3.5 stars

In the Author's Note at the end of this book Jodi Picoult, who has asthma, describes her reaction to the Covid lockdown. She says, "I was at home, paralyzed with fear. I couldn't breathe well on a good day; I couldn't even imagine what Covid would do to my lungs.....I couldn't distract myself with my work. I couldn't write. I couldn't even read." When Picoult eventually broke her slump she decided to write a book to chronicle the pandemic: "To tell the tale of how the world shut down, and why, and what we learned." This is the book Jodi penned.

*****

The story opens in March 2020, just before the coronavirus shuts down the world. Diana O'Toole - an art specialist at Sotheby's, and her boyfriend Finn Colson - a surgical resident at New York Presbyterian Hospital, are about to embark on a trip to the Galápagos Islands, where Diana expects Finn to propose. Diana and Finn, who seem to be perfectly matched, have a long-term life plan that includes travel, marriage, children, excelling in their careers, having a beautiful home, etc.

On the eve of Diana and Finn's departure for the Galápagos, Covid patients start flooding the hospitals. Finn tells Diana he has to stay and tend to the sick, but suggests that Diana go on the trip anyway, since it's non-refundable. Diana agrees and travels to the Galápagos by herself - a journey that involves several planes, a ferry, and a water taxi. Diana arrives at her destination, Isabela Island, just as it's shutting down for two weeks because of the pandemic. Diana is dismayed to learn she can't leave the island and her hotel is closed. To top it off, Diana's luggage is lost and she can't communicate with the local people, who speak Spanish.

A kindly older woman, who calls herself Abuela, offers Diana a tiny apartment and Diana settles in as best she can. After some missteps - including a bad experience with toxic apples - Diana becomes friendly with a former tour guide named Gabriel, and Gabriel's troubled teenage daughter Beatriz, both of whom speak English.

Diana is desperate to communicate with Finn, but it's very difficult. There's minimal Wi-Fi and phone calls don't go through. When Finn's emails do arrive they're filled with descriptions of people dying; his exhaustion; his fear of getting sick; the horrible situation in New York; etc. Diana feels terrible for Finn, but she's in one of the most beautiful environments in the world, and she does some touristy things. Diana goes swimming in lagoons; walks around to look at the tortoises, iguanas, flamingos, penguins, sea lions, and other animals; enjoys the beautiful plants; and so on.

Abuela provides some delicious home-cooked meals; former tour guide Gabriel shows Diana his favorite spots on the island; and even teenage Beatrix warms up to Diana a bit. It turns out both Diana and Beatriz have absentee mothers: Diana's mother was a world-famous photographer who traveled constantly and Beatriz's mother deserted the family.

As the two-week mark approaches, when the shutdown of Isabela Island is scheduled to end, Diana prepares to return to New York and Finn. However, the island closes indefinitely, and Diana is trapped for the foreseeable future.

The book explores the loneliness and isolation experienced by people in the midst of the pandemic - what they learn about themselves, and how it changes them.

For me, the situation of Finn and the other hospital workers is especially affecting since it highlights the plight of healthcare workers (including cleaners) who - before the vaccine was available - were in constant peril.

In current times, the predicament of healthcare personnel REALLY highlights the selfishness of people who refuse to get vaccinated. Refuseniks get sick and expect hospital staff to care for them. It's inexcusable. Even if healthcare workers are vaccinated, they can get breakthrough infections. As I'm writing this review the Omicron variant is running rampant, largely because unvaccinated people serve as incubators for the virus.

The book provides a close look at people affected by the Covid pandemic, and it's not a pretty picture. Thus I wouldn't recommend the novel to people sensitive about the subject.

Thanks to Netgalley, Jodi Picoult, and Ballantine Books for a copy of the book.

I am still speechless. The first half of the book was good, then the second half! Oh my!
This book is not for the feign of heart, especially with the descriptions of what life has been like during Covid, espcially in NY. This was not easy to read and I often had tot take breaks from it, but it was a book that I would keep and read in the future as a reminder.

I couldn't finish the book. I don't feel comfortable giving a full review. I lost interest in the topic revolving around covid and quarantines. It feels too soon to be enjoyable and a pleasure read. I have read the author in the past and enjoyed her books and feel that I could be interested in this topic in years but not now. Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC..

I was really worried to start reading a book about COVID-19 when it is still very fresh in my mind, and not something I want to visit in my escapism. I will say that I did end up liking what Jodi Picoult did with this!

In light of enjoying this book, I will say that I found the start of this book very slow. Diana finds herself alone in the Galápagos islands, her boyfriend thousands of miles away fighting to save people from COVID in the emergency room, when the island is put on lockdown. Diana continues to become a part of life on the island and tours around becoming a member of society.

The book did get more exciting towards the end! I will say this was a pretty emotional read, so if you were affected greatly by COVID-19 I would skip this book. Overall, a pretty good read, but not my favorite Picoult.

I was so excited to get an early galley of this book but was SO disappointed overall. I hated the "big twist" about halfway through and truly hate when this is meant to be the twist. I almost DNF-ed it after this but decided to keep going. And the ending! After all that - this was such a poor ending and wanted to see one more conversation play out.

Picoult certainly doesn’t shy away from the devastation of COVID in this story of Diana and her boyfriend, a resident surgeon, in a New York City hospital hard hit by COVID. Diana ends up taking a trip to the Galapagos Islands alone, only to be isolated there as the world shut down. While there she falls in love not only with the remote life but a local guide. The descriptions are vivid, making any reader want to visit. But she awakens to find herself in the COVID ICU ward on a respirator. Its not been a month, its only been a week that she’s been in a coma, and she never left New York City. But her memories of Isabella Island are real to her. She’s one of the lucky ones. She recovers slowly and begins to explore the “out of body” experiences of others who faced death. Not only does Diana explore “alternative realities” but she also begins to question her own goals. The ending is a real zinger, but not unexpected.

I have to admit when I started this book I did not think I would be able to finish it. It is my own fault, I accepted the offer to read this one without reading a description. I saw Jodi Picoult and knew I would like it so I signed up. Part of me stands by it was too soon to read such a vivid and honest look at Covid, particularly at the early days. I know it was too soon to read about patients on ventilators. Somehow I still found myself devouring chunks of the book until I absolutely had to finish. My emotions are all over the place but it was good to get such a raw and realistic story even if it hurt to read.

Diana has a plan and things are proceeding nicely as she’s pretty sure her fiancé Finn is going to propose when they are on their trip to the Galápagos Islands. Just before the trip Finn, who is a resident in a New York hospital, is told he can’t take the trip because of the Covid-19 pandemic. He tells Diana she should still go and she does, but as one can expect the island shuts down and she finds herself stuck there.

I couldn’t wait to start this one after seeing so many rave reviews!! The first part of this book all seemed so very real and relatable as far as the pandemic goes. I couldn’t wait to get halfway to see what this twist was that everyone was talking about! I kept trying to figure out what it could be the whole time I was reading. The twist was good! I couldn’t believe it! I also couldn’t believe how looooong the chapters were😱 I mean we are talking hour long chapters🥺! I was really hoping for a different ending too… cannot go into detail because I don’t want to give any spoilers. Just being totally honest here. I appreciate all the time, effort and research that went into this book. Loved reading about the Galápagos Islands and this book really transports you there. I literally felt as if I was hiking up the volcanic mountain and was getting anxiety thinking it might erupt!! I also heard that rights to this story where sold to Netflix for adaption as a feature film!! I can totally see this being amazing!

This book was given to me in exchange for a review.

I could not wait to get my hands on another Jodi Picoult book. I was so into the first half of this book. I loved traveling to the Galapagos with Diana and discovering all that was found there. I did not anticipate and was not ready for the big twist. Overall, her characters were likable and it was an enjoyable read I just was not quite ready for a rehash of 2020. I'm interested to see what other fans of Picoult think of this book as I found it to be written in a different style compared to the 3-4 others of her books that I've read.

I have to say this book really got me. I have read quite a few by this author but this one may be one of her best works. You can relate…well we all can relate in one aspect or another. It is also hard for me to put into words while I sit here an emotional mess. It brings out a lot of thoughts and feelings and makes you truly think about things. Plus to experience somethings you are reading about makes for some rough moments. I’m torn how to review and have to put it between 4-5 stars.

I’ve read several books that mention Covid in the last few months, but Wish You Were Here centers around the pandemic and virus. Diana thinks she has her entire life mapped out and expects her boyfriend, Finn, a surgical resident is about to propose on their romantic getaway to the Galapagos.

But then the virus hits NYC, Finn has to work and insists that Diana takes the trip without him. Almost immediately, the vacation goes awry and the entire island is put under quarantine and Diana is stranded until the borders are reopened. Thankfully, she starts to form relationships with the locals.

This is a hard book to review. I feel like I can’t really write more without huge spoilers… But this one isn’t my favorite. Parts of it felt way too long and I hated the big “twist.” Maybe this one was just too heavy for me? I’m obviously not ready for a book that centers around the pandemic.

All in all, this one was fine. Three stars!

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group and Netgalley for an ARC of Wish You Were Here in return for my honest review. #WishYouWereHere #NetGalley

I've been reading Jodi Picoult since I was young! This woman knows what she's doing. She has a knack of understanding what is going on in our world and never shies away from controversy- as she does in this Covid-19 pandemic world setting that we are all (unfortunately) still very much living in.
I mean- do I remember what life was like before the pandemic? Barely. Did I want to read a piece of fiction that depicts the beginning of the pandemic? Not really but guess what? I loved it!
Diana and her soon-to be fiancee Finn are going on a trip to the Galapagos. Remember when you could just PLAN a trip and just GO? Me too! But unfortunately, Diana's plans go awry due to the rise of Covid 19 and her man must stay behind. Finn is trapped at work but he convinces Diana to go anyway.
Upon arrival, the bomb that is and was the virus exploded on Diana's world and just like that... she's stuck in an unfamiliar place during a pandemic. Diana befriends some locals and her life begins to shift dramatically. As usual, Picoult paints a realistic and alarming picture with her words. She is amazing. Her usual twisty ways shook me to the core! This is a beautiful piece of Picoult art and should be enjoyed by all.

I love Jodi Picoult and have read many of her books. However, the last couple haven't been my favorites. I found this one a little slow, although I did surprise me a few times. I'm not sure I was ready for a covid novel yet.

A thank you to Netgalley for sharing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Although I'm always a huge reader of 'women's fiction,' I often read the new Jodi Picoult book because she's one of the most popular authors around, including at our library. I also once read that the meticulous research she does for each book is one of her favorite parts of the process. It's also my favorite thing about her books - I always enjoy learning something new and Picoult is a master, with years of experience crafting relatable characters coupled with on-the-spot pacing. I found this to be pretty much true here, but this wasn't among my favorites by the author. Just didn't feel like reading more about the pandemic no matter the context.

Wish You Were Here is the latest Jodi Picoult novel, this time focusing on the Covid-19 outbreak. Diana has her entire life mapped out – engaged by 30, travel the world, and is climbing the corporate ladder at Sotheby’s. Her boyfriend, Finn, is a resident at a NYC hospital and has started to see cases of Covid-19. Still, they plan to leave on a trip to the Galapagos. At the last minute, Finn can’t get off work and Diana decides to go alone. Once there, the island is thrown into lockdown and Diana is stranded. This is a hard one to review without any spoilers but I’ll try…

What I liked: I went into this knowing it was about Covid but it was still jarring to read and remember how naïve we were in March 2019. Reading things like it’ll be back to normal in two weeks (eyes 2022 and new variants), wiping down packaging, quarantining mail, Finn stating they are learning as they go, is still hard and a bit of a shock to remember where we were. Finn’s despair is palatable – you can feel how tired and frustrated he is, how death is surrounding him and he can’t stop it. In contrast, Diana’s life has completely changed stuck on a remote island but she’s removed from the every day of Covid-19.

For me, I didn’t feel any big revelation, but it felt somewhat lifelike that most change is prompted by events that have us rethink our path. Picoult tackles heavy topics – life paths, dementia, Covid, medical trauma but does it well.

What didn’t work for me: For the first 50-60% of the book, I wasn’t sure where the author was going. A past fan of Picoult’s work, her novels usually pose an ethical dilemma to her readers, thrusting them in a what would you do situation. And yes, you could argue that Diana should have gone right back to NYC or maybe not done somethings on the island but at the end of the day, I didn’t really feel a big dilemma to work through. This is more a character’s struggle of finding their place in the world and what they want from life.

I don’t understand why the character of Kotomi Ito seemed to be a thinly veiled Yoko Uno. I liked that Diana and her bonded over life plans and how things change but didn’t see the need to make her modeled off a real person.

Just like Diana, I struggled with reality in the last part of the book. If you’ve read this, DM me and we can chat.

Who should read it: This could be a hard read for anyone who has lost someone due to Covid-19, dealt with severe Covid-19 illness, or just have anxiety around the situation. I don’t consider this a traditional Picoult book (at least not like the ones I’ve read). Read if you’re looking for a character driven novel about someone struggling with their life choices. In the end, this isn’t my favorite Picoult book but I appreciate what she set out to accomplish with this one.

My honest review can be read here: https://twincitiesgeek.com/2021/12/wish-you-were-here-is-a-heartbreaking-getaway/

I always love Jodi Piccoult’s books. This one is one of my favorites. Even though I had the ARC I found I had to have it in hardcover. This book drew me in from the very beginning and I lost myself in the story and in the characters. And then, just as I was wondering where this all was leading, Wow!! I will say no more except that it is a must read.

Considering the times we’re currently in I wasn’t sure how I would feel about reading this book but surprisingly I really enjoyed it. Jodi Picoult is an amazing writer and she really had me on that island. Approach this book carefully depending on how you feel about the pandemic. I enjoyed the characters and this story had me from the very beginning. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This is a gorgeously written book that sucked me in from the beginning. I wasn't sure about the COVID subject matter, but it was very well done. Highly recommend!

At first, I wasn't sure I was ready for a novel set during the pandemic we are still living through. It felt too soon. When this landed in my inbox, I decided to give it a try anyway. Let me just say, I went to bed way too late too many times while I breezed through this book! It was a rollercoaster ride and kept me gripped throughout. Some of it was difficult to read but I believe the material was sensitively handled. Great book with a likable, interesting cast of characters.