The Book of Two Ways by Jodi Picoult

 I usually start my review with a quote. I found, however, that nearly ALL of this narrative was worthy to highlight, so I'll just come out with this: you must read this book. It's profound. It's heartbreaking. It poses questions that will make you examine every decision you've ever made. and, strangely enough, this is a story that I loved despite feeling that the main character was superfluous in so many ways.

The synopsis provided by the publisher gives the overall premise (which actually isn't very accurate but NO SPOILERS) and introduces the concept of a woman who has a second chance to evaluate a choice she'd made 15  years ago. A do-over in a way. The story is told in an unusual narrative that mimics Dawn's obsession with her research on THE BOOK OF TWO WAYS, a coffin text found on the floor of the coffin holding a mummified body in the Middle Egyptian necropolis of Deir el Bersha. (Dawn gave up her doctoral candidacy in archaeology at Yale due to a family emergency and retrained to become a death doula.) In short, the "two ways" refers to the two paths that lead to the netherworld and eternal afterlife. One path is water and the other is land, and the chapters in the book are labeled that way.

But, I digress. What captivated me was the information. I was fascinated by all of the archeology details and the history. The descriptions also included line drawings that fully engaged my attention and, though the learning curve was steep, I love when I find a novel that makes me think. In addition, the topic of assisting someone in the dying process was extremely riveting. There was so much in this book to absorb and contemplate, the least of it being Dawn and her search for herself. Sorry, but I did not care for her selfishness and her behavior. This was a very complex novel that dealt with the real life questions about "what might have been" and paralleled the hurdles and tests in that guidebook for the Egyptians navigating the afterlife. Once I had a couple of hours to sit down and read, I could not put this book down until I reached the end.

Bravo to the author for the intense research she did in order to be able to expound on everything from quantum physics to ancient Egypt. If you're looking for mindless entertainment, this is not the book for you. Jodi Picoult was able to translate her passion for all the subjects within to the page with her incredible writing talents. I'm giving this one 4.5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the e-book ARC to read, review, and recommend. I'm well aware that this review doesn't do this book justice but I can only say that I hope it moves you as it did me. What a great selection for a book club and I am hopeful that a film adaptation is forthcoming as well.

 

This is a standalone and is not part of any series.

Genre - Adult fiction, women's fiction, (Ancient Egypt - archeology)