Reviews tagging 'Abandonment'

Wish You Were Here by Jodi Picoult

14 reviews

k83's review against another edition

funny reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.25

I miss the days of Picoult books being moral dilemmas. Mercy, The Pact, My Sisters Keeper, Keeping Faith.... This was very much fluff fiction, with a  tokenistic jump to mental health and lgb characters.  Maybe that's a reflection on publication decisions in a world of book banning, rather than picoults own choices.

Beatriz coming out is an non event, but there's no focus on her worries about it. Just her self harm, which is nothing more than a vehicle for Diana to be a saviour.   Similary Rodney is a walking stereotype, given no depth or development.  He exists only as comic relief from Finn's drama. His experience of lock down isn't described at all, when it would have made sense to at least skim over a "normal" experience rather than the beleaguered doctor and covid patient experience. He doesn't even express real concern for Diana's disappearance.

 

Doesn't actually chronical the covid-experiece at all.  It's an okay read, not one I'll reread.

---

Content Warnings

Minor: Self harm, Death of parent, and Abandonment

stephmcoakley's review against another edition

challenging emotional mysterious sad 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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Mental illness, Pandemic/Epidemic, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Classism, Death of parent, Dementia, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Abandonment, Death, Grief, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

wazowskismom's review

This book was very slow paced couldn’t hold my attention. I could push through in the first half because I loved the characters growth but after the twist I fell off hard. 

I enjoyed the twist but the reality is…we all lived through Covid and still are. I read to escape and this just further solidified the resentment and sadness I felt towards that time of craziness when the first strain hit. I just stopped being able to enjoy the book and even when I was enjoying it I was DRAGGING.

I think it’s possible the writing style, genre, and general plot all had part in making me put this book down for good.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Medical content, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Abandonment

moettel98'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

mydiverseshelf's review

emotional hopeful informative inspiring 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? It's complicated

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicide attempt, Self harm, and Abandonment

readbymeg_'s review against another edition

emotional informative reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Minor: Abandonment

xiaolongbao's review

dark emotional inspiring mysterious 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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Abandonment, Terminal illness, and Self harm

Descriptions of front line medical workers and patients in NYC who did not survive the early COVID-19 pandemic

mlovesbooks's review against another edition

The only reason I haven't DNF'd is because my mom recommended I listen to this audiobook. It feels white savior-y: white, privileged woman gets stuck on the Galápagos Islands during what was supposed to be a vacation but turns out to be the first few weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic and "saves" a family on the island by promoting communication and empathy... Hmm.

I wrote that as a note in my journal entries. I told my mom I wasn't loving the boon and she straight up said, Then stop reading it. Okay then, I will.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm

Moderate: Abandonment

kimveach's review

adventurous emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Like the best of her books, the author looks at separation during the beginning of the Covid pandemic with so many insights.  I loved the characters, the setting, and the plot.  You can't ask for much more than that.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Dementia, Grief, Sexual content, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Terminal illness, Abandonment, Confinement, and Medical content

Moderate: Infidelity, Lesbophobia, and Alcohol

kyrstin_p1989's review

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative reflective sad tense 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? It's complicated

5.0

Jodi never disappoints. I know this and yet I am always surprised by the amount of research and attention to detail she uses when creating new books. Wish You Were Here is a beautiful and devastating story about life during the time of COVID. It made me feel all the things. It reminded me that even though many of the people in my life have moved on and no longer fear COVID, that there are other people in the world who are just as afraid as I am. Also, the twist in this book — will make you angry. Like, so, so angry. But the book still ends well. It’s worth the pain. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Abandonment, Medical trauma, Suicidal thoughts, Alcohol, Infidelity, Self harm, Chronic illness, Classism, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Death of parent, Dementia, Lesbophobia, and Medical content