Dawn Edelstein had her career mapped out. She was a doctoral candidate in Egyptology at Yale.. Until she wasn’t. A call from her mother changed everything. Her mother is dying and needs her. So she returns home and her life changes. She becomes guardian to her young brother, marries, and is a mother. She shifts her career to be a death doula. But a brush with death causes her to examine the choices she’s made.

This story is about second chances and the road not taken. Did life lead you to a fork in the road? What if you made a different choice? What would your life be like?

Jodi Picoult takes an unflinching look at how people can be swept up by emotion leading to a life different than expected. She explores whether you can be happy in the change or course correct and be happy anew.

There is deep emotional turmoil through this well written tale. A bonus is the explanation of Dawn’s work in Egyptology. This is not the glamour of King Tut, this is the dirty and gritty search to understand an ancient civilization. By her graphic examples, Picoult adds an even richer element to an already stirring story. The description of Egypt in the summer is so vivid you will need a cold drink!

This is an outstanding book full of surprises and absorbing enough to keep you focused on the outcome until you turn the last page.

My Rating: 🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻

Additional Thoughts: Each book that Jodi Picoult writes is unique. The topics are deep and meaningful and the characters are well thought out. I enjoyed the information about Egypt, the customs, and history. Very well done!