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4.14 AVERAGE
4.14 AVERAGE
This story follows Jack and Elizabeth, a middle-aged couple navigating the ups and downs of marriage, parenthood, and the ever-elusive quest for self-improvement. Set in modern-day Chicago, the novel explores how the culture of “wellness” can both help and haunt us as they confront personal and family secrets that change everything.
Okay, so maybe it’s because I’m basically the same age as the main characters, but Wellness totally caught me off guard—and I loved it! I went in expecting just another contemporary novel, and instead, I got a story filled to the brim with nostalgia and one that hit so close to home. It was beautiful!
The themes quietly sneak up on you, too—poignant without being in-your-face, which made me appreciate the story even more. Sure, I spotted a few plot twists coming, but the big reveal about Jack’s dad? Wow. Let’s just say that one felt a little too close to home, and also....SPOILERS...so I’ll keep the details under wraps.
If you’re a fellow Gen Xer who’s ever felt a little lost, alone, or just stuck navigating the chaos of life, this book is basically your new best friend. Highly recommend—because sometimes fiction gets us better than reality does!
Okay, so maybe it’s because I’m basically the same age as the main characters, but Wellness totally caught me off guard—and I loved it! I went in expecting just another contemporary novel, and instead, I got a story filled to the brim with nostalgia and one that hit so close to home. It was beautiful!
The themes quietly sneak up on you, too—poignant without being in-your-face, which made me appreciate the story even more. Sure, I spotted a few plot twists coming, but the big reveal about Jack’s dad? Wow. Let’s just say that one felt a little too close to home, and also....SPOILERS...so I’ll keep the details under wraps.
If you’re a fellow Gen Xer who’s ever felt a little lost, alone, or just stuck navigating the chaos of life, this book is basically your new best friend. Highly recommend—because sometimes fiction gets us better than reality does!
slow-paced
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
funny
informative
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
reflective
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
challenging
emotional
informative
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I did not like this book. I read it because my friend said it was her favorite book, and I love connecting with my friends through their favorite reads. Well, Meg, my Queen, I finished it, but I did not like this one.
The pacing was just off the whole time. This book could have easily been 400 pages or less. But it’s not. It’s 600! And good god I just wanted it to end. There were really interesting points in the narrative, only to be interrupted by 50+ pages OR MORE of background information, studies, or random information that, I will give the author credit, does tie to the main narrative. But for those 50+ pages until it does, I frequently, out loud, screamed “nobody cares Nathan Hill!”
It’s clear this author can write. But it felt long and arduous, like he is the modern day Charles Dickens who gets paid by the word, so he writes long ambling sentences to make that cash. You do you boo and make that money, but not at the expense of my sanity. Please.
Overall, this was not the book for me. Maybe I wasn’t in the right headspace for this? I was thankful when it ended. If you’re like my friend Meg who loves this book, maybe you love literary fiction, love long stories that are well written (gotta give the author some credit here), and enjoy a narrative where you feel seen on your journey through parenthood.
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
4.5
I enjoyed being in everyone’s head. The dialogue was also on point. I was sad to see this one end, and yet, the ending was fitting.
I enjoyed being in everyone’s head. The dialogue was also on point. I was sad to see this one end, and yet, the ending was fitting.