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brittster622's review against another edition
5.0
This is an amazing original fairy tale that I cannot wait to continue with. It follows a young girl who has visions and is living in a time where any sort of magic is feared and ridiculed. Our girl befriends the feared witch in the woods so that she can improve her magic and try to stop one of her visions from coming true.
This is a great tale of friendship and shows well how ignorant people can be when faced with people who are different than themselves. The magic was interesting and well placed. The main character was lovable and bold. I can't wait to continue with this series!
This is a great tale of friendship and shows well how ignorant people can be when faced with people who are different than themselves. The magic was interesting and well placed. The main character was lovable and bold. I can't wait to continue with this series!
bethhthelibrarian's review against another edition
5.0
I live for dark fairy tale novels. I was so excited to get my hands on this book that once I started it, I gobbled up the whole thing in one sitting.
This story is set in Hanau, Germany, and follows a family curse. Agnes and her husband, Oskar, have moved to Hanau after escaping some vicious gossip in a previous town. Agnes sends cookies to all of her new neighbors, including recluse Mathilde. After some correspondence, Agnes discovers that Mathilde is rumored to be a witch, and the townspeople hate her. Mathilde and Agnes develop a lovely friendship nonetheless. Once Agnes discovers that Mathilde can help her become pregnant using a magical concoction, Agnes uses her new friend and discards her to appease her husband, who fears what the townspeople would say if they knew that his wife was friends with a witch. Agnes had promised to be Mathilde's friend in exchange for the promised pregnancy, and once Agnes breaks that promise, she unleashes unknown consequences in the form of a family curse.
Elva, the daughter of Agnes and Oskar, has grown into a wonderful 17 year old. She is beautiful, she is kind, and is a wonderful friend and sister, but she has a secret. She has visions of the future. After having a vision of her family farm being destroyed in a storm, Elva seeks the help of Mathilde. Mathilde, however, has closed her heart to newcomers after Agnes's betrayal. Elva must convince Mathilde to help her control her magic if she is to save her family's farm from destruction.
I loved this book. It felt just like an episode from Grimm's Fairy Tales. The prose was simplistic and elegant, just like their tales. The story was simple too, but I fell in love with these characters and had to know how it ended. I do think that the characters were authentic and the entire novel was enchanting. I really loved it.
The ending was a surprise and I can't wait for the second book in the series. I think preteens and teens who are looking for clean YA will love this. There is some kissing, but altogether felt just like a Disney movie. I can't wait to share this one with our teens.
This story is set in Hanau, Germany, and follows a family curse. Agnes and her husband, Oskar, have moved to Hanau after escaping some vicious gossip in a previous town. Agnes sends cookies to all of her new neighbors, including recluse Mathilde. After some correspondence, Agnes discovers that Mathilde is rumored to be a witch, and the townspeople hate her. Mathilde and Agnes develop a lovely friendship nonetheless. Once Agnes discovers that Mathilde can help her become pregnant using a magical concoction, Agnes uses her new friend and discards her to appease her husband, who fears what the townspeople would say if they knew that his wife was friends with a witch. Agnes had promised to be Mathilde's friend in exchange for the promised pregnancy, and once Agnes breaks that promise, she unleashes unknown consequences in the form of a family curse.
Elva, the daughter of Agnes and Oskar, has grown into a wonderful 17 year old. She is beautiful, she is kind, and is a wonderful friend and sister, but she has a secret. She has visions of the future. After having a vision of her family farm being destroyed in a storm, Elva seeks the help of Mathilde. Mathilde, however, has closed her heart to newcomers after Agnes's betrayal. Elva must convince Mathilde to help her control her magic if she is to save her family's farm from destruction.
I loved this book. It felt just like an episode from Grimm's Fairy Tales. The prose was simplistic and elegant, just like their tales. The story was simple too, but I fell in love with these characters and had to know how it ended. I do think that the characters were authentic and the entire novel was enchanting. I really loved it.
The ending was a surprise and I can't wait for the second book in the series. I think preteens and teens who are looking for clean YA will love this. There is some kissing, but altogether felt just like a Disney movie. I can't wait to share this one with our teens.
mznomer's review
I like the concept of this series, but I just got so bored with the characters
thechronicknitter's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
ameserole's review against another edition
4.0
Broken Wish is the first book in The Mirror series. In it, you will Elva. She is about sixteen years old and has a secret. It's mostly about having to keep her powers and such hidden. Which can be easily said than done really. Or maybe that's just the common theme in books nowadays? Either way, I enjoyed getting to know Elva and watching her grow on this magical journey.
Now, yes, the magical aspects were pretty cool in this book. Especially since things didn't come that easily to our main character. As she was learning to navigate through it all, so did we. So, yeah, it was nice to see how things happened throughout this book. Other than that, I really liked seeing other themes like friendship, trust, and loyalty too. It made sense since Elva is still pretty young and doesn't know who to trust or not just yet.
In the end, I really enjoyed this book. Like so much that I dove into the sequel of this series right after. I'm a little sad that the third book isn't available just yet, but I can happily wait.
Now, yes, the magical aspects were pretty cool in this book. Especially since things didn't come that easily to our main character. As she was learning to navigate through it all, so did we. So, yeah, it was nice to see how things happened throughout this book. Other than that, I really liked seeing other themes like friendship, trust, and loyalty too. It made sense since Elva is still pretty young and doesn't know who to trust or not just yet.
In the end, I really enjoyed this book. Like so much that I dove into the sequel of this series right after. I'm a little sad that the third book isn't available just yet, but I can happily wait.
sweetbriar15's review
Dragging pace and too many characters I disliked, right from the start.
rachael_amber's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
alamayhem_reads's review against another edition
5.0
This novel was so enjoyable to read. I had so much fun getting lost in its pages. As soon as I started reading the story, I was instantly hooked. The writing style caught my attention from the first chapter, and I did not want to put it down at all. I found myself sad when I was forced to put it away and get back to my normal life responsibilities. I wanted to stay inside the world Dao does such a wonderful job creating.
I absolutely loved the beginning of the novel showing the relationship between Mathilda and Agnes. It made me connect with these characters so quickly, and I had so much sympathy towards Mathilda right off the bat. I had so much grief in my heart for her when she was betrayed, and by the time we reached 1865, I wanted so much justice for her. I was so upset the townspeople did not give her a chance and were so blatantly rude to her. I also felt bad for the position Agnes was put in by society and her husband. I thought the character development in this novel was phenomenal thanks to the way Dao portrayed them in their experiences.
I enjoyed Elva as the main character greatly, she was such a strong fighter and truly did what she believed would be best for her. It was refreshing to see a woman being portrayed as a strong woman who did not let a man walk over her in the time period of 1865. She spoke her mind and was not afraid to do it, which made me feel like I could do anything today.
Overall, I loved this book so much. This was my favorite fantasy read in a long time, and I cannot wait to read the rest of the novels in this series. I thought this was the perfect setup to this series, and I cannot wait to see where the story goes. I rate this novel 5/5 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley and Disney Hyperion for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I absolutely loved the beginning of the novel showing the relationship between Mathilda and Agnes. It made me connect with these characters so quickly, and I had so much sympathy towards Mathilda right off the bat. I had so much grief in my heart for her when she was betrayed, and by the time we reached 1865, I wanted so much justice for her. I was so upset the townspeople did not give her a chance and were so blatantly rude to her. I also felt bad for the position Agnes was put in by society and her husband. I thought the character development in this novel was phenomenal thanks to the way Dao portrayed them in their experiences.
I enjoyed Elva as the main character greatly, she was such a strong fighter and truly did what she believed would be best for her. It was refreshing to see a woman being portrayed as a strong woman who did not let a man walk over her in the time period of 1865. She spoke her mind and was not afraid to do it, which made me feel like I could do anything today.
Overall, I loved this book so much. This was my favorite fantasy read in a long time, and I cannot wait to read the rest of the novels in this series. I thought this was the perfect setup to this series, and I cannot wait to see where the story goes. I rate this novel 5/5 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley and Disney Hyperion for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
jenlovesbooks's review against another edition
4.0
Thanks to Partner NetGalley and Disney-Hyperion for the digital ARC of Julie C. Dao’s Broken Wish in exchange for an honest review. The book will be published on Tuesday, October 6, 2020.
Julie C. Dao’s Broken Wish is the first in a series of four YA novels spanning generations of a cursed family. (The authors are heavy hitters: Dhonielle Clayton, L. L. McKinney, and Jennifer Cervantes will round out the series.)
I requested this one because it has so many elements I love, including witches and magic and romance. The Grimms appear, and so do magic mirrors and wishing wells. It’s a beautiful tribute to folklore and fairy tales.
The book begins with a familiar story: a couple moves into a small cottage in 1840s Germany. The wife, Agnes, befriends a neighbor through baskets and gifts and written notes but hesitates to pursue the friendship because of rumors her husband Oskar has heard. Eventually, though, the two women meet and solidify their friendship, and the solitary woman, Mathilda, offers to help Agnes with her dearest wish, to have a child. She only asks in return that Agnes maintain their friendship.
Oskar, however, is opposed--he’s been an outcast before and wants to escape that fate. So Agnes lies to Mathilda and breaks her promise, despite the fact that Mathilda succeeds in helping her fiend. Agnes does indeed have a daughter. Agnes’s dishonesty and betrayal begins the curse.
The narrative picks up with the couple’s daughter, Elva, who has a strange magical ability and no knowledge of her parents’ history. Her parents have stayed true to their desperation not to be outcasts and have trained Elva to hide her magic from everyone, which she does . . . until she falls in love.
Broken Wish is a lovely novel, filled with all the magic a lover of fairy tales could want. I enjoyed it thoroughly, and I think it’s perfect for YA readers (and some middle-graders!). I cannot wait to read the rest of the series.
Julie C. Dao’s Broken Wish is the first in a series of four YA novels spanning generations of a cursed family. (The authors are heavy hitters: Dhonielle Clayton, L. L. McKinney, and Jennifer Cervantes will round out the series.)
I requested this one because it has so many elements I love, including witches and magic and romance. The Grimms appear, and so do magic mirrors and wishing wells. It’s a beautiful tribute to folklore and fairy tales.
The book begins with a familiar story: a couple moves into a small cottage in 1840s Germany. The wife, Agnes, befriends a neighbor through baskets and gifts and written notes but hesitates to pursue the friendship because of rumors her husband Oskar has heard. Eventually, though, the two women meet and solidify their friendship, and the solitary woman, Mathilda, offers to help Agnes with her dearest wish, to have a child. She only asks in return that Agnes maintain their friendship.
Oskar, however, is opposed--he’s been an outcast before and wants to escape that fate. So Agnes lies to Mathilda and breaks her promise, despite the fact that Mathilda succeeds in helping her fiend. Agnes does indeed have a daughter. Agnes’s dishonesty and betrayal begins the curse.
The narrative picks up with the couple’s daughter, Elva, who has a strange magical ability and no knowledge of her parents’ history. Her parents have stayed true to their desperation not to be outcasts and have trained Elva to hide her magic from everyone, which she does . . . until she falls in love.
Broken Wish is a lovely novel, filled with all the magic a lover of fairy tales could want. I enjoyed it thoroughly, and I think it’s perfect for YA readers (and some middle-graders!). I cannot wait to read the rest of the series.