Rating: 
Summary: Unforgettable
Review: In David Baldacci's new book which is of a different light to his other books, we are introduced to Lou and Oz Cardinal moving from a hectic New York life to the pretty Virginian countryside. This happens due to the death of their father in an automobile accident, and their mother illness's which is a result of that misfortune. They are placed in the supportive hands of their great grandmother Louisa Mae Cardinal where they are taught how to live off of the land, milk the cows, ride horses,feed the pigs and plant seed if they want to eat food the coming winter. The kids take this manual work in good stride, spurred on by the supportive love, courage and determination,of their great grandmother. Lou and Oz appear as the main characters in this book though their little friend Diamond breaks my heart many times over in this tale. Oz does too though in a different way, with his unstinting belief in his comatose mother awakening from her sleep, where she would be capable of loving him and his sister just as before. Not wanting to give too much away to those who have not read this book as yet, let me say that for me it has been a breath of fresh air from the Virginian mountains. I got to feel everything that those wonderful characters experienced, from the smell of the lovely mountain air, then the flowers, the food cooking, the earthly manure,even the dynamite....strong. David Baldacci definitely is on to a movie with this one. Readers, buy this book today.....you won't be sorry. Thanks Mr Baldacci for a great read.
Rating: 
Summary: A Different Baldacci
Review: Wish You Well is not your typical slash and burn Baldacci, such as, for exammple his Absolute Power. Thata novel opened with a burglar witnessing a killing. The rest of the story is one gigantit chase scene, with the chasers being the FBI, the CIA, the Secret Service, and the local police department. In contrast, one of the more exciting scenes in Wish You Well is a school yard fight between a 10 year old girl and the school bully, a 13 year oldboy. (The girl wins.)This is a tender and loving story: the love of a watchfull sister over her shy and frightened younger brother, the love of a great-grandmother for the children, the love of a family friend, the love of all of them for the beautiful Virginia mountains. All of this is told with superb writing which is at once sparse yet meaningful. The reader seems to get inside the characters' minds. "Excitement, nervousness,panic and hope competed for space on the small landscape of their faces," the author tells us at one point. He describes a frightened child as "the boy looked like an owl without feathers." At another point the author tells us that "the vigilant wind had chased the malingering gray clouds over the ridgeline, leaving the sky clear." A rambling rose "had twisted itself around the fenceposts and looked like bursts of still fire." Speed readers will miss much of such descriptive writing. All in all, noit a harem-scarem thriller, but nontheless a tender story, lovingly told.
Rating:
Summary: A Different Baldacci
Review: Wish You Well is not your typical slash and burn Baldacci, such as, for exammple his Absolute Power. That novel opened with a burglar witnessing a killing. The rest of the story is one gigantic chase scene, with the chasers being the FBI, the CIA, the Secret Service, and the local police department. In contrast, one of the more exciting scenes in Wish You Well is a school yard fight between a 10 year old girl and the school bully, a 13 year oldboy. (The girl wins.) This is a tender and loving story: the love of a watchful sister over her younger shy and frightened brother, the love of a great-grandmother for the children, the love of a family friend, the love of all of them for the beautiful Virginia mountains. All of this is told with superb writing which is at once sparse yet meaningful. The reader seems to get inside the characters' minds. "Excitement, nervousness,panic and hope competed for space on the small landscape of their faces," the author tells us at one point. He describes a frightened child as "the boy looked like an owl without feathers." At another point the author tells us that "the vigilant wind had chased the malingering gray clouds over the ridgeline, leaving the sky clear." A rambling rose "had twisted itself around the fenceposts and looked like bursts of still fire." Speed readers will miss much of such descriptive writing. All in all, not a harem-scarem thriller, but nontheless a tender story, lovingly told.
Rating:
Summary: Wish you well
Review: Really wonderful book. So gald I picked up expecting the traditional Baldacci. Am having my teenagers read. Good honest lessons. Would love to see more like this from him.
Rating:
Summary: Fantastic read
Review: I loved this book. This is the first book I have read by Baldacci, I wish the rest of his books were like it. I really learned to love the characters, and found myself wishing that I could visit that part of the country. I have read dozens of books in the past few months, and this book is right at the top. One of my favorite books is "To Kill a Mockingbird," and I found that I loved this book just as much. I just loved reading this book, and I highly recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: A pleasant discovery
Review: I had not read David Baldacci's previous fiction but had heard this book was different from his usual thriller fare (which I don't normally read), so I decided to listen to the unabridged book on my work commutes. I found myself into the book in a few minutes (kudos to narrator Norma Lana - you did a fabulous job!). Set in the 1940s, the book captures the era beautifully. My favorite character was Diamond. Don't miss Wish You Well (clever title!) if you enjoy heartwarming, homey novels. Though the ending was a bit contrived, it satisfied.
Rating:
Summary: A Leap from Thrillers to Southern Fiction
Review: A change of genre, and an exquisite glance into life in the Virginia mountain regions. The all-but orphaned children of a well-known, but unprosperous writer, find themselves in the care of their great grandmother. From the privileges and conveniences of the city, Louisa and young Oz must adapt to the hard work and beautifully brutal mountain life. Some marvelous characters and eye-opening stories. The simplicity of the lifestyle contrasted to the powers of industry determined to strip the area of resources, and leave the inhabitants with no means of survival. An interesting, enlightening story, with a rather improbable ending. Many scenes are reminiscent of Harper Lee, but Baldacci's brushstrokes paint a slightly different time and circumstance - and do it well.
Rating:
Summary: Loved this book!
Review: Yes, this is not Baldacci's usual high suspense mystery -- but it is equally well written! I really enjoy a book that gets me totally wrapped up in the characters. This is one of the few books I've recently read in which the characters have lived on in my memory long after I finished the book. In our hectic society, it is refreshing to read a book that talks about living life with "strength of character."
Rating:
Summary: I laughed, I cried (ALOT) - what a wonderful story!
Review: I actually listened to this book on tape, my first, and was captivated by the end of the first tape. The reader, with her southern drawl, only helped to place me in the Appalachian world of Lou and Oz, their family and friends. I actually looked forward to commuter traffic so I could listen to this book! One of the most touching stories I've ever read. I recommend to all!!
Rating:
Summary: Very absorbing
Review: I only read action and mystery novels before this, but David Baldacci has convinced me to read more of other fiction. This book is very interesting, the narraton poetic and language excellent.
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