Review: The Other Life by Ellen Meister

What would you do if you had another chance to live the life you once had, experience the road not taken?

Quinn Braverman left her neurotic, emotionally demanding ex-boyfriend Eugene and married Lewis.  One could say she did this out of love for Lewis, but really, she did it to prove her mother wrong. Her mother suffered from bi-polar disorder and was certain that Quinn was unable to have a normal, healthy relationship. For obvious reasons, Quinn kept this secret from Lewis.  They now enjoyed a “normal” life in the suburbs of Long Island, NY. 

This wasn’t the only secret she kept from Lewis. Quinn knew she had another life that existed, a path not taken. I’m not talking figuratively, I’m talking literally.  Quinn had the ability to cross through a portal into this other life, a life in which her mother hadn’t committed suicide and is still alive.  A life where she’s still living with Eugene.

When Quinn, in her life with Lewis, learns they are expecting a second child with a serious birth defect, she’s drawn to this portal hidden in the wall of their basement.  She craves this other life, a life where she has a mother who loves her.  A life that seems simpler, easier. But each time she crosses over into this other life, it becomes more difficult to return.  She, aided by her still-living mother, must learn that there is a reason why certain paths are not taken.

The Other Life is certainly a unique book.  Haven’t we all thought about all the “what-ifs” in life?  Wondered what would have happened if we’d chosen a different path?  I appreciated the author’s take on how one re-examines the life they’ve chosen.  That said, I simply couldn’t bond with Quinn’s character.  Yes, life is hard but one just has to deal with it.  We all want to escape sometimes but Quinn takes the extra step and literally leaves the hard life she’s been dealt.  Quite franky, I think Quinn’s character is downright selfish.  Lewis, while not always able to voice his feelings, did not attempt to leave the relationship.  He stuck by with Quinn through all the stress & trauma of the news of their unborn daughter’s potential fate.  And their poor son, Issac. He’s an adorable child, who has his grandmother’s talent for art.  Quinn constantly mentions how upset Issac is if she’s not there when he gets off on the school bus, how much he needs her there.  Yet she continues to disappear into the fissure, leaving him behind.   I’m all about dealing with one’s personal issues in order to be a better parent, but I think Quinn went too far with this one.

The author makes a good attempt at describing how/why Quinn is able to travel through fissures in the wall to her other life, but I was still left with questions. She experienced this “ability” as a child, witnessed by her brother Hayden.  When she tells Hayden that she’s able to talk to their dead mother, to travel back to this other life, he doesn’t blink.  A childhood experience is one thing, but frankly as an adult I’d worry about my sibling if they told me they could be transported into another life.

These are obviously my own opinions so I urge you to take them for what they are.  I don’t regret reading this book and do recommend it as a “get away” read.  It would also make a great book for a book group discussion as there are many topics touched on that could be discussed, such as family relationships, mental illness, etc.

Thank you to TLC book tours for giving me the opportunity to review this book.  Please be sure to check out the other stops on this tour:

Tuesday, February 15th: The Lost Entwife
Wednesday, February 16th: Rundpinne
Thursday, February 17th: Jenn’s Bookshelves
Monday, February 21st: Sara’s Organized Chaos
Friday, February 25th: Colloquium
Monday, February 28th: In the Next Room
Wednesday, March 2nd: Chefdruck Musings
Thursday, March 3rd: Savvy Verse & Wit
Friday, March 4th: Raging Bibliomania
Monday, March 7th: Stephanie’s Written Word
Tuesday, March 8th: That’s What She Read
Wednesday, March 9th: Reviews from the Heart
Thursday, March 10th: BookNAround
Monday, March 14th: Teresa’s Reading Corner
Tuesday, March 15th: Debbie’s Book Bag
Tuesday, March 15th: Book Chatter
Wednesday, March 16th: The Book Faery Reviews
Thursday, March 17th: Peeking Between the Pages
Friday, March 18th: Tina’s Book Reviews

About Ellen Meister

Ellen Meister lives on Long Island with her husband and three children.

You can find out more about Ellen at her website, and you can also follow her blog and on Twitter: @EllenMeister.