Lone Wolf discussion

In particular, I'm wondering about Barney, the person who got a kidney transplant. I assume that he received Luke's kidney? Is this telling us that the big wolf 'recognized' this person as Luke? Was leading him to pack? I'm guessing also that since most of the people in the hotel spoke French, it's the same woods where Luke lived for 2 years?
What's your take on this?
Is this extra part at the end of the book necessary? Add to the story?
I have mixed feelings about it.

I liked the ending concerning Barney, but it also troubled me. I believe that the wolf was part of the same pack that Luke belonged to for a time and that the wolf recognized a part of Luke in the boy through scent or some other sense. I think this scene added to the book, but I was worried about Barney's safety, though not where the wolf was concerned. Barney left the hotel without anyone knowing where he was going and he admitted to himself that he was lost and it was cold. How long would he survive out there should no one go looking for him? I was worried that the boy might die out there in just one of the many ironic endings that Jodi Picoult seems to favor.

Donna - my thoughts too! I have mixed feelings about the ending. Perhaps it needed more? Or, perhaps just an ending to bring up questions?

I think that the author left things open-ended on purpose so her readers would have to think about what happened next and come to their own conclusions. I prefer to believe that Barney survived with the wolf's help until he was rescued. The alternative is just too depressing.

At first, I thought the wolf was leading him to safety until he mentioned that they were going in opposite direction. I also think that Barney was not prepared for an overnight, the wolf (and pack?) would protect him overnight and then Barney could find his way back in the daylight.
I think this book would make a great discussion book. And, normally, ambiguous endings do make better discussion books.

It is definitely necessary for the story. It shows how important organ donations are and what they can do to someone's life. I believe that Jodi Picoult left the ending open so the reader can determine what happened themselves.

Think that reading too far into the boys safety isn't where you should be focusing...Organ transplant and possibly the transfer of human spirit woud take you to a much more enlightening path. The fact that a life was sustained and the energy was felt!

Marilyn wrote: "In particular, I'm wondering about Barney, the person who got a kidney transplant. I assume that he received Luke's kidney? Is this telling us that the big wolf 'recognized' this person as Luke? ..."

I too was kind of confused about Barney and the transplant and wonder if that part of the book was even needed? I think it sounds like this person is definitely recognize as Luke

Donna wrote: "I think that the author left things open-ended on purpose so her readers would have to think about what happened next and come to their own conclusions. I prefer to believe that Barney survived wit..."

I agree, I love it how Jodi always leaves open endings. It's what I eventually end up carrying around with me.

I find that once you finish a book of hers you keep talking about it and think that is great as with My Sisters Keeper and all her other books so guess she wants us to do that with this book also.

True - I've come to expect an unusual ending to her books. And, I think it makes it an even more interesting book for discussion groups.

I totally agree with you and that is why I so enjoy her books because after you finish reading it you are not done with it but you are thinking, talking and discussing it with friends.
Love her writing

That might be a good idea but sure Jodi has something else in mind already that she is working on.

Yea...shes already working on (or finished for all I know) for one in 2013.

Donna wrote: "I liked the ending concerning Barney, but it also troubled me. I believe that the wolf was part of the same pack that Luke belonged to for a time and that the wolf recognized a part of Luke in the ..."

I too was surprised with the ending as it was not what I had expected

I felt the ending didn't work, it felt like an opening for another book and was an overdone extra.

agree did not like the ending at all

While reading, I had been wondering if Luke was going to wake up at the end. But, the ending was completely different from my expectation.

At first I didn't recognize that the Barney chapter was the conclusion of this story. I thought it might be just the introduction of the next novel by Jodi Picoult. But there came the word "wolf" in the middle of this chapter and at the end of it I saw pictures of footprints of a wolf, and I found it the last scene which the author purposely put.

This ending reminded me of her novel, "My Sister's Keeper". Its ending also shocked me as well as this novel. They both made us think after we close the books. Thanks to these last chapters, the stories remain in our mind for ever raising a question.

you are right as My Sisters Keeper is another book I could not stop thinking about when I was done guess both are wonderful authors and have us hooked on reading more and more of there books

I agree with Ingrid's comment, I also thought that a part of Luke's spirit was in Barney and the wolf picked up on it. I thought it was a good ending to the book in that you could see the positive benefit to the organ donation and also get a sense that a part of Luke lived on. I didn't even give much thought to Barney's safety,just kind of assumed he would find his way back ok.

I agree with Sheryl. Anyone must die at some time. Luke died, but, as Sheryl wrote above, "Luke's spirit was in Barney and the wolf picke up on it." It's a great opinion about this ending.

I really wish there was a better ending to this book. I really enjoyed the whole story and all of the characters but I would of liked to see where everyone ended up after it all.

I agree with you did not like the ending

Shelly wrote: "I agree with you did not like the ending"

Yeah it was just too open-ended for me.

I think all of Picoult's book have surprising last chapters that are "open ended". To me this one fell short on the surprising but it was open-ended.
And I agree with some of the other's that this is not her best work but still I liked it.

The ending to me was foretelling...Barney taking an interest in wolves..maybe to go on to learning more about them and giving him a new direction/interest in life...the wolf-life. I liked the ending...showing the human interest in animals vice versa is still prevalent...today.

Sue wrote: "I felt the ending didn't work, it felt like an opening for another book and was an overdone extra."

That was how I felt, too. I don't believe it added enough to the story to be justified--it had a "tacked on" feel that distracted from the ending; the book would have been better without the page or so of Barney.

Let's say I was enjoying the story up until the ending ... ;o)

The book was not just about the characters and their lives...it was a novel that tied in human/animal connections...also gave out factual info on the wolf-pack behaviors. I think people may have over-looked the factual narrative on wolves. My grandfather was a veterinarian until he was 80 years old...so I really appreciated not just the fictional novel..but the factual information on wolves. As humans..I think it is to our benefit to learn more from our animal friends. Read Blessing of the Animals by Katrina Kittle... it's a must read for all animal lovers.

Cristine wrote: "The book was not just about the characters and their lives...it was a novel that tied in human/animal connections...also gave out factual info on the wolf-pack behaviors. I think people may have o..."
I agree, the info about the wolves was very interesting. Thanks for the heads up about the Blessing of the Animals--I put it on my library list.

I didn't even understand the Barney ending until I just read the comments above - thanks for clearing it up for me.

I like the work of the author, language, stories described characters, wolves and their habits. I liked the story described, the fate of the family so much wronged by One person who should take care of their out of luck and safety. But Luck spoke something else and doing something else. This is a selfish, hypocritical bastard.He was lucky that people who he hurt, they loved him so much.He do not deserve it.

Unlike most of her books, which I have enjoyed, I found this to be a snore and flipped through large chunks of it.

I enjoyed the book. The final section about Barney was not needed, but I felt it added to the story. Barney will be fine. He has Luke's Kidney and the wolves are fantastic creatures, almost psychic in a way, and recognised that part of him is Luke returned to them. That's my take on it for what it's worth.

If you like the wolf stories , my friend recommended Cormack McCarthy ''The Crossing'' . This book is on ma list - to read.

Catherine - that's what I thought too.

Great insight Catherine..felt the same way!

I didn't like the ending. It felt way too much like the ideas from Change of Heart. And I liked change of heart. but i did read that book first, so..

I didn't even realize Barney was part of the same story- I thought it was a preview of another book so I didn't read it. Will have to go do that. That being said, I wish Luke would have come out of the vegetative state, even if it would have been unrealistic.

I wonder if Barney will be joined by the people who received the other body parts

I am a social worker who used to be in hospice, and i am also a dog trainer. so i know something about human relationships and death, as well as wolf behavior. I enjoyed the family issues and i enjoyed some of the wolf information. But some of the wolf information was totally inaccurate, of course. A human would not be accepted in a wild wolf pack, would not eat alongside them, etc. but its a story, it's not Real, so i still really enjoyed the respect for the wolves and the struggles within the human relationships. All relationships dont work out, you cant always forgive or say goodbye or understand why things happened and why people made the choices that they did. And although i dont think a wolf pack would recognize luke's kidney in Barney, i like that his organs were donated as i am now a dialysis/nephrology social worker and know how desperately people need kidneys!

Marilyn wrote: "In particular, I'm wondering about Barney, the person who got a kidney transplant. I assume that he received Luke's kidney? Is this telling us that the big wolf 'recognized' this person as Luke? ..."

Hi!
I wouldn't say that I have mixed feelings, actually, because I'm used to Jodi adding that sudden character at the end to show that something good came out of the situation. There's always that person we least expect to see or hear speak, and that's what Barney was about. :)

NOW, I get it. I am one of those who thought the last part was the opening to some NEW book.

Betsy wrote: "NOW, I get it. I am one of those who thought the last part was the opening to some NEW book."

I thought that too, Betsy!

I like the the ending, it was really interesting to read from Barney's perspective as although he has received Luke's kidney, their lives are so distanced from each other and yet the wolf manages to find him and seems to recognise him (or his new kidney) as Luke.

The ending broke my heart because I was really looking forward to a positive, happily-ever-after ending. As it is, like most of Jodi Picoult's books, there are even more questions left unanswered at the end of the story than at the beginning.

Ingrid wrote: "Think that reading too far into the boys safety isn't where you should be focusing...Organ transplant and possibly the transfer of human spirit woud take you to a much more enlightening path. The ..."

I took a more spiritual interpretation as well. I wasn't really thinking about Barney's safety. I assumed he'd be all right.

... It made me freaking cry like a baby, which is very rare for me. the only other book to do that is The Kite Runner. I was a little confused about Barney but im a little slow at realizing things so it took me a few minutes about what was going on with him

Barney was on dialysis so he had not had a kidney transplant yet.
Could not have Luke's kidney. Don't understand the wolf's attraction to Barney. ???