Review: Wellness

Nathan Hill’s epic novel about a couple in a previously low rent and artsy Wicker Park neighborhood that has now become hipster central and grappling with whether or not they are living their best lives hit me at a strange stage. You might think, “Wow, Amy. That’s a long sentence.” At over 600 pages (including a bibliography) Wellness is a long book.

When it comes to Wellness, I think the main question most of us have is, “Six hundred pages? Is it worth it?” We all need to make our own decisions on that one. It seemed to me that Nathan Hill’s writing is excellent and he makes some lovely observations about people. He’s a master of truly getting inside the heads of his characters and revealing the world from their perspective in a compassionate way. At the same time, he includes a pretty substantial chapter about the prairie and how unappreciated it is.

I live in Colorado. I can go see prairie whenever I want. I don’t want to because it’s flat and boring. However, if that’s your thing, maybe you’ll be into this.

Also, Wellness is a doorstopper in part because it covers a lot of life questions and situations that contemporary couples and parents have to grapple with. Some of it touches on individual decisions we make in the interest of our health (or when and how we choose to just let go). Even though the emphasis is on a family that starts out pretty traditional, we get a clue that not all is well in “Dual Masters” when Jack realizes after initial resistance to the idea of His and Hers master bedrooms that he and his wife already sleep separately most of the time. However, both of them still crave intimacy and sexual satisfaction, but neither one is sure how to ask for it.

Jack tries to improve his physique. Elizabeth works on her diet while trying to prevent their son from developing food allergies or aversions. Control is big with Elizabeth. As a fellow psychology major, I can related to that.

If your book club is looking for something that will prompt discussion about how we try to be responsible, kind, and mindful people in a world with moving goalposts, cruelty, and distractions, this is an interesting read, but it is a commitment.

Wellness is now available in paperback, ebook, and audiobook. It is published by Knopf, an imprint of Penguin Random House.