. A gracious reminder to meet people where they are. A gentle reminder to be kind, creative, and believe in the good of people.

The full cast was a treat and really brought the characters to life.

I was afraid this would be too much because of the full cast of characters but it was perfect! I loved every single narrator and found them to be great for the role they played. I was highly entertained throughout and recommend this!

One book. Multiple readers. How it impacts all of them. How they overlap. This is an ode to authors and readers everywhere and how a book can communicate things we can’t individually.
I listened to the audiobook and really appreciated the format of different readers for different characters. It’s not chaotic at all because it’s one voice per chapter. Admittedly, this style is a quick key to my heart as daisy Jones and the six was life changing for me.
I will definitely be recommending this book to fellow book lovers but perhaps not anyone with a recent loss.

A deeply emotional testament to the power of books, No Two Persons demonstrates how one work of fiction can speak to readers in all kinds of varied and unique ways — and how the right book finding you at the right time can change a life. But even beyond that, No Two Persons is about the fragility of our own lives and circumstances, and how we pivot and falter and get up and rebuild when faced with adversity.

When I picked this one up, I was interested in the concept but a little wary. The structure is essentially ten separate (though often slightly overlapping) short stories that feed into an overall arc and experience. I’m not typically much of a short story reader myself, so I went in cautiously…and it blew me away.

It really is a pretty even mix of a short story and a novel — while you never “return” to any given POV, they all tie together and flow into one another in a way that makes the entire story feel cohesive. It felt like a series of fleeting character studies, presenting brief but deep dives into one narrator’s life and psyche, a glimpse into what strength or understanding or acceptance or emotion they pulled from the story, and then another, and another and another, piling on to create a fuller experience.

(Plus, the audio was fantastic. It has a very talented cast, and a new narrator for each POV, which helped keep each story unique!)

Highly recommend to any and all book lovers — it’ll pull at your heartstrings for sure!

Thanks to Erica Bauermeister, St. Martin’s Press, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for providing an advance listening copy for an honest review. No Two Persons is available May 2!

Book Name: No Two Persons
Author: Erica Bauermeister

ARC
Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for an Audiobook ARC of No Two Persons by Erica Bauermeister

Stars: 4.75
Spice : 0

Multi Narrator:
Narrated by Barrie Kreinik; Braden Wright; Carol Jacobanis; Cassandra Campbell; Gabra Zackman; George Newbern; Jesse Vilinsky; Max Meyers; Rachel L. Jacobs; Stephen Graybill

Audiobook
- Brilliant Full Cast Narration
- Theatrical
- Atmospheric
- Felt Like Multiple short stories within 1 overarching thematic experience

Book
- Standalone
- Emotional Cliffhangers in some of the chapters
- Multi POV
- Fast-Paced
- Contemporary Literature
- Similar to
- Topic:
- the Literary Experience
- Motherhood
- Romance
- Death/Life
- Greif
- Family
- Tropes
- Lust at First Sight
- (cant spell it out will give too many spoilers)
- Thoughts.
- Lingers (this book just lingers in your head)
- MUST read for lovers of books of ANY genre
- FANTASTIC AUDIO EXPERIENCE
- not sure if it would be as good in book format

Engaging book for book lovers that shows how one book can connect with different people in so many ways.

Alice knows that she wants to be a writer. She eventually is inspired to write the book Theo and that book reaches into the lives of many other people, affecting each of them significantly, and yet profoundly differently. Thus reflecting the title quote and theme of this novel, Edmund Wilson's words: No two persons ever read the same book.

As a book lover myself, I really resonated with these characters and how Alice's book touched their lives. I listened to this as an audiobook and the full cast performance was captivating. The characters came to life with the different narrators and I highly recommend the audio version.

Some of the stories definitely touched me more than others, but I think that is to be expected. This is a lovely, encouraging book that will draw readers to various characters and their stories depending on their own life situations.

Wow! If you read any book this year, make it this one! No Two Persons by Erica Bauermeister is supurbly written and the audio book expertly narrated. The adage that everyone who reads a book gets something different out if it is explored and proven, with beautiful thought and care. This story will stay with you long after you finish reading it.

Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martins Press and Erica Bauermeister for an audio ARC of this book for my honest review. I loved it!

No Two Persons started off so strongly. I wanted to know more about Alice. I felt cheated when we left her and moved on to one of her readers. What followed was more of a series of short stories connected by Alice's book than a novel. Different readers that I cared differing amounts for. I am all for the message here. Books affect our lives. Not always in the same way, though. No two characters got the same thing from Alice's book. I just kept thinking that I would rather be reading her book than reactions to her book.

This felt like a bunch of short stories all mushed together as one. Some of the stories were fine being short, however there were a few that I wanted more from. One book that Alice writes as a young woman is taken by storm and becomes a best seller. People love it just from the opening line. Everyone takes something different away from this book. It affects each life in a unique way. Makes me want to read this book to see what everyone was talking about. I did feel though that because of the short story aspect to it, I was never really invested in any of the characters. With that said, the writing style was great, and it did keep me engaged. This one felt different from other stories. I enjoyed it.

listen if you like:
📚 understanding how books impact people
❤️ Connection through words
💔Trauma/Loss
💜 Multiple POV

I absolutely loved this one! I love how we got to see how the same book had dramatically different impacts on 10 different people based on their liver experiences. I also loved how it was also subtle in providing interconnection between the individuals impacted by the book Theo.

It was just so thoughtful in the way this book was written and I couldn’t get enough and loved how it came full circle in the end even though it ended with a somber note it was also hopeful.

I highly recommend checking this one out and keep in mind that the audiobook was well done with the cast of narrators to help get the individualized stories and really feel those stories with different narrators to bring their sections to life.

Thank you so much for my ALC in exchange for my honest review! I truly hope others are impacted by this book the way I was!

What an interesting book. The idea that no two people read the same book is fascinating to me...and something I agree with. How is it possible for some people to give a book 5 stars and others give it 1 star? Because we are all individuals and we all grasp different parts of a book and a story. Certain things resonate more with me than others and vice versa. I loved how this book was a bunch of shorter stories all connected to the same book. I thought it was very well written and a fascinating take on storytelling.

Thank you Netgalley for my advanced reader copy.

No Two Persons by Erica Bauermeister

One book, nine readers, ten stories told. This book is brilliant. Starting with the author, we hear about a sweeping novel that seems to be her life’s work. The story then moves through readers, starting with a publishing assistant, then an artist, an actor, a bookseller etc.

This was a beautiful book for people who love books. It really captured how one story can impact so many lives in different and unexpected ways. I highly highly highly recommend the audio. It was a full cast with a different narrator for each story. Thank you to @macmillan.audio for the audiobook!

A Scent Keeper is one of my favourite books, so I shouldn’t be surprised at how much I fell for this book. Her writing is descriptive in a way that makes you feel and see and smell everything the characters are. I love how lost I get in her books.

This one is out on May 2nd!

#ericabauermeister #notwopeople #audiobooks #mybooks #reading #kindle #bookish #booksbooksbooks #readmore #booksaboutbooks #bookthoughts #bookreview #bookstagram #bookrecommendations #canadianbookstagrammer #book #kindle #netgalley #gifted #macmillanaudio

Yes!! Just....yes!

No Two Persons by Erica Bauermeister is the story of an aspiring author who finally has a breakthrough after a traumatic event in her life and is able to produce a novel that gets published. We follow this novel from the author's hands to the literary assistant, the actor, the artist, the diver, the teenager, the bookseller, the caretaker, the coordinator, and finally the agent. Each chapter is from the point of view of the person who has somehow acquired the book, almost as if by fate, and how the book impacts their life. "One book, nine readers, ten changed lives."

The narration for this audiobook was incredible. Each character was narrated by a different voice actor and truly transported you into the story. The pacing was perfect as well.

This book is beautifully written and I did not want it to end. From someone who deeply loves books and reading I had a great appreciation for this story. I know I have personally had books that have affected me on otherworldly levels and I'm always quick to recommend these to my friends and family. This book will definitely be one of my top recommendations to other book lovers.

This story is told in 10 different POVs- how one particular book impacted each of the ten readers' lives.
I picked this up because I liked the premise and I liked the fact that each POV had a different audiobook narrator.
I did not enjoy the book, unfortunately.

Each POV is around 45-50 minutes long. They are really only connected by the book- these people are for the most part not in each others' lives. Obviously, you have the author and you get two POVs from the publishing company, but they really are not a part of each others' storiesa.

Since each story is so short, it just felt so underdeveloped to me. I also have a strong dislike for novellas, and this is sort of like a series of short stories instead of an actual book. The book they all read is sometimes not even mentioned until the end of their story.

I know that my feelings towards this book is more about ME than the book.

I didn't dislike all the vignettes. I particularly enjoyed The Teenager and The Actor's stories. Some I was indifferent. And some were boring (The Caretaker- like it should have been one of the more emotional ones, you'd think, but I was so bored. And annoyed with him.)

I received an audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Pros: My favorite thing about this book was that it examines how each person experiences the same piece of art/music/literature differently because of their life experiences. I also liked the structure of the book—that each chapter is how a new character experiences the book written in the first part. It made me think of the structure of Homegoing, which is a good thing. I thought this was great on audiobook as a different narrator reads each chapter.

Cons: This is one of those books that although I thought it was fine, I think other readers will love it. (There was nothing wrong with this book—I just didn’t connect to the characters like I think other readers will.)

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read this book.

Emotionally resonant and profound, No Two Persons is a love letter to readers and writers alike, and my goodness, did it speak to my book lovers' soul.

Every reader has those books that just seem to come to us at the right time in our lives -- the books that not only transport us to another world, but to the people we were when we first read them. And the special power of stories is that no two readers will read the same book in the same way, which is the phenomenon that Erica Bauermeister explores so beautifully in No Two Persons.

A novel told in a series of interconnected short stories, we are introduced first to Alice, a young writer who pens Theo after a devastating event in her life causes her to pour her heart out onto the page. From there, we meet nine of Theo's readers who pick up the book at important moments in their lives. Rather than utilizing a "story within a story" structure, we only learn about the plot of Theo through the perspectives of its readers and the specific insights they take away from the story. From a new mother trying to balance parenthood and her career, to a homeless teenager, to a bereft widower, to a former actor forging a new path, to a lauded agent facing an unexpected diagnosis, each reader comes at Theo from a different perspective, and each gleans a new insight or path forward from its pages.

No Two Persons is not only a book about the power of stories, but about the power of emotional connection and the wide range of the human experience. It's an intimate, vulnerable, and compelling character study, relayed in luminous prose, with characters that are well-developed and relatable. It's a book about the invisible connections and the tiny threads that weave us all together and it is simply, in a word, lovely.

I was fortunate to receive both audio and digital copies of this wonderful novel, so I switched back and forth between the two mediums. The audiobook is read brilliantly by a full cast, with a different narrator for each character, which just adds to the intimacy and sense of connection this story conveys. Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the advance reading opportunity.

🎧3.5⭐️

My first read by this author, I had the audiobook read by a huge cast of authors one for each character Barrie Kreinik,Braden Wright,Carol Jacobanis, Cassandra Campbell, Gabra Zackman,George Newbern, Jesse Vilinsky, Max Meyers, Rachel L. Jacobs, Stephen Graybill. It’s the biggest cast of narrators I’ve ever had. They do a great job, they added greatly to the experience for me.

A book within a book, a clever premise of how a book changes both the writer’s and 9 readers perception of their lives opening up new pathways for them.

Alice has always written stories being inspired to become a writer after an author’s school visit as until then she thought her only job choice for her skillset was being a teacher.

The description of the authors feelings while writing the book, the way they engaged with it resonated with authors descriptions of their writing experience.

The title is designed to make you think about how you engage with a book, as not everyone gets the same experience. The book cover is clever with paper characters coming to life with different actions.

It’s a VERY slow character driven story, or more accurately stories, one of my favourites was the caretaker. The link between the characters and the book is subtle.
We only learn snippets of the book Theo from reading the various sections. There are links between some of the characters which I liked. There’s not really any plot.

This is one where the audiobook and the cast of narrators carried it for me. I doubt I would have enjoyed reading it, the pace is just too slow. The prose is quite poetic, a bit literary for my preference. I loved the premise of the story, but it didn’t quite hit the mark for me.
The narrators 4.25
The story 3.5