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Without a hint of doubt, Jodi Picoult is one of my long-time favorite authors. She’s a New York Times bestselling author and has written over 26 novels.
So you can only imagine my excitement when I put my to-do list aside in my stationery set box, and finally curled up by the fire and read her newest book, The Book of Two Ways.
Jodi Picoult has this magical ability to grab your attention and hold it for the novel’s duration. This book is no different. The Book of Two Ways is a story about love, loss, decisions, and Egypt. If you’ve ever had the urge to dabble in Egyptology, you might find this book a fascinating read.
Jodi Picoult takes her time for each novel and does extensive research. Within this novel, she demonstrates facts about Physics, Egypt, and even death through a fascinating storyline. This is one of her stories where she adds quite a bit of detail, making it difficult in some parts for readers to get through all the information. Although I did notice slightly more research and facts sprinkled throughout this novel than her other novels, I didn’t find the detail and in-depth analysis overwhelming.
The story drops you into an intense scene where you’re quickly introduced to the main character: Dawn Edelstein. She’s a middle-aged woman from Boston with a husband named Brian and a daughter named Meret. She works as a death doula and lives a satisfying life. In the scene, she’s on a plane that is crashing.
She thinks back to a life she used to live, a part of her she might have left behind. She thinks about a man in Egypt and the work she used to do there as a student studying Egyptology. It becomes evident that this man, Wyatt, holds a special place in her heart. As the plane leads her to a future unknown, she is forced to feel her past.
The book then proceeds to take you on two seemingly different storylines in Dawn’s life, flashing back to her past and forward to her present situation. In it, you see her relationship with two different men, as well as her daughter. All relationships are beautiful in their own way, and all face serious trials and tribulations throughout the novel. This book takes you through twists and turns and drives you down two paths until you discover where they cross.
Picoult draws you in and writes about the complicated nature of being human. Through Dawn, we see regrets and mistakes, as well as love and acceptance. The storytelling is captivating, the details are incredible, and the characters will challenge you in a thought-provoking way.
Snag this book as a Christmas present for a family member or even yourself. Oh, and if you like to take notes during your readings as I sometimes do, check out this fabulous pen set for women. Happy reading!
