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abicaro17's review
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Diana is a complex and reflective character. Despite doing some choice things throughout the book, her reflection and inner turmoil creates a space to forgive some of her poor decisions. Given that this book basically reflects current and still changing events, it was well written and clearly well researched. It flows with facts and anecdotes from real life experiences. It was a beautiful (if not slightly triggering) book about a fictional person experiencing the trauma of current events.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical trauma, Pandemic/Epidemic, Medical content, and Mental illness
Moderate: Confinement, Dementia, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Grief, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Self harm, Injury/Injury detail, Suicidal thoughts, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
danyclarice's review
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: Death of parent and Dementia
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.trutiffany's review
emotional
mysterious
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? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Terminal illness and Death
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Suicide
COVID pandemicmoettel98's review
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, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, Abandonment, Self harm, Mental illness, Vomit, Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, Death, Dementia, Dysphoria, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Confinement, Grief, and Medical trauma
bre88's review
adventurous
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
While some parts were try hard, the first half of the book was mostly enjoyable. The second half was boring, predictable and incredibly heavy handed. I value the reasons why this book was written and how the author illuminates the stories of Covid survivors and first responders during the pandemic. But wow the whole thing devolved into a Hallmark movie and not even one with top billing…we are talking about a random mid year offering with non union actors.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm, Death of parent, Grief, and Medical content
Moderate: Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Bullying, Colonisation, Gun violence, Homophobia, and Outing
tojtwl's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This was a book recommended by one of the newsletters I'm subscribed to and I was curious to read it. I think I've read Jodi Picoult only once...or perhaps this is even my first.
It's very updated with present times, talking about the first few days of a world with COVID-19. The main character (girl) is stranded on an island where she was supposed to have taken a trip with her boyfriend...except he, as a doctor, couldn't make it because it was all hands on deck at the hospital.
So her adventure begins on the island where she meets people and deals with fuzzy internet signals and goes out swimming one day and faces a strong current...and, oh my gosh, I was not prepared for the plot twist that happened after. I will admit that I sort of felt betrayed that everything was just a hallucination. .
The second part of the bookis all about readjusting to life again. But she still makes me feel so frustrated because, girl, I get what you want, but maybe you could be a little less selfish and a little more understanding? I mean, there are so many things happening here. Then again, maybe that's to be expected from someone who has gone through that kind of "trauma"—the hallucinations and all of it.
It's very updated with present times, talking about the first few days of a world with COVID-19. The main character (girl) is stranded on an island where she was supposed to have taken a trip with her boyfriend...except he, as a doctor, couldn't make it because it was all hands on deck at the hospital.
So her adventure begins on the island where she meets people and deals with fuzzy internet signals and goes out swimming one day and faces a strong current...
The second part of the book
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent, Medical content, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt
mhatfield's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Wow. I loved this book. I didn't know what to expect for the first book (that I'm aware of) taking place in the COVID pandemic, but unsurprisingly Picoult did an incredible job. She has a special way of taking complex societal issues and making them approachable, albeit this was a bit different because every single one of us lived it firsthand. I was impressed at her ability to bring both the medicine/death and quarantine aspects of the pandemic into the story.
It caught me completely by surprise when Diana's time in the Galapagos wasn't real. I was stunned to find that she was actually recovering from COVID, and quite honestly felt cheated and gutted by Picoult. But the further I got into Part 2 I realized this was the way the story had to be told. And it made more sense because as much as I fell in love with Part 1 and the idea of Gabriel & Diana, it bugged me that her doctor boyfriend would've sent her away with COVID on the brink of spreading. So at least the one silver lining is her boyfriend wasn't a complete idiot?
I remember there were some passages in Part 1 that made me feel so much, they nearly took my breath away. I wish I had highlighted them (in fact, I might've but it was a library rental that I no longer have). Picoult captured what it truly felt like to live in a state of quarantine in 2020 and all the things it made me (and our society as a whole) think about. Like the environment and importance of nature preservation, living in the moment, gratitude for the little things, the meaning of one's career... the question is, what didn't she manage to touch on?
Bravo, Picoult. An absolute masterpiece.
--
NOTE / TRIGGER WARNING: I felt ready to read this book because I've reached the acceptance stage of COVID grief, but I would not recommend this book if you've lost someone to COVID, as it's quite triggering.
I remember there were some passages in Part 1 that made me feel so much, they nearly took my breath away. I wish I had highlighted them (in fact, I might've but it was a library rental that I no longer have). Picoult captured what it truly felt like to live in a state of quarantine in 2020 and all the things it made me (and our society as a whole) think about. Like the environment and importance of nature preservation, living in the moment, gratitude for the little things, the meaning of one's career... the question is, what didn't she manage to touch on?
Bravo, Picoult. An absolute masterpiece.
--
NOTE / TRIGGER WARNING: I felt ready to read this book because I've reached the acceptance stage of COVID grief, but I would not recommend this book if you've lost someone to COVID, as it's quite triggering.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Medical trauma, Grief, Suicide, Death, Death of parent, Medical content, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt
lpdx's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
slow-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
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Dementia, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Self harm
Moderate: Death, Grief, Blood, Suicide, Abandonment, Alcohol, Confinement, and Mental illness
Minor: Infidelity
pagesandtealeavess's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Self harm and Terminal illness
Minor: Suicide
desertmountainreads's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
5.0
I was engrossed in every bit of this novel… my first pandemic book. About halfway through, I said to myself, “this is too soon.” However, in typical Jodi Picoult fashion, she took the story to a level above what you’d expect. The author’s note at the end cemented why Jodi is one of the best there is and why her books always resonate so deeply. And I understand why this book needed to arrive now.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Dementia, Death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Terminal illness
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