The Two Lives of Lydia Bird Book Review
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This past weekend was so dreary. It was dark, chilly, and rainy. Gloomy with a capital G. After giving my house a thorough cleaning and reducing the height of my laundry pile by half, I treated myself to a bit of R and R.
I snuggled into bed early with Josie Silver’s sophomore novel, The Two Lives of Lydia Bird*. After reading One Day in December* earlier this year, I knew that I would instantly and without question read anything else Josie Silver penned.
Lydia Bird is a 20-something Brit engaged to her high school sweetheart, Freddie. Freddie, and their ever-present friend and third-wheel, Jonah, suffer a terrible car accident on their way to Lydia’s birthday dinner. While Jonah is spared, Freddie, unfortunately, perishes in the crash.
In the aftermath of Freddie’s death, Lydia finds herself unable to eat, sleep, or care for herself. Fifty-six days after Freddie’s accident, Lydia begrudgingly accepts sleep pills from her doctor and vows to try them. Sleep final comes and transports her to a dreamland where Freddie is still alive.
Elated to have found a parallel universe where her life is not in shambles, Lydia begins to pick up the pieces Freddie left behind. She leaves her house, she goes back to work, and she even tests the waters of mending her friendship with the grieving Jonah.
She moves through the real world with only one goal - to end her day and join Freddie back in her dreams. As Lydia begins to find herself - single for the first time in a decade, her relationship with the Freddie of her dreams begins to shift and change. As time moves on and her heart begins to heal, Lydia finds herself falling into the comforting arms of her long-time friend, Jonah.
Will Lydia choose real life or her dreams?
Where do I even start? I never…and I mean never…cry while reading. Not when Snape revealed he never stopped loving Lilly*. Not when Will Traynor* ultimately decides to go to Switzerland (but don’t get me started on the stream of tears I shed while watching the movie). Not even when Little Ann gives in to her grief by Old Dan’s grave*.
But I cried for Lydia. Perhaps it was the late hour or Josie Silver’s writing or how desperately real it feels to imagine losing the love of a lifetime at so young an age given our current climate. Whatever it was, I sobbed. And when I finally closed the book, those tears of sadness were replaced by tears of joy.
I went into this book expecting sweetness, love, and healing but got so much more. While this story is far from a full-on tear jerker, it is unexpectedly moving. and quietly profound. I am wholeheartedly looking forward to what see Josie Silver does next.
What books bring you to tears? Tell me all about it in the comments below!
