Wish You Well by David Baldacci Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Wish You Well
Book Review: Wonderful story, well written, well read.
Summary: 5 Stars
David Baldacci is one of the most popular mystery writers around today. Readers eat up his bestselling thrillers. So it was a surprise to read his sweet, coming-of-age novel, Wish You Well--a total but remarkable change from his usual foray.
Wish You Well is set in the Appalachian hills of Baldacci's native Virginia during early 1940s. It is a tender, heart-felt story about two young siblings who tragically lose their beloved father, a famous writer, in a car accident. Their mother remains in a comatose state and unable to care for her children. So, 12-year-old Lou Cardinal, named after her great-grandmother, Louise Mae of Virginia, takes on the role of surrogate mother to her 7-year-old brother Oz.
The dynamic duo decide to move to the Appalachians that her father so loved and wrote about in his books--a heroic quest for Lou, and especially shy Oz, having never met the famous Louisa Mae who raised their father. Having heard so much about their great-grandmother, they can't wait to live in Virginia and gain a new knowledge of the scenic landscape and its people. But it's nothing like they expected. There's suddenly a whole world the Cardinal children have never experienced before, including prejudice, learning a new language all its own, and how to have faith--an experience Lou and Oz will carry with them throughout their lifetimes.
Wish You Well is a poignant journey of trust. Throughout the course of the novel, both Lou and Oz learn to take care of each other and how to survive in a rural and rugged land, far different from their native New York City.
It was the first time I have listened to an audio book. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to the novel read in the Southern voice of writer and actress Norma Lana. Wish You Well is one of Baldacci's best novels. I also appreciated the story from a genealogy perspective. But it was a definite tear-jerker, so get out the tissue!
Along with his wife Michelle, Baldacci has created the Wish You Well Foundation. The non-profit organization helps support family literacy throughout the United States. [...]
Book Review: Contrived, Badly Written and Oh, So Derivative (Poor "To Kill A Mockingbird"!)
Summary: 1 Stars
After achieving success as a thriller writer, Baldacci turns his hand to a coming of age novel set in his native Virginia. At the heart of the story is Louisa Mae Cardinal, the 12-year-old daughter of Jack Cardinal, a highly praised author whose books garner acclaim but little money. Tired of trying to support Lou, her brother Oz and her mother, Amanda on the slim profits of fine literature, Lou's father is on the verge of moving the family to Hollywood when tragedy strikes. Lou's father is killed and her mother comatose, forcing the children to travel to rural Virginia to move in with Lou's great-grandmother, Louisa on the family homestead. On the mountain, Lou discovers a very different world from her New York City neighborhood. Living in a house without running water or electricity, Lou gradually discovers the pleasures of farm life: the satisfaction of caring for animals and land that demand everything from their owner. She begins to understand the forces that shaped her father and influenced his writing. But in order to find happiness, Lou must come to terms with her mother, whom she blames for her father's death. Although Baldacci clearly aspires to create another "To Kill a Mockingbird" he lacks the talent to produce a classic novel. Bogged down in cliches and stereotyped characters, Baldacci manages only to deliver an average book. The climactic courtroom scene in which the Cardinals are threatened with the loss of their home to greedy developers in as maudlin as it is unbelievable. Book Review: Dull dull dull
Summary: 2 Stars
As far as I'm aware Mr Baldacci has only written one non-thriller and on reading this I can see why. It is a boring and predictable story which was 200 pages too longBook Review: Wish You Well
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a well-written novel with captivating characters and an interesting storyline. I enjoyed every minute.Book Review: Amazing!
Summary: 5 Stars
This book truley is amazing! It is such a beautiful, heartwarming story and I would reccomend this book to anyone looking for an intriguing book with a great story to enjoy.
My father reads many many many books! I never read. I expressed to him that I would love to get into reading, however never get around to it. He has always told me about this book and how wonderful it is and that I should read it. I finally took him up on this offer and I am very glad that I did.
You will not regret reading this book!