Thank you to Knopf and NetGalley for this Advanced Review Copy of Wellness by Nathan Hill in exchange for me honest review.

At 624 pages, this novel has a lot to say, especially about the lives of the two main protagonists, Jack and Elizabeth. To a large degree, the author is making fun of current and recent fads that people have taken seriously. He lambasts polyamory, helicopter parenting, social media, cult-like loyalty, the nature of art, and more.

Elizabeth and Jack met in Chicago while in college. It was love at first sight. Both had left their homes to invent themselves anew. Jack attended The Chicago Art Museum School and Elizabeth studied in a conventional college, choosing so many majors that it was difficult to stand out in one. Both came from emotionally abusive families and basically estranged themselves from their families of origin. Jack grew up in Kansas, in the great plains, and Elizabeth comes from money, earned dubiously and unethically for generations. Her family moved around a lot and they never stayed in one place long enough for her to make friends.

Jack is an adjunct art professor in Chicago. His primary medium is photography but it is not the creation of an image that is most important to him. What he strives for is the interaction of the medium that creates the abstract image. Elizabeth works at 'Wellness', a cult-like corporation that is fascinated with the placebo effect. She believes that chronic pain can be cured just as well with placebo as by standard medicine.

It is interesting to note that both of them deal with something that is missing. Jack's photos lack a realistic image and Elizabeth's treatments are fake, despite her belief that placeboes cause improvement.

The novel goes back and forth in time and explores Elizabeth and Jack's relationship and their early lives. In the middle of this, the author goes into great detail about computers, hypertext, and other aspects of the internet and Worldwide Web that were quite a bit above my head. I wasn't sure of the purpose of this aspect of the book, and it took up quite a bit of the novel,

A few times I thought about giving up on this novel but I'm glad I stayed the course. The relationship of Jack and Elizabeth, along with the meaning of love and connection, finally came to bear and all the varied pieces that make up our contemporary lives, melded together. Though lengthy, the novel is a good read and I recommend it.

I fell in love with Elizabeth and Jack from the beginning, and like their relationship, my intrigue and desperation for things to work out kept me reading on throughout this page-turner.
From the descriptions of the settings to the detailed thoughts and subtle exchanges with each character, I truly felt as if I were watching an award-winning movie. I could picture everything described and sometimes forget that I wasn’t a part of the novel. That’s how invested I was.

It’s hard to capture real-life struggles and anxieties in fiction. Still, this thought-provoking novel takes you on a journey that is, at times, rough, dirty, beautiful, and altogether miraculous. Relationships and forging connections with others can be incredibly tedious, but in the end, it is so rewarding, and Hill wonderfully found this in what is currently my favorite novel.

The publisher provided ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I had accidentally picked up the previous work from the author and absolutely loved it! I am surprised that it is not as widely known as I would have thought. I have been eagerly awaiting for anything new.

As expected, the author does not disappoint. This is the kind of book where the journey is the reward. Where you know the author is just so much smarter than you and you don't feel bad about it. There is humor and irony the way only Nathan Hill can write it and unexpected stuff that you would not expect in a novel of this genre.

Eagerly awaiting future works from the author.

Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf for the advanced copy of Wellness! I LOVED The Nix so I eagerly awaited this new title by Nathan Hill and I was not disappointed.
Some of my favorite things were the way he captured the Chicago area from the language to the biting cold - it felt so authentic. The exploration of the power of suggestion for good and bad is compelling and intricately woven. You will not be able to stop thinking about the impact of algorithms on every part of your life and the characters stuck with me long after I finished. Great for fans of The Marriage Act and Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow.

Thanks to NetGalley and Knopf for this advance readers copy, in exchange for an honest review. I loved Nathan Hill’s The Nix and was super excited to read this book! Wellness is the story of Jack and Elizabeth, a young couple who gets together in their early 20s in 1990s Chicago. The story vacillates between the present day, 20 years into their marriage where we learn of their current challenges in marriage and parenthood, and back to their separate childhoods, where we learn of the events that shaped them.

This book was really excellent and despite the length (624 pages), it kept me interested throughout. I thoroughly enjoyed Hill’s long, wordy sentences and detailed scene setting, as he has a knack for capturing “normal” daily experiences with a poignant and relatable tone. There are also a lot of thought provoking, philosophical themes throughout the book that makes the reader question how we are shaped into who we become, how we can shape our future, what makes us who we are, and how genuine all of those experiences truly are. I also loved the passages in the book that evaluated the wellness industry and the placebo effect of certain treatments; given the hype around this industry in recent years, it was so interesting to learn some of the behind the scenes of how these treatments/products really “work” or rather, sometimes don’t. I thought it was very clever how the author managed to tie these concepts into the characters story trajectory, as well!

All in all, outside of these very well executed styles and themes that run through the book, it is, at its heart, a character driven story about Elizabeth and Jack. We come to learn the ins and outs of these characters, which makes it easy to become invested in their “ending”, which ultimately was satisfying.

I would definitely recommend this book to literary fiction fans and contemporary fiction fans. This book would also make a great book club pick!

WOW - just finished Wellness and it's hard to really take in all that happened in this book. Wellness is A LOT! So much! This is the story of Elizabeth and Jack, and the story of growing rich and growing up poor. It's the story of figuring out how and why we do what we do, and how we never really get beyond what happened long ago. This story is cerebral and emotional. I'm exhausted.

I loved Elizabeth and Jack. I loved the way the story bounced back and forth between the past and the present. All the psycho-social text was so interesting, and applicable. I did have difficulty with the section on the algorithms and got a little bogged down there to the extent that I started skimming that part. The book is up and down, in and out, and big. I did find the ending satisfying, I think.

Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read and review Wellness.

Different from most books I read but overall I enjoyed the story Hill has crafted. Great characters and an interesting look at what it means to be well and all the wellness industry has done to people. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. Four stars.

Wellness by Nathan Hill is a witty and insightful novel about modern marriage, our health-obsessed culture, and the importance of connection. Hill takes us on a journey with Jack and Elizabeth, who met as college students in the '90s and bonded over their love of art. Fast forward twenty years, and they are married with children, navigating the challenges of parenting and the changing landscape of their relationship.

As they encounter mindfulness support groups, polyamorous suitors, and Facebook wars, Jack and Elizabeth struggle to recognize each other and themselves. They must confront their unfulfilled career ambitions and painful childhood memories to avoid losing the best thing in their lives: each other.

Hill skillfully weaves together the gritty '90s Chicago art scene and the suburbia of detox diets and home-renovation hysteria to reveal profound truths about modern love and intimacy. With a healthy dose of insight, irony, and heart, Wellness is a captivating exploration of the absurdities of modern technology and the importance of human connection.

Overall, Wellness is a humorous, poignant, and thought-provoking novel that will resonate with anyone who has ever struggled to maintain a connection in our increasingly disconnected world. Hill's writing is sharp and insightful, and his characters are flawed, relatable, and endearing. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a fresh and engaging read.