The Opposite of Everyone - by Joshilyn Jackson (Paperback)

About the Book

After being placed in foster care, Paula Vauss grows up to become a tough divorce attorney only to have her life thrown into chaos by an astonishing revelation and a cryptic message from the mother she hasn't seen in years.

Book Synopsis

A fiercely independent divorce lawyer learns the power of family and connection when she receives a cryptic message from her estranged mother in this bittersweet, witty novel from the nationally bestselling author of Someone Else's Love Story and gods in Alabama--an emotionally resonant tale about the endurance of love and the power of stories to shape and transform our lives.

Born in Alabama, Paula Vauss spent the first decade of her life on the road with her free-spirited young mother, Kai, an itinerant storyteller who blended Hindu mythology with southern oral tradition to re-invent their history as they roved. But everything, including Paula's birth name Kali Jai, changed when she told a story of her own--one that landed Kai in prison and Paula in foster care. Separated, each holding secrets of her own, the intense bond they once shared was fractured.

These days, Paula has reincarnated herself as a tough-as-nails divorce attorney with a successful practice in Atlanta. While she hasn't seen Kai in fifteen years, she's still making payments on that Karmic debt--until the day her last check is returned in the mail, along with a mysterious note: "I am going on a journey, Kali. I am going back to my beginning; death is not the end. You will be the end. We will meet again, and there will be new stories. You know how Karma works."

Then Kai's most treasured secret literally lands on Paula's doorstep, throwing her life into chaos and transforming her from only child to older sister. Desperate to find her mother before it's too late, Paula sets off on a journey of discovery that will take her back to the past and into the deepest recesses of her heart. With the help of her ex-lover Birdwine, an intrepid and emotionally volatile private eye who still carries a torch for her, this brilliant woman, an expert at wrecking families, now has to figure out how to put one back together--her own.

The Opposite of Everyone is a story about story itself, how the tales we tell connect us, break us, and define us, and how the endings and beginnings we choose can destroy us . . . and make us whole. Laced with sharp humor and poignant insight, it is beloved New York Times bestselling author Joshilyn Jackson at her very best.

From the Back Cover

Born in Alabama, Paula Vauss spent the first decade of her life on the road with her free-spirited young mother, Kai, an itinerant storyteller who blended Hindu mythology with southern oral tradition to reinvent their history as they roved. But everything, including Paula's birth name, Kali Jai, changed when she told a story of her own--one that landed Kai in prison and Paula in foster care. With the two of them separated, each holding her own secrets, the intense bond they once shared was fractured.

These days, Paula has reincarnated herself as a divorce attorney with a successful practice in Atlanta. She hasn't seen Kai in fifteen years. Then Kai's most treasured secret literally lands on Paula's doorstep, throwing her life into chaos and transforming her from only child to older sister.

Desperate to find her mother before it's too late, Paula sets off on a journey of discovery that will take her back to the past and into the deepest recesses of her heart. With the help of her ex-lover Birdwine, an intrepid and emotionally volatile private eye who still carries a torch for her, this brilliant woman, an expert at wrecking families, now has to figure out how to put one back together--her own.

Review Quotes

"The voice is hard-boiled and the plot engrossing in Jackson's new novel, a realistic, contemporary story with a mystery driving it....This is an excellent read." - Publishers Weekly, THE OPPOSITE OF EVERYONE
"Beautifully written, fascinating and deep, The Opposite of Everyone is another must-read novel by Jackson... Jackson has done a phenomenal job of weaving the past with the present and unfolding the story layer after layer. This is a masterfully written tale that readers cannot put down." - RT Book Reviews (top pick) on THE OPPOSITE OF EVERYONE
"Joshilyn Jackson has written her most unforgettable character, Paula Vauss. I love her, I hate her, I want to yell at her, then laugh with her, then fight with her before drinking with her. But mostly I want her to be real. And I didn't want her story to end. Like all special books, I feel grateful for having read it." - Elaine Lui, founder of Lainey Gossip and author of Listen to the Squawking Chicken
"Joshilyn Jackson has written her most unforgettable character, Paula Vauss. I love her, I hate her, I want to yell at her, then laugh with her, then fight with her before drinking with her. But mostly I want her to be real. And I didn't want her story to end." - Elaine Lui, founder of Lainey Gossip and author of Listen to the Squawking Chicken
"The unconventional characters in Jackson's books often provide thought-provoking studies of love and loyalty; this must-read also contemplates the transformative power of storytelling." - New York Times Book Review on THE OPPOSITE OF EVERYONE
"Jackson excels at weaving a wholly absorbing story with vivid characters... [she makes] some affecting points about the importance of the stories we tell to each other and to ourselves." - Booklist, THE OPPOSITE OF EVERYONE
"Inevitable, surprising, and beautifully layered... I loved this book and you will also." - Sara Gruen, NYT bestselling author of At The Waters Edge and Water for Elephants
"The smart-ass, no holds-barred narration by whip-smart Paula/Kali... should please the many fans of Jackson's snappy writing style." - Library Journal (starred review), THE OPPOSITE OF EVERYONE
"In her seventh novel, the popular Jackson puts the spotlight on a minor character from her previous novel, Someone Else's Love Story (2013)....Jackson excels at weaving a wholly absorbing story with vivid characters. Paula's fractious relationship with Birdwine is the highlight as the two sparring, onetime lovers renegotiate their relationship.... [THE OPPOSITE OF EVERYONE] makes some affecting points about the importance of the stories we tell to each other and to ourselves." - Booklist, THE OPPOSITE OF EVERYONE
"The voice is hard-boiled and the plot engrossing in Jackson's new novel, a realistic, contemporary story with a mystery driving it.... Although Paula is rough and reckless, Jackson makes her an easy character to root for by vividly depicting her inner struggle and past. This is an excellent read with a fresh take on the detective genre." - Publishers Weekly, THE OPPOSITE OF EVERYONE
"In The Opposite of Everyone, her seventh and quite possibly best novel yet, Joshilyn Jackson continues to explore themes that have wound their way through her other works: the ferocious-and sometimes feral-bond between mother and child, the blinders we wear in order to avoid seeing what's right before our eyes, the surprising nature of grace, which often acts as bulldozer rather than balm. And yet The Opposite of Everyone is unlike any Jackson novel I've read. Part twisting suspense, part unflinching exploration of the world of abandoned and exploited girls, this book is tough-as-nails, narrated by a hard-boiled divorce attorney, Paula Vauss, who learns early how to fight dirty in order to survive. Fierce as Paula is, it is her great and loyal heart that animates these pages, leaving the reader energized and in awe. This is one of those books that keeps you up late reading, and distracts you from your day, as you yearn to get back to its pages. I can't recommend it highly enough." - Susan Rebecca White, author of A Soft Place to Land
"Part twisting suspense, part unflinching exploration of the world of abandoned and exploited girls...This is one of those books that keeps you up late reading, and distracts you from your day, as you yearn to get back to its pages. I can't recommend it highly enough." - Susan Rebecca White, author of A Soft Place to Land
"Jackson delivers another quirky, Southern-based, character-driven novel that combines exquisite writing, vivid personalities, and imaginative storylines while subtly contemplating race, romance, family, and self. A searing yet ultimately uplifting look at broken people who heal themselves and each other through forgiveness, love, and the power of stories." - Kirkus Reviews (starred review), THE OPPOSITE OF EVERYONE