It was only a matter of time before books about the COVID-19 pandemic were written and received enough attention to make their way onto the bestseller list. Jodi Picoult’s most recent novel, Wish You Were Here, has topped the charts. Picoult’s Wish You Were Here feels simultaneously relatable and safe. The book follows its protagonist, Diana O’Toole, as she faces problems when her life plan to get a promotion, be married at 30, and have kids by 35 begins to seem impossible and unappealing. When I picked up this book, I felt ready to relive the early days of the pandemic — a time when we were still unable to purchase N95 masks because of shortages in hospitals and people were panicked buying toilet paper. I was curious to see how this period in our recent history would be represented and was pleasantly surprised by the many twists and turns Picoult took me on as a reader.

WISH YOU WERE HERE