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sarahflanders's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
sad
fast-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? No
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing, Death, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Medical content, Dementia, Grief, Death of parent, and Alcohol
danyclarice's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
“You can’t plan your life Finn” I say quietly. “Because then you have a plan. Not a life”
-
Firstly. Wow. This book blew me away. This is the first book I have read by Jodi Picoult and I am in love with her writing. I think she is an amazing storyteller and brought to life the Galápagos so vividly in this book.
This book is a slow-burn with emotions bleeding into every page. It feels so surreal to read a book about COVID when we have all lived through it. Even though I live on the opposite side of the world, I resonated with the raw emotions and stillness Diana felt in her life.
This book won’t be for everyone. The plot is fairly simple and is focused primarily on the complexity of the character’s relationships with each other, and tackles themes of isolation and parent-loss. More than that, I can understand why some people would choose to avoid this book because COVID centres as the main driver for the plot. Although Diana’s story is fiction, Picoult, as shared in the author’s note, complied multiple stories of COVID survivors together to accurately depict lucid dream states, and long-term effects of being on a ventilator, which may be triggering for some audiences.
For me, this book forced me to confront many of the philosophies I live by post-COVID. Recently single, finished with two degrees, ready to move out and get a full-time job, I have constantly measured success academically and have a need to quantify my goals.
This year I will gain three certificates in UX Design and Project Management, I will get a boyfriend by the end of the year, marry by 30 and have children by 35… I think we’ve all been taught to measure our success in this way. In fact, like Diana, Picoult has taught us in the book how to open our hearts, forgive each other, and take COVID as an opportunity to assess ourselves, our priorities, and those that we love and are dear to us. I realise I need to slow down in life and appreciate what is right in front of me. Why am I focused on being happy in the future if I’m not even happy now?
As a happily married American women with three children, I know Picoult’s between the line messages can appear very complex and confusing for a reader such as myself. But right now, this book has contributed to present philosophies I will take going forward. Maybe I’ll revisit this book is 5, 10 years and gain a completely different message from it.
-
Firstly. Wow. This book blew me away. This is the first book I have read by Jodi Picoult and I am in love with her writing. I think she is an amazing storyteller and brought to life the Galápagos so vividly in this book.
This book is a slow-burn with emotions bleeding into every page. It feels so surreal to read a book about COVID when we have all lived through it. Even though I live on the opposite side of the world, I resonated with the raw emotions and stillness Diana felt in her life.
This book won’t be for everyone. The plot is fairly simple and is focused primarily on the complexity of the character’s relationships with each other, and tackles themes of isolation and parent-loss. More than that, I can understand why some people would choose to avoid this book because COVID centres as the main driver for the plot. Although Diana’s story is fiction, Picoult, as shared in the author’s note, complied multiple stories of COVID survivors together to accurately depict lucid dream states, and long-term effects of being on a ventilator, which may be triggering for some audiences.
For me, this book forced me to confront many of the philosophies I live by post-COVID. Recently single, finished with two degrees, ready to move out and get a full-time job, I have constantly measured success academically and have a need to quantify my goals.
This year I will gain three certificates in UX Design and Project Management, I will get a boyfriend by the end of the year, marry by 30 and have children by 35… I think we’ve all been taught to measure our success in this way. In fact, like Diana, Picoult has taught us in the book how to open our hearts, forgive each other, and take COVID as an opportunity to assess ourselves, our priorities, and those that we love and are dear to us. I realise I need to slow down in life and appreciate what is right in front of me. Why am I focused on being happy in the future if I’m not even happy now?
As a happily married American women with three children, I know Picoult’s between the line messages can appear very complex and confusing for a reader such as myself. But right now, this book has contributed to present philosophies I will take going forward. Maybe I’ll revisit this book is 5, 10 years and gain a completely different message from it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Dementia and Death of parent
Moderate: Self harm
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
This book is heavily plot driven by COVID and describes in detail the beginning of the pandemic, being on ventilators and patient death.paeten_'s review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm, Grief, Medical trauma, and Death of parent
Moderate: Homophobia, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, and Dementia
maddireads13's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Medical content, Dementia, Grief, Medical trauma, and Death of parent
Moderate: Self harm
moettel98's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Get ready to feel every feeling imaginable while reading this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Vomit, Medical content, Dementia, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Dysphoria
sjpate14's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I’m conflicted about this book. It does throw you back into the world of the pandemic and very accurately portrays the emotions many of us went through during the early months when we had no idea what was going on with COVID and the many unknowns of March / April / May 2020 - I didn’t really connect with the main character though. While at the beginning I loved the foreshadowing of the mockingbird / finches adaptation to survive, after that the book sort of fell flat . I loved hearing the perspectives of the COVID ICU boyfriend (and other front-line people of the hospital) but I just couldn’t put myself in the shoes of the MC and connect, perhaps it’s because I only ever had a mild case of COVID but her choices in the end seemed rushed even though the entire rest of the book was utterly slow paced.
I also did not really enjoy the blatant John Lennon/Yoko Ono references. There could have been a more creative way to make the jumping off point rather than an mimicking an actual horrid past event that happened with John Lennon’s murder.
I also did not really enjoy the blatant John Lennon/Yoko Ono references. There could have been a more creative way to make the jumping off point rather than an mimicking an actual horrid past event that happened with John Lennon’s murder.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Dementia and Death of parent
Minor: Murder
hannahrl's review against another edition
4.0
in a lot of ways I felt like this book was really able to capture some of the feelings I had during the pandemic that I haven’t really been able to describe to anyone in a coherent way. I liked the story for the most part and appreciated the twist. I like that it was a bit messier than some books. As always, I appreciated the accuracy with which a Picoult writes the details. I’m not sure if I was quite ready for a pandemic ready, but it was cathartic in a way. I didn’t love all the romantic aspects as those are some tropes I don’t love to read, but liked that they weren’t so clean cut. I liked the travel and adventure aspects and the way the book tackled relationships between parents and children. I’d recommend for someone who is ready to tackle some of those bigger emotions related to the pandemic.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content, Dementia, and Medical trauma
catarina_parente's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
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
4.0
I'm glad I didn't read this book so close to the pandemic. It was able to resonate with me and show me things I felt during that time without erasing the healing I've done this past year. It's a beautifully written story about living in the moment and accepting change.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Chronic illness, Confinement, Self harm, Dementia, and Medical trauma
kmsander4's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
slow-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
3.5
This book is inherently beautiful. It took me on a journey - an adventure, really. The twist quite literally took my breath away and the pain Diana felt, I felt it too.
The reason I can't give this a higher rating is the COVID of it all. It was too soon. Too soon to read about the tragedy, the loss, the loneliness. The hospitals, the refrigerated trucks, the death. Even though it was almost 3 years ago, we have not forgotten. I doubt we ever will.
Picoult is an incredible storyteller, but we all know that, that's why we pick up her stories over and over again. This just happens to be one that I probably won't pick up again.
If you're okay with having COVID take over your fantasy world, then this might be for you. But for those looking for a bit more separation, I may skip this one. At least for now.
The reason I can't give this a higher rating is the COVID of it all. It was too soon. Too soon to read about the tragedy, the loss, the loneliness. The hospitals, the refrigerated trucks, the death. Even though it was almost 3 years ago, we have not forgotten. I doubt we ever will.
Picoult is an incredible storyteller, but we all know that, that's why we pick up her stories over and over again. This just happens to be one that I probably won't pick up again.
If you're okay with having COVID take over your fantasy world, then this might be for you. But for those looking for a bit more separation, I may skip this one. At least for now.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Terminal illness
Moderate: Dementia
kawaii_potato's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
I went into this book with no clue as to what it was about, I just knew I loved Jodi Picoult. And wow did this evoke so many of the thoughts and feelings of what life was like during the early stages of Covid 19. I wasn't prepared to feel like that again but Jodi Picoult wanted to use her platform to help document what it was like and how people felt and I think she really nailed it. We need to remember to slow down and enjoy what we have because everything could change in an instant.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Medical content, Dementia, and Medical trauma