Wellness: A novel

When Jack and Elizabeth meet as college students in the '90s, the two quickly join forces and hold on tight, each eager to claim a place in Chicago's thriving underground art scene with an appreciative kindred spirit. Fast-forward twenty years to married life, and alongside the challenges of parenting, they encounter cults disguised as mindfulness support groups, polyamorous would-be suitors, Facebook wars, and something called Love Potion Number Nine.

 

For the first time, Jack and Elizabeth struggle to recognize each other, and the no-longer-youthful dreamers are forced to face their demons, from unfulfilled career ambitions to painful childhood memories of their own dysfunctional families. In the process, Jack and Elizabeth must undertake separate, personal excavations, or risk losing the best thing in their lives: each other.

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624 pages

Average rating: 7.36

228 RATINGS

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Community Reviews

monicaroush
Apr 08, 2025
7, 9, 7, 7, 8.5, 8 (Courtney's)
ediehas
Feb 28, 2025
4/10 stars
this was interesting enough to keep me flipping through but didn't feel i cared much about the characters. also was a bit too "present" times for my taste.
BridgetBjorna
Jan 22, 2025
4/10 stars
DNF
sophcalh
Jan 12, 2025
7/10 stars
a lot longer than it needed to be, and i think it was more interesting to me by way of being set in chicago than it might be for others with no connection to the city, but overall i enjoyed it
Anonymous
Jan 07, 2025
10/10 stars
Nathan Hill's sophomore novel is better than his first - asking questions about marriage, ethics, wellness culture, technology, parenthood, and more. I loved it. I will read anything this man writes on a napkin. Not for everyone, but definitely for me. 5/5 - could not put this down.

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