After reading One Day In December I was absolutely hooked by Josie Silver. I was actually astonished the The Two Lives of Lydia Bird was available without a wait on Libby, so naturally I dove right in. If you’re looking for a good cry, I cannot recommend this book enough.

Summary

It’s Lydia Bird’s birthday and she has it all. Until she doesn’t. When her fiancé Freddie is killed in a car accident on the way to Lydia’s birthday dinner, her world is turned upside-down by grief. Following the accident, Lydia amazingly finds herself torn between two worlds- one where Freddie is alive and their life has gone on, and another where she must face life without him. Living two lives and keeping her own stories straight is exhausting, especially when those in reality are desperate for her to stay.

Why I picked this book:

I absolutely adored One Day In December and fell in love with Josie Silver’s writing. This type of tragic romance never fails to impress me, so I had very high hopes for The Two Lives of Lydia Bird.

Honest Review: (Spoilers Ahead!)

Preface: This is going to be a long review.

I started crying after the very first sentence. No joke. In the three days I spent reading this book, I could not wear mascara. That’s how much I was crying while reading and THINKING about this book. Imagine finding your person and expecting to have forever with them. The love you feel is inexplicable. You talk about your hopes and dreams, your fears and anxieties, your future. You plan. Together you fall into a deeper love that is unimaginable. And then they’re gone. Can you tell I’m crying over my keyboard right now?

Okay now for my actual thoughts.

As I read The Two Lives of Lydia Bird I obviously could not help but put myself in Lydia’s shoes. I am young and in love and truly believe I have found my person for life. Every small moment Lydia recalled, every little detail about Freddie she admired, I found myself thinking the same things about my person. I truly don’t know how I would ever move on from such a tragedy, and absolutely understand the pull that Lydia felt each time she took a pill and granted herself just a small bit of time with Freddie. There is no doubt I would do the same thing. I’m a hopeless romantic, what can I say.

I absolutely loved the way Josie Silver did not minimize Lydia’s grief. She kept it real and palpable, and I think she did a great job of addressing some of the happier moments outside of the grief, as well. I loved that Elle and Jonah had prominent places in Lydia’s life. And of course, I loved the way Silver wrote Freddie’s character, with the small exception that the alternate-universe-Freddie was a little bit unlikeable at the end. But in the context of what was happening in Lydia’s real world and her confusing relationship with Jonah, it definitely made sense. I’m glad Silver gave Freddie and Lydia some closure.

As much as I love Freddie, it was not surprising to me that Lydia ends up with Jonah. They were connected their whole lives. And, they loved Freddie fiercely in their own ways and grieved him immensely in their own ways. It made sense to have them spend the whole novel wading through that grief to come out on the other side and have each other. My only real complaint was Lydia’s whole “Eat, Pray, Love” moment where she hopped on a plane after quite literally delivering Elle’s child. I felt like this book was SO relatable in every way except for that one. But, I get it. That allowed Lydia to separate herself a bit while still experiencing the real world.

The Bookish Bronde Rating:

Everything about this book was perfection. I have never ever cried harder while reading a book. Josie Silver, please give me some warning before your next book comes out because I will need to mentally prepare my tear ducts!