Between Two Kingdoms: A Memoir of a Life Interrupted
Ratings44
Average rating4.4
This woman’s life is remarkable, especially considering all she has survived. It’s not an easy read in that the impact that a cancer diagnosis at 22 is devastating to her and her loved ones, but the book is well-written and brutally honest.
I knew it would be heavy, but I was not prepared. Johnny and his crush on Melissa. I cried when he passed. I loved reading about Will and Suleika's relationship. I'm kind of in love with Will at this point. Max and Suleika's friendship and his passing was really difficult to get through. I understand that these are real people, but Jaouad's storytelling is so great that at times if read like fiction. I loved the way certain memories weren't chronologically presented to give context to later memories. This is an excellent memoir.
I listened to the audiobook, which was beautifully read by the author. An honest, sometimes, heart wrenching and other times heart warming look at a woman's life struck unexpectedly by cancer in a time when things were starting to kick off. Suleika speaks of the mysterious symptoms, the long arduous battle with cancer and learning to adjust to the land of the well after she is in remission. This book really showed me how flawed and wonderful people can be.
A great story of triumph, perseverance, humility and fear. The writing was very good and surprisingly non-repetitive considering the nature of the book: sick, better, sicker, better, sick, sick, better, sick, better and better, then sick again.
Lots of lessons to learn from the author. Live in the moment seems to be the one that resonances with me.
This book was heartbreakingly brilliant. I love a good memoir, and this was a fantastic one. So blunt and honest, no sugarcoating, but ultimately so inspiring. Jaouad is someone I would love to have as a friend, and her story was beautifully told here.
This is a cross between Wild (Strayed) and When Breath Becomes Air (Kalanithi). I would have liked to give this book a five-star, but I wanted more of the journey following the illness. I felt she deserved her happy ending and wanted to celebrate with her along the way. The cover indicates that the memoir would be more about her trip, so maybe it was because of the expectations set.
Her battle with illness was inspiring! She is definitely a strong woman and I'm looking forward to her next memoir, hopefully about her life with her celebrity boyfriend :)
