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3.87 AVERAGE
3.87 AVERAGE
Unlike most of the other Jodi Picoult novels that I've read, this one focuses almost exclusively on one character, Diana O'Toole. There's not much that can be said without spoilers, but it's her Covid novel, and she does a really good job of showing the consequences of the pandemic, though Diana herself, her boyfriend the doctor, and her other NYC acquaintances. There are several appearances by a Yoko Ono character (wife of Sam Pride, the lead singer of the Beatles-like Nightjars; he is shot outside the Ansonia, a Dakota substitute).
It's shorter than most of her books, and she says that she wrote it more quickly, too. It's not my favorite.
It's shorter than most of her books, and she says that she wrote it more quickly, too. It's not my favorite.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
challenging
emotional
hopeful
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:
Complicated
adventurous
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
emotional
mysterious
reflective
fast-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
I’d forgotten how good Picoult is at writing and how much I enjoy her books. This was however quite a difficult read for me due to my mum dying with Alzheimer’s
adventurous
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
tense
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:
Complicated
Wish You Were Here by Jodi Picoult is a deeply emotional and introspective novel that truly resonated with me. I connected with the main character on many levels—her feelings of uncertainty, isolation, and transformation mirrored my own, and some of her life experiences reflected things I’ve personally been through. The pandemic backdrop added a layer of realism that made the story even more poignant, and I could sense the author’s own emotions and reflections woven into the narrative, which gave it authenticity and depth. Overall, it’s a thought-provoking story about resilience, identity, and the unexpected turns life can take.
This novel, which was actually my first foray into Picoult, f***ed me up significantly more than your average four-star. Easily one of the more memorable/pivotal books I've read this year
A jumbled-up list of positives and negatives, mostly negatives:
- In its defense, I couldn't put it down
- If the book hadn't had a reputable name attached to it, I wouldn't have understood how it garnered any fame whatsoever; it still feels way too soon for Pandemic-Era Fiction™️ to be even marginally successful. I probably wouldn't have read this if I had read the blurb more carefully.
- the first half of the book was so painfully cliché that it was almost a DNF for me. The plot twist, which itself was also cliché yet also stunned me with its unexpectedness, is what ultimately kept me around
- there are some real pockets of writing brilliance in this novel. I am beginning to understand the cult of Picoult and am definitely interested in trying more of her work, even though this book had its glaring flaws
- this book maybe needed a different editor. The protagonist gets real repetitive, as well as glaringly inconsistent, in her rants about her boyfriend, or even (although I feel like an asshole saying this) about her absent mother, which felt kind of gauche on the author's end. She is annoying and makes decisions with which the reader has trouble sympathizing
A jumbled-up list of positives and negatives, mostly negatives:
- In its defense, I couldn't put it down
- If the book hadn't had a reputable name attached to it, I wouldn't have understood how it garnered any fame whatsoever; it still feels way too soon for Pandemic-Era Fiction™️ to be even marginally successful. I probably wouldn't have read this if I had read the blurb more carefully.
- the first half of the book was so painfully cliché that it was almost a DNF for me. The plot twist, which itself was also cliché yet also stunned me with its unexpectedness, is what ultimately kept me around
- there are some real pockets of writing brilliance in this novel. I am beginning to understand the cult of Picoult and am definitely interested in trying more of her work, even though this book had its glaring flaws
- this book maybe needed a different editor. The protagonist gets real repetitive, as well as glaringly inconsistent, in her rants about her boyfriend, or even (although I feel like an asshole saying this) about her absent mother, which felt kind of gauche on the author's end. She is annoying and makes decisions with which the reader has trouble sympathizing
adventurous
emotional
slow-paced