The Opposite of Everyone

A Novel

By: Joshilyn Jackson

Narrated by: Joshilyn Jackson

Length: 11 hrs and 34 mins

Publisher's summary

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 best-selling 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 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. 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 15 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 best-selling author Joshilyn Jackson at her very best.

©2016 Joshilyn Jackson (P)2016 HarperCollins Publishers

Critic reviews

"Joshilyn Jackson's abilities extend beyond her writing - insightful, funny, and poignant - to her narration. She breathes fiery life into Paula...she creates touching scenes and builds suspenseful twists, capturing the listener's complete attention and admiration." (AudioFile)

Paula, Paula, Paula

I rarely write reviews, but I felt I had to with this one. I won't bore you with a recap of the book. The Publisher's publisher's summary is sufficient. I have read and listen to all of Joshilyn Jackson's novels. Her books provide me with characters that I adore. She creates beautiful, deep characters with lovely, yet redeeming flaws - people you want to spend more time around. After I finish each of her books, I go into a slight morning period. By the time I finish her books, I feel so connected with her characters that they feel like my real friends. (Weird, perhaps) And, I miss them when our story finishes. This book was no different. If you haven't read or listened to Someone Else's Love Story, I recommend that you do so first. We met Paula first there, here we learn all about her in center stage.

This book was such a rough one for me. I cried at the end. I loved getting down deep inside Paula, learning what happened during her life to shape her into the woman she is today. And, I loved watching her blossom and grow through this journey. The tone of this book, while still full of fun quirky Joshilyn phrases, was definitely heavy.

As for narration, I love Joshilyn's voice and the way she brings her pages to life. She is definitely the only person who should be narrating her books. I doubt another narrator could bring them to life in the same manner.

Great performance, forgettable story

I loved listening to the book but by the next day couldn't remember key plot points. It was well narrated but for me, it was the narration and not the story that kept me interested.

Narrator’s performance is perfection

This is a compelling, emotionally gripping story that the narrator seems to have been born to portray. The insights into the traumatic experiences of its characters made me think and reflect about how childhood stays with us. The mother-daughter relationship in this story is complex but all the more so with the “got mommas” envy of the no momma foster kids. The narrator inhabits every character completely and expertly. Her voice and drawl for Candice was particularly good. Brava!

So many times, so much love

This book is absolutely one of my favorites. The story of Paula and her strange past and sudden family is one that touches my heart deeply. As a child of a family split through adoption and a parent’s choices, the story is one i can relate to. I think it’s one definitely for anyone who has come from a less than nuclear family, one who has their own strange tribe defined by circumstance rather than biology. I’ve listened to this book so many times and i never grow tired of it. Thank you again Ms Jackson.

Really enjoyable!

I really liked the characters, the story and the narration. I got lost in it when I listened

another amazing novel!

loved it! she keeps you holding on and ten feet deep into the story!

I didn't want it to end

I think Joshikyn has become not only one of my favorite authors - but a favorite narrator as well. Now I have to wait until she writes a new book!

When I grow up I want to be Joshilyn Jackson

Although this story seems so different than anything else she's written, it has the similar mother/daughter relationship as all of the others. There were a few places that I think could've been left out completely or elaborated on, but I understand why she included it the way she did. All in all, another excellent story by one of my all time favorite authors.

LOVE Joshilyn!

Joshilyn reading her own books are a total treat! She is an amazing reader/performer and I am never disappointed. I have listened to all her books and some are much better than others. Even the "bad ones" are entertaining when she reads them. This one was definitely one of the better ones! Good plot, good characters, a little predictible but fun and never boring.She touches on some serious subjects with sensitivity. You wont be disappointed with this one if you love Joshilyn and if you have never listened this is a good place to start!

Hard to rate

I started out annoyed with this book. The author narrates it, and her voice for the male characters makes them all seem as if they're stoned or something. Very annoying. Also, there were a lot of weird hippie/random gods stories embedded within the story that I didn't care for. HAVING SAID THAT - I truly ended up LOVING this book because it was so important. The story revolves around a girl/woman who grew up with a mom in jail and lived in the foster system. It's complex and heart-wrenching and IMPORTANT. Read this book. You're eyes will open to a world most of us choose to conveniently ignore.