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No Two Persons
One book. Nine readers. Ten changed lives. New York Times bestselling author Erica Bauermeister’s No Two Persons is “a gloriously original celebration of fiction, and the ways it deepens our lives.”
That was the beauty of books, wasn’t it? They took you places you didn’t know you needed to go…
Alice has always wanted to be a writer. Her talent is innate, but her stories remain safe and detached, until a devastating event breaks her heart open, and she creates a stunning debut novel. Her words, in turn, find their way to readers, from a teenager hiding her homelessness, to a free diver pushing himself beyond endurance, an artist furious at the world around her, a bookseller in search of love, a widower rent by grief. Each one is drawn into Alice’s novel; each one discovers something different that alters their perspective, and presents new pathways forward for their lives.
Together, their stories reveal how books can affect us in the most beautiful and unexpected of ways—and how we are all more closely connected to one another than we might think.
That was the beauty of books, wasn’t it? They took you places you didn’t know you needed to go…
Alice has always wanted to be a writer. Her talent is innate, but her stories remain safe and detached, until a devastating event breaks her heart open, and she creates a stunning debut novel. Her words, in turn, find their way to readers, from a teenager hiding her homelessness, to a free diver pushing himself beyond endurance, an artist furious at the world around her, a bookseller in search of love, a widower rent by grief. Each one is drawn into Alice’s novel; each one discovers something different that alters their perspective, and presents new pathways forward for their lives.
Together, their stories reveal how books can affect us in the most beautiful and unexpected of ways—and how we are all more closely connected to one another than we might think.
314 pages, Hardcover
First published May 2, 2023
About the author
Erica Bauermeister
14 books2,629 followersErica Bauermeister is the NYT bestselling author of five novels -- The Scent Keeper (a Reese's Book Club pick), The School of Essential Ingredients, Joy for Beginners, The Lost Art of Mixing, and a new novel, No Two Persons, due out in May of 2023. She has also written a memoir, House Lessons: Renovating a Life and is the co-author of two readers' guides: 500 Great Books by Women and Let's Hear It For the Girls. She currently lives in Port Townsend, Wa with her husband and 238 wild deer.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 4,123 reviews
May 2, 2023
Finally. FINALLY!!
After a bit of a book slump, I picked up this book, and I KNEW from the FIRST chapter, that I had found the kind of immersive read that had been elusive the past few weeks. One that would be filled with “highlight worthy” passages, one that I would not want to put down.
“ONE book, NINE readers, TEN changed lives”
The book will pass from the hands of the WRITER to the ASSISTANT and then make its way, over the years, to the ACTOR, the ARTIST, the DIVER, the TEENAGER, the BOOKSELLER, the CARETAKER, the COORDINATOR, and the AGENT.
Written almost like a collection of vignettes, each about 20-30 minutes in length, we start by meeting the writer, Alice, as she creates her debut novel, THEO, a story that has taken FIVE years, and 40, 458 SAVES, to complete.
Now, she just needs someone to say, “YES”.
After, many rejections, it’s hook, the FIRST NINE WORDS, which Alice insisted on keeping, will speak to an assistant who is reading through queries and manuscripts, searching for the needle in the haystack-“a story that would take the familiar and turn it into something profoundly new”.
“Theo” will now find his way into the hands of many…
Each of the following chapters is like a beautifully wrapped gift box. 🎁
I couldn’t wait to open the next story to see what each new reader would discover when he or she opened the pages of “Theo”.
A few of these readers have a cameo appearance in another chapter, but many of the readers will never meet another-although the story does come full circle in a very clever way in the end.
I am so glad that THIS unique story, “No Two Persons” has found its way into my hands. It will be on MY FAVORITES list for 2023!
AND, it’s now AVAILABLE!!
This was a buddy read with DeAnn! Be sure to watch for her amazing review for additional insights!
Thank You to St. Martin’s Press for the gifted copy provided through NetGalley. It was my pleasure to offer a candid review!
After a bit of a book slump, I picked up this book, and I KNEW from the FIRST chapter, that I had found the kind of immersive read that had been elusive the past few weeks. One that would be filled with “highlight worthy” passages, one that I would not want to put down.
“ONE book, NINE readers, TEN changed lives”
The book will pass from the hands of the WRITER to the ASSISTANT and then make its way, over the years, to the ACTOR, the ARTIST, the DIVER, the TEENAGER, the BOOKSELLER, the CARETAKER, the COORDINATOR, and the AGENT.
Written almost like a collection of vignettes, each about 20-30 minutes in length, we start by meeting the writer, Alice, as she creates her debut novel, THEO, a story that has taken FIVE years, and 40, 458 SAVES, to complete.
Now, she just needs someone to say, “YES”.
After, many rejections, it’s hook, the FIRST NINE WORDS, which Alice insisted on keeping, will speak to an assistant who is reading through queries and manuscripts, searching for the needle in the haystack-“a story that would take the familiar and turn it into something profoundly new”.
“Theo” will now find his way into the hands of many…
Each of the following chapters is like a beautifully wrapped gift box. 🎁
I couldn’t wait to open the next story to see what each new reader would discover when he or she opened the pages of “Theo”.
A few of these readers have a cameo appearance in another chapter, but many of the readers will never meet another-although the story does come full circle in a very clever way in the end.
I am so glad that THIS unique story, “No Two Persons” has found its way into my hands. It will be on MY FAVORITES list for 2023!
AND, it’s now AVAILABLE!!
This was a buddy read with DeAnn! Be sure to watch for her amazing review for additional insights!
Thank You to St. Martin’s Press for the gifted copy provided through NetGalley. It was my pleasure to offer a candid review!
June 8, 2023
“I think each story has its own life. In the beginning, it lives in the writer’s mind, and it grows and changes while it’s there. Changes the writer, too, I’d bet.” He smiled at her, then continued. “At some point it’s written down, and that’s the book readers hold in their hands. But the story isn’t done, because it goes on to live in the readers’ heads, in a way that’s particular to each of them. We’re all caretakers of the stories, Alice. Writers are just the lucky ones that get to know them first.”
No Two Persons by Erica Bauermeister is a story about a book, “Theo” written by Alice Wein. It is also the story of the twenty-five-year-old author, Alice, who has poured her heart and soul into her debut novel. It is also the story of nine people who read her book – or rather, a collection of stories each of which features someone who has read “Theo” and the difference it has made in their lives - a literary agent and her assistant who is also a new mother, an actor turned audiobook narrator, a homeless teenager, a professional diver who tests his own boundaries, an artist seeking inspiration from the world around her, a bookseller who embarks on a personal relationship only to find it less than fulfilling, a coordinator who works in the movie business and a widower in his sixties grieving the recent loss of his wife - people from different walk of life, in different stages in life, facing his/her/their own set of challenges. While I wouldn’t call these stories interconnected in the true sense of the term, they are connected by a common thread – “Theo” by Alice Wein.
No Two Persons by Erica Bauermeister is a special book. Beautifully written, intimate and thought-provoking with characters who are real and relatable, these stories made me think of some of the books that I have loved and the stories that have stayed with me through the years – the books that came to me at the very right moment and left an indelible impact. Overall, this is an emotional read that I would not hesitate to recommend. I believe this book would appeal to those fond of character-driven short stories.
“No two persons ever read the same book, or saw the same picture.” -The Writings of Madame Swetchine, 1860
Like all books, this one will touch us in different ways. But I am confident that all of us who love to read would agree that books are much more than a hobby for us – they are our friends, our refuge, our sanctuary - they teach us, they make us cry, they make us smile, give us perspective and so much more. It is this sentiment that the author expresses so beautifully through this novel.
“Maybe not consciously, but that was the beauty of books, wasn’t it? They took you places you didn’t know you needed to go.”
Many thanks to author Erica Bauermeister, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for the digital review copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
March 14, 2023
When writing a review or leaving a comment on a review, I’ve often voiced the sentiment that “no two people read the same book”, and/or “no book is for everyone”.
This book takes that sentiment and runs with it, highlighting the life of Alice, the author of the book Theo, along with 9 people who read her book.
This is a book of short stories, with each chapter highlighting a different character who is wounded and broken. The stories often end abruptly, which short stories tend to do. They were fine, but I prefer a bit more depth, humor, and/or tension than these stories provided.
For those of us who are readers, the power of the written word comes as no surprise. It’s not a unique idea that every reader takes away something different from each book they read. We each bring our own life experiences and perspectives to each book we read. So, I didn’t find anything new or fresh in developing this premise and there isn't enough character development among the nine to make me care.
I enjoyed the first story about Alice, the author of Theo, but then the book lost steam. It took me a long while to get through it and I wasn’t drawn to pick it up.
This was a buddy read with Marialyce, do check out her review and see what she thought.
I didn’t love this book as much as many of my GR friends, which simply proves the point that no two people read the same book.
· I received a digital copy of the book for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
This book takes that sentiment and runs with it, highlighting the life of Alice, the author of the book Theo, along with 9 people who read her book.
This is a book of short stories, with each chapter highlighting a different character who is wounded and broken. The stories often end abruptly, which short stories tend to do. They were fine, but I prefer a bit more depth, humor, and/or tension than these stories provided.
For those of us who are readers, the power of the written word comes as no surprise. It’s not a unique idea that every reader takes away something different from each book they read. We each bring our own life experiences and perspectives to each book we read. So, I didn’t find anything new or fresh in developing this premise and there isn't enough character development among the nine to make me care.
I enjoyed the first story about Alice, the author of Theo, but then the book lost steam. It took me a long while to get through it and I wasn’t drawn to pick it up.
This was a buddy read with Marialyce, do check out her review and see what she thought.
I didn’t love this book as much as many of my GR friends, which simply proves the point that no two people read the same book.
· I received a digital copy of the book for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
February 21, 2024
My favorite book of 2023
And...
My Book Challenge of 800 books for the year met!
Have you ever walked in to a book, and wondered, how does this person know me so well? Did this person secretly come into my life and follow me around without my knowing it?
I barely got into the book, and I am greeted with these words… on page 7 of the paperback version.
“I live in their world when I am writing” the author (character) said to the class. “I’m going to make my own worlds,” Alice told her brother.”
Alice is our first protagonist. She wants to be a writer. And she is determined, even if this is not the quest her parents want for her. And no, my destiny isn’t to be a writer. I always knew I wanted to be a teacher. And I did fulfill my quest.
What I like is the vision that the author felt, and that Alice could see it, too...for herself. That is what I connected to, as well. That is why those words above meant something to me.
And it didn’t stop there. On page 10…
“When she had to go out in the real world, she watched for what people didn’t know they were telling you. She noted a hand playing with a necklace. An eyebrow, as an interrogative or a dismissal. The way little kids’ shoulders would turtle up near their ears when a bully was near. She listened…to the pauses. The falter. The emotional floods of surprise or warmth or anger.”
So much of what Alice did, she did to collect for her stories. I would do the same thing, but for a different reason. I was being an observer. So, I could be a better teacher, counselor, facilitator. The skills that served me in my life.
One character, her teacher Professor Roberts, shares…
“If you think about it, every story – is grounded in things we already know, and every book is about questions that have already been asked.”
In other words, we most likely already know the answers to life. We just need to pay attention. Observe. Be present in this moment. And I could truly appreciate that because I live a present moment life.
But…
I was barely on page 12, how was I going to make it through this book, if all I was going to do was stop every few moments to contemplate all these thoughts that were being shared throughout these pages? Could I keep track without taking notes? Was I back in school again?
And then…
I remembered.
This book isn’t about me.
It starts with Alice and the book in her head. After a tragic event. And how that book in her head finally becomes, “Theo.”
And how this book “Theo” will affect so many others who come to read it.
Just like the opening pages of this book, “No Two Persons” touched me. “Theo” reaches others in ways that matter.
“Wandering is a gift given only to the lost.” ‘Theo’s’ opening line.
“Did you write this for me?” She wondered. (The character, Lara, The Assistant.)
On page 50, the character, Lara, The Assistant who decided that this would be the book the publisher should publish, is thinking about the importance of reading to her child.
And…
“…how your first read of an extraordinary book is something you can only experience once.”
“It’s like eating the best ice-cream cone of your life on a hot day, you want to eat it fast, but have it never end.”
Or the character Rowan, The Actor, as he does the audiobook of ‘Theo,’ reading the last line of the book, “All that matters is that we try.”
We meet more characters throughout the story, and find readers that are impacted by “Theo.”
And…
We are witness to their transformation.
And all I can say is…
Extraordinary writing Ms. Bauermeister. I was already a fan,
But…
Now. I am completely Wowed.
And what I can say to all of you that are reading this review…
Be Wowed too. Put this one on your TBR list now.
And...
My Book Challenge of 800 books for the year met!
Have you ever walked in to a book, and wondered, how does this person know me so well? Did this person secretly come into my life and follow me around without my knowing it?
I barely got into the book, and I am greeted with these words… on page 7 of the paperback version.
“I live in their world when I am writing” the author (character) said to the class. “I’m going to make my own worlds,” Alice told her brother.”
Alice is our first protagonist. She wants to be a writer. And she is determined, even if this is not the quest her parents want for her. And no, my destiny isn’t to be a writer. I always knew I wanted to be a teacher. And I did fulfill my quest.
What I like is the vision that the author felt, and that Alice could see it, too...for herself. That is what I connected to, as well. That is why those words above meant something to me.
And it didn’t stop there. On page 10…
“When she had to go out in the real world, she watched for what people didn’t know they were telling you. She noted a hand playing with a necklace. An eyebrow, as an interrogative or a dismissal. The way little kids’ shoulders would turtle up near their ears when a bully was near. She listened…to the pauses. The falter. The emotional floods of surprise or warmth or anger.”
So much of what Alice did, she did to collect for her stories. I would do the same thing, but for a different reason. I was being an observer. So, I could be a better teacher, counselor, facilitator. The skills that served me in my life.
One character, her teacher Professor Roberts, shares…
“If you think about it, every story – is grounded in things we already know, and every book is about questions that have already been asked.”
In other words, we most likely already know the answers to life. We just need to pay attention. Observe. Be present in this moment. And I could truly appreciate that because I live a present moment life.
But…
I was barely on page 12, how was I going to make it through this book, if all I was going to do was stop every few moments to contemplate all these thoughts that were being shared throughout these pages? Could I keep track without taking notes? Was I back in school again?
And then…
I remembered.
This book isn’t about me.
It starts with Alice and the book in her head. After a tragic event. And how that book in her head finally becomes, “Theo.”
And how this book “Theo” will affect so many others who come to read it.
Just like the opening pages of this book, “No Two Persons” touched me. “Theo” reaches others in ways that matter.
“Wandering is a gift given only to the lost.” ‘Theo’s’ opening line.
“Did you write this for me?” She wondered. (The character, Lara, The Assistant.)
On page 50, the character, Lara, The Assistant who decided that this would be the book the publisher should publish, is thinking about the importance of reading to her child.
And…
“…how your first read of an extraordinary book is something you can only experience once.”
“It’s like eating the best ice-cream cone of your life on a hot day, you want to eat it fast, but have it never end.”
Or the character Rowan, The Actor, as he does the audiobook of ‘Theo,’ reading the last line of the book, “All that matters is that we try.”
We meet more characters throughout the story, and find readers that are impacted by “Theo.”
And…
We are witness to their transformation.
And all I can say is…
Extraordinary writing Ms. Bauermeister. I was already a fan,
But…
Now. I am completely Wowed.
And what I can say to all of you that are reading this review…
Be Wowed too. Put this one on your TBR list now.
June 7, 2023
No Two Persons by Erica Bauermeister is About a Book Within a Book!
Alice always knew she had a special book locked inside her just waiting to get out one day. She continues to keep it safely tucked away until two events take place in her young life.
The first event is a tragedy that rips Alice's heart out. She's raw with the pain and hole it leaves in her life.
The second event is when Alice meets someone who believes in her creative abilities to become a writer. This person mentors her and offers the final push she needs to find the words that make her story flow forth and take shape.
The result is Alice's debut novel titled Theo. Her book finds its way to nine different readers, some drawn to it more than others, but all are impacted by what they read, in different ways...
No Two Persons became my closest friend for a few days. I started each day with it, it was the last thing I saw each night, and it evoked deep emotions in me. Yep, I cried and seriously, who doesn't love reading about a book within a book?
The premise is original and the book is character-driven. Each chapter felt like a separate story and I connected to each character as I traveled story to story. I loved how some characters were intertwined with other stories giving an overall "small world" feel.
I thought No Two Persons was a fantastic book. What I loved the most were the emotions it stirred in me about memories I hadn't thought about for a very long time. As an emotional reader, that's the definition of a great book for me! I'm hoping to have many more books like this one in my 2023 reading year and I'll definitely be exploring Ms. Bauermeister's backlist. I highly recommend!
5 Original-Emotional-Character-driven Stars!⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin Press, and Erica Bauermeister for an ARC of this book. It has been an honor to give my honest and voluntary review.
Alice always knew she had a special book locked inside her just waiting to get out one day. She continues to keep it safely tucked away until two events take place in her young life.
The first event is a tragedy that rips Alice's heart out. She's raw with the pain and hole it leaves in her life.
The second event is when Alice meets someone who believes in her creative abilities to become a writer. This person mentors her and offers the final push she needs to find the words that make her story flow forth and take shape.
The result is Alice's debut novel titled Theo. Her book finds its way to nine different readers, some drawn to it more than others, but all are impacted by what they read, in different ways...
No Two Persons became my closest friend for a few days. I started each day with it, it was the last thing I saw each night, and it evoked deep emotions in me. Yep, I cried and seriously, who doesn't love reading about a book within a book?
The premise is original and the book is character-driven. Each chapter felt like a separate story and I connected to each character as I traveled story to story. I loved how some characters were intertwined with other stories giving an overall "small world" feel.
I thought No Two Persons was a fantastic book. What I loved the most were the emotions it stirred in me about memories I hadn't thought about for a very long time. As an emotional reader, that's the definition of a great book for me! I'm hoping to have many more books like this one in my 2023 reading year and I'll definitely be exploring Ms. Bauermeister's backlist. I highly recommend!
5 Original-Emotional-Character-driven Stars!⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin Press, and Erica Bauermeister for an ARC of this book. It has been an honor to give my honest and voluntary review.
June 18, 2023
4.5 stars, but I have to round up.
I thought this was going to be an obvious book telling me what I already know - that people are impacted differently by the books they read. However, I found this to be more . It’s about not just the impact of fictional stories, but about the inspiration for writing them, about how who we are as readers and how our life experiences influence how we feel about a novel.
Erica Bauermeister takes us into the lives of nine characters and it’s their life experiences that are front and center - emotional and heartbreaking in most of the cases. The common thread is the novel “Theo “ as it comes into their hands in various ways. Sometimes they connect with the novel because they can totally empathize and connect with Theo knowing his pain as their own , as does “The Diver”. Sometimes it’s the astute understanding that life’s “complicated” by a homeless young girl in “The Teenager”. These were my favorites along with “The Caretaker” about a grieving widower, who doesn’t read fiction, but is given the gift of seeing the book through his wife’s eyes.
The writer of the book within this book touched me with her inspiration, the love she had for her brother, the heartbreaking sadness of her dysfunctional family. I love knowing the author’s inspiration for a story. It makes it in many ways more meaningful to me. So of course, I was hoping to learn Bauermeister’s inspiration for this book. I was pleased that she reveals some of that in the Acknowledgments.
It’s easy to know and say that books affect people in different ways. But the reviews we write and the ratings we give don’t always reveal our deep connection as is reflected in these individual stories. This novel will make me wonder when I read a review what there might have been in someone’s life that made them love a story or not love a story or what about me that makes me love a story or not. I can’t quite give it a full 5 stars as with many collections, not every story is equal in impact, but I have to round up. I did appreciate that it’s the novel that is the thread that connects these characters, but also enjoyed the crossover of characters in a few of them, including the author of “Theo.”
I saw myself in these quotes and wanted to share them because I’m guessing many readers will see themselves as well:
“She had to know what happened. She had to know that the boy on the page, a young man now would be okay,”
“Something was coming. Nola could feel it. She wanted to stop reading, but she couldn’t, because she could tell that this was the moment that would rip the boy’s life into before and after….And Nola couldn’t stop reading because she couldn’t leave him there alone.”
“His life had no particular parallels to Theo’s; there was no someone else sees what I’ve been through moment and yet he couldn’t stop reading. He cared about this boy. He wanted him to get free.”
I received a copy of this book from St. Martin’s Press through
Edelweiss and NetGalley.
I thought this was going to be an obvious book telling me what I already know - that people are impacted differently by the books they read. However, I found this to be more . It’s about not just the impact of fictional stories, but about the inspiration for writing them, about how who we are as readers and how our life experiences influence how we feel about a novel.
Erica Bauermeister takes us into the lives of nine characters and it’s their life experiences that are front and center - emotional and heartbreaking in most of the cases. The common thread is the novel “Theo “ as it comes into their hands in various ways. Sometimes they connect with the novel because they can totally empathize and connect with Theo knowing his pain as their own , as does “The Diver”. Sometimes it’s the astute understanding that life’s “complicated” by a homeless young girl in “The Teenager”. These were my favorites along with “The Caretaker” about a grieving widower, who doesn’t read fiction, but is given the gift of seeing the book through his wife’s eyes.
The writer of the book within this book touched me with her inspiration, the love she had for her brother, the heartbreaking sadness of her dysfunctional family. I love knowing the author’s inspiration for a story. It makes it in many ways more meaningful to me. So of course, I was hoping to learn Bauermeister’s inspiration for this book. I was pleased that she reveals some of that in the Acknowledgments.
It’s easy to know and say that books affect people in different ways. But the reviews we write and the ratings we give don’t always reveal our deep connection as is reflected in these individual stories. This novel will make me wonder when I read a review what there might have been in someone’s life that made them love a story or not love a story or what about me that makes me love a story or not. I can’t quite give it a full 5 stars as with many collections, not every story is equal in impact, but I have to round up. I did appreciate that it’s the novel that is the thread that connects these characters, but also enjoyed the crossover of characters in a few of them, including the author of “Theo.”
I saw myself in these quotes and wanted to share them because I’m guessing many readers will see themselves as well:
“She had to know what happened. She had to know that the boy on the page, a young man now would be okay,”
“Something was coming. Nola could feel it. She wanted to stop reading, but she couldn’t, because she could tell that this was the moment that would rip the boy’s life into before and after….And Nola couldn’t stop reading because she couldn’t leave him there alone.”
“His life had no particular parallels to Theo’s; there was no someone else sees what I’ve been through moment and yet he couldn’t stop reading. He cared about this boy. He wanted him to get free.”
I received a copy of this book from St. Martin’s Press through
Edelweiss and NetGalley.
May 2, 2023
“No two persons ever read the same book, or saw the same picture”. - The Writings of Madame Swetchine, 1860.
What I loved about this unique story, is that it wasn’t necessarily a story from start to finish- but a story of ten different characters whose lives were all affected differently just by the writing and reading of one particular book called “Theo”.
We have ten characters, with one being Alice Wein, who is the writer of the book. We hear her story first, and from there her book gets written and the lands into the hands of Lara, Rowan, Miranda, Tyler, Nola, Kit, William, Juliet, and Madeline.
I loved reading about each of these characters and was so emotionally connected to each one. It amazes me the power that words can hold over people, especially in a book. Books touch each person so differently. Through this story we are able to see how one book was able to change just these few characters lives. It really makes you stop and think- especially when you are a book lover such as I am.
I also love the title of the book and the opening line that I used in this review. No Two Persons is fitting because no two persons ever read the same book. While I love this book and many others, there’s plenty of my book friends who probably won’t like this book as much as I do and they haven’t liked many others that I have liked and vice versa. This book was a true eye opener and I loved every page! I highly recommend reading this book!
I would like to thank NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and the author for an ARC of this fantastic book that I had the pleasure of reading and providing an honest review.
Publication date: May 2, 2023
Book available today: 5/2/23 🥳
What I loved about this unique story, is that it wasn’t necessarily a story from start to finish- but a story of ten different characters whose lives were all affected differently just by the writing and reading of one particular book called “Theo”.
We have ten characters, with one being Alice Wein, who is the writer of the book. We hear her story first, and from there her book gets written and the lands into the hands of Lara, Rowan, Miranda, Tyler, Nola, Kit, William, Juliet, and Madeline.
I loved reading about each of these characters and was so emotionally connected to each one. It amazes me the power that words can hold over people, especially in a book. Books touch each person so differently. Through this story we are able to see how one book was able to change just these few characters lives. It really makes you stop and think- especially when you are a book lover such as I am.
I also love the title of the book and the opening line that I used in this review. No Two Persons is fitting because no two persons ever read the same book. While I love this book and many others, there’s plenty of my book friends who probably won’t like this book as much as I do and they haven’t liked many others that I have liked and vice versa. This book was a true eye opener and I loved every page! I highly recommend reading this book!
I would like to thank NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and the author for an ARC of this fantastic book that I had the pleasure of reading and providing an honest review.
Publication date: May 2, 2023
Book available today: 5/2/23 🥳
April 29, 2023
Engaging book for book lovers that shows how one book can connect with different people in so many ways.
Alice knows that she wants to be a writer. She eventually is inspired to write the book Theo and that book reaches into the lives of many other people, affecting each of them significantly, and yet profoundly differently. Thus reflecting the title quote and theme of this novel, Edmund Wilson's words: No two persons ever read the same book.
As a book lover myself, I really resonated with these characters and how Alice's book touched their lives. I listened to this as an audiobook and the full cast performance was captivating. The characters came to life with the different narrators and I highly recommend the audio version.
Some of the stories definitely touched me more than others, but I think that is to be expected. This is a lovely, encouraging book that will draw readers to various characters and their stories depending on their own life situations.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
Alice knows that she wants to be a writer. She eventually is inspired to write the book Theo and that book reaches into the lives of many other people, affecting each of them significantly, and yet profoundly differently. Thus reflecting the title quote and theme of this novel, Edmund Wilson's words: No two persons ever read the same book.
As a book lover myself, I really resonated with these characters and how Alice's book touched their lives. I listened to this as an audiobook and the full cast performance was captivating. The characters came to life with the different narrators and I highly recommend the audio version.
Some of the stories definitely touched me more than others, but I think that is to be expected. This is a lovely, encouraging book that will draw readers to various characters and their stories depending on their own life situations.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
April 9, 2023
“Books are the plane, and the train, and the road. They are the destination, and the journey. They are home.”― Anna Quindlen, How Reading Changed My Life
It is true, no two persons reads the same book. We got into them with our own histories, our own points of view and are own interests. What one person loves, another may not. In this book, there is one book and it changes many lives. Alice has always wanted to be a writer. She has always written but it is only when something happens that she writes her debut novel titled "Theo". Her book will not only change her life but it will change the lives of nine readers who read it.
“No two persons ever read the same book.”- Edmund Wilson
This was a beautifully written book that tells the story of each person who reads Alice's book and the impact the book has on them. This is something that all book lovers can relate. We have all read a book that moved us, that spoke to us, that was there at the right time and felt as if it was written for you at that time in your life. There are beauty in the words and in the connections.
Each of the characters in this book have something going on in their lives. They are struggling and dealing with their individual issues. None of them read the same book when they find themselves reading "Theo"
I enjoyed and connected to the concept of this book. Very original, very moving and very well done.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
It is true, no two persons reads the same book. We got into them with our own histories, our own points of view and are own interests. What one person loves, another may not. In this book, there is one book and it changes many lives. Alice has always wanted to be a writer. She has always written but it is only when something happens that she writes her debut novel titled "Theo". Her book will not only change her life but it will change the lives of nine readers who read it.
“No two persons ever read the same book.”- Edmund Wilson
This was a beautifully written book that tells the story of each person who reads Alice's book and the impact the book has on them. This is something that all book lovers can relate. We have all read a book that moved us, that spoke to us, that was there at the right time and felt as if it was written for you at that time in your life. There are beauty in the words and in the connections.
Each of the characters in this book have something going on in their lives. They are struggling and dealing with their individual issues. None of them read the same book when they find themselves reading "Theo"
I enjoyed and connected to the concept of this book. Very original, very moving and very well done.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
January 24, 2023
No Two Persons is a very unique book. When I read the blurb, I knew I had to read it and was lucky enough to be granted an advanced review copy. I was captivated by the first chapter about young Alice and the book she was writing, and I knew I was onto something good. I subsequently became flummoxed as Alice wasn’t in chapter 2 or chapter 3. Where was she? I missed her! I then reread the blurb and was reminded that this book has many chapters, each with a different protagonist. The commonality amongst them is that they all read Alice’s book, and each one is profoundly affected in a starkly different way by what they read.
The various characters are all so different and each is beautifully written. There is a publisher, a manuscript reader looking for the next great novel, a bookstore employee, a free diver, an intimacy coordinator (who knew these existed?), an actor cum audiobook narrator, a woman who studies “leap seconds”, a widower who takes a job to oversee a ghost town in the dead of winter, an artist, a homeless teen girl. Each one is struggling. Each one in some way ends up with a copy of Alice’s book. Each one finds what they need to move on to a changed and better life. And the beauty of it? No two persons read the book in the same way.
This novel is intricate, far-reaching, full of depth, and inspiring. I loved the way the characters would at times come together in the different chapters. There is a poignant final chapter and an heart-warming epilogue with Alice. There is also an interesting Author’s Note that you don’t want to miss. Overall, I was very impressed with this book. I would even call it a masterpiece, and I rarely do that. I strongly recommend No Two Persons for all book lovers interested in a rewarding reading experience.
Thank you, Ms. Bauermeister. I will be following your work closely.
Thanks also to Net Galley and St. Martin’s Press for the advanced copy. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.
The various characters are all so different and each is beautifully written. There is a publisher, a manuscript reader looking for the next great novel, a bookstore employee, a free diver, an intimacy coordinator (who knew these existed?), an actor cum audiobook narrator, a woman who studies “leap seconds”, a widower who takes a job to oversee a ghost town in the dead of winter, an artist, a homeless teen girl. Each one is struggling. Each one in some way ends up with a copy of Alice’s book. Each one finds what they need to move on to a changed and better life. And the beauty of it? No two persons read the book in the same way.
This novel is intricate, far-reaching, full of depth, and inspiring. I loved the way the characters would at times come together in the different chapters. There is a poignant final chapter and an heart-warming epilogue with Alice. There is also an interesting Author’s Note that you don’t want to miss. Overall, I was very impressed with this book. I would even call it a masterpiece, and I rarely do that. I strongly recommend No Two Persons for all book lovers interested in a rewarding reading experience.
Thank you, Ms. Bauermeister. I will be following your work closely.
Thanks also to Net Galley and St. Martin’s Press for the advanced copy. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.
April 11, 2023
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This is a story about a book and the ten different people who read it and how it impacts them all differently over a ten-year period. It was profound how the book uniquely moved each of the readers. This was such a beautiful story and I loved the fact each character is connected to each other, and the book, in some small way. I loved getting to know each character and how the book touched their life in a multitude of ways.
As an avid reader, the book spoke to me. The premise was such an intriguing one and was executed flawlessly. Every voice was clear and concise and the author did a wonderful job doing so. Do not let the long chapters fool you. I usually dislike long chapters but they work here and they flew by as I was absorbed into each story giving the reader an in-depth look into each individual character. The writing is lyrical in a simplistic way that flows beautifully and before you know it, it is complete in a very satisfying way.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the Advance Readers Copy.
This is a story about a book and the ten different people who read it and how it impacts them all differently over a ten-year period. It was profound how the book uniquely moved each of the readers. This was such a beautiful story and I loved the fact each character is connected to each other, and the book, in some small way. I loved getting to know each character and how the book touched their life in a multitude of ways.
As an avid reader, the book spoke to me. The premise was such an intriguing one and was executed flawlessly. Every voice was clear and concise and the author did a wonderful job doing so. Do not let the long chapters fool you. I usually dislike long chapters but they work here and they flew by as I was absorbed into each story giving the reader an in-depth look into each individual character. The writing is lyrical in a simplistic way that flows beautifully and before you know it, it is complete in a very satisfying way.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the Advance Readers Copy.
January 25, 2023
’No two persons ever read the same book, or saw the same pictures.’ - THE WRITINGS OF MADAME SWETCHINE, 1860
This begins in Maine, 2010, as Alice is somewhere in the stages of writing a book, one that she’s been writing for over five years. Many changes in the story have taken place since she wrote that first line, as though the book was the creator, writing the story itself. She is ‘barely twenty-five,’ young in years, perhaps, but with an old soul. A young woman who keeps mostly to herself, avoiding people’s eyes, as if she thought they could read her thoughts. When she was younger, an author came to her class and told them that when she was writing that she lived inside the world of the characters while she was writing their story. It was something that stayed with her, and she knew she wanted to create worlds of her own someday.
This story follows the lives of Alice, the book she writes, the people that it touches, and the way that it affects them. Each one seems profoundly impacted by the story, although each are in different stages of their lives, have different struggles or personal emotional or physical pain they face. Somehow reading this book changes how they view their lives, and how they could have done, or could do, something different.
A beautiful story that literally brought tears to my eyes, and reminded me of the importance of books in our lives, and the power of stories.
Pub Date: 02 May 2023
Many thanks for the ARC provided by St. Martin’s Press
July 3, 2023
This is the Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club July 2023 selection and a 2023 Summer Reading Guide Minimalist Pick.
“No two persons ever read the same book, or saw the same picture.” These words frame the story for Bauermeister’s new novel in linked short stories about how a debut novel changes the lives of eleven people. First we meet Alice, an aspiring writer who struggles for years before finally completing her novel Theo. Then we meet the publisher’s assistant who plucks it from the slush pile, the out-of-work actor chosen to narrate the audiobook (perhaps my favorite story), the teenager who finds the book while she hides her homelessness, and more readers who subsequently stumble upon it at just the right time. A testament to the invisible threads that tie us together, and the power of books and reading.
“No two persons ever read the same book, or saw the same picture.” These words frame the story for Bauermeister’s new novel in linked short stories about how a debut novel changes the lives of eleven people. First we meet Alice, an aspiring writer who struggles for years before finally completing her novel Theo. Then we meet the publisher’s assistant who plucks it from the slush pile, the out-of-work actor chosen to narrate the audiobook (perhaps my favorite story), the teenager who finds the book while she hides her homelessness, and more readers who subsequently stumble upon it at just the right time. A testament to the invisible threads that tie us together, and the power of books and reading.
May 5, 2023
Well. This was a very solid 4 stars all along, until I got to the end. The last story, "The Agent" sent it soaring up to 5 and the epilogue only reinforced that feeling. It left me in the classic "I love this book so much" pose, with the book in my lap and me staring at the wall for a few minutes.
This is a book about the readers of a book titled "Theo". The first chapter is about the author writing the book, and succeeding chapters are short stories about the people who read the book (or dont) and how it affects them. Put like that, it doesn't sound too interesting, but that's just part of the whole, because it's really about connections, in a Six Degrees of Separation kind of way. How books give us what we need when we need it sometimes, how one book can lead to another, can help us understand the world, deal with grief or confusion, make us better people. Yes, that's a lot for one book to do, but we all read different versions of a book because of who we are or where we are in our lives.
"Picking up a book was a decision: I'm going to go away. The exciting possibility: I may not come back the same." Exactly.
This book made me think of one of my favorite books, Howard's End, and Forster's insistence to "only connect". That's why we read, to connect with authors and characters and words on a page. It made me think of Kent Haruf and Wendell Berry, not because of similarities in style or substance, but because we feel so connected to their world when we read them. Bauermeister gets that, and her way of connecting these stories and characters to each other in unknown ways is nothing short of brilliant.
Heartily recommended to book lovers everywhere.
This is a book about the readers of a book titled "Theo". The first chapter is about the author writing the book, and succeeding chapters are short stories about the people who read the book (or dont) and how it affects them. Put like that, it doesn't sound too interesting, but that's just part of the whole, because it's really about connections, in a Six Degrees of Separation kind of way. How books give us what we need when we need it sometimes, how one book can lead to another, can help us understand the world, deal with grief or confusion, make us better people. Yes, that's a lot for one book to do, but we all read different versions of a book because of who we are or where we are in our lives.
"Picking up a book was a decision: I'm going to go away. The exciting possibility: I may not come back the same." Exactly.
This book made me think of one of my favorite books, Howard's End, and Forster's insistence to "only connect". That's why we read, to connect with authors and characters and words on a page. It made me think of Kent Haruf and Wendell Berry, not because of similarities in style or substance, but because we feel so connected to their world when we read them. Bauermeister gets that, and her way of connecting these stories and characters to each other in unknown ways is nothing short of brilliant.
Heartily recommended to book lovers everywhere.
May 8, 2023
3.5 There is a book for every reader but every reader won't feel the same about any given book. I'm sure like myself you've read a book given four or five stars by your friends and wondered whether you were reading the same book. This book highlights how the same book was received by different readers. A book written by a young woman who wanted to create a new and different world for her brother.
We meet many different readers and read their stories on the effect this book had. As with books of short stories I thought some were more developed than others. In many cases I felt I didn't get enough to form an attachment. I did though, admire the premise of the book, and liked that some of the characters walked through scenes of others.
I did enjoy the narration though I couldn't help but wonder if I would have connected better with the written word.
We meet many different readers and read their stories on the effect this book had. As with books of short stories I thought some were more developed than others. In many cases I felt I didn't get enough to form an attachment. I did though, admire the premise of the book, and liked that some of the characters walked through scenes of others.
I did enjoy the narration though I couldn't help but wonder if I would have connected better with the written word.
May 15, 2023
I loved No Two Persons, a story about how one writer’s words, through her debut novel, impacts 9 different readers. We follow the story of a book’s inception, its publication, and its impact on readers, near and far, across multiple years. I enjoyed some of the stories a little more than others, but still really enjoyed them all, together creating a very worthwhile journey.
“She also didn’t think about it because she actually was reading, and it was magical, leaving her life for an hour, going someplace else.”
The writing is excellent, there are so many things throughout this book that will resonate with readers. No Two Persons encompasses part of what I love so much about reading – That one book can be “the” book for some readers and every reader can take away something different from the same story, that’s not “the same” story for everyone. This was my first book by Erica Bauermeister and I can’t wait to read more of her work.
“She also didn’t think about it because she actually was reading, and it was magical, leaving her life for an hour, going someplace else.”
The writing is excellent, there are so many things throughout this book that will resonate with readers. No Two Persons encompasses part of what I love so much about reading – That one book can be “the” book for some readers and every reader can take away something different from the same story, that’s not “the same” story for everyone. This was my first book by Erica Bauermeister and I can’t wait to read more of her work.
June 7, 2023
Ahhhhhh, there’s nothing quite like a book so obviously written for readers. And what better subject matter could there be than a book about a book? This composite novel allows you to experience Theo from the eyes of The Writer, The Assistant, The Actor, The Artist, The Diver, The Teenager, The Bookseller, The Caretaker, The Coordinator and The Agent. It’s certainly one of the best things to have come out of the pandemic and since I was late to this party and did not have an advanced copy, I am allowed to let the book do the rest of the talking . . . .
Your first read of an extraordinary book is something you can only experience once.
Getting an advance copy felt like someone telling him a secret while still holding a finger to their lips. The experience made more exciting by its exclusivity.
He could feel the story, opening inside him.
Her mother used to tell her that books were like a giant neighborhood where every family was different, and every door was open.
No matter how good a book is, someone will hate it, and they’re likely to tell you. But as long as that book is only in your head, it is still perfect.
Highly Recommended.
May 3, 2023
Happy Publication Day to this great book!
Sometimes I read out of my genre comfort zones (horror and thriller) and am so glad I did. This is one of those times! I have all the warm fuzzies you get after reading a well-written book with a compelling storyline and believable characters you want to pull out of the pages and hug. This book had it all.
The premise is the many people's lives a book touches once it leaves the author's hands. No two people will receive the story in the same way. Each person pulls from the story what they need at the time they are reading it. Several characters' lives were touched throughout the book, as was mine. I'm adding this to my list of books I'd love to read again at some point just to revisit with the characters.
No Two Persons earned five brilliant stars from me!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Sometimes I read out of my genre comfort zones (horror and thriller) and am so glad I did. This is one of those times! I have all the warm fuzzies you get after reading a well-written book with a compelling storyline and believable characters you want to pull out of the pages and hug. This book had it all.
The premise is the many people's lives a book touches once it leaves the author's hands. No two people will receive the story in the same way. Each person pulls from the story what they need at the time they are reading it. Several characters' lives were touched throughout the book, as was mine. I'm adding this to my list of books I'd love to read again at some point just to revisit with the characters.
No Two Persons earned five brilliant stars from me!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 3, 2023
4.5 stars rounded down. “Books speak to specific people for specific reasons, and it has everything to do with where they are in their lives". Very well done story about Alice, who finally gets her novel (“Theo") published due to her opening words & some of the readers whose lives it affected. Really loved the format, how each chapter was almost its own short story - easy to read & so very clever! Loved how their stories met in natural ways also. This is a very character-driven & nuanced read & enjoyed how different & moving it is!
January 2, 2023
We’ve all heard stories of how books have changed people’s lives, whisking them away from horrible life situations, providing insight, and hope – in some cases, charting new paths or even saving lives.
Over the years, as I’ve considered my own relationship with books – which have sustained, entertained and educated me – I’ve often thought, a bit wistfully, that my book experiences haven’t been that grandiose.
But this wonderful novel made me think again. Books (even the audio variety) impact us in so many different ways, and I am a better person for having had them as companions for so many years. I know this. This is the power of story. They’ve stretched me, opened my eyes to new ways of thinking, moved me to tears, angered me – brought out emotion that leads to empathy. This book illustrates so many unexpected ways – subtle and not so subtle – that books can touch us (many that I’d not considered).
Readers and writers, alike (anyone who loves words and that special relationship that comes only with reading a good book)… you will adore this novel. It was the absolute best way for me to start the year: with a love story about reading and the glorious and lasting power of words.
The author does an incredible job of threading these characters together in the end, as well – and introduces readers to some fascinating job occupations. I thoroughly enjoyed the literary metaphors that applied to life in all of its messy glory. I’d love to hear if others had the same metaphorical take I did on the last scene!
A few wonderful tidbits:
His idea of a nap was a semicolon at best, never a full stop; a paragraph break.
Oh god, Nola thought. All those fictional lives she had opened herself to, taking on their experiences, their emotions, like the good octopus she was – and the one story she had refused was her mother’s.
“At some point, it’s written down, and that’s the book readers hold in their hands. But the story isn’t done, because it goes on to live in the readers’ heads, in a way that’s particular to each of them. We’re all caretakers of the stories, Alice. Writers are just the lucky ones that get to know them first.”
P.S. As I analyzed my relationship with books, it was fun to think back to those Scholastic take-home, newspapery order forms in elementary school (and my parents’ unending support to “buy WHATEVER you want.”) It was delightful to think about my reaction to Beverly Cleary’s books – and my JOY when she wrote back to me in the third grade. Perhaps those early influences with her books painted my career in the writing field? I know my reading experiences, now, continue to nurture understanding and hope.
Special thanks to St. Martin’s Press, First Reads and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
Over the years, as I’ve considered my own relationship with books – which have sustained, entertained and educated me – I’ve often thought, a bit wistfully, that my book experiences haven’t been that grandiose.
But this wonderful novel made me think again. Books (even the audio variety) impact us in so many different ways, and I am a better person for having had them as companions for so many years. I know this. This is the power of story. They’ve stretched me, opened my eyes to new ways of thinking, moved me to tears, angered me – brought out emotion that leads to empathy. This book illustrates so many unexpected ways – subtle and not so subtle – that books can touch us (many that I’d not considered).
Readers and writers, alike (anyone who loves words and that special relationship that comes only with reading a good book)… you will adore this novel. It was the absolute best way for me to start the year: with a love story about reading and the glorious and lasting power of words.
The author does an incredible job of threading these characters together in the end, as well – and introduces readers to some fascinating job occupations. I thoroughly enjoyed the literary metaphors that applied to life in all of its messy glory. I’d love to hear if others had the same metaphorical take I did on the last scene!
A few wonderful tidbits:
His idea of a nap was a semicolon at best, never a full stop; a paragraph break.
Oh god, Nola thought. All those fictional lives she had opened herself to, taking on their experiences, their emotions, like the good octopus she was – and the one story she had refused was her mother’s.
“At some point, it’s written down, and that’s the book readers hold in their hands. But the story isn’t done, because it goes on to live in the readers’ heads, in a way that’s particular to each of them. We’re all caretakers of the stories, Alice. Writers are just the lucky ones that get to know them first.”
P.S. As I analyzed my relationship with books, it was fun to think back to those Scholastic take-home, newspapery order forms in elementary school (and my parents’ unending support to “buy WHATEVER you want.”) It was delightful to think about my reaction to Beverly Cleary’s books – and my JOY when she wrote back to me in the third grade. Perhaps those early influences with her books painted my career in the writing field? I know my reading experiences, now, continue to nurture understanding and hope.
Special thanks to St. Martin’s Press, First Reads and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
May 5, 2023
The unique interesting format—began to wear thin with me after awhile.
There was some decent storytelling in ‘parts’
but I found the writing to be very basic — not too much depth —- the freshness was in the structure (flaws with it too though), but not in the stories IMO.
It may be me — I’m caught between a rock and a hard place.
I’ve outgrown many of the new release books — yet I may not be ready for more abstract advance reading.
As Shel Silverstein said, “I’m looking for my missing piece”.
3 - 3.5 rating — not awful - just not ecstatic either.
There was some decent storytelling in ‘parts’
but I found the writing to be very basic — not too much depth —- the freshness was in the structure (flaws with it too though), but not in the stories IMO.
It may be me — I’m caught between a rock and a hard place.
I’ve outgrown many of the new release books — yet I may not be ready for more abstract advance reading.
As Shel Silverstein said, “I’m looking for my missing piece”.
3 - 3.5 rating — not awful - just not ecstatic either.
March 29, 2023
Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for access to this title. All opinions expressed are my own.
As the story begins, a young woman("the writer") sets out to write a novel. In the subsequent chapters we meet different people from different walks of life that encounter the book over different time periods. They are the assistant, agent, actor, artist, teenager, diver, bookseller, caretaker, and coordinator.
It's a fairly straightforward storyline but I have an inkling that it's not going to be one of the books that stick out in my year end review. I didn't really feel connected to any of the characters in particular,but I did appreciate the insightful look at the book publishing world. Those were my favorite parts of the novel.
The title is inspired by the 19th century quote by Edmund Wilson No two persons ever read the same book.” Unlike many of my fellow reviewers, it didn't quite move emotional mountains or stir my reader's soul. It's just a nice book.
Expected Publication Date 02/05/23
Goodreads Review Published 28/03/23
As the story begins, a young woman("the writer") sets out to write a novel. In the subsequent chapters we meet different people from different walks of life that encounter the book over different time periods. They are the assistant, agent, actor, artist, teenager, diver, bookseller, caretaker, and coordinator.
It's a fairly straightforward storyline but I have an inkling that it's not going to be one of the books that stick out in my year end review. I didn't really feel connected to any of the characters in particular,but I did appreciate the insightful look at the book publishing world. Those were my favorite parts of the novel.
The title is inspired by the 19th century quote by Edmund Wilson No two persons ever read the same book.” Unlike many of my fellow reviewers, it didn't quite move emotional mountains or stir my reader's soul. It's just a nice book.
Expected Publication Date 02/05/23
Goodreads Review Published 28/03/23
June 7, 2023
Just a brief note…
5 stars because I absolutely loved the writing. It was immensely satisfying.
I could feel the author’s passion.
I could hear her heartbeat.
In this book, through a collection of short stories, the author explores the impact one book can have on numerous readers. Here the characters have only one thing in common: a single book.
The stories starts in 2010 and finishes in 2019.
Is not that kind of a book where you will love all the characters or meet memorable ones.
Also, there is a lot of sadness within the pages. Fortunately I love drama.
And I was completely enthralled by its simplicity and its structure.
July 21, 2022
This review will be short only because Bauermeister's book left me speechless:
"As perfect a depiction of the power of story as one could ever find, or need."
"As perfect a depiction of the power of story as one could ever find, or need."
March 11, 2023
A book about a book, for book lovers and everyone else. I adore books that are creatively crafted, and this is definitely one of them. There are several things that I loved most about this book:
1. It has such an ingenious plot. Each chapter is a story about a different person, and a book called Theo is weaved into all the different character's lives.
2. Each chapter is cleverly thought out and executed. At first, I couldn't figure out why the chapters were dated, but everything eventually became clear as the story unfolded.
3. The writing contained so much depth of feeling. It felt like each chapter was saying, "Hi! Do you want to hear my story?" And I most certainly did!
Finally, this novel demonstrates how the right book will ultimately reach out to the right person at the right time and what a great impact books can have on our lives. It was most definitely the right book for me!
My sincere thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for giving me the opportunity to read a digital ARC of this book. Pub date: May 2, 2023.
1. It has such an ingenious plot. Each chapter is a story about a different person, and a book called Theo is weaved into all the different character's lives.
2. Each chapter is cleverly thought out and executed. At first, I couldn't figure out why the chapters were dated, but everything eventually became clear as the story unfolded.
3. The writing contained so much depth of feeling. It felt like each chapter was saying, "Hi! Do you want to hear my story?" And I most certainly did!
Finally, this novel demonstrates how the right book will ultimately reach out to the right person at the right time and what a great impact books can have on our lives. It was most definitely the right book for me!
My sincere thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for giving me the opportunity to read a digital ARC of this book. Pub date: May 2, 2023.
July 3, 2023
4.5 🔖🔖🔖🔖
“Books spoke to specific people for specific reasons, and it had everything to do with where they were in their lives.”
Where I’ve been lately? Slumplandia. It’s a horrible place. Highly not recommended. Books don’t speak to you there.
Then along came this treasure trove of words on paper. I don’t know if I’m back to normal but this gave me respite and hope I’m not a lost cause. This book gets me; gets us. I’d be very surprised if you don’t find yourself in the pages having some moments.
“But no, he would not listen to the book, because something told Juliet that he wouldn’t get what she was getting out of it, and his not getting it would absolutely wreck hers.
Picking up a book was a decision: I’m going to go away. The exciting possibility: I may not come back the same.
It was a quiet ending…leaving Juliet in the darkened bedroom, not wanting it to be over, wondering what to do next.
All she wanted was to be in that story, with that voice, and never leave. Maybe she should go back to the beginning, start again.”
“Books spoke to specific people for specific reasons, and it had everything to do with where they were in their lives.”
Where I’ve been lately? Slumplandia. It’s a horrible place. Highly not recommended. Books don’t speak to you there.
Then along came this treasure trove of words on paper. I don’t know if I’m back to normal but this gave me respite and hope I’m not a lost cause. This book gets me; gets us. I’d be very surprised if you don’t find yourself in the pages having some moments.
“But no, he would not listen to the book, because something told Juliet that he wouldn’t get what she was getting out of it, and his not getting it would absolutely wreck hers.
Picking up a book was a decision: I’m going to go away. The exciting possibility: I may not come back the same.
It was a quiet ending…leaving Juliet in the darkened bedroom, not wanting it to be over, wondering what to do next.
All she wanted was to be in that story, with that voice, and never leave. Maybe she should go back to the beginning, start again.”
June 20, 2023
The book is a collection of linked stories. The first one features a young woman named Alice Wein and the novel she creates. It is inspired by her love for her older brother and is entitled "Theo".
From then on, "Theo" has a life of its own. "Theo" appears in each successive short story in fascinating ways. The characters all regard it differently. For example, Rowan is a handsome actor in Hollywood who plays leading male roles. His career gets derailed when he develops a noticeable skin ailment. After a period of depression, Rowan realizes that he can use his acting talent in narrating audio books. "Theo" is one of the books he narrates.
My favorite story concerns a homeless teenage girl named Nola. She is living in a gardening shed on the grounds of her high school. "Theo" has a special meaning to her, also. There is a surprise concerning her English teacher and the school's grounds keeper which touched me. Nola learns that she has more in common with them than she thought.
In a different story, an artist fashions a life-sized statue, using recycled household items and hardware. Impulsively, she tears out the pages of a book to adorn the statue with wings. The book is "Theo" - a gift from her mother which she has not read.
I enjoyed reading about how Alice Wein's novel took flight. The real author behind it all is Erica Bauermeister. Thanks Ms. B., for an entertaining and imaginative read!
Note to other readers: I was confused at first while reading the book. The chapters are traditional looking, with no indication that these are separate stories. The stories often have no link to each other, except for the novel "Theo". Every so often, a character will appear in more than one story.
From then on, "Theo" has a life of its own. "Theo" appears in each successive short story in fascinating ways. The characters all regard it differently. For example, Rowan is a handsome actor in Hollywood who plays leading male roles. His career gets derailed when he develops a noticeable skin ailment. After a period of depression, Rowan realizes that he can use his acting talent in narrating audio books. "Theo" is one of the books he narrates.
My favorite story concerns a homeless teenage girl named Nola. She is living in a gardening shed on the grounds of her high school. "Theo" has a special meaning to her, also. There is a surprise concerning her English teacher and the school's grounds keeper which touched me. Nola learns that she has more in common with them than she thought.
In a different story, an artist fashions a life-sized statue, using recycled household items and hardware. Impulsively, she tears out the pages of a book to adorn the statue with wings. The book is "Theo" - a gift from her mother which she has not read.
I enjoyed reading about how Alice Wein's novel took flight. The real author behind it all is Erica Bauermeister. Thanks Ms. B., for an entertaining and imaginative read!
Note to other readers: I was confused at first while reading the book. The chapters are traditional looking, with no indication that these are separate stories. The stories often have no link to each other, except for the novel "Theo". Every so often, a character will appear in more than one story.
July 3, 2023
No Two Persons was like nothing I'd read before, while not being in any way gimmicky or experimental.
To be honest, when I heard that this was about the power of a book and how it affects people differently, I was slightly apprehensive, because, duh - for avid readers this is not a new revelation. I also feared that this was going to be one of those spiritualish (made-up word), trying hard to touch us (I won't provide examples ;-) and to be inspirational by pulling at our heartstrings in the most obvious and melodramatic ways. This couldn't be further from those types of books. Baurmeister's writing was perfect, nuanced, elegant in a restrained but also expansive way, with no superfluous words and no extraneous commas, managing to convey so much without blasting the reader with big words or shocking revelations.
No Two Persons is made up of loosely interconnected short stories, the link being Theo - the debut novel of a young, recluse writer named Alice Wein. After years of writing and editing, Theo gets published.
In each subsequent chapter, we meet different characters at different stages of their life when they come into contact with this book. I found each character and their story compelling.
Upon finishing this book I was left feeling in awe and I exclaimed: This is why I read!
This goes straight on my list of favourite reads of 2023.
To be honest, when I heard that this was about the power of a book and how it affects people differently, I was slightly apprehensive, because, duh - for avid readers this is not a new revelation. I also feared that this was going to be one of those spiritualish (made-up word), trying hard to touch us (I won't provide examples ;-) and to be inspirational by pulling at our heartstrings in the most obvious and melodramatic ways. This couldn't be further from those types of books. Baurmeister's writing was perfect, nuanced, elegant in a restrained but also expansive way, with no superfluous words and no extraneous commas, managing to convey so much without blasting the reader with big words or shocking revelations.
No Two Persons is made up of loosely interconnected short stories, the link being Theo - the debut novel of a young, recluse writer named Alice Wein. After years of writing and editing, Theo gets published.
In each subsequent chapter, we meet different characters at different stages of their life when they come into contact with this book. I found each character and their story compelling.
Upon finishing this book I was left feeling in awe and I exclaimed: This is why I read!
This goes straight on my list of favourite reads of 2023.
May 13, 2023
✰ 4.25 stars ✰
“I think each story has its own life. In the beginning, it lives in the writer’s mind, and it grows and changes while it’s there. Changes the writer, too, I’d bet. At some point it’s written down, and that’s the book readers hold in their hands. But the story isn’t done, because it goes on to live in the readers’ minds, in a way that’s particular to each of them.
We’re all caretakers of the stories, Alice. Writers are just the lucky ones that get to know them first.”
It is a universal truth that No Two Persons can read the same book and share the same experiences - feel the same way - connect with the book as the other may have. And in her latest book, Erica Bauermeister showed how over the span of a decade, one debut novel 'Theo' affected so many different individuals, scattered throughout the United States at a different time or place, but were still connected with the feelings and life moments they experienced when their paths crossed with this book and it changed their lives - for the better, even if it was not intended.
“It was astonishing, Lara thought, the sheer outpouring of human desire. The need to record, to create, to be acknowledged. Read me read me read me.”
I won't go into details about each character, because each character was so incredibly different than the other, that it would be almost impossible that their paths would ever cross with Theo. But, somehow, they did - and Erica showed it in such a tender and beautiful way, yet it was believably so. I loved how throughout the years there were such subtle hints - brief allusions to how each character was related to the other - how they left their indelible mark in that person's life - blink and you would miss it - simply because their journey in life changed by this one book.
And it wasn't only by just reading it for the first time or glancing at it - how she varied each instance, how it wasn't just the content of the book that affected their lives, but what it gave them pause to think about their lives and how it resonated with them that made it such an enjoyable read. Each character's struggle was unique - each interpretation of their emotional exploration with the book resonated with me - some more than others - just seeing how the power of words can affect everyone so differently.
Whether you're an artist who scoffs at the notion that 'wandering is a gift given only to the lost' when in fact you know in your heart that art '...could take a while. You might have to wander, but that didn’t mean you were lost' or a grieving widower who can still feel his wife's presence from the little footnotes, little highlights she left in her copy of a book, because now 'her words in his head now reminders, not explorations', or a bookstore employee who felt shamed by his successful family constantly reminded him that 'you could do so much more with your life.
When in fact, he was doing exactly what he wanted,', or an abandoned child, whose last lingering connection to their absentee mother was when '...her mother used to tell her that books were like a giant neighborhood where every family was different, and every door was open' or even a first-time author, who can't understand why her older brother had to die and for her to accept it - to move on from it, she had to put her feelings into words ---
“She would do it for him, to lure him back—crater out her past, her emotions, her thoughts. Sometimes what she wrote felt more real than truth. But maybe that’s what writing was, in the end—a way to get to the bedrock, the oxygen. To search out the possible. What humans are willing to do to, and for, each other.”
And while this was a beautifully written read, there were still a few points which I felt the author could have shown, to truly show the magnitude of how special Alice Wein's writing could have been. I would have liked to have seen more insight into the actual story behind Theo. Through each character's eyes, we're only offered sparse snippets and details and brief details of the actual plot. Perhaps, it was intentional - so the reader will be led to believe how profoundly impactful this book and that young boy's story was - with only these fleeting glimpses into Theo's life. But, I think it would have been interesting to even have an Interlude chapter where we could have had a little bit of Theo, ourselves - to see what was so unique and special about Alice's story.
My second point which weighed on me was that all the characters had difficulties - pasts that weren't entirely peaceful or happy or had issues in their lives they were hoping to change. It would have been interesting to see what Theo could have meant to someone that was actually happy and content in their lives - with no problems to solve or relationships that suffered because of their personal issues. To see what they would think of it - how it would related to them or how their lives could be impacted by it - that would have been something worth showing, in my opinion.
“Everyone has a book inside them.”
And what I walked away with from reading this particular book I appreciated how much appreciation there is for books. 📚 As readers, we all read books through a different light - from our point of view. Some of us can love the lights out of a book, while some of us might not even finish that book. But we are still somehow connected to each other - if not a tangible one, but a palpable one - with the experience we shared when we read books. And how we each create our own stories - our own moments of memories - whether we laugh or cry, ridicule or scorn, cheer or lament - a reading experience will never be the same for any one person - we all bring something of our own to each story.
“Books spoke to specific people for specific reasons, and it had everything to do with where they were in their lives.”
But, what made feeling embraced me the most while reading? It was the sheer happiness and profound gratitude that I fully realized that I love reading books. 😊 That I can actually experience so many different tales, get invited into so many various lives, witness so many wonderful moments and share in so many precious memories - let characters into my heart, into my life - simply by reading.
The feelings that envelope me when I pick up a specific book from my bookshelf - the memory that floats back into me for a book - some so special that I literally remember the day I bought it - from which bookstore - the happiness of just holding it - that joy is irreplaceable - that feeling inexorable. I wouldn't trade that for anything. 🩷🩷
“What is a story if we don’t tell it?” Professor Roberts asked.
A secret, she thought. And Alice knew what a secret could do to you.”
“I think each story has its own life. In the beginning, it lives in the writer’s mind, and it grows and changes while it’s there. Changes the writer, too, I’d bet. At some point it’s written down, and that’s the book readers hold in their hands. But the story isn’t done, because it goes on to live in the readers’ minds, in a way that’s particular to each of them.
We’re all caretakers of the stories, Alice. Writers are just the lucky ones that get to know them first.”
It is a universal truth that No Two Persons can read the same book and share the same experiences - feel the same way - connect with the book as the other may have. And in her latest book, Erica Bauermeister showed how over the span of a decade, one debut novel 'Theo' affected so many different individuals, scattered throughout the United States at a different time or place, but were still connected with the feelings and life moments they experienced when their paths crossed with this book and it changed their lives - for the better, even if it was not intended.
“It was astonishing, Lara thought, the sheer outpouring of human desire. The need to record, to create, to be acknowledged. Read me read me read me.”
I won't go into details about each character, because each character was so incredibly different than the other, that it would be almost impossible that their paths would ever cross with Theo. But, somehow, they did - and Erica showed it in such a tender and beautiful way, yet it was believably so. I loved how throughout the years there were such subtle hints - brief allusions to how each character was related to the other - how they left their indelible mark in that person's life - blink and you would miss it - simply because their journey in life changed by this one book.
And it wasn't only by just reading it for the first time or glancing at it - how she varied each instance, how it wasn't just the content of the book that affected their lives, but what it gave them pause to think about their lives and how it resonated with them that made it such an enjoyable read. Each character's struggle was unique - each interpretation of their emotional exploration with the book resonated with me - some more than others - just seeing how the power of words can affect everyone so differently.
Whether you're an artist who scoffs at the notion that 'wandering is a gift given only to the lost' when in fact you know in your heart that art '...could take a while. You might have to wander, but that didn’t mean you were lost' or a grieving widower who can still feel his wife's presence from the little footnotes, little highlights she left in her copy of a book, because now 'her words in his head now reminders, not explorations', or a bookstore employee who felt shamed by his successful family constantly reminded him that 'you could do so much more with your life.
When in fact, he was doing exactly what he wanted,', or an abandoned child, whose last lingering connection to their absentee mother was when '...her mother used to tell her that books were like a giant neighborhood where every family was different, and every door was open' or even a first-time author, who can't understand why her older brother had to die and for her to accept it - to move on from it, she had to put her feelings into words ---
“She would do it for him, to lure him back—crater out her past, her emotions, her thoughts. Sometimes what she wrote felt more real than truth. But maybe that’s what writing was, in the end—a way to get to the bedrock, the oxygen. To search out the possible. What humans are willing to do to, and for, each other.”
And while this was a beautifully written read, there were still a few points which I felt the author could have shown, to truly show the magnitude of how special Alice Wein's writing could have been. I would have liked to have seen more insight into the actual story behind Theo. Through each character's eyes, we're only offered sparse snippets and details and brief details of the actual plot. Perhaps, it was intentional - so the reader will be led to believe how profoundly impactful this book and that young boy's story was - with only these fleeting glimpses into Theo's life. But, I think it would have been interesting to even have an Interlude chapter where we could have had a little bit of Theo, ourselves - to see what was so unique and special about Alice's story.
My second point which weighed on me was that all the characters had difficulties - pasts that weren't entirely peaceful or happy or had issues in their lives they were hoping to change. It would have been interesting to see what Theo could have meant to someone that was actually happy and content in their lives - with no problems to solve or relationships that suffered because of their personal issues. To see what they would think of it - how it would related to them or how their lives could be impacted by it - that would have been something worth showing, in my opinion.
“Everyone has a book inside them.”
And what I walked away with from reading this particular book I appreciated how much appreciation there is for books. 📚 As readers, we all read books through a different light - from our point of view. Some of us can love the lights out of a book, while some of us might not even finish that book. But we are still somehow connected to each other - if not a tangible one, but a palpable one - with the experience we shared when we read books. And how we each create our own stories - our own moments of memories - whether we laugh or cry, ridicule or scorn, cheer or lament - a reading experience will never be the same for any one person - we all bring something of our own to each story.
“Books spoke to specific people for specific reasons, and it had everything to do with where they were in their lives.”
But, what made feeling embraced me the most while reading? It was the sheer happiness and profound gratitude that I fully realized that I love reading books. 😊 That I can actually experience so many different tales, get invited into so many various lives, witness so many wonderful moments and share in so many precious memories - let characters into my heart, into my life - simply by reading.
The feelings that envelope me when I pick up a specific book from my bookshelf - the memory that floats back into me for a book - some so special that I literally remember the day I bought it - from which bookstore - the happiness of just holding it - that joy is irreplaceable - that feeling inexorable. I wouldn't trade that for anything. 🩷🩷
“What is a story if we don’t tell it?” Professor Roberts asked.
A secret, she thought. And Alice knew what a secret could do to you.”
September 16, 2023
With all the great reviews I was so disappointed I couldn’t get into this book.
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