This was not quite what I was expecting from a Jodi Picoult novel. I'm usually a fan of her work and was excited to read this book, with it's intriguing premise, but parts of it read more like a textbook than a novel.

Book of Two Ways
Jodi Picoult

This most recent fare from the talented Jodi Picoult is not easy to read. A wonderful story that is confusing at time as it jumps between times and locations without milestones to orient oneself. After a fashion it becomes apparent what is current and what is looking back.
The story is one of someone flipping back and forth between what is and what could have been in life, love, and family.
Dawn (or Olive) a budding Egyptologist in college goes back and forth between Egypt and Boston where she lives with husband Brian and daughter Meret. Wyatt, her competition in college and crush is working in Egypt on a dig. Her life goes between both (location and partner).
A good read once you get the hang of it. Enjoy.

Thanks to Penguin Random House and NetGalley for sending me this Advance Reading Copy. Expected publication date is September 22, 2020.

Dawn is a death doula, she helps people find peace and solace at the end of their lives. After surviving a fatal plane crash, she returns to the archaeological site she left years before in hopes of completing her research on The Book of Two Ways--the first known map of the afterlife. It was an educational read as all of Jodi Picoult’s books are. Lots of interesting and unknown-to-me material here. Her books are fun to read and fun to learn from.

Dawn was obsessed with Egyptology and while working on her dissertation she fell in love with Wyatt. Their relationship was cut short when Dawn flew back to Boston to be with her mother who was in hospice. Dawn did not return to Egypt since she had a younger brother to raise and a new man in her life. Dawn became a doula, one who helps clients transition from life to death. As she contemplates death herself, she cannot help but wonder how her life would be different if she had gone back to Wyatt and her studies. She returns to help excavate a new tomb, leaving her husband and daughter baffled and frustrated. The characters are rich and the obstacles they all face are thought provoking. One line gave me much thought: being obsessed by the past keeps you from having to notice the present. Great story but I did get bogged down in the Ancient Egyptian history.

I have not missed a Picoult book. Ever. She is one of my favorites and her ability to invoke empathy, passion and emotion through her storytelling is second to none.
Until now.
I couldn't wait to dive into this book and was so so disappointed. I felt like I was reading an archaeology text book that was sporadically sprinkled with human feelings and stories. Sometimes those stories felt real and relatable other times they felt like sidebars.
Then we throw in the physics lessons in the middle of all the ancient Egypt lessons.
So what we end up with is a mish mosh of text book knowledge at high levels - not even written at a level for the common reader - mixed with a plot that is also a little all over the map.
I was left very unsatisfied, and if it wasn't written by Jodi Picoult, I probably would have given up on it.
If you love ancient Egypt, physics and a little bit about lost love, then you might enjoy it.

Recommended for readers that have the time to devote in a very heavily fact based novel. A lot of research went into to this novel but I'm not sure readers will enjoy such a burdensome overload of knowledge. Maybe readers would enjoy a non-fiction version of this book for research purposes.

Let me begin by saying I've read every book published by Jodi Picoult. I've loved all of them until Spark of Light and this one. I appreciate all the great books I've read and was so excited to receive this one. I assumed the Spark of Light was a fluke because I didn't like the way it was written backwards, so I expected to love this one and I didn't. She always weaves a social message in her books usually presenting both sides. I missed it in this book,. It was like a weird Egyptian history book. It was also too long. It's a story of what if's. and those parts were good. It was okay, just not what I was expecting. Thank you @netgalley for the advanced copy for an honest review. @jodipicoult @ballantinebooks

You ever wonder what would have happened if you made just one different decision in your life? In The Book of Two Ways, Dawn’s planned career in Egyptology abruptly ends when her mom gets sick and Dawn needs to leave Egypt. Many years, and a whole lifetime later, she leaves behind her husband and daughter to go back to Egypt as she tries to find a missing piece of herself, and also finds her ex-boyfriend (soulmate?!), Wyatt.

I may be biased because I LOVE all of @jodipicoult books. But I truly loved it and #thebookoftwoways was extra great because it also had super interesting details about Egyptology AND even some physics! Cheers to my fellow nerds who love a good novel and quality educational info too 😆

Thanks to @netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
#jodipicoult #netgalley #fiction #booklover #bookreviews

I received The Book of Two Ways ARC copy in exchange for an honest review. Jodi Picoult didn't leave me disappointed at all! After reading other reviews, I was worried it would be a bust. However, I was really pleased that it had a great story line. Despite a lot of Egyptian history, which there was a lot of, it definitely made me think about my own past and what might have been had I chosen a different path. Doesn't everyone have regrets? The main character, Dawn, made decisions in her life that left her with thoughts of what might have been. Some parts were a bit confusing and the Egyptian history was a bit overwhelming and not really needed in that amount of depth, so that is why I'm giving it 4 stars and not 5. Definitely not her best, but not her worst by any means!

When asked about my favorite authors, Jodi Picoult is always my first pick. I have loved every single book she has ever published... unfortunately, until this one. I picked this up SO excitedly, but even 100 pages in, I just hadn't connected with the characters or the story. The transitions between present day and flashbacks were jarring, and I found it very confusing to figure out where in time we were at any point. Meanwhile, other reviewers were spot on that a lot of the Egyptology read like a textbook. Normally, Picoult provides enough technical detail for context in the story and to help understand the characters' perspectives; in this book, it felt like she blended a novel with a textbook. I thought she did a much better job providing us the right level of detail with the death doula work, and perhaps even with the quantum physics (though that too could have been a little lighter), but the Egyptology was far too detailed and really detracted from the story. This felt to me like a case of trying to cram too many subjects into one book, with the result that the reader couldn't get invested in any of them fully.

I eventually got more invested in the characters, but this was by no means a book I couldn't put down (which is normally the case with Picoult's books). I was also rather disappointed in the cliffhanger ending - I see what Picoult was trying to do (allow the reader to imagine for themselves what comes next), but it felt like a huge letdown to not find out what happened. To me, the whole story had been building to one obvious conclusion, but it was disappointing and unsatisfying to not see it actually wrapped up. Overall, this was decent, but nowhere near Picoult's normally masterful storytelling that is informative and thought-provoking but also fascinating and compelling.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of one of my favorite authors! The Book of Two Ways is a very powerful, deep story about life, love, and death. The story has shifting timelines of the protagonist, Dawn, going back to Egypt to face her first love and her former life, and then in Boston as a death doula facing her failing marriage and troubled familial relationship. There is a lot of heartbreak, sorrow, and feeling lost in this story. A lot of triggers ...

I really wanted to love this book like her others, but I could not finish it. I found myself stuck in the "there was this one time..." story flashbacks, boring conversations, and Egyptology lessons that had me more confused than interested. I usually love historical lessons in books, so perhaps it is the current climate that made this book not for me right now. It seems to be more of an escapism culture in the world of books, and this one is too real at the moment. I hope to return to it when it is published in September (I will of course buy a physical copy), but I have to DNF this book for now. I found myself experiencing a mood and reading slump while reading, and I don't want to have that relationship with this author. So, it's "TTFN" for this one. Thank you to Random House, Ballantine Books, and NetGalley for this ARC.

Wow!!!! Release date is September 22, 2020!!!

This one packs a punch with emotion driven themes on life, on dying and on love. A plane crash shakes Dawn, but it’s really more avoid being torn between two lives and two loves. I love the way that author Jodi Picoult weaves the stories together while allowing the reader to get to know the characters. Brian and Wyatt both have different things to offer to Dawn... and learning from some of her wisest patients just may be the best prescription for figuring out her life.

Clear, well developed characters with a simmering tension that is set to boil over.... but will it?? Alternating timelines are woven together with deep soul searching that resonates deep within me- even now after the book has been down for hours.

I love the history and the way that Egypt comes alive with the history, setting and scenes as Dawn chases after her future.

Totally enjoyed and would really recommend to my friends!!!

Thank you to NetGalley for this temporary digital advance review copy for me to read and enjoy. My review is voluntary and my opinions are my own.

This was almost a different kind of book that I have read from Jodi Picoult. She still is about to explore main themes like love and even regret. What I really liked about this was how she brought in Egyptology and history into the book. I never thought I would find that interesting and she really nailed it at least for me.

I can't wait for its release.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

When Dawn Edelstein survives an airplane crash it makes her reevaluate her life.
Years before she was on the track to become an archeologist in Egypt. Family circumstances causes her to abandon her dreams and a love.
After the crash she is torn between her family and the life she left behind in Egypt.
Jodi Picoult does not disappoint with this book! You will be captivated from the beginning.

I did not love this book but I am glad I read it and I did LIKE it a lot. Very heavy, very depressing material. If you are a true Jodi Picoult fan you will love it of course. If you have never read any of her books I would not suggest starting with this one. This is basically a tale of lost love, death, near death, secrets and lies and regret. As I said very good book , but a little on the depressing side.

I have always loved Jodi Picoult and I was eager to read this new book. The story is very heavy with Egyptian history which was fascinating and provided a lot of background for this story. It looks at the concept of multiple alternatives that are possibly out there in the universe. How choices lead us down paths but the alternates are still out there. Years ago Dawn made a choice that lead her life into a very different direction that she ever saw her life was going. The reader got to see how different her life may have been. It's a wonderful story about love and how love comes in different forms.
I thank Netgalley and the publishers for allowing me to read this advanced copy of this wonderful book.

Sorry Netgalley, I cannot finish this book, it is just not my cup of tea. I could not get into all the Egyptology info. Frankly reading about her life as a death dula was depressing. I have read several of her books and loved Small Great Things but this one just wasn’t for me

Many think of Jodi Picoult’s books as ‘Women’s Literature.’ And, perhaps that’s what she started out writing back in the early 1990s; however, her last several books have upended that perspective and have become a powerhouse of social issues for our society as a whole. While I’ve always enjoyed her books—The Pact was my gateway book into her writing; I give a copy of 19 Minutes to every new teacher I work with; I cried throughout Leaving Time; and raged throughout my readings of Small Great Things and A Spark of Light— The Book of Two Ways has left me breathless and in awe of what great modern literature really can be.

Stepping away from the large social issues of the day—she focuses on what is and what could have been. Brilliantly researched (this book could be a required text for courses covering Egyptology, Physics, Social Work, Psychology, and Modern Literature), Picoult’s nuanced story of Dawn Edelstein allows the reader to contemplate the seemingly minor considerations, concessions, and compromises one makes in everyday life that ultimately lead one very far from one’s dreams, passions, and desires. The story moves slowly and between the two paths Dawn chooses from after miraculously surviving a plane crash and told against the backdrop of end-of-life reflections. The reader experiences the Great Love Story pitted against the minutia of daily life that seemingly grinds us all down through very real, flawed and dynamic characters.

In the hands of any other author, the conflict between the two choices Dawn has could be trite and ordinary; however, with Picoult’s brilliant writing (and research), the reader not only enjoys the two story pathways as they unfold, but also is encouraged to examine his/her own experiences and reflect upon choices and compromises made. In this narrative, Picoult asks very directly ‘What gives your life meaning?’ and then answers with the thought-provoking comment of ‘There’s really no such thing as a right or wrong choice. We don’t make decisions. Our decisions make us.’ She illustrates this though carefully constructed characters who react to and grow from Dawn’s choices throughout the novel—both in the past and in the present.

I highly recommend this this book to all readers with the caution that this book isn’t one to be devoured quickly, but rather slowly savored. As with her other books, once I finished, I needed to re-read it again to fully appreciate the craft with which she writes, and pick up on the seemingly minor events, characters, and phrasings that truly make the book more thoughtful and delightful than I initially realized and these small story threads create a more complete tapestry from which to reflect upon. This will be one of those books that stick with me for a long time to come as I reflect upon my own life and the choices I’ve made along the way.

Full Disclosure: I was given a free PDF Advanced Reader’s Copy of The Book of Two Ways via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review of this book.

I was actually quite disappointed with this one. I have loved every book I've ever read by Jodi Picoult.. but this book was more like a nonfiction text book on archeology. I typically like this type of plot, but this was way too jam packed with archeology info and it just made it super slow. I wasn't a fan of it.

I was kind of worried when I started this book. I had to make myself slog though the Egyptian history lesson in the beginning, I felt like it was just too much. Josi Picoult always does her research for her novels, it just felt different this time.

Once I got through that part, I was in love. I liked the way it went back and forth from Boston to Egypt. It was a book that taught you about life and death. That sometimes past decisions can haunt you. That it is ok to put yourself first.

I already have this pre-ordered and I'm looking forward to receiving the finished copy.