I am hoping to start posting reviews of all the books I’ve read so far this year. Today I’m sharing my review of Wish you were here by Jodi Picoult.
Synopsis
A deeply moving novel about the resilience of the human spirit in a moment of crisis.
Diana O’Toole is perfectly on track. She will be married by thirty, done having kids by thirty-five, and move out to the New York City suburbs, all while climbing the professional ladder in the cutthroat art auction world. She’s not engaged just yet, but she knows her boyfriend, Finn, a surgical resident, is about to propose on their romantic getaway to the Galápagos—days before her thirtieth birthday. Right on time.
But then a virus that felt worlds away has appeared in the city, and on the eve of their departure, Finn breaks the news: It’s all hands on deck at the hospital. He has to stay behind. You should still go, he assures her, since it would be a shame for all of their nonrefundable trip to go to waste. And so, reluctantly, she goes.
Almost immediately, Diana’s dream vacation goes awry. The whole island is now under quarantine, and she is stranded until the borders reopen. Completely isolated, she must venture beyond her comfort zone. Slowly, she carves out a connection with a local family when a teenager with a secret opens up to Diana, despite her father’s suspicion of outsiders.
Diana finds herself examining her relationships, her choices, and herself—and wondering if when she goes home, she too will have evolved into someone completely different.
Why I Decided to Read this Book
I saw this book recommended by a few people and I have enjoyed Jodi Picoult’s books in the past.
Rating
4 Stars (Check out my rating system!)
My Thoughts
The story is set during Covid times and it is very much about Covid. I wasn’t sure if I was ready to read a book set in 2020-2021 but surprisingly I was. I think the author did a great job portraying the time period and you can tell a lot of research went into it. The book is partially set in the Galapagos and I really enjoyed the setting. Its hard to say enjoyed because it was during lock down. However, I felt like I was transported there and now I want to go visit.
I felt all sorts of emotions while reading this book and I think that is why I would say I overall enjoyed it. The main character made a lot of questionable decisions and I found myself asking what I would have done in those situations. The story started a little slow so that is why I didn’t rate this five stars but I overall I am glad I read it and I still think about it.
I listened to this one in audio and I really enjoyed the narration. I recommend that format!
Content Warnings
Death, self harm, death of a parent, dementia, chronic illness, grief, infidelity
Who I Recommend this Book to
I am not sure what to compare this book to because I haven’t read anything like it. I think if you are ready to read a book set during Covid times give this one a try.
Get the Book!
Did this review of Wish you were here convince you to read it? Check out the links below to order it from Bookshop.org, Amazon and libro.fm. Please consider ordering it from a Black owned independent bookstore. This list of Black owned independent bookstores accepts online ordering.
>>Shop on Libro.fm
If you’ve read this book let me know your thoughts in the comments!
