Wish You Were Here

 

I'm not sure if I mentioned it here - or just in emails to some friends, but way back in March 2020, when Covid was new and even more uncertain than it is now, I used to lay awake at night wondering what a novel about that time period could be like. I had lots of ideas for stories... but my big question was, every single night... yes, every single night... How is this pandemic going to end? How does the story end?

Somewhere in one of my journals I have a list of ideas for pandemic stories... but Jodi Picoult actually quickly wrote one and got it published. (I'm not sure if I would have considered the same exact ending... but... NO SPOILERS HERE!!!)

Wish You Were Here is Jodi Picoult's novel that she wrote while quarantining at home with her family during the early part of the pandemic. It examines how life changes so quickly and what resiliciency humans have. It also gives what I imagine is a pretty accurate telling of how difficult this pandemic has been on our medical professionals and hospital workers, especially during spring 2020 when so much was still unknown and vaccines were still a dream in the eyes of the public.

Diana and Finn are living the life in Manhattan. They have career plans, marriage plans, family plans. Diana works for Sotheby's in art auction sales and Finn, her boyfriend, not her fiance, is a surgical resident at New York Presbyterian Hospital. March 13, 2020 is the day they are supposed to leave for their bucket list trip to the Galapagos. Only Finn can't go. No one is allowed to leave for vacation from the hospital. He tells Diana that she should still go. She's got the time off from work and it would be a shame to lose the money spent on a nonrefundable trip. She should go. She is torn, but ultimately she goes.

One thing after another gets screwed up. Her suitcase is lost. The island is under quarantine. Her hotel (which has the only semi-reliable internet on the island) is closed. She's stranded, without a place to stay, without her suitcase, with very little money, until the borders reopen.

Due to the kindness of a stranger, Diana finds a place to stay. She finds ways to get food. Forging a connection with the stranger, Abuela - who speaks no English and Diana speaks no Spanish - and Abuela's family, life goes on. Diana starts wondering about her life at home, her grand plan and her choices.

I'm kind of glad that I read nothing about this novel before I started it. I only knew that there would be a twist, kind of a signature Jodi Picoult  thing. I really, really enjoyed this novel. I know there are some people who can read about a pandemic as we're living through a pandemic (because despite what many thing, this pandemic thing is far from over) and there are some who cannot. I fall into the first category. Consider my recommendation based on where you might fall.