This is the best book of the year for me, astonishing, riveting, heartbreaking and totally absorbing. Jodi Picoult tackles the decisions we make, or are made for us, and how they shape our lives. More importantly how we let them shape our lives.

The twin themes of love and death run through the book. Dawn was an Egyptologist, involved in a passionate relationship with a fellow graduate, Wyatt. Her career was brought to an abrupt end by the death of her mother and she now works as a death doula, helping her clients as they come to the end of their life. During her mother’s passing she fell for a fellow relative, Brian, and they are now married with a child.

The book opens with Dawn at an unsettled point of her marriage and confronting her current and former relationships due to the influence of a new client. Win has never got over a passionate early relationship with the father of her deceased son, despite a long and happy marriage to Felix. Win tells Dawn, “I think you can love more than one person in a lifetime. There’s the one who teaches you what love is, even if it doesn’t last....And the one who makes you a better human than you were, even as you do the same for him”

The Book of Two Ways is an Egyptian guide to the afterlife. Dawn goes on her on own journey to her future, Jodi Picoult cleverly bends time and structure so we can’t quite follow where she is heading. Her path of love, near death and decision making is life affirming even as it brings you to tears. I learnt so much about Eygptology from her meticulous research and it forced me to face questions about the inevitability of death.

This is a magnificent book, I cannot recommend it highly enough.

This was an interesting story exploring the what if's.... in relationships and life. Dawn is a death doula who helps people as they encounter their death. She experiences a near death experience which sends her on a journey back into her past where she must consider the choices she made and how different her life might have been if she had chosen differently. She has to evaluate her life & what could have been & then faces an impossible choice.
I enjoyed the setting of the world of Egyptology but felt there was too much extra, & unnecessary, information which seemed just to be included to prove how much research the author had done. This however was just a minor irritation and didn't really spoil the narrative.

As a lover of Jodi Picoult books this was a great one to be approved for. It took a different turn from her normal courtroom based novels and made for a really interesting read.

If you’ve ever been stuck in a dilemma of ‘what do I choose’ then this book will appeal. Written from both aspects of what happened when each choice was made it made for good reading. It was well researched, although possibly over researched on the Egyptology side of things, well written and a really different way of writing things

I have read and enjoyed a few books by Jodi Picoult and this book was no exception. I felt it was a little overhanded on the egyptology facts, and this took a little of the reading enjoyment away because I found myself concentrating too much on that aspect. Never the less this was still an enjoyable and recommended read.

I love how clever and intricate this narrative is. Whilst I missed the classic Picoult courtroom drama element, there was enough questionable morality here to keep a reader guessing, but also, most importantly, to keen them invested in the characters. You want these characters to get the ending they deserve and are satisfied by the resolution. Really enjoyable. Perfect reading for an incredibly hot summer!

This is a story of two possible ways in life, a real "what if" storyline. It was a very well written story with interesting cast of characters and I was intrigued by the premise. There was certainly a lot of information about Ancient Egypt to read and learn too.

Unfortunately, for me, there was just way too much information about the subject, after the initial introduction to began it felt more like a lecture, which I felt took away from Dawn's story. I understood where Jodi Picoult was going with this and that the Egyptology information was integral to the plot but it broke the story up too much and I found it made me lose interest in the characters lives.

There were moments when I became really engaged, the storyline about Win and Dawn was wonderful and really well written. There were some really good threads at times, but it just didn't keep my attention enough and was disjointed. Then after persevering all the way through I was so disappointed with that ending!

I think this will be a Marmite book which people will either love or dislike...I wouldn't actually say I disliked it but it fell way short of the mark for me, left me wanting a real conclusion and a lot less of a history lesson.

I love Jodi Picoult’s books and so read this one without knowing any details, I got a few pages in and felt it wasn’t like her normal books and had to check I was reading the right thing!

Egyptology isn’t something I am overly interested in and wouldn’t have been my first choice for the plot, added to that Egyptian history and some physics and its no wonder that I found the beginning of the book quite difficult to get into and it felt like quite a long read for me. However, despite it not really being ‘my thing’ I found myself engrossed in the book and wanting to get back to it to read more as soon as I could.

Dawn is a death doula, which seems a fascinating and beautiful job, she spends her life making the final transition easier for people and their loved ones. When her plane crashes and she is one of 36 survivors she is asked where she wants to fly and has to decide whether to return home to Boston or to return to Egypt where she left unfinished business fifteen years earlier.

This is a complicated, detailed and interesting story of love, of life and of death. This is of the changes we made due to life circumstances and of love that stands the test of time; of compassion and love for others. This is multilayer storytelling at its best but at no point is it confusing.

The characters are strong and detailed, the plot is a great one and I have learnt a lot about Egyptology! Picoult is definitely a master storyteller and not afraid to go to some dark places, to complicated thoughts, situations and relationships and her books are all the better for it.

Definitely a great read, emotionally satisfying and insightful, this is really well written and I would highly recommend it… even if you aren’t interested in Egyptology or Physics!

A sincere thank you to the publisher, author and Netgalley for providing me with an ebook copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest reviewl.

This is not my usual genre, I’m more into crime books and psychological ones too however I wanted to take the opportunity to read something from outside my norm. And I am glad I did!! Thank you for  opening up my mind to something totally different.

I adore Jodi Picoult novels! The Pact and The Storyteller being among my favourite reads, but I just didn’t get the same satisfaction reading this.
It’s an interesting story with a multifaceted and in-depth protagonist in the form of Dawn Edelstein, a death doula which is a fascinating profession. She survives a plane crash and finds herself at a crossroads in her life (sliding doors style). Does she go back to her nice, stable husband and family or does she pursue the career she once studied for in Egypt and her research on “The Book of Two Ways” on the afterlife, inevitably seeking out her first love. In this book you see both paths.
What I loved about this book was the emotional angst and relationships, which Picoult is famous for. She describes heart-breaking decisions with skillful clarity and can describe ways of feeling that I have always been lost for words for.
What I didn’t like about this book was the insanely major info dumps at every corner. At times it feels like a text book on Egyptian Hieroglyphics and at other times on Quantum Physics. There was just too much and unfortunately it was unnecessary, she could have very lightly touched on those subjects with the relationships being the main concern. I mean if you want to learn about those subjects please read on, but I don’t think the majority of people would be interested in that level of details or even be able to digest it fully.

I love Jodi Picoult's work and her books always offer insight into things you never thought about and meticulous research, this novel is no exception but I struggled to connect with the characters and storyline because I drowned in the detail of Egyptology. Bizarrely, I thought it would be the quantum physics that would lose me as I flunked physics at school but she has been the only person to explain electrons and their ability to split into two that I understood. She also managed to make physics a way of flirting which is a rare thing to be able to do. My knowledge of Egyptology was based on documentaries I have watched and though the subject is fascinating and important to the storyline I struggled to keep up and found the description took me away from the characters I wanted to learn about.
The role of a death doula is wonderful and enjoyed that side of the story where you could connect and feel the emotions of the characters.
It is a good, clever book but not one I could see myself revisiting unlike the rest of her books on my bookcase.

A long time fan of Jodi Picoult, I was excited to receive a preview copy to review.

This, like the title, is a book of two ways. The narrative is, as expected, engaging ,well written and thoroughly readable. The problem came with the Egyptology. At times feeling like a lecture, at other times, detail being shoehorned in, it felt difficult to read the book fluidly.

That said, I learnt lots about the subject, and overall thoroughly enjoyed Picoult's newest offering.

Thank you for the opportunity to review.

I have read all of Jodi Picoult's books and this is the only one i have struggled with. I found there was just too much detail around the Egyptians. I stuck with it as i love Jodi's books. When i was halfway through i was just skipping any of the references in Egypt. The ending was fantastic but definitely not my favorite book by Jodi.

This was an interesting read; although I would not recommend it to fans of classic Jodi Picoult novels as it is a departure from her previous works. I would however recommend it to fans of Sliding Doors-esque stories, and realistic love stories. The sheer amount of information given on both Egyptology and quantum physics shows the author really loved researching this book, although it did slow down the narrative at points.

Really slow start for me. Felt more like a history lesson with the Egypt references. I just felt it flitted between a story and readings textbook from school 😔 however I did continue to see if it was just me in a reading funk.

I think the overall story was a good concept... If it cut back on the history lesson. Do you ever get over your first love? This book focuses on life and death the two ways of life.

Book of two ways i also interpreted it as the two ways of life that the central character could of lived. Like a sliding doors parallel universe she could of lived a different life style. This is the part I enjoyed.

If it had slightly less Egypt context think would of been great.

Classic Picoult - someone is faced with a seemingly impossible decision. Hugely readable, and with the added interest of some Egyptology facts too!

When the plane Dawn Edelstein is on is told to prepare for a crash landing, Dawn's possibly-final thoughts are not of her husband or daughter, but of her first love, Wyatt - a man Dawn hasn't seen in fifteen years. When the passengers eventually make it off the plane, the airline offers them a ticket to wherever they want to go and Dawn is faced with a choice: does she fly back to her husband and daughter and her career as a death doula, helping the dying to pass over? Or does she take a flight to Egypt and revisit the man and the promising career as an Egyptologist she left behind all those years ago?

At this point the book splits and we follow the consequences of each of Dawn's choices - a concept I loved and found really interesting. Who of us hasn't wondered what would have been if - ? This book explores that beautifully, and I loved the well-told stories, full of rich detail and each with its own rewards and frustrations.

This is very different to Jodi Picoult's other novels, but I loved it - the exploration of the Book of the Dead, the realisation of Dawn's two choices, and the consequences of her actions all contributed to a thought provoking and at times heartbreaking novel. I'll be thinking about this one for a long time.

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley who provided me with a free advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Book of Two Ways is an ancient Egyptian text and belief depicting the path a soul can take to the Afterlife.

Dawn Edelstein lives in Boston, she’s a death doula preparing terminally ill patients and their families for the inevitable. She’s been married to Brian, a physicist, for fifteen years and they have a daughter, Meret. Dawn experiences a dramatic and life changing event which leads to a choice and she has to make a decision about which path or two ways her life should take. Should she seize the opportunity of a flight to Egypt to finish the work she started with Yale Egyptologist Wyatt Anderson years ago or take the obvious path and return home to Brian and Meret?

First of all, the books starts well and I like the premise of the novel, it’s assessment of life’s path, the routes we take and through Dawn and her patients there’s reflection of what a life well lived might look like. There’s a good message too, about grabbing opportunities when they present themselves or live with regrets. The relationships in the book are good and I like the character of Dawn. The author has clearly done a mass of extensive research in preparing for the book.

However, in between the good there’s a massive overload of information which almost bombards you and it feels like swallowing an encyclopaedia whole! If quantum physics can give you brain freeze that’s what I get when Brian enthusiastically lectures on the topic. I apologise Brian for not sharing your evident joy in the subject! I love Egyptology but again there’s way too much of it to take it in and I have to reread sections because my poor brain is saturated. This stops the story from flowing well in two ways (sorry!) - because as a reader the facts get in the way of the story and secondly you get lost in the morass. Some of the paragraphs are so long they feel like chapters.

Overall, it’s a frustrating read with factual overburdening interrupting a good premise of love, loss and life changing moments.

With thanks to NetGalley and Hodder and Stoughton for the ARC.

I was thrilled when my request for an ARC was approved, another Jodi Picoult book to get stuck into!

As the title suggests, The Book of Two Ways really is a tale of love, life, loss and missed opportunities. In many ways, the novel is an all too familiar story of what we would do similarly or differently given a second chance at life - a kind of sliding doors moment. As a result of a ‘planned emergency’ Dawn finds herself at a fork in life. The story explores the outcomes for her choices, on both routes.

However, as one would expect from Picoult, the story has an extraordinary backdrop, written in extraordinary detail.

Although I didn’t find myself drawn to the characters, and especially Dawn as much as I would have liked, there is no denying that Picoult has written openly about our human flaws and desires to be selfish at times. As I’ve found with her more recent novels, the depth of expertise, evident research and detail in the context of the story is stunning. At times early on I found the focus on Egyptology and Quantum mechanics somewhat overwhelming; once I had adjusted to this, however, I found this detail became a fundamental necessity to support the novel’s execution. I also found it much easier and immeasurably more enjoyable to read when I was able to give it the time it deserves.

I love that Jodi Picoult has spent ten years developing this book and applaud her commitment and imagination. In my opinion, this is a truly worthy read and challenges the reader to think about what they might do if faced with a similar set of choices.

Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC.

I really enjoyed this multi-faceted novel. There is lots going on so you have to concentrate but, at its heart, this story is still driven by character and relationships which is what draws you in and makes you invest in the plot. The book is thought provoking and makes you reflect on the choices that we make in life, on death, on family and on love. This book comes with some Quantam physics and a heavy dose of Egyptology, which whilst I know this has led to some criticism, I personally loved it and found it gave the book another level. It also linked to the themes of the book and so was in no way superfluous; I felt it gave an insight into the characters and how they think.
There were some great quotes about love and parenting and I found the book both moving and engrossing. Not my absolute favourite Picoult book but it's close!

Planned emergency. An oxymoron that Dawn Edelstein can’t quite wrap her head around. Especially not when one is announced on her flight to Boston. This emergency landing brings Dawn closer to death than she has ever been before – which is saying something as she herself is a death doula – and her life flashes before her eyes, bringing up a lot of thoughts and feelings about her past: a past where she was a graduate student of Egyptology, and on the fast track to academic success. After being examined medically, and checked for any serious injuries, Dawn is offered a choice by the airline: where would she like to fly to? And the answer to that question is not as clear to Dawn as it should be.

Following the idea of the Ancient Egyptian Book of Two Ways, - an ancient burial text painted in the coffins of many of Egypt’s pharaohs, which depicts two parallel journeys through the afterlife – Dawn’s story plays out in two paths: one where she returns home to Boston and one where she returns to Egypt to confront her past. The question Dawn has to ask herself, though, is which of these paths will she take?

When I put in a request for this book on NetGalley, I was resigned to the fact that it was unlikely to be approved, but since I am a huge fan of Jodi Picoult’s novels, I figured it was worth a shot. So, I’m sure you can imagine my elation when I got the message telling my request had been approved and this book was waiting for me. Not only do I love Picoult’s writing, but I am fascinated by Egyptian history, especially since I have had the privilege to travel to and see the Egyptian temples and tombs with my own eyes. So, this book felt like it was right up my alley.

And Picoult doesn’t disappoint: although parts of the book may feel a bit textbook-like due to the descriptions of the Egyptian gods and goddesses and their history, I found myself enjoying most of these snippets of Egyptian lore as a way of trying to enrich my understanding of a topic I am interested in. (Maybe I am also more forgiving of this style because I have a background in academia myself, and so am often confronted with articles and papers to read that are designed for education rather than entertainment.) Granted, this is probably not the right book to use to educate yourself on Ancient Egyptian culture, and there may well be errors, but I found it a fascinating read either way. I will admit, though, that at times the sidebars about the Ancient Egyptian burial rites, or tales of mythology did get a bit drawn out – almost as if they were fleshed out to the extent they were simply to show how much research had been done – but overall, I think the plot was balanced and the writing engaging.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a Jodi Picoult book without some emotional haranguing and a twist at the end, and I felt that this book delivered on this. In her last few books Picoult has ventured away from the formula of her more notable works and foregone the court or legal battles for a more nuanced, personal approach. I think this worked well here, given the nature of the story, and I didn’t miss the courtroom drama one bit. I think the characters in this book are engaging and interesting, although, I must admit that I did not particularly warm to Dawn herself. Win, a woman Dawn meets in Boston; Dawn’s husband Brian, and their daughter Meret plucked at my heartstrings more than Dawn herself, but I still found myself invested in the story and wanting to know what happened next.

If you are a long-standing fan of Picoult’s work, I think you will devour this book and enjoy it immensely. However, people who know Picoult more for work such as My Sister’s Keeper, Nineteen Minutes or Small Great Things may find this novel a step in a different direction and may not enjoy it as much. Personally, I think it was great – if slightly textbook-ish at times – and I enjoyed reading every bit of this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the ARC of this book.