3.75

This is the first COVID novel I’ve read and it did bring back a lot of difficult memories which makes it hard for me to rate as well as review. I can tell Jodi Picoult did her research and I learned a lot about the medical side of covid and covid care, and was very moved by that part of the story. Removing myself from the emotional side of things, the story was good! I enjoyed Diana's journey, both professionally and personally, and really enjoyed her time on the Galapagos Islands. It was easy to keep reading and I was interested and invested in the outcome. My favorite part of the book was the twist in the plot I didn't see coming- and also really liked the ending! I remain a big fan of Jodi Picoult and will continue to read anything she writes.

Thank you to netgalley, Random House Publishing Group, Ballantine Books, and the author for my advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

What I liked:
•I wasn’t sure I’d be ready to read a book centered around the pandemic. But while there were difficult to read details, and it was in the background at all times, the story was about Diana’s experiencesthat were riveting!
•Beautifully descriptive settings in the Galápagos Islands and New York City
•characters I wasn’t sure I loved or disliked ~ I like when an author makes you think
•the secondary story of Diana and her mother in a memory care setting
•it’s a JP book, so an expected, yet totally unexpected twist!
•fast paced easy reading
•the author’s note at the end is worth reading!

What I didn’t like:
•not much. Great story.
•tell me more at the end!! Please.

Thank you to @netgalley @jodipicoult and @randomhouse for this advanced copy.

3.75 COVID stars

Diana and Finn are the couple that have their whole lives planned out. She’s working in the art auction field and Finn is a surgical resident. They’ve saved for four years for a dream trip to the Galapagos and departure day is just about here.

This book is set in the recent past and coincides with the COVID-19 outbreak that hits NYC very hard. As a resident, Finn must stay at work as things worsen with more patients, deaths, and frustration over how to treat the symptoms. There’s no way he can go on vacation. However, they will lose all their deposit money, so he convinces Diana to go without him.

As you might expect, it’s not a fabulous getaway for Diana as the island shuts down once she gets there and she has trouble communicating with Finn back home. She befriends a few locals and tries to make the best of things. In fact, she starts to really love the island life and isn’t sure how she will ever get home.

Jodi Picoult has done a masterful job writing about experiences with COVID from the medical side of things and it’s heartbreaking to see what the hospital staff experience.

There’s much more to this story, but I can’t figure out how to review any of it without giving it all away. This one still has me thinking about it as I thought it was a unique story. However, it won’t be a tale that everyone is ready to read if they’ve been severely impacted by COVID.

Don’t miss the terrific author’s note at the end.

I love Jodi Picoult's books and recommend everyone read them all but this one in particular didn't envelope me like her other books. I understand and appreciate that Jodi's ability to research the topic was limited and that the topic she chose is still being pondered by so many and with that in mind, this story, like her others, does make me think about things from a different perspective. There is a twist folks that is very unexpected that makes this book stand out which I am not going to dive into here but read the book if just for that :) Jodi Picoult, Diane Chamberlain, John Hart - you all are still my favorite authors.

The last Jodi Picoult book I read was The Book of Two Ways which I didn’t particularly enjoy. That said I saw great reviews for this book and wanted to give Piccoult another go. Unfortunately o get similarly and this one just wasn’t for me.
The book follows Diana who decides to head to the Galápagos Islands at the beginning of Covid and ends up getting stuck on one of the islands. All the while her Surgeon boyfriend is stuck in New York dealing with the horrors of Covid.
Diana meets a young girl and her father while stranded and forms a bond and “changes” while there. Anything beyond that would be a huge spoiler.

I honestly just think the character development as well as some details of the art world, Covid, and other descriptions just bored me. Not enough about the characters and too much about the art/Covid details. I didn’t particular feel for Diana and I found the story implausible.

I know a lot of people will love this one but think I’ve come to the conclusion that this authors style isn’t for me.

3.25 stars.

Thanks #nergalley for the opportunity to review this book.

Didn’t have that Jodi Picoult “flavor” that I’m used to reading in her books. The first part of the book was dragging and the second part was nothing but COVID and more COVID. I did however like the plot twist and didn’t see that coming!

The pros: I was impressed with the authors vast knowledge of art and of the research she must have done to write this story.

The cons: I believe I could have really liked this book if it weren't for the prolific, appalling language. It was really a turn off and will prevent me from recommending this book to anyone.

** I’ve been careful about spoilers, so it may seem at times I’m talking AROUND plot … but I have to admit I think the concern should be more about the plot than spoilers that give it away.

This wasn’t for me. I thought I would give Picoult a try, but I’m not her reader if this is her usual fare. I thought this was trite and poorly written, and clearly rushed/pasted together (in the acknowledgments she admits to writing this in land-speed record time).

For the most part I thought I was reading filler, by way of Wikipedia-style entries. She obviously read a lot about other people’s experiences with Covid, some stuff on the art world, some stuff on Alzheimers, some stuff on Darwin and the Galapagos (though she admits in the author’s note to having visited there pre-Covid), then she cobbled it all together and produced this. It’s a bit of a monster. I only finished because it’s an ARC and I feel obligated to review. Otherwise, I would have dropped it with the first chapter.

Let me say this about that first chapter, dated March 13 2020. It was cringeworthy for so many reasons. I think it’s because I lived in New York City for almost twenty years and wasn’t living there during Covid and felt heartbreak every single minute I saw news about what was happening. But also I was teaching at a university with many students who had just come back from their Christmas break, some from China and directly from Wuhan, so as far back as January we were getting news about a possible … world wide virus. I can remember asking my GP in JANUARY whether she was worried about this virus. Her eyes went wide and she said boldly, “Yes, I am very worried.” When your GP says that to you in January, by March you’ve read enough news to understand much of the badness, so Picoult’s MC caught me off guard.

Diana O'Toole was … a tool, and um, dumb. She was self-absorbed. She lives with a doctor who is saving lives by March and she’s oblivious. Again, this is the opening chapter, with a pseudo-Yoko Ono and John Lennon, and a vapid situation that had me cringing because I lived in the Dakota and rode the elevator with Yoko Ono on occasion. (Woah, I sounded like Picoult’s name-dropping MC for a moment.) The opening of Wish You Were Here is so anti Raiders of the Lost Ark -- possibly the most perfect opening of any story, one that is a trailer to the movie with a clear sense of character, goals, and atmosphere. Although, [the faux Yoko may very well have been a hint at things to come ... (hide spoiler)]

So I think if Picoult was trying to exploit the confusion of Covid’s quick sweep through New York, she failed at anything remotely close to that. I felt nothing for any of her characters. I draw more feeling from all the things I read and still do read about the pandemic’s reality. That’s where the problem lies. I think it’s too soon. It’s in poor taste to exploit this massive tragedy for fiction, especially if you haven’t got a point. Why fake Yoko Ono but rely on reality for the setting, then use neither to do justice to your story?

Okay, I’m venting and personalizing, but I don’t think you can write a book about Covid and expect your readers not to personalize. We’ve all been through the wringer, right? It’s kind of sacred, communal ground. Not sure it’s ripe for fiction. I kept asking myself, who is she writing this for? Someone who hasn’t lived it? That’s how I felt, but that’s me. Every reader will take something different from this I’d imagine. But there’s really not much here, to be honest. Nothing to takeaway that isn’t already a part of our collective trauma. I didn’t gain anything from this story about a self-centered MC, no matter what she went through. She seems to sacrifice nothing, to be honest. She’s embarrassingly typical and a product of the “me-me-me” movement.

Perhaps that’s the problem. This is such fluff in comparison to the reality of Covid, and it relies on some kind of anachronistic timeline that drove me crazy -- what people knew, didn’t know, thought and felt, etc.

No, just no. Not for me ...

Thank you Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, and Jodi Picoult for letting me get an ARC of "Wish You Were Here" for an honest review!

This book was so well written. Nothing could've prepared me for the plot twist half way through this book. This was my first book from Jodi and it will not be the last. I love reads that I can't predict what's going to happen next. This did that and so much more. It makes you think about life and not taking anything for granted. it gives the reader a real-life glimpse of the aftermath of the pandemic. It was so relatable. It also was crazy to read about the long term effects that people who have been infected, still deal with.

Diana's real life and her "dream" world collide in this twisted, yet magnificent read. Bravo, Jodi! LOVED this!

"

GUYS AND GALS! PRE-ORDER THIS ONE FOR SURE! This novel will absolutely be one of my top ten of the year.

After being disappointed by the last release from one of my very favorite authors (see my post on The Book of Two Ways), I was so hoping I would love Wish You Were Here. And I SO do!

A perfect blend of romance, historical fiction, current events (the first novel I’ve read which incorporates Covid-19) – a classic Picoult book if there ever was one.

As usual, Jodi Picoult is a terrific writer. She wrote about a touchy subject with grace and the storyline was unique and engaging.

However with that being said I have two major things that didn't work for me personally.
(1) I think it's too soon to write about the Covid-19 pandemic. We are still living it, and it's something I've been personally affected by. Reading about this was a bit disturbing.
(2) As with her last few novels, sometimes I feel the author is giving too much background/history. This is a fiction novel. I don't want to skim over pages that make me feel like I'm getting a history lesson.

This is the first book I have read about the Covid 19 Pandemic. Jodi Picoult wrote it, so I was pretty sure it would be interesting. I was correct. The story begins in the early phase of the pandemic, right before the US went into lockdown. It was that period of time when we were all aware that there was a dangerous virus out in the world but none of us could have conceived of what was to come.
The story begins with Finn, who is a young surgical resident in a New York Hospital and his soon to be fiancé, Diana, who are planning a long awaited vacation to the Galápagos Islands. Like the rest of the world, plans were altered. Without giving away anymore of the story, I must say that I was totally engrossed in this book. Half way through the book, something happened that completely shocked me. I did not see it coming. You will have to read the book to understand what I am talking about.
I would totally recommend this book to all of the Jodi Picoult fans out there and to all others who will most likely become fans after reading this book.
Thank you to Netgalley for an early release copy of the book.

Jodi Picoult delivers some elaborate research and captures raw feelings in this global realization in this book. We have loved, lost, feared, and gained a real understanding of the important things in our lives, readjusted our focus and revamped the workforce and our definition of heroes. No one will ever be the same as generations before us warned, but we continue to persevere through a lockdown, isolation and resilience.

This book shares a fictional story of a young couple Finn & Diana planning their tropical vacation on the Galapagos Islands when the pandemic hits. Finn is a surgical resident needed at the hospital in New York and explains to her instead of them losing their money on the trip that Diana, an art broker, to continue without him. Heartbroken and discouraged, she continues her journey. With a few setbacks, her luggage lost and hotel closures, a kind family allows her to stay in their empty apartment.

While she is enjoying the scenery on this volcanic island, Finn is desperately trying to save lives. While she swims with the marine life, turtles, sea lions, and penguins, he swims in ventilators, gloves, masks and doom from every angle. Her guilt is catapulted into no internet connections, no phone service, no ATM's, no flights out and no grocery stores available. Any other time she would have welcomed the inconveniences, but not as the world turns in a different direction. She relies on the kindness of others to help her through and takes a step back to realize her life may be heading a different path than before.

Sadly, raw emotions of Finn are captured as emails seep through with clear visuals of his anguish and experiences trying to keep people alive. As a mother of three health care workers and a husband, who fights diligently once again to ward off this curse, this hit home. This book is not to be taken lightly as some of the experiences are real and the after effects are lingering, but she is genuine and sincere. She leaves us with a real glimpse in how it affected her and how the book came to fruition.

The twist at the end opened my eyes to a whole realm of emotions and from there I was definitely nose diving until the end. This is a real piece of work and while I have read many of her books and lost touch with the author, she awakened a whole new game of respect and desire to read more from this talented writer.
Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion and review.

This is a great Jodi Picoult book. She is my favorite author, and I believe I have read every book she has ever written. This one involves a young couple (Diana and Finn), who have mapped out their entire lives together, which works for them until Covid intervenes. Diana works at Sotheby’s and Finn is a surgeon at a local hospital. They are supposed to go to the Galápagos Islands for a much-anticipated vacation, but Covid cases are rapidly accelerating, and Finn’s time off is cancelled. He tells Diana to go anyway, and the Islands close right after she arrives. She is stuck there, and she meets a lot of interesting people, some of whom have her rethinking the plans that she has made with Finn. Meanwhile, Finn is working long hours and is drowning in despair as most of his patients die from Covid. I’m going to stop here. There is a fascinating turn in the plot, which had me reading the rest of the book non-stop until the end. I just couldn’t put it down. Talking about anything else would involve spoilers. This is classic Jodi Picoult, but I think it’s one of her best books ever. You definitely don’t want to miss this one! Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in return for my honest review.

A little too heavy with Covid. Lots of eye opening details about what medical providers are dealing with throughout the pandemic. Readers will appreciate their sacrifice. Art history readers will enjoy the information about the world of art. Maybe a few years down the road this novel will be easier to read.

I was hesitant about reading about the pandemic as today our hospitals are full, more people are dying and we're nervous about going out AGAIN. However, the author has a fresh approach, if that is the right word, and examines our personal decisions and its consequences. She also found the right tone in honoring the first responders and front-line health care workers. I did find that going to the Galapagos alone a bit contrived, but understand her reason for doing so.

Jodi Picoult is a prolific writer. Her latest novel, Wish You Were Here, strikes all the notes that have made her a best seller. While not the story I thought I was reading, Picoult weaves a lush tale of a woman trapped on an exotic island while the world is paused for a pandemic. Well-paced and written with an eye for detail, this story will quickly captivate the reader. Definitely a recommendation.

I received an e-ARC of this book in AUG 2021, but this book will not be released until NOV 2021.

Diana O’Toole has a great job, a great boyfriend (who she thinks is going to propose), and a great holiday set up in the Galapagos. Everything is looking perfect and wonderful … and then COVID hits. Diana’s boyfriend, Finn, works at a hospital, where all hands are requested to be on deck. Finn suggests that Diana go on holiday by herself, so a bit reluctantly she does. Upon arriving at Isabel Island, she learns that the island will be closed for two weeks. Over time, Diana discovers that while things aren’t easy on the island (there’s a curfew, she doesn’t speak Spanish, and she is relying upon the kindness of strangers), life on Isabel isn’t all that bad - she’s dealing well, having made some friends and being able to be and breathe. As she’s mostly cut off from the outside world, while Isabel isn’t quite a paradise, there are worse places to be spending time away from home. There’s an unexpected twist that I cannot get into (spoiler!), but suffice to say that it was one I didn’t see coming.

One thing I’ve learned from reading Jodi Picoult books - there’s something in them that is hard hitting and makes you think. This book deals with COVID, so if reading about that is a trigger warning, this is not the book for you. She delves into deep details about what the front-line workers faced - the sorrow of losing patients, the mental pain, the long hours, the fear of getting infected or infecting their loved ones (and I still say, bless you every single front-line worker!). She deals with people losing their jobs and trying to survive the uncertainty. One of the side stories deals with elder care, dementia, and mother-daughter issues - I found this part to be difficult to go through, as I had a parent with dementia.

Once again, Ms Picoult has done research (her Author’s Note was a great read - I recommend reading it for how she got the book’s idea and how she did her research) and it shows in this book. I learned a bit more about paintings (though now I wish the painting she talked about was a real one - it sounds incredible), Grand Central Station, art therapy, and being a tourist guide.

I know this review is jumping all over the place, but my one tiny little bit of criticism is that Diana is either amazingly oblivious or isn’t thinking at times. All over the Galapagos Islands and in most of the literature, there are reminders to keep away from the wildlife (or this was true back in the late 1990s). You don’t just “go up” to an animal and pet it - these are wild animals (penguins peck, seals bite, etc.). Also, yes, those apple trees are plentiful but in the tourist areas, there were warning signs. When visiting her mother, after living with someone working in a hospital setting, Diana doesn’t take two seconds to think “X is happening, maybe I should do Y and Z to protect myself and Finn.” Maybe this was done to show that Diana is passionate and impulsive, but I found it unappealing at times. A really strong 4.5 stars overall.

This was my first Covid novel and Jodi Picoult did not disappoint. Though I will be careful about who I recommend this title to as it may hit some readers differently based on their pandemic experience. As always, the book is meticulously researched and executed. From the Galapagos to the hospital hallways, I was completely transported.

No doubt about it.

Jodi Picoult is a polished writer, and her research is always meticulous. This author can write.,

So, this rating is not a reflection of her talent…but rather one reflecting my enjoyment level of reading this story.
Or lack of.

This book is HEAVY.

Diane O’Toole is climbing the professional ladder in the cutthroat art auction world, and is about to depart for the Galápagos, with her boyfriend, Finn, a surgical resident in Manhattan, when the first cases of Covid-19 appear in the city. The hospital needs all hands on deck.

Their vacation is non-refundable and he encourages her to take it, not realizing how bad things would get. Diana finds herself stranded there, the borders closed, the Island under quarantine.

We learn A LOT about Art History, the Art Auction world and the beautiful Galápagos Islands-and if you are interested in these topics, you may find the book fascinating……

We also learn everything about what the ICU Doctors, Nurses and other medical staff endured….and are still enduring, as they learned to fight Covid, by trial and error, and it’s detailed. This is a prevalent theme in the entire book, and Ms. Picoult does not hold back.

If you read this-be prepared!
If you have lost someone to Covid-19-it may be too soon to pick this up.

I do LOVE what a wonderful tribute it is to the medical community…the men and women who continue to be the heroes of this Pandemic.

BUT-if you read to escape and be entertained-it’s not going to happen here.

I found Diana to be a selfish woman, who easily justified the decisions she makes-so that didn’t help either.

But the point was to have us, as a reader, reflect upon how an EXPERIENCE, can change our perceptions of what is and is not important, and perhaps change our lives forever.


Be sure to read the author’s notes after the epilogue.

Available November 30, 2021.

Thank You to Ballantine Books for my gifted copy provided through NetGalley. It was my pleasure to offer a candid review!