A review by nataliebootlah
The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer

adventurous emotional hopeful lighthearted sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

This read like a children’s book for adults. It was both whimsical and wholesome, but certainly not realistic. And perhaps that’s the point. 
 
I loved that the story revolved around children who fell in love with books and, within those books, found a place to belong. I did get Willy Wonka vibes in that I couldn’t quite tell if I should like the beloved author of the famous Clock Island book series or be slightly creeped out by his need to save children. Yet the story was endearing. A young woman hopes to adopt a precious, traumatized boy. An elderly author hopes to save the now-adult children who long ago ran away to beloved Clock Island. 
 
Although The Wishing Game is marketed as adult fiction, it felt more YA to me. This one’s for you if you’re looking for a quick, imaginative read with familial trauma, riddles and rhymes, found family, and unique characters.
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