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A review by kshatto18
Lone Wolf by Jodi Picoult
2.0
Let me start by saying, I love Jodi Picoult's novels. I've read 13 of them, most of which were thoroughly enjoyable (with only a couple of notable exceptions--Songs of the Humpback Whale for one). I'm always excited to see when she's written something new and can't wait for it to come into print. When I've read or listened to interviews she's given, I am always amazed that she writes all of her novels in about 9 months. For the most part, you would never be able to tell they are written so quickly.
However, Lone Wolf was the exception. Not only was this book not enjoyable, it was physically painful to read. It was one of those books that you read 150 pages in, decide you don't really like the book, but feel like you have to finish it just because you've already put so much effort into reading it.
To me, it feels like she just didn't have enough time to really get at the heart of the novel. The characters were underdeveloped, the voices stagnant, and the plot unrealistic. One of my favorite things about reading a novel by Picoult is her use of voice. In this novel however, the voices of each character were so similar as to be indistinguishable from one another. If there weren't names at the beginning of each chapter, I would have said this was a first person omnicient narrator.
Furthermore, the plot was at times contrived and at other times wholly unrealistic. The "surprise" ending was so poorly done that it was truly unbelievable.
The only redeeming quality of the book, for me, was the information about wolves. I found her research to be fascinating and wished more could have been incorporated about them.
I didn't enjoy this book. But I do love other novels by Jodi Picoult and would recommend many of them. Hopefully, the next novel will be better than Lone Wolf.
However, Lone Wolf was the exception. Not only was this book not enjoyable, it was physically painful to read. It was one of those books that you read 150 pages in, decide you don't really like the book, but feel like you have to finish it just because you've already put so much effort into reading it.
To me, it feels like she just didn't have enough time to really get at the heart of the novel. The characters were underdeveloped, the voices stagnant, and the plot unrealistic. One of my favorite things about reading a novel by Picoult is her use of voice. In this novel however, the voices of each character were so similar as to be indistinguishable from one another. If there weren't names at the beginning of each chapter, I would have said this was a first person omnicient narrator.
Furthermore, the plot was at times contrived and at other times wholly unrealistic. The "surprise" ending was so poorly done that it was truly unbelievable.
The only redeeming quality of the book, for me, was the information about wolves. I found her research to be fascinating and wished more could have been incorporated about them.
I didn't enjoy this book. But I do love other novels by Jodi Picoult and would recommend many of them. Hopefully, the next novel will be better than Lone Wolf.