Sujoya - theoverbookedbibliophile (recovering from an arm injury; on a short review-writing break)'s Reviews > No Two Persons
No Two Persons
by
“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.
by
Sujoya - theoverbookedbibliophile (recovering from an arm injury; on a short review-writing break)'s review
bookshelves: netgalley-arc, favorites, 2023-favorite-reads
Mar 29, 2023
bookshelves: netgalley-arc, favorites, 2023-favorite-reads
“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.
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Reading Progress
February 15, 2023
– Shelved
March 25, 2023
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Started Reading
March 29, 2023
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Finished Reading
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NILTON wrote: "What? How did I miss this great review? Well done, Sujoya! This one was also a 5 stars for me."
Thank you so much, Nilton!😊 I loved this book!
Thank you so much, Nilton!😊 I loved this book!
Incredible, insightful review, Sujoya! I read this in one sitting and so many of your thoughts echoed mine!
Karen wrote: "I absolutely did enjoy this book Sujoya. I think this will be my favorite book of the year! :)"
Glad that you loved this book too, Karen!😊 I apologize for my delayed response to your comment.
Glad that you loved this book too, Karen!😊 I apologize for my delayed response to your comment.
Donna wrote: "Incredible, insightful review, Sujoya! I read this in one sitting and so many of your thoughts echoed mine!"
Thank you so much, Donna!😊 I'm glad you also enjoyed this one! I apologize for my delayed response.
Thank you so much, Donna!😊 I'm glad you also enjoyed this one! I apologize for my delayed response.
Thank you for your kind words, Debbie! I'm so glad this book resonated with you too. "Magic" is the right word. Now I'm off to read your review!😊