Wish You Were Here: a completely gripping, unputdownable novel from bestselling author of Mad Honey Paperback – August 18, 2022

I powered through and read this very engaging novel and could barely put it down until its completion. The tale is more than just living through the throes of the worst facets of the pandemic, it also touches on life's plans and life's curveballs. From personal experience having worked in healthcare during the pandemic, the atrocities and mental anguish that Finn was experiencing was palpable. To this day, in 2024, I still tell others that the horrors spoken from health care workers were true, and somehow people, although moving forward, have short term memory of life with Covid. Thank you, Jodi Picoult, for memorializing it in such a poignant fashion and without the political strife that accompanied Covid's journey. Covid is the main undertone of the novel, but there is also an alternate reality going on with the consciousness of the main character, Diana, while she (spoil alert!) lay in limbo between life and death in an ICU in NY. As Diana recovers, she reimagines and redefines her life's plan. Although I have not traveled to the Galapagos Islands, the descriptions of a small secluded island without the modern conveniences were vividly described. But life's modern conveniences were incidental when you consider droves of people were dying. The contrast between Finn's narratives and the islands solitude was a wonderful juxtaposition and word crafting. Covid did indeed change the lives of many, if not all of us, in many ways. In some ways clinically or physiologically, for others psychologically, and for all of us who do not have short term memory of the atrocities and tragedies, it changed the way we live and behave as humans and treat ourselves and others. Life's plans changed drastically for Diana and Finn as a fallout from her near death experience. Much appreciated perspective from the eyes of Diana and Finn, as well as Rodney and others.

Jodi Picoult is known for taking current events and making them into interesting and intimate stories. In this book, she covers the Covid pandemic.Diana works at Sotheby's in acquisitions, while her boyfriend Finn is a resident doctor at an NYC hospital. They've planned a trip to the Galapagos Islands when a few cases of Covid hit the city. Finn has to stay but urges Diana to take the non-refundable trip. She arrives only to find she's stranded there on Isabela Island with iffy wi-fi and everything closed down, including her hotel. She's taken in by a lovely lady who only speaks Spanish while Diana doesn't, and the first half of the book is Diana reevaluating her life as she struggles to keep in touch with Finn while acclimating to island life. Then there's a huge twist, but no spoilers.Diana and Finn have been perfect for each other, long-term planners and A-types, so life on the island alone with lost luggage and little money is a big adjustment for Diana. At the same time, she gets periodic emails from Finn describing the progress of the pandemic in his hospital. Most of this is familiar information if you paid attention during the worst of Covid, but it still hits hard, especially contrasted with Diana's hiking and swimming days.The twist halfway through the book changes everything and almost turns this into a different but still interesting story. I enjoyed the vivid descriptions of the Galapagos and, in a different way, the compelling stories of the pandemic. Some political commentary won't please every reader, but I found it factual and well-researched. A very thought-provoking book.

Wish You Were Here is a beautifully written book with vivid descriptions that made me feel like I was right there in the scenes—or even watching a movie version unfold. The author did a wonderful job developing the characters, making them feel real and relatable.I found the storyline about COVID especially engaging. It was interesting to see the medical side of the pandemic portrayed in such detail. As an RN, I had chosen to stay home with my kids when their schools closed, so I didn’t experience the medical side of COVID firsthand until I later worked as a substitute nurse in our local school district. Reading this book gave me a deeper perspective on what was happening in that world during that time.I highly recommend this book—it’s not only well written, but it also offers a moving and thought-provoking look at life during COVID.

This book surprised me. It begins with Diana, a woman with a solid plan for her life, suddenly stranded in the Galápagos when the pandemic hits. What starts as a story about isolation and self-discovery takes an unexpected turn that completely changes how you see everything that came before it.Picoult captures the unease and unpredictability of early COVID without making it the entire focus. The writing is vivid, especially when describing the island and Diana’s emotional shifts. The twist was bold, but it worked—it forced me to think about how we process trauma and how easily our sense of reality can shift in crisis.Diana’s character isn’t always easy to root for, but she felt real. Her growth felt honest, even if the path there wasn’t what I expected. It’s not a light read, but it’s thoughtful and well-crafted.If you're in the mood for something introspective and slightly off the beaten path, this is worth picking up.