BookBrowse Reviews Meet Me at the Crossroads by Megan Giddings

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A young woman grapples with loss after her twin sister goes missing in a mysterious spiritual realm.

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When the parents of twin sisters Ayanna and Olivia divorce, each takes primary custody of one daughter. Though both girls are growing up Black in the Midwest, their upbringings could not be more different. Their mother raises Olivia as a devout Catholic, while their father brings Ayanna up in an emerging faith based on a fairly recent supernatural occurrence. Years before the twins' birth, mysterious doors sprang up around the world, each offering a glimpse into a different spiritual realm. They reveal stunning, surreal landscapes and what appear to be spirits. Famously, a widower once went in and returned with his wife, now seemingly risen from the dead. But there's also a cost to entry—some who go through these doors "pop" like balloons, dying painfully. Only the very courageous—or extremely devout—dare enter.

Although Megan Giddings' third novel is clearly based on speculative elements, the sheer variety of cults that spring up seem like realistic responses to this new mystery. The church Ayanna is raised in teaches its adherents to prioritize wonders and mystery, while other traditions teach shame and repentance. Some, like Ayanna's church, are unconnected to prior religious traditions, while others teach a form of Christianity, integrating the worship of Jesus into their teachings about the doors. It brings to mind the variety of denominations in many faiths, and how people can look at the same ancient book (or in this case, supernatural phenomenon) and form very different conclusions and traditions. For some, faith is a source of guilt and shame; for others it brings joy and empowerment.

Throughout their childhoods, Olivia and Ayanna are close, and yet they are not at all alike. Olivia is a prim rule-follower while Ayanna is bold and adventurous. Their distinct upbringings clearly shape the people they become, and it's interesting to imagine how much more similar they might have been if they were raised in the same home. When Ayanna turns 18, as part of her religion's confirmation ritual, she enters one of the doors. To her surprise, Olivia follows her. But when she exits through another door back into the real world, Olivia is left behind—and then all of the doors vanish.

At its core, this is a book about grief. When Olivia is left behind in the other world, Ayanna's emotional growth is in many ways stunted. She falls in love with a wonderful, caring man, yet struggles to commit. She's also been fundamentally changed at a supernatural level. Since returning through the door, she is able to see and speak with spirits. It brings to mind the ways that loss and trauma can transform people. While being bothered by intrusive spirits may not be a concern for most people in our reality, many who have suffered immensely would agree that they no longer see the world the same way. In this book, people who return from the other side are affected differently, but no one remains unchanged. Some develop healing powers; others are left with nasty, otherworldly scars. The experience can shape them for worse or for better, as adversity does in our world.

This is not a straightforward fantasy adventure novel where Ayanna sets off on a quest to retrieve her sister. It's both deeper and quieter than that, asking how a person can go on after the worst has happened. By integrating fantastical elements into a story about the loss of a loved one, the author allows the reader to see this common experience with fresh eyes. Framing loss as something mysterious and otherworldly shines a spotlight on how terrible and isolating grief can be. Readers who are themselves grieving might relate to Ayanna's complex feelings, and her story might encourage them to show themselves some grace. While Giddings' novel may not deliver a clear-cut hero's journey, it has something else to offer, a quality it shares with many great books: a sense of connection and hope.

This review first ran in the June 18, 2025 issue of BookBrowse Recommends.