Lone Wolf by Jodi Picoult

"This is what I like about photographs. They're proof that once, even if just for a heartbeat, everything was perfect."

- Jodi Picoult, Lone Wolf

Review by Chase


Book Synopsis:
Luke Warren has spent his life researching wolves. He has written about them, studied their habits intensively, and even lived with them for extended periods of time. In many ways, Luke understands wolf dynamics better than those of his own family. His wife, Georgia, has left hi, finally giving up on their lonely marriage. His son, Edward, twenty-fout, fled six years ago, leaving behind a shattered relationship with his father. Edward understands that some things cannot be fixed, though memories of his domineering father still inflict pain. Then comes a frantic phone call: Luke has been gravely injured in a car accident with Edward's younger sister, Cara


Suddenly everything changes: Edward must return home to face the father he walked out on at age eighteen. He and Cara have to decide their father's fate together. Though there's no easy answer, questions around: What secrets have Edward and his sister kept from each other? What hidden motives inform their need to let their father die...or to try to keep him alive? What would Luke himself want? How can any family member make such a decision in the face of guilt, pain, or both? And most importantly, to what extend have they all forgotten what a wolf never fortets: that each member of a pack needs the others, and that sometimes survival means sacrifice?


General Review:
I was very excited to read Jodi Picoult's latest novel. Her books have always been among some of my favorites and I read this one the day that it came out; staying up all night in order to finish it. While I really enjoyed the book, I must say that it wasn't my favorite of hers. I found it cliche in some points and some of the characters were just unbelievable to me. I did enjoy intertwining story of the wolves that she added, but overall, the book was somewhat of a disappointment. 


Plot:
As stated above, I found the story to be cliche. While I can imagine that having to decide whether or not to keep a family member alive or not is a horrible decision, the characters never really acted all that upset about it. Also, the ended was very predictable and left no surprises, which is something that Picoult is known for doing. Many of her novels end completely opposite of what is expected, but this one ended exactly like I thought it was which was upsetting. 


Characters:
The characters are probably my biggest upset with the book. I couldn't really relate to any of them and found them to be a bit watered down. They never really came full circle or developed. They just seemed to be placeholders to help Picoult tell her story. 


Final Thoughts:
While I did enjoy the book, it failed to live up to the expectations that I had. Nineteen Minutes and My Sister's Keeper still remain in my top favorite books so I have come to expect a lot from Picoult. Had it been any other writer, I might have been a little more impressed, but Picoult has set the bar high and I know she's capable of more. 

Read It For Yourself