Between Two Kingdoms: A Memoir of a Life Interrupted
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- Create Date：2021-02-12 04:20:49
- Update Date：2025-09-06
- Status：finish
- Author：Suleika Jaouad
- ISBN：9780399588587
- Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle
Editor Reviews
★ 11/09/2020
New York Times columnist Jaouad （Life， Interrupted） makes a phenomenal debut with this big-hearted account of her devastating five-year battle with cancer。 Symptoms first surfaced just before her graduation from Princeton， and she moved to Paris unaware of the cancer ravaging her bone marrow。 After becoming ill， she returned to her family home in Saratoga， N。Y。， and was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia。 At 22， she wrote of the diagnosis， “I finally had an explanation for my itch， for my mouth sores， for my unraveling。 I wasn’t a hypochondriac， after all， making up symptoms。” During her treatment， which was documented in a series of blog posts and videos for the Times， she was bolstered by heartfelt letters from readers， including one from a man in Ohio who wrote， “Meaning is not found in the material realm。 Meaning is what’s left when everything else is stripped away。” As Jaouad’s cancer went into remission， she felt estranged as fellow cancer patient friends died and her longtime boyfriend left her。 Finally， a hundred-day road trip visiting those who wrote her letters guided her “to live again in the aftermath。” Every chapter ends with a cliffhanger， adding a surprising level of suspense to a work where the broader outcome isn’t in question。 This is a stunning memoir， well-crafted and hard to put down。 （Feb。）
Reviews
Aqswr
，
BETWEEN TWO KINGDOMS is a life-affirming memoir hidden within an odyssey of epic proportions lived by author Suleika Jaouad。 I could not put it down for long。 I found my self reflecting on parts of the book or looking up ideas and thoughts while reading it。 But the story engaged me like few memoirs ever do。 Jaouad wrote a column for the New York Times that I had found intriguing and I was eager to read this deeper dive。 She is fearless with her thoughts and willingness to express herself。 She was diagnosed with a severe cancer shortly after graduating college and spent four traumatic years struggling to get it under control。 Her epilogue suggests this may be a lifelong issue and how she manages the tension between health and illness will continue to frame her story。 But her story is so much more。 This is a fascinating and amazing quest for understanding in the face of fear。 She is an incredible writer。 I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley。
Susie Dumond
，
Suleika Jaouad was only twenty-two when her dreams of being a war correspondent were derailed by a leukemia diagnosis that led to three and a half years in and out of a cancer ward。 Once she was declared cancer free， she learned that the end of a fight against cancer was only the beginning of the healing process。 In this memoir， she follows her journey through cancer， as well as the cross-country road trip she took afterwards to meet with other survivors and strangers who helped her navigate pos Suleika Jaouad was only twenty-two when her dreams of being a war correspondent were derailed by a leukemia diagnosis that led to three and a half years in and out of a cancer ward。 Once she was declared cancer free， she learned that the end of a fight against cancer was only the beginning of the healing process。 In this memoir， she follows her journey through cancer， as well as the cross-country road trip she took afterwards to meet with other survivors and strangers who helped her navigate post-cancer life。Jaouad is an incredible writer， and this memoir is wonderfully crafted to share her life before， during， and after cancer。 She weaves in the stories of other people who impacted her life seamlessly， and balances terrible pain and tragedy with hope。 I especially appreciate how she complicates the traditional "I beat cancer， life is back to normal" narrative so often presented in cancer media。 Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review。 。。。more
Laura Peden
，
Imagine this: you’re a beautiful， intelligent & accomplished 22 year old woman， living abroad in Paris with your new love & you’re a recent Princeton graduate。。。and then you get news that shatters your life。。。。you have a rare form of acute myeloid leukemia 💔Suleika Jaouad is the daughter of a Tunisian-born French literature professor and a Swiss-born painter。 She was considering a career as a war correspondent when she has to head back home to New York to begin treatment。 Suleika takes you on he Imagine this: you’re a beautiful， intelligent & accomplished 22 year old woman， living abroad in Paris with your new love & you’re a recent Princeton graduate。。。and then you get news that shatters your life。。。。you have a rare form of acute myeloid leukemia 💔Suleika Jaouad is the daughter of a Tunisian-born French literature professor and a Swiss-born painter。 She was considering a career as a war correspondent when she has to head back home to New York to begin treatment。 Suleika takes you on her journey through the kingdom of the sick and the kingdom of the well （from a book by Susan Sontag）; how cancer affected all of her relationships， once those closest to her became her caregivers。 She miraculously beats the odds & is back in the kingdom of well， but finds herself lost to who she is and what she wants， after facing death’s door so many times。 I laughed & cried and completely binged this audiobook from start to finish。 I was so moved by her honest & beautiful words。 I didn’t know her partner was Jon Baptiste from Stephen Colbert！ They’re adorable。 The audiobook is read by the author （only the best memoirs are。。。） I can’t recommend this book enough。 Don’t miss it！！ 。。。more
Tracy
，
I really loved this book。 The author is just 22 years old， living in Paris， when she receives a devastating diagnosis。 The book is a memoir about her illness， the toll it takes on her， her family and her relationship as she is in treatment for the better part of three years。 It follows her in the year after her recovery and how she tries to re-enter the world of the healthy。 Between Two Kingdoms references the Kingdom of the Sick and the Kingdom of the Healthy。
Doreen Prentiss Gabriellini
，
Suleika Jaouad was only twenty-two years old when she diagnosed with an aggressive form of leukemia。Between two Kingdoms is her journey through life that encompasses her diagnosis， treatment， the impact of having cancer on her mental health， her finances， her relationships and her view of herself。 The second half of her journey is the redefinition of her new normal and being in remission。 I found the title of the book to be very interesting and spot on。 Between two Kingdoms is a line in a Susan Suleika Jaouad was only twenty-two years old when she diagnosed with an aggressive form of leukemia。Between two Kingdoms is her journey through life that encompasses her diagnosis， treatment， the impact of having cancer on her mental health， her finances， her relationships and her view of herself。 The second half of her journey is the redefinition of her new normal and being in remission。 I found the title of the book to be very interesting and spot on。 Between two Kingdoms is a line in a Susan Sontag’s book。 Metaphorically speaking Sontag says: "Everyone who is born holds dual citizenship， in the kingdom of the well and in the kingdom of the sick。 Although we all prefer to use only the good passport， sooner or later each of us is obliged， at least for a spell， to identify ourselves as citizens of that other place，" Yes， this is a memoir about illness but it goes further and tells the story of her remission and the author’s struggle to redefine herself and become a member in the ‘Kingdom of the Well’。 We all have known someone affected by cancer or at least read about it。 Very few of us understand the struggle of transitioning from being a cancer patient to creating a life after cancer。 The author goes from showing the reader how she struggles with creating a life after her illness。 The author states: "Though the word may suggest otherwise， recovery is not about salvaging the old at all。 It's about accepting that you must forsake a familiar self forever， in favor of one that is being newly born。 It is an act of brute， terrifying discovery。" The book is an off shoot of a column written by the author picked up by the New Yorker magazine entitled “life interrupted” which was written by the author。 This is a very powerful memoir。 The story emphasizes the courage and tenacity of the author。 There is sadness， love， faith， depression， anger and many more raw emotions on display here。 I feel the author does not shy away from describing those horrific moments during treatment and recovery。 I feel she was very brave to expose all this to world。 Hopefully this young woman’s life will serve as beacon to those who have this terrible disease and let them know they are not alone。 For those of us who are blessed to be healthy， the book will serve as an awakening to the story of a cancer patient and make us more humble。 This book leaves the reader with a strong awareness of the fragility of life。I would like to thank the author， Random House and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
Jenna
，
💫 Book Review 💫 𝐁𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐓𝐰𝐨 𝐊𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐝𝐨𝐦𝐬: 𝐀 𝐌𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐢𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐮𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐝 by: 𝘚𝘶𝘭𝘦𝘪𝘬𝘢 𝘑𝘢𝘰𝘶𝘢𝘥My first memoir of the year was brilliant。 It’s the journey of a young woman who gets diagnosed with a rare form of Leukaemia and fights her way through it。 The journey is full of what you can assume: tears， frustration， pain and some incredible other fighters she meets along the way。 It’s a positive story。。。 one of the strength we have within us and the people who kept her afloat along the way。I got to lis 💫 Book Review 💫 𝐁𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐓𝐰𝐨 𝐊𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐝𝐨𝐦𝐬: 𝐀 𝐌𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐢𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐮𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐝 by: 𝘚𝘶𝘭𝘦𝘪𝘬𝘢 𝘑𝘢𝘰𝘶𝘢𝘥My first memoir of the year was brilliant。 It’s the journey of a young woman who gets diagnosed with a rare form of Leukaemia and fights her way through it。 The journey is full of what you can assume: tears， frustration， pain and some incredible other fighters she meets along the way。 It’s a positive story。。。 one of the strength we have within us and the people who kept her afloat along the way。I got to listen to Elizabeth Gilbert interview Suleika this week as well （thank you @dawn） which made me adore her even more。 Thank you to @randomhouse and @netgalley for this gem of a memoir。 And to @suleika for being so raw with your pain and so conscious of your gratitude towards Will， your parents and the many other voices along the way。 It was triggering for me， in many ways， but mostly because it took me right back to being my MIL’s caregiver as she fought （𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘵） her battle with pancreatic cancer。 I felt “seen” and myself could understood the anger that while misplaced at times on a caregiver， is more about the fears coming from within。 𝘖𝘩， 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴。 💗 nurses are heros💗Listen to your body💗Donate blood if you can“𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐰𝐞 𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝” 。。。more
Erin Scholnick-Lee
，
I loved this book。 Her storytelling was like a long conversation。 I felt like we were sitting in her living room， on a great big sofa near an open fire， catching up on her last decade of life。 She’s a long lost friend。 We are all challenged during our lives。 She met an incredible challenge at a really young age。 Unlike a lot of other stories about illness， hers was not all about being in the hospital。 It was more about， her experience and those of her friends and family。 She learns a lot。 I did I loved this book。 Her storytelling was like a long conversation。 I felt like we were sitting in her living room， on a great big sofa near an open fire， catching up on her last decade of life。 She’s a long lost friend。 We are all challenged during our lives。 She met an incredible challenge at a really young age。 Unlike a lot of other stories about illness， hers was not all about being in the hospital。 It was more about， her experience and those of her friends and family。 She learns a lot。 I did too。 While we are not all sick， we are all experiencing adversity and strain from the pandemic。 Our lives have been fully interrupted。 I look at things in a different way after reading this story。 。。。more
Suzanne
，
BETWEEN TWO KINGDOMS is a life-affirming memoir hidden within an odyssey of epic proportions lived by author Suleika Jaouad。 I could not put it down for long。 I found my self reflecting on parts of the book or looking up ideas and thoughts while reading it。 But the story engaged me like few memoirs ever do。 Jaouad wrote a column for the New York Times that I had found intriguing and I was eager to read this deeper dive。 She is fearless with her thoughts and willingness to express herself。 She wa BETWEEN TWO KINGDOMS is a life-affirming memoir hidden within an odyssey of epic proportions lived by author Suleika Jaouad。 I could not put it down for long。 I found my self reflecting on parts of the book or looking up ideas and thoughts while reading it。 But the story engaged me like few memoirs ever do。 Jaouad wrote a column for the New York Times that I had found intriguing and I was eager to read this deeper dive。 She is fearless with her thoughts and willingness to express herself。 She was diagnosed with a severe cancer shortly after graduating college and spent four traumatic years struggling to get it under control。 Her epilogue suggests this may be a lifelong issue and how she manages the tension between health and illness will continue to frame her story。 But her story is so much more。 This is a fascinating and amazing quest for understanding in the face of fear。 She is an incredible writer。 I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley。 。。。more
Julie
，
As an oncology nurse， a lot of what the author describes about her experience was familiar to me。 What impressed me most was her candor in describing how the experience affected her relationships。 I have followed Suleika since her first column in the Times so I really appreciated getting a deeper understanding of her experience。 There is tough medical stuff for people who are sensitive。
Michelle Garrett
，
Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy of Between Two Kingdoms by Suleika Jaouad。 For the first half of this book， I was completely sucked in。 The story of her youth in New York and Paris as she slowly succumbed to illness was just fraught with tension and this really relatable sense of losing control of your life as you enter adulthood。 Jaouad didn't hold back on the nitty gritty details and got real up close and personal about every horrid aspect of being treated for cancer in her early twen Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy of Between Two Kingdoms by Suleika Jaouad。 For the first half of this book， I was completely sucked in。 The story of her youth in New York and Paris as she slowly succumbed to illness was just fraught with tension and this really relatable sense of losing control of your life as you enter adulthood。 Jaouad didn't hold back on the nitty gritty details and got real up close and personal about every horrid aspect of being treated for cancer in her early twenties from fertility precautions to every little infection that nearly killed her。 It was so bleak and raw and I was hooked。 Then the second half was about Jaouad driving around the country meeting a lot of the people who'd written to her after she'd published a column in the New York Times。 It inevitably felt meandering and more like one really， really long ending than a story that continued to build。 There was no tension， I wasn't worried about anything—it was very episodic。 She kept having to introduce brand new people I didn't really care about and I honestly skimmed a lot of it。 There were a few exceptions， especially when she visited the man on death row who'd written her。 That was so eye-opening and different and made me want to do the same one day。 So， I give it four stars just because for the first half of the book I was ready to give it five stars because I loved it that much。 The second half， however， was boring enough to knock off a star。 I understand that she was trying to show her healing process of reentering the 'kingdom of the well" and finding herself again after cancer， but it just didn't have enough of a through line， enough momentum， to pull me through to the end。 。。。more
Lysa Mackeen
，
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it， click here。 Suleika Jaouad started as a writer。 This matters deeply in reading her memoir because she combines the moving story of her passage into illness and recovery with her gifts for communicating image， nuance and reflection。 It is both devastating and beautiful。 We are invited into the intimate spaces that she shared while writing her New York Times column but allowed to continue with her to see what happens when treatment becomes an act of maintenance over crisis。 I was struck by the importance of t Suleika Jaouad started as a writer。 This matters deeply in reading her memoir because she combines the moving story of her passage into illness and recovery with her gifts for communicating image， nuance and reflection。 It is both devastating and beautiful。 We are invited into the intimate spaces that she shared while writing her New York Times column but allowed to continue with her to see what happens when treatment becomes an act of maintenance over crisis。 I was struck by the importance of trust threaded through the narrative that Suleika shares。 It emerges in the navigation of relationships to family， to caregivers and to life partners but lives in the arc of her experiences at a fundamental level。 How do you trust time when it stands still during hours in a treatment chair and telescopes while you try to make body altering treatment decisions on a day's notice？ How do you build relationships when the communications that resonate the most come from people you've never met？ How do you trust yourself when almost everything you had planned repeatedly goes sideways？ Memoirs of illness and recovery are often pitched as stories of triumph or redemption or tragedy。 To nestle this book into any of these categories would be reductive。 It encompasses all of these elements while using skillful writing and profound reflection to share a story that encompasses both the literal and figurative journey of the last few years of a remarkable life。 。。。more
Sandy Reilly
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Suleika has gone through the unthinkable。。。 Really， the unlivable。 Just after graduating college， Suleika falls incredibly ill and receives the gut-wrenching diagnosis everyone fears -- cancer。 At first， with the support of her family and her boyfriend， she's ready to battle。 But then the diagnosis gets worse。 Not only does she have leukemia， but a rare form of the disease that has a minuscule survival rate。 Armed with support and the will to live， Suleika is ready to fight， but the war is much Suleika has gone through the unthinkable。。。 Really， the unlivable。 Just after graduating college， Suleika falls incredibly ill and receives the gut-wrenching diagnosis everyone fears -- cancer。 At first， with the support of her family and her boyfriend， she's ready to battle。 But then the diagnosis gets worse。 Not only does she have leukemia， but a rare form of the disease that has a minuscule survival rate。 Armed with support and the will to live， Suleika is ready to fight， but the war is much bigger than anyone thought。 Years of chemo ravaging her body， the many months spent so ill and near death taking a toll on her psyche as well as her relationships with others。 But that's only half of the story。 Because if you're lucky enough to find yourself on the winning side， that's when the war reaches its peak。 Stuck between two kingdoms -- the kingdom of the living and the kingdom of the sick -- it will take all of her bravery and will to truly live。Thoughts: I was just blown away by this book， and there's nothing I can say to truly convey what a powerful work this is。 Suleika is so honest， so raw and vulnerable， and she unflinchingly shares her painful journey -- both through discovering her deadly diagnosis， all of the setbacks （both emotionally and physically）， and through the struggle to figure out what it means to truly live， especially after spending so much time just trying not to die。 This is not a sugar-coated book full of platitudes。 Suleika is incredibly real about what she went through and bluntly sheds light on what isn't said to those fighting for their lives -- that the struggle doesn't end when the blood tests， chemotherapy， and surgeries do。 I cannot wait to share this book with every reader I know！**Thank you， Netgalley and publisher， for an eARC in exchange for my honest review。** 。。。more
Cassie Handford
，
Between Two Kingdoms: A Memoir of a Life Interrupted is a moving memoir of Suleika Jaouad and her battle with cancer and finding purpose after surviving。This moving story takes us through her diagnoses and treatments， the 100 day， 15，000 mile solo journey visiting those who had supported her or reached out to her during her treatments， and her path to finding purpose and meaning post recovery。 The author goes into incredible detail recounting her time in and out of the hospital during her cancer Between Two Kingdoms: A Memoir of a Life Interrupted is a moving memoir of Suleika Jaouad and her battle with cancer and finding purpose after surviving。This moving story takes us through her diagnoses and treatments， the 100 day， 15，000 mile solo journey visiting those who had supported her or reached out to her during her treatments， and her path to finding purpose and meaning post recovery。 The author goes into incredible detail recounting her time in and out of the hospital during her cancer treatments and moving forward with a life post remission。 Her struggle within herself coming to terms with a body that's failing her getting used to new dynamics in her relationships was written in such a relatable way that made it easy to understand and empathize with her feelings and actions throughout her journey and the amount of people she was able to touch and encourage through her New York Times column Life， Interrupted is nothing short of inspiring。 Cancer is a tough topic and I thought it would be a depressing， slow read but this is quite the opposite。 While yes， it is extremely sad at times， it's also so full of hope and life。 It caused me to not only consider my own mortality but also think about my own purpose in life and reminded me to remain grateful and hopeful for my own future。 。。。more
Lorena
，
This is a beautifully written and disturbingly honest story of one young woman’s battle with leukemia and efforts to reconcile herself to the resulting changes to her life and relationships。 Part One is an interesting story， but it can be difficult to read at times。 Watch out if you’re triggered by medical trauma or squeamish about body horror。 The author includes some graphic descriptions of how the cancer treatments affected her。 Also， as Ms。 Jaouad admits， “Suffering can make you selfish。” Du This is a beautifully written and disturbingly honest story of one young woman’s battle with leukemia and efforts to reconcile herself to the resulting changes to her life and relationships。 Part One is an interesting story， but it can be difficult to read at times。 Watch out if you’re triggered by medical trauma or squeamish about body horror。 The author includes some graphic descriptions of how the cancer treatments affected her。 Also， as Ms。 Jaouad admits， “Suffering can make you selfish。” During the first part of the book， she was quite self-absorbed and didn’t show much compassion for how her illness was affecting her loved ones， who went to great lengths to support her。 She does thankfully become more aware later in the story。I found Part Two a more satisfying experience， although it was shorter than I would have preferred。 I love road trip stories， and I appreciated observing how the author came to terms with her post-cancer life。 I have not had cancer， but I have had to adjust to living with several chronic illnesses。 I could relate when Ms。 Jaouad describes recovery as being “about accepting that you must forsake a familiar self forever， in favor of one that is being newly born。 It is an act of brute， terrifying discovery。” I don’t see enough stories about this aspect of illness。I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading memoirs and is curious about what it is like to survive a brutal cancer diagnosis or any trauma that forces one to envision a new life。 I was provided an unproofed ARC through NetGalley that I volunteered to review。 。。。more
Kylie H
，
The title of this book comes from a book by Susan Sontag that describes everyone as having dual citizenship in both the kingdom of the well and the kingdom of the sick。 This book details a young woman's time in both kingdoms， each as equally hard to leave and enter as the other。Suleika Jaouad is diagnosed with a rare from of leukaemia in her early twenties。 Her world soon revolves around appointments， treatments and hospital wards。。 Her social life is with her treating team and co-patients as we The title of this book comes from a book by Susan Sontag that describes everyone as having dual citizenship in both the kingdom of the well and the kingdom of the sick。 This book details a young woman's time in both kingdoms， each as equally hard to leave and enter as the other。Suleika Jaouad is diagnosed with a rare from of leukaemia in her early twenties。 Her world soon revolves around appointments， treatments and hospital wards。。 Her social life is with her treating team and co-patients as well as her boyfriend Will who finds himself in a carer role and her parents who are beside themselves with worry。Suleika endures a treatment that is not guaranteed to cure her and she is forced to face her own mortality。 While coming to grips with all of this she is grieving for her fellow patients who succumb to their cancers。On the flip side having survived her treatment she finds the journey back to the kingdom of the well just as overwhelming and difficult to face。 She is no longer the same person， and she goes on a journey to connect with the people who wrote to her and helped her when she was at her lowest。Not at all an easy book to read， but one that is quite profound with its honesty and raw insight into human nature。 This is one that will stay with me for a long time。 。。。more
Jean
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I loved this book！ The first half is all about her illnesses which I think are very interesting。 The second half visiting people who meant the world to her was exciting。 I felt like for the first time in my life I was able to travel。 The writer made it sound as if you were riding with her and her sweet little dog。 Thank you so much， NetGalley， the writer， and her publisher， for giving me the opportunity to read and review this wonderful book！
Kathleen Gray
，
Thank you， Suleika， for this memoir。 And thank you too to your parents， your brother， Will， Jon， the doctors and nurses， and the wonderful people you met on this journey。 Make no mistake- this isn't an easy read in spots because Jaouad doesn't pull punches， either about her treatment for cancer or her relationships。 Being diagnosed with an agressive cancer at the age of 22 put her into a nether world where she struggled for her life even as she should have been establishing herself as an adult。 Thank you， Suleika， for this memoir。 And thank you too to your parents， your brother， Will， Jon， the doctors and nurses， and the wonderful people you met on this journey。 Make no mistake- this isn't an easy read in spots because Jaouad doesn't pull punches， either about her treatment for cancer or her relationships。 Being diagnosed with an agressive cancer at the age of 22 put her into a nether world where she struggled for her life even as she should have been establishing herself as an adult。 What sets this apart from similar memoirs is the fact that she has devoted as much time and thought into the after- when she set out to visit those who had reached out to her while she was hospitalized。 That isn't a straightforward trip either but there are lessons in here。 Her meeting with a death row inmate lingers。 I'd read her NYT column but didn't realize at the time how dire her situation was。 She's a brave woman for baring herself and for forging forward。 I admit I put this aside， thinking it would be one more depressing thing in a rotten year but it's not- not at all。 It's beautifully written and hopeful without being saccharine。 Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC。 I look forward to more from Jaouad。 （Highly recommend。 。。。more
the。unexpected。reader
，
This book is amazing， as a hard-core Fiction reader， that is saying a lot。 Actually， it’s saying Between Two Kingdoms is a 5 star read， in my opinion。 Very much a Wild and Eat Pray Love vibe， but only with the limitations， desperation， and the will to live that a life threatening disease will give。。。After college Suleika Jaouad moves to Paris to make a fresh start。 The love of her life， Will， follows her to France soon after。 But no one is aware that she has been hiding a mystery illness， until This book is amazing， as a hard-core Fiction reader， that is saying a lot。 Actually， it’s saying Between Two Kingdoms is a 5 star read， in my opinion。 Very much a Wild and Eat Pray Love vibe， but only with the limitations， desperation， and the will to live that a life threatening disease will give。。。After college Suleika Jaouad moves to Paris to make a fresh start。 The love of her life， Will， follows her to France soon after。 But no one is aware that she has been hiding a mystery illness， until gets much worse。 So bad in fact， that she can no longer function and needs to move back to the States。 At age 22， Suleika is diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia。Looking for an outlet to express her cancer journey she starts a blog， which then turns into a column in the New York Times -- Life， Interrupted。 The overnight success of the column reaches across the country， and Suleika receives many letters of support and encouragement。Sadly， there is no silver lining in sight。 The cancer and the treatments cause havoc on her body， many of friends from the cancer patient group have succumbed to the disease， and her relationship with Will has not survived the years of cancer turmoil。Within the year of the end of her treatment， she is struggling to transition out of cancer treatment life。 So she forms a plan to travel the country reaching out to the many strangers who’s letters have helped her through it all。Her path of self discovery and healing will take 100 days in a borrowed car， with her scruffy dog Oliver， and a map。 Every mile on the road separating her further and cutting all ties between her and Will。 Each destination is a step helping her transition out of the cancer-life and into a new life。Between Two Kingdoms is a powerful memoir of finding ways to work within your confined limits， and knowing how to break out; finding the strength to look to others to help， heal， and transition。5 stars。 A must read for all。 A big thanks to NetGalley and Random House for this advanced copy。 。。。more
Katie
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Cancer is a touchy subject。 It’s a universally reviled word—more so to those who’ve been impacted by it first or second-hand。 For my part， after nursing my dad through terminal cancer when I was 22， I’ve sought to avoid it entirely。 I learned about Suleika much later than those who read her New York Times column or saw her Ted Talk—through her recent Isolation Journals program—and was instantly struck by her warmth， humanity， and emotional intelligence。 When I was given her memoir about battling Cancer is a touchy subject。 It’s a universally reviled word—more so to those who’ve been impacted by it first or second-hand。 For my part， after nursing my dad through terminal cancer when I was 22， I’ve sought to avoid it entirely。 I learned about Suleika much later than those who read her New York Times column or saw her Ted Talk—through her recent Isolation Journals program—and was instantly struck by her warmth， humanity， and emotional intelligence。 When I was given her memoir about battling leukemia at 22 and grappling with life beyond sickness （thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC）， I suspected my fear of reading about The Big C would be eclipsed by the insights and lessons in Suleika’s story。 I wasn’t wrong。 Suleika’s memoir is wise， clear-eyed， and deeply self-reflective—as a cancer patient’s forever-haunted family member， her perspective brought me comfort。 As someone who’s put untold energy towards avoidance of the deep suffering and loss I experienced， it gave me hope。 This is a brave， life-affirming book—it’s a balm for anyone who is lost or scared or stuck （so: everyone） 。。。more
Bettina
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"Everyone who is born holds dual citizenship， in the kingdom of the well and in the kingdom of the sick。 Although we all prefer to use only the good passport， sooner or later each of us is obliged， at least for a spell， to identify ourselves as citizens of that other place，" Beautifully written and poignant。 "Everyone who is born holds dual citizenship， in the kingdom of the well and in the kingdom of the sick。 Although we all prefer to use only the good passport， sooner or later each of us is obliged， at least for a spell， to identify ourselves as citizens of that other place，" Beautifully written and poignant。 。。。more
Paula Lyle
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This is a shattering account of one young woman's battle to not only survive but conquer a horrible illness。 Graphic in its descriptions， it is an unsettling read。 Her life has been both the unluckiest and luckiest of all。 I wish that she had expressed more gratitude to the family that got her through this， her parents and brother and Will and his parents。 They really went beyond what resources most families would have been able to provide。I received an eARC through NetGalley。 This is a shattering account of one young woman's battle to not only survive but conquer a horrible illness。 Graphic in its descriptions， it is an unsettling read。 Her life has been both the unluckiest and luckiest of all。 I wish that she had expressed more gratitude to the family that got her through this， her parents and brother and Will and his parents。 They really went beyond what resources most families would have been able to provide。I received an eARC through NetGalley。 。。。more
Katherine
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This is a heart-rending， life-affirming tale of hope， despair， love， friendship， challenges and growth。 I found #betweentwokingdoms to be ultimately uplifting and a book that will stay with me for a long time。 The author is a great storyteller who has the talent to make you care for all the people involved。 I would recommend this to everyone！ Thanks to the publisher， #netgalley and the author for this ARC to read and review。
Brynn | readyourworriesaway
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Thank you @randomhouse [partner] for the #gifted copy！ In Between Two Kingdoms， Suleika Jaouad shares her journey from her diagnosis to remission， and her 100 day road trip of healing。 After graduating college， Suleika was in love and moved to Paris to chase her dreams。 She began experiencing unknown symptoms—an itch that started on her feet and went up her legs， and then came exhaustion。 She was diagnosed with leukemia a few weeks before her 23rd birthday—with a 35% chance of survival。 Her life Thank you @randomhouse [partner] for the #gifted copy！ In Between Two Kingdoms， Suleika Jaouad shares her journey from her diagnosis to remission， and her 100 day road trip of healing。 After graduating college， Suleika was in love and moved to Paris to chase her dreams。 She began experiencing unknown symptoms—an itch that started on her feet and went up her legs， and then came exhaustion。 She was diagnosed with leukemia a few weeks before her 23rd birthday—with a 35% chance of survival。 Her life was uprooted， as she had to move home to New York and begin treatment。 The next four years were spent fighting for her life in hospital beds。 Along the way， she began chronicling her journey。 After years of chemo and the many trials she had to face， Suleika had to learn how to live on the other side of her diagnosis/treatment。 Her 100 day road trip began， as she set out to meet some of the strangers across the country who had written her while she was fighting for her life。 Memoir lovers— you NEED to read this one。 It is definitely one of the best memoirs I’ve read—if not the best。 Suleika is a beautiful storyteller and she completely captivated me from the beginning。 Being in a new relationship when her diagnosis came， Suleika shared how her relationship progressed while she was fighting to survive。 I loved that she made connections with people across the country from her hospital bed—and that she set out on a journey to meet them。 While Suleika’s experiences were incredibly sad and painful， there was so much hope and joy。 Between Two Kingdoms is both heartbreaking and beautiful。 Suleika Jaouad’s story will stay with me for a long time。 。。。more
Sage
，
An absolutely stunning read。 Incredibly well written， and powerful and so raw — I teared up countless times。 I can’t even imagine。 Suleika’s battle with leukemia was only the beginning， and I found Part 2 of the memoir particularly interesting。 I feel like generally there’s not a lot of focus on survivorship and the aftermath of cancer/treatment， and this was such a raw， vivid look into what she was dealing with， physically， emotionally， mentally， relationship-wise etc。 Three things: 1） her init An absolutely stunning read。 Incredibly well written， and powerful and so raw — I teared up countless times。 I can’t even imagine。 Suleika’s battle with leukemia was only the beginning， and I found Part 2 of the memoir particularly interesting。 I feel like generally there’s not a lot of focus on survivorship and the aftermath of cancer/treatment， and this was such a raw， vivid look into what she was dealing with， physically， emotionally， mentally， relationship-wise etc。 Three things: 1） her initial fertility questions and egg harvesting treatment and grappling with potential motherhood in her early 20s really hit me hard。 Again， I can’t even imagine the toll that takes physically/emotionally/financially。 2） Her relationship with Will was so interesting， and I really liked her examining what she would have done if the situation was reversed。 I mean， they had been dating for a few months， she is diagnosed with cancer， and he essentially becomes a full time caregiver for YEARS。 I’m not sure I would be strong enough for that。 It is commendable but it was a lot。 I have many thoughts。 3） the health care system in this country is a fucking joke and the fact that her family （and countless other people） had so many medical bills is insane。 It’s just so sad， and stressful， and people shouldn’t have to choose between treatment and finances。 。。。more
Lisa
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This book was so emotional and thought provoking。 The author did an amazing job talking about her struggles to cure her cancer but also the sacrifices and emotional tole it takes not only on her but also on her caregivers。 This was a difficult but easy read。 Thanks to the publisher Random House and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in return for my honest review。
Debra
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"You will never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have。 " - Bob MarleyRight after graduating from college， Suleika Jaouad was ready to take on the world。 She had moved to Paris and to purse her dream of becoming a war correspondence。 Life would set her up for a different kind of battle。 She began to itch。 Not the little itch that we all experience from time to time but a drawn out annoying one that had her waking each day to find scratch marks on her body。 It "You will never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have。 " - Bob MarleyRight after graduating from college， Suleika Jaouad was ready to take on the world。 She had moved to Paris and to purse her dream of becoming a war correspondence。 Life would set her up for a different kind of battle。 She began to itch。 Not the little itch that we all experience from time to time but a drawn out annoying one that had her waking each day to find scratch marks on her body。 It was persistent and did not go away。 Then fatigue set in。 After many doctor appointments， and right before her twenty third birthday， she was diagnosed with Leukemia with a 35 percent chance of survival。 "Until death， it is all life。 " - Miguel de CervantesLife had changed on a dime。 She moved back in with her parents， lost her job， her apartment and her ability to freely live her life。 She would be in and out of the hospital， facing treatments， exhaustion， fighting for her life all the while chronicling her experiences and illness in the New York Times。She had many who were there for her as support throughout her long battle which altered her dreams， her relationships and her life goals。 Cancer not only took a toll on her body， but on her outlook but also on those in her life。 She mentions in the book that "Cancer is greedy。" It ravaged everything and left her to rebuild again。 "Death never comes at a good time。。。"When she was declared "cured" what would life look like for her？ How do you move forward when those you have met and bonded with are gone？ How does such a life altering illness effect your relationship？ I always find it out and often difficult to rate a memoir as I do not want to rate that person’s life and experiences but do want to rate the level of writing and my ability to relate to or learn something from their memoir。 Her writing is beautiful， and I am awed by her bravery in sharing just how the cancer ravaged her body。 She does not shy away from sharing the details。 Obviously， we know she survives and even thought her career goals changed， she continues to write and wrote an Emmy award winning column titled "Life Interrupted。" Her wok has been featured in magazines and she has created Isolation Journals。 She may not be a war correspondent， but she has made an impact in journalism。 This is a moving， thought provoking and powerful memoir。 Thank you to Random House and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review。 All the thoughts and opinions are my own。See more of my reviews at www。openbookposts。com 。。。more
Kim
，
Perfectly titled book about the young author， Suleika Jaouad， and her constant struggle between the kingdom of the living and the kingdom of the dead （or dying） as she is diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia。 Her subsequent treatments to beat this horrible disease are at times worse than the diagnosis itself and difficult to read about - you feel like you are going through it with her at times and your heart and soul ache for her as she suffers through chemotherapy， isolation， a bone marrow tra Perfectly titled book about the young author， Suleika Jaouad， and her constant struggle between the kingdom of the living and the kingdom of the dead （or dying） as she is diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia。 Her subsequent treatments to beat this horrible disease are at times worse than the diagnosis itself and difficult to read about - you feel like you are going through it with her at times and your heart and soul ache for her as she suffers through chemotherapy， isolation， a bone marrow transplant， countless trips to the E。R。， and other medical procedures。Through it all， Suleika rises above letting her disease define her - she loves， loses， loves again， writes， works， cares， makes friends that are soulmates， and eventually travels and meets all those who helped buoy her spirits and impact her life during her treatments and recovery。Part triumph over adversity and part road trip diary， Between Two Kingdoms is an intimate look at one young woman's journey to rejoin the land of the living after looking at death head-on。。Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC。 。。。more
Lisa Goodmurphy
，
At 22 years of age， when her peers were living carefree lives and establishing careers and relationships， Suleika Jaouad found herself fighting for her life after a devastating cancer diagnosis。 In this beautiful and heartrending memoir， Between Two Kingdoms， Suleika shares with us her nearly four years of treatment as well as the aftermath of learning how to live again as a cancer survivor。Suleika doesn't spare readers the messy details of how horrible cancer or the treatment is or the impact t At 22 years of age， when her peers were living carefree lives and establishing careers and relationships， Suleika Jaouad found herself fighting for her life after a devastating cancer diagnosis。 In this beautiful and heartrending memoir， Between Two Kingdoms， Suleika shares with us her nearly four years of treatment as well as the aftermath of learning how to live again as a cancer survivor。Suleika doesn't spare readers the messy details of how horrible cancer or the treatment is or the impact that it has on the patient and those close to them。 Her initial symptoms and the diagnosis of an aggressive form of leukemia with a 35% survival rate are followed by rounds of chemo， experimental treatments and ultimately a bone marrow transplant。 My heart broke for Suleika as she chronicled what she endured during her nearly four years of treatment and I had to put this book down several times when I could no longer see through the tears。 When Suleika finishes her treatments she realizes that she needs to figure out how she's going to return to some sense of normalcy and live a life as a cancer survivor。 While undergoing treatments， she wrote a column about her experiences called Life Interrupted for the New York Times and received correspondence from people across the United States who were touched by her story for one reason or another。 Post-treatment， she decides to embark on a 100 day cross-country road trip with her dog Oscar to meet up with about 20 of the people whose letters had touched her。 Over the course of those 100 days on the road， she takes the first steps toward healing and is able to see a future for herself once again。Between Two Kingdoms is not an easy read but it's an honest and beautifully written story that you will never forget。 And when you finish reading it， pay a visit to Suleika's Instagram account - it's wonderful to see her healthy and living a happy life。 Thank you to NetGalley for providing an advance review copy prior to publication。 。。。more
Sarah （sarahgreatbooktoread）
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Between Two Kingdoms: A Memoir of a Life Interrupted is a memoir by Suleika Jaouad about her diagnosis at the age of twenty two with leukemia。 She was given a thirty-five percent chance of survival。 She spends a harrowing three and a half years undergoing multiple rounds of chemotherapy， and a risky bone marrow transplant。 During this time， she began writing about her life from the hospital bed which turned into a column that was regularly published in the New York Times。Eventually Jaouad is dee Between Two Kingdoms: A Memoir of a Life Interrupted is a memoir by Suleika Jaouad about her diagnosis at the age of twenty two with leukemia。 She was given a thirty-five percent chance of survival。 She spends a harrowing three and a half years undergoing multiple rounds of chemotherapy， and a risky bone marrow transplant。 During this time， she began writing about her life from the hospital bed which turned into a column that was regularly published in the New York Times。Eventually Jaouad is deemed “healthy” or in remission， and this is when she realizes that she is no longer the same person as she was before her life-threatening illness。 She embarks on a cross-country road trip of rediscovery， and meets some of the people who had read her column and had written to her in the hospital。There is a lot of sadness and heartbreak in this story。 It doesn’t seem fair that someone so young in such an exciting time of her life （she just started an internship in Paris！） would have to go through this。 Suleika is a talented writer and as a reader， you feel deeply for her plight， as well as the struggles her family and loved ones experienced while caring for her and seeing her suffer。 What gave me the most hope was after finishing the book， finding her Instagram account and seeing how healthy and beautiful she looks。 She clearly is now living a healthy and vibrant life。 This is a beautiful memoir of resilience and self-discovery and I recommend it。Between Two Kingdoms will be available on February 9。 Thank you to @randomhouse @penguinrandomca and @netgalley for an ARC of this great book！ 。。。more
Debbie Smith
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This is a well-written story that kept my attention from start to finish。 The range of emotions that I experienced was extreme。 And at times I wanted to scream out， "No！ Open your eyes。 Don’t do that！" But those were times when I knew for sure that Suleika was sharing her truth in a very honest way。Suleika’s debut memoir tells of caring parents and a young girl growing up。 The young woman even gets accepted into a prestigious college。 But it isn’t long before the bottom drops out of this thrill This is a well-written story that kept my attention from start to finish。 The range of emotions that I experienced was extreme。 And at times I wanted to scream out， "No！ Open your eyes。 Don’t do that！" But those were times when I knew for sure that Suleika was sharing her truth in a very honest way。Suleika’s debut memoir tells of caring parents and a young girl growing up。 The young woman even gets accepted into a prestigious college。 But it isn’t long before the bottom drops out of this thrill ride。 And let me warn you， this emotional rollercoaster is certainly not for the faint of heart。When her symptoms of itching and tiredness take her from Paris she is met with a grim diagnosis。 At the young age of 22， she learns she has acute myeloid leukemia。Suleika had me feeling like I was peering through a peephole into her personal life。 She spoke honestly about relationships， her deepest fears and emotions， and the treatment she endured。 Even though I felt like a voyeur， I couldn’t get enough of her story。Eventually， when I began to think her health concerns might be taking a backseat， Jaouard surprises me with a new journey。 One where I’m acting as a cheerleader， yet at the same time shaking my head and wondering what in the world she’s doing。As I mentioned in the first paragraph， there were several places where I wanting to scream， "No！ Open your eyes。 Don’t do that！" Why？ That’s a good question。 One you will have to ask yourself when you read this book。My ConcernsNothing comes to mind。What I Liked BestThough I realize this story is through the author’s eyes， it felt completely honest。 There were many instances where it might have made her look better to conveniently distort her memories。 But it seemed obvious that this memoir recorded both the good and the not-so-good。I applaud Jaouad for sharing a story that will touch so many。 Not only did she share her personal journey but that of those who loved her。 I couldn’t imagine the emotions her parents， boyfriend， and friends were experiencing。 But this writing somehow managed to bring it all together。My appreciation to #NetGalley and the author for a copy of this story and the ability to post a review of my opinion。 。。。more
Sharon May
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