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kitausu's review
emotional
hopeful
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? It's complicated
5.0
This book had me crying by page 16 and kept me emotional throughout the entire thing. What an absolute lovely gut punch of a book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Grief, Death of parent, and Gaslighting
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, and Suicide attempt
infjkiki's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I very rarely write reviews but this was one of the best books I have ever read.
I highly recommend it to anyone who found solace in books to escape childhood trauma.
The author does a beautiful job of highlighting the role that books can play in a person's life especially during their darkest points. I've said it before and I'll say it again, books saved my life. This book shows the life changing effects that a book can have on many people's lives and I just think that is so amazing.
I cannot count the number of times I cried while reading this book. It was so beautifully written and I cannot wait to read another book by this author.
I highly recommend it to anyone who found solace in books to escape childhood trauma.
The author does a beautiful job of highlighting the role that books can play in a person's life especially during their darkest points. I've said it before and I'll say it again, books saved my life. This book shows the life changing effects that a book can have on many people's lives and I just think that is so amazing.
I cannot count the number of times I cried while reading this book. It was so beautifully written and I cannot wait to read another book by this author.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and Abandonment
Moderate: Cancer, Child death, and Miscarriage
Minor: Homophobia, Pedophilia, Rape, and Sexual assault
laurenabeth's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
fast-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? No
5.0
I don’t have words for how much I enjoyed this book, but I will try. It feels like Willy Wonka and Nothing to See Here and The House in the Cerulean Sea had an eccentric lovechild.
Spellbound. I am spellbound. Giddy. Gleeful. Childlike. I don’t believe I have ever been childlike, but this book is that kind of transformative. It put fuel in my tank; it brightened my darkness; it lifted me from my misery. This is the most magical book that doesn’t include magic, the most whimsical book that I don’t think ever used the word “whimsy,” and the most gratifyingly crafted prose I’ve read in years.
I can barely contain my joy to review this, except to say it was un-put-downable. I timed my reading session, and I blew through this in 5.28 hours. This is the most valuable 5.28 hours I’ve spent in ages.
Teacher’s aid Lucy is selected with a few other strangers to play a game at the remote home of a reclusive children’s author and his despondent illustrator. Questions and riddles and mysteries follow, but there are bigger prizes at stake…
You love Lucy. You love Jack. You’re praying that Christopher gets what he deserves, and you hope that Hugo gets that too. This is a story about the power of wishes and the fact that wishes aren’t granted, they’re chased. They are breathed into life by the mind and then hunted down and made manifest by sheer force of will and determination. And even then, you don’t get what you wish for, you get what you deserve.
This is a book about books, about love and hope, about found family and the power of fantasy. It’s a story within a story maybe within another story, and each ending feels like the warm sun on your face after a winter of gloom.
Trigger warning for various forms of child abuse, neglect, illness, bigotry. But for the love of all things holy and unholy, read this. I burst into tears around page 245, and haven’t stopped crying since. It’ll be the fastest thing you’ll read, and the thing you put at the top of your re-read list. I never re-read anything, but I already can’t wait to read this again.
It’s not too heavy, not too light, and is as near to perfectly charming as a book can be. A million stars, a million likes, a million thanks.
Spellbound. I am spellbound. Giddy. Gleeful. Childlike. I don’t believe I have ever been childlike, but this book is that kind of transformative. It put fuel in my tank; it brightened my darkness; it lifted me from my misery. This is the most magical book that doesn’t include magic, the most whimsical book that I don’t think ever used the word “whimsy,” and the most gratifyingly crafted prose I’ve read in years.
I can barely contain my joy to review this, except to say it was un-put-downable. I timed my reading session, and I blew through this in 5.28 hours. This is the most valuable 5.28 hours I’ve spent in ages.
Teacher’s aid Lucy is selected with a few other strangers to play a game at the remote home of a reclusive children’s author and his despondent illustrator. Questions and riddles and mysteries follow, but there are bigger prizes at stake…
You love Lucy. You love Jack. You’re praying that Christopher gets what he deserves, and you hope that Hugo gets that too. This is a story about the power of wishes and the fact that wishes aren’t granted, they’re chased. They are breathed into life by the mind and then hunted down and made manifest by sheer force of will and determination. And even then, you don’t get what you wish for, you get what you deserve.
This is a book about books, about love and hope, about found family and the power of fantasy. It’s a story within a story maybe within another story, and each ending feels like the warm sun on your face after a winter of gloom.
Trigger warning for various forms of child abuse, neglect, illness, bigotry. But for the love of all things holy and unholy, read this. I burst into tears around page 245, and haven’t stopped crying since. It’ll be the fastest thing you’ll read, and the thing you put at the top of your re-read list. I never re-read anything, but I already can’t wait to read this again.
It’s not too heavy, not too light, and is as near to perfectly charming as a book can be. A million stars, a million likes, a million thanks.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Abandonment
Moderate: Child abuse, Chronic illness, Toxic relationship, and Death of parent
Minor: Addiction, Cancer, Child death, Drug abuse, Incest, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, and Abortion
gummifrog's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
The Wishing Game is delightfully whimsical. Lucy, the main character goes on an adventure where the stakes are real and adult, the character development comes from trauma being realized and worked through, understanding that the bravery to overcome your fears can be something that comes from within.
The prose is easy to read and inventive in its use of metaphor, and made me feel very nostalgic for the feel of books I read as a child. The games within were riddles and puzzles which were fun to try and figure out on my own as I read - just like I used to as a kid! I adored this interactive aspect and thought the author executed it brilliantly.
The relationships feel so real and fleshed out, and all the characters are very witty and playful with each other. This works so well between Lucy and Christopher, the child she wishes to adopt, with their banter really showing a closeness and understanding between them. And it also works great in scenes between Lucy and Hugo, whose flirtations always brought a smile to my face.
The only place the character writing fell flat for me was when, every once in a while, Lucy would get inordinately angry at some perceived slight and fly off the handle at another character, only to want to immediately apologize the next scene. It felt like it was a bit of emotional up-and-down just for the sake of it. But it wasn't enough to sour the book for me overall, just a small nitpick.
Also: I saw another reviewer being icked out by the age difference between Lucy and Hugo, her love interest, but she is 26 and he is 34, so only an eight-year difference between two consenting adults (albeit they met once, only very briefly, when she was 13, and nothing untoward occurred). This book is very romance-lite, with the two characters mostly connecting emotionally over their similar trauma and love of art. Do with that information what you will.
The happy ending was extremely heartwarming. I flew through this book which surprised me, since I tend to like more fantasy in my literary fiction! Highly recommend for anyone who needs a hopeful, positive book with a bit of substance.
The prose is easy to read and inventive in its use of metaphor, and made me feel very nostalgic for the feel of books I read as a child. The games within were riddles and puzzles which were fun to try and figure out on my own as I read - just like I used to as a kid! I adored this interactive aspect and thought the author executed it brilliantly.
The relationships feel so real and fleshed out, and all the characters are very witty and playful with each other. This works so well between Lucy and Christopher, the child she wishes to adopt, with their banter really showing a closeness and understanding between them. And it also works great in scenes between Lucy and Hugo, whose flirtations always brought a smile to my face.
The only place the character writing fell flat for me was when, every once in a while, Lucy would get inordinately angry at some perceived slight and fly off the handle at another character, only to want to immediately apologize the next scene. It felt like it was a bit of emotional up-and-down just for the sake of it. But it wasn't enough to sour the book for me overall, just a small nitpick.
Also: I saw another reviewer being icked out by the age difference between Lucy and Hugo, her love interest, but she is 26 and he is 34, so only an eight-year difference between two consenting adults (albeit they met once, only very briefly, when she was 13, and nothing untoward occurred). This book is very romance-lite, with the two characters mostly connecting emotionally over their similar trauma and love of art. Do with that information what you will.
The happy ending was extremely heartwarming. I flew through this book which surprised me, since I tend to like more fantasy in my literary fiction! Highly recommend for anyone who needs a hopeful, positive book with a bit of substance.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Death of parent
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, and Abandonment
Minor: Child death, Pedophilia, and Suicide attempt
goldenbeebookshop's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
This is a delightfully earnest and incredibly charming novel. While the author cites Willy Wonka as a core influence for the story, it also has a dash of The Westing Game and a sprinkle of Matilda.
There are so many delightful details that it also gave me a little hint of what I loved about my all-time favorite book, The Night Circus. The descriptions are whimsical and magical, and capture the sort of clever ideas that spark joy in the parts of us that love to believe that the well-loved places from our favorite childhood books are somewhere we can really visit.
It’s a book for adults, but the style and content of the story makes it a great read for a wide range of readers.
There are so many delightful details that it also gave me a little hint of what I loved about my all-time favorite book, The Night Circus. The descriptions are whimsical and magical, and capture the sort of clever ideas that spark joy in the parts of us that love to believe that the well-loved places from our favorite childhood books are somewhere we can really visit.
It’s a book for adults, but the style and content of the story makes it a great read for a wide range of readers.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Emotional abuse
Minor: Addiction, Cancer, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Homophobia, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Alcohol
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