This book kept me captivated! Not only did it resonate to experiences that we as society went through during the pandemic, it gave a silver lining。
Kendra Purtle,
Definitely not a favorite of hers。 The pandemic was about the last thing I would want to read about。 My book club chose it, so here I am。 I was not a big fan。
Lara,
Kept me turning pages and “just a few more” which is enough for 5 stars these busy days when it’s so easy to abandon a book。 Small things seemed forced and the topic was tough because it’s so real and still fresh but overall enjoyed as an easy escape。
Katie,
Holy plot twist。 3。5 rounded up to 4 stars because this wasn't like a book I've ever read before and found the second half to be a page turner。 The realistic quality of the pandemic talk really hit home, and after two years of being in this pandemic it still depresses me。 But Picoult did a great job of using it to convey emotions and uncertainty and it didn't really bog the book down。 As a scientist I loved the nerdy talk about adaptations and Darwin。 Holy plot twist。 3。5 rounded up to 4 stars because this wasn't like a book I've ever read before and found the second half to be a page turner。 The realistic quality of the pandemic talk really hit home, and after two years of being in this pandemic it still depresses me。 But Picoult did a great job of using it to convey emotions and uncertainty and it didn't really bog the book down。 As a scientist I loved the nerdy talk about adaptations and Darwin。 。。。more
Laurie Southard,
One word, boring。 I used to love her books。
Denise,
I always enjoy this author。 This book brought to light so many things。 This virus is truly real and has affected and changed so many people for many years to come。
Anna,
This was good。 I haven’t read anything by picoult before so I didn’t have any expectations。
Frannie,
Decent enough for an airplane read。 But, not my favorite。
Claire Sii,
Idk why but I found it cringe how much Covid was mentioned。 It’s like she wanted to keep referencing it, and yes it’s a major part of the book but still。 Definitely did not expect her life in Isabela to be a hallucination。 I liked how Picoult ended the book though
Vicki Johnson,
I can’t say too much about what I liked about this book without giving away the whole plot。 I just think it was amazing。
Rachael Murre,
The main character was terrible。 So selfish。 First half of the book was slow and irritating。
Kristi Cole,
I feel like this is a book with 2 stories in one。 I have to say I liked the first part of the book better than the second part, but still a good Jodi Picoult novel。
Shannon Adams plechas,
So, I read this fast, but I did not like what she did with it in part 2。 It's a fictional book with author bias in it。 Blech。 So, I read this fast, but I did not like what she did with it in part 2。 It's a fictional book with author bias in it。 Blech。 。。。more
Shivangi,
4。5 stars
Jennifer Woolsey,
A well written story。 However, having live through Covid via the frontlines, it was like reading a nightmare。 If the actual writing hadn’t been so good, I would have thrown the book out。 I don’t want to re-live March/April 2020 ever again。 This is not the typical genre that I choose, but I would give this author another try。
Jordan,
Honestly if you are a healthcare worker and worked through the first wave of the pandemic, this was very triggering for me。 It made it hard to get through。 I would recommend this to someone curious what being a front line healthcare worker during the first wave was actually like。 The huge plot twist was very unexpected。 Overall a good book just triggering for a healthcare worker。
Douglas Larson,
An interesting story with a twist half way through that I wasn't expecting。But after that twist, I began to see where the story was going。 Well written。 An interesting story with a twist half way through that I wasn't expecting。But after that twist, I began to see where the story was going。 Well written。 。。。more
Linda Williams,
This is a first by this author for me。 If you are sick about hearing or reading about Covid, do not read this book。 It was all about Covid with an underlying message about finding yourself。 It was a unique view by a Covid patient。 I know this was fiction, but at times I really thought this must have happened to her, or someone she knows, because it sounded so real。 Big twist。 Easy read。 I will read another book by this author。
Barbara Haber,
Loved the first half。 Did not like the ending at all!!!
Mandi,
Holy plot twist Batman! Not only was the plot a page-turner, but once again Piccult handles a tough subject with care and thoughtfulness。 I wasnt wild about reading a book about the pandemic that we are still in, but the way she handled it was authentic and with the right amount of depth that made it very approachable。 Solid read。
Melisa Garner,
This book was not for me。 Other people may love it, so read for yourself people。
Erin Johnnie,
Weak storyline。 Weak character development。 Full of liberal propaganda。 Such a disappointing read。
Meg,
I wanted to like this, but it just went on and on and on。 I appreciate how vividly the author painted the characters’ experience of covid, and her creativity and excellent writing style came through, but I really disliked the story。
Susan Mullen,
Really sort of 3。5。 It was good and very readable, but it didn't blow my hair back。 Perhaps because I've had very intense dreams while under surgical anesthesia and while on painkillers for a few days thereafter, and it didn't change my life, so I was reluctant to buy into the whole premise。 A nice summer read from a very reliable and excellent author。 Really sort of 3。5。 It was good and very readable, but it didn't blow my hair back。 Perhaps because I've had very intense dreams while under surgical anesthesia and while on painkillers for a few days thereafter, and it didn't change my life, so I was reluctant to buy into the whole premise。 A nice summer read from a very reliable and excellent author。 。。。more
Michaela,
I can honestly say I will be thinking about this book for a long time
Dixie Hendren,
Great book。 Lots of twists。 Shows resilience of the human spirit。
Melissa Bird,
I thought this was a good way of telling multiple perspectives and experiences during the pandemic while staying in one character’s point of view。 I didn’t experience everything mentioned in this book, but it touched on many completely believable and true experiences from schools shutting to hospitals exploding, jobs lost or changed, care facilities, travel shutdowns, lockdowns, quarantines, shortages, and a lot of the side affects。 It is crazy how fast things changed and how in some ways pre-pa I thought this was a good way of telling multiple perspectives and experiences during the pandemic while staying in one character’s point of view。 I didn’t experience everything mentioned in this book, but it touched on many completely believable and true experiences from schools shutting to hospitals exploding, jobs lost or changed, care facilities, travel shutdowns, lockdowns, quarantines, shortages, and a lot of the side affects。 It is crazy how fast things changed and how in some ways pre-pandemic life was a lifetime ago。 。。。more
Christina Liao,
Not super into reading about COVID, but cool that it is set in the Galapagos (which I visited kinda recently)。
JayeL,
This book brings back the fear and feelings of uncertainty that was normal and pervasive for those living in March 2020。 It is the first book I have read about living in the pandemic and if I gave star ratings this would have a high one。Diana goes to the Galapagos for vacation at the beginning of the pandemic and gets stuck there。 Internet service is limited so her contact with the outside world is limited。 She begins to live her life with the people she has met on the island。 The story takes a This book brings back the fear and feelings of uncertainty that was normal and pervasive for those living in March 2020。 It is the first book I have read about living in the pandemic and if I gave star ratings this would have a high one。Diana goes to the Galapagos for vacation at the beginning of the pandemic and gets stuck there。 Internet service is limited so her contact with the outside world is limited。 She begins to live her life with the people she has met on the island。 The story takes a major head whipping twist in the middle, which made my head spin。 Later I realized that that twist mimicked what Diana was going through。Picoult does a good job describing the isolation of the pandemic。 I also think she describes what health care workers experienced very well。 I liked Finn as a character and the stress he experienced felt very real。 。。。more
Amber,
3。5 ⭐ I enjoyed the first half of the book much more than the second half (seems to be opposite many of the reviews) and I appreciate the twist Piccoult threw in that caught me by surprise。 There's a LOT of COVID info within the storyline so if all of that is still a little too fresh I would recommend waiting to read this until a later time。 3。5 ⭐ I enjoyed the first half of the book much more than the second half (seems to be opposite many of the reviews) and I appreciate the twist Piccoult threw in that caught me by surprise。 There's a LOT of COVID info within the storyline so if all of that is still a little too fresh I would recommend waiting to read this until a later time。 。。。more