The story of Wish You Were Here revolves around the idea of survival, of “the resilience of human spirit in a moment of crisis.” In keeping with this, the book explores the question of what drives this survival, and a key theme that emerges is how, at the heart of surviving a crisis, lies an inextricably interwoven trio of elements—isolation, adaptation, and evolution.

The element of isolation is emphasized at the very outset, with the story set in the time of the coronavirus pandemic. Irrespective of location, the characters in the book are affected by the pandemic-driven isolation—Finn in hyperconnected, over-populated New York City, as well as Diana on the remote island of Isabela. Despite being in a familiar environment, Finn is dealing with unprecedented circumstances; Diana, in turn, is stranded in an unfamiliar environment with no support or resources. However, even when Diana wakes up from her ventilator-induced psychosis and is reunited with Finn, and eventually her home, she still feels disconnected and lonely. Thus, isolation within the context of the book is not merely a physical circumstance. The title of the book, Wish You Were Here, posits an isolation of the psychological kind as well, one characterized by loneliness and longing for connection.