No Two Persons by Erica Bauermeister is a love story between writers and readers and their love and special bond with books. Alice loved reading and it was her lifeline when her family life became unbearable. Alice knew that she always wanted to be a writer as books were her only form of escape. She can create imaginary worlds where she can be disconnected from reality, and where everything could turn out okay.
Alice found joy in writing and creating stories but her stories always seemed to have held something back. She never fully immersed herself in her writing so while her stories were descriptive and engaging, it always felt detached like she was a spectator. When a distressing event occurs, a dam of emotions bursts open and becomes filled with overwhelming emotions. Alice needed a place to collect herself and something to pour her thoughts and feelings into.
She decides to write a debut novel to express herself and to help navigate her feelings. When Alice finishes her novel, she is unsure if she should publish the story, because then the story would no longer just be hers. In the end, she decides to go for it and as her novel reaches the hands of readers, it changes and evolves as they read the book just as how Alice evolves and grows while she writes the book.
The novel starts with Alice’s story and her reason for writing. Then the book is narrated by different people who read her book and they describe how their lives changed after reading the book. I enjoyed reading about each different character and their life story. I was usually disappointed when one character’s chapter was over and the book would move on to another. I would be so attached to that character and would want to read more about them. While the characters were all flawed and were searching for something, they were relatable and highly engaging to me. It was nice seeing how the characters were trying to overcome a situation and become the best version of themselves.
I did get a bit overwhelmed with the amount of different character stories that were being introduced. I was trying to remember each story and figure out what link would connect them all. There is a link that does connect the characters that is revealed towards the end. However, I would recommend just sitting back and enjoying each unique character story. I did like that bits and pieces of Alice’s book are uncovered during each character chapter and it shows which part of the book resonated with that character the most.
As an avid reader this book was inspiring to see how books can change a person’s life and dreams along with the joy one gets from reading. It was also interesting to read how writers might feel about their stories being published. I always assumed that writers would enjoy having their stories told and they do but, once a story is published it’s no longer just theirs and every reader has its own bond and meaning attached to that story. The book was a dazzling and stunning read that would inspire budding writers and warm the hearts of fellow readers.
