A review by ericj32
The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious 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

4.0

This novel taps into the special kind of excitement that many lonely kids feel about their favorite books as an escape to a place where they can imagine their wishes coming true.  The structure of the plot and overall sense of childlike wonder feels very similar to Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, except it revolves around an eccentric and mysterious author of beloved children’s books.  The first few chapters felt disjointed and jumped around quite a bit, introducing a lot of different characters, but once I met the young orphaned Christopher, I was invested.  There are some holes in the plot and not all of the details really feel very realistic but if you suspend a little disbelief, it’s an enjoyable ride.  I felt like the book set reasonable expectations that it would be a loosely realistic near-fantasy, in the vein of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, so I didn’t get bogged down in the questionable ethics and legality of Lucy’s relationship with Christopher when she was promising to adopt him while still being a teacher’s aide at his school.  The relationship between Christopher and Lucy made me tear up more than once.  I was less invested in the love story and the subplot with Lucy’s ex.  The subplot about Lucy’s own sister and parents was interesting, but felt a little underdeveloped.  I also wish that there had been a few more puzzles and riddles in the book, as I enjoyed solving those that were included.  I definitely felt a rush of anticipation as the contest began, and the contest wasn’t quite as involved as fun as I’d hoped it would be.  But this was overall a very engaging read with so much heart that I can’t be too critical.  There is more wisdom than you’d expect in this kind of book about what it takes to find happiness and be brave and what things are worth fighting for.  
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