lyyyn's review
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
marissax22's review
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
mmgragg's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
soliteyah's review
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Do yourself a favor and don't read too much about this book before diving in. I spent a lot of this book wondering how it was going to end (and I normally wasn't right). :)
nadiamasood's review
3.0
This novel is heavily based around COVID-19. We're still living the pandemic and this experience has been traumatic for so many (including myself), so please keep that in mind when reading this novel. It may be too soon for some to be reading this book.
Wish You Were Here is Jodi Picoult’s take on a novel about the pandemic, and this is the first novel I've read where the main plot is about Covid. It opens on March 13, 2020, in New York, when cases of the virus had just started being reported in the United States.
It felt surreal, reading this, especially since we're still going through the pandemic. I appreciate the research work by Jodi Picoult for this book and I felt transported back to when the pandemic first began, back when we were all so uncertain about what we were facing and how long we were going to be facing it.
Our protagonist Diana is stuck on Isabela Island in the Galápagos for the most part of the book, and much of the narrative is about her exploring her surroundings and getting to know a local family. Meanwhile, the progression of the pandemic is described by Finn, Diana's boyfriend, through his emails from New York.
I enjoyed the story until about halfway through the book. My biggest issue was the plot twist, which just ruined the whole story. I also don't particularly like Diana. I find her ungrateful and selfish, and her decisions do not make sense to me. Not once did I feel any sympathy or connection to her.
Also, it bothered me how casually the various characters broke things like quarantine or lockdown rules, often putting other people at risk of possibly contracting COVID. I find this upsetting, especially since I've lost someone close to me to COVID.
Wish You Were Here is Jodi Picoult’s take on a novel about the pandemic, and this is the first novel I've read where the main plot is about Covid. It opens on March 13, 2020, in New York, when cases of the virus had just started being reported in the United States.
It felt surreal, reading this, especially since we're still going through the pandemic. I appreciate the research work by Jodi Picoult for this book and I felt transported back to when the pandemic first began, back when we were all so uncertain about what we were facing and how long we were going to be facing it.
Our protagonist Diana is stuck on Isabela Island in the Galápagos for the most part of the book, and much of the narrative is about her exploring her surroundings and getting to know a local family. Meanwhile, the progression of the pandemic is described by Finn, Diana's boyfriend, through his emails from New York.
I enjoyed the story until about halfway through the book. My biggest issue was the plot twist, which just ruined the whole story. I also don't particularly like Diana. I find her ungrateful and selfish, and her decisions do not make sense to me. Not once did I feel any sympathy or connection to her.
Also, it bothered me how casually the various characters broke things like quarantine or lockdown rules, often putting other people at risk of possibly contracting COVID. I find this upsetting, especially since I've lost someone close to me to COVID.
readwithdes's review
4.0
“There is a profound difference between knowing your situation is temporary and not knowing what’s coming next.”
This was my first Jodi Picoult book and I went into it blind. I’m glad I did because I don’t think this is something I would have read otherwise. It was so beautifully written and it captures the trauma of the pandemic through different perspectives perfectly. I have to admit, I usually don’t like reading books that capture real-world events, but if I had to relive the terrible experiences of what life was like peak Covid while reading a book, I’m glad it was this one.
The descriptions were so real and I felt like I was in the Galápagos with Diana, while also battling the virus on the frontlines with Finn. It did start out a little slow, but there is a twist that I did not expect and I couldn’t put it down afterwards. There are a few heartbreaking scenes and I didn’t get the ending I hoped for, but it was kind of bittersweet. You should definitely check the trigger warnings before reading.
I absolutely loved this book and I’ll be thinking about it for a while now. The author’s note at the end for the inspiration behind Wish You Were Here made it more meaningful.
This was my first Jodi Picoult book and I went into it blind. I’m glad I did because I don’t think this is something I would have read otherwise. It was so beautifully written and it captures the trauma of the pandemic through different perspectives perfectly. I have to admit, I usually don’t like reading books that capture real-world events, but if I had to relive the terrible experiences of what life was like peak Covid while reading a book, I’m glad it was this one.
The descriptions were so real and I felt like I was in the Galápagos with Diana, while also battling the virus on the frontlines with Finn. It did start out a little slow, but there is a twist that I did not expect and I couldn’t put it down afterwards. There are a few heartbreaking scenes and I didn’t get the ending I hoped for, but it was kind of bittersweet. You should definitely check the trigger warnings before reading.
I absolutely loved this book and I’ll be thinking about it for a while now. The author’s note at the end for the inspiration behind Wish You Were Here made it more meaningful.
agustinap's review
3.0
I love Jodi Picoult and read all her books without even knowing what the subject is. This book is about Covid, which we're all still living thru. That being said, the first part of the book was pretty engaging and I was enjoying it...then I felt a little drained since I'm still reading about Covid in the news and it's a constant subject when talking to people. I read books to lose myself...that being said, I enjoyed it just not as much as some of her others.