A review by dhiyanah
Wishing Well, Wishing Well by Jubilee Cho

hopeful lighthearted reflective medium-paced

5.0

"We faeries have a saying, born of centuries as outcasts and drifters."

"Family is heart, not blood," the three faeries murmured together.

'Wishing Well, Wishing Well' begins like a fairy tale, narrates itself like a fairy tale, and has many of the familiar structures and narrative decor of a fairy tale. It is also a story that undoes a lot of the rigidity of classical fairy tale while still maintaining its glamour.

As someone who is generally not too keen on this style, I was impressed!

With a large cast of characters, the main story's narration focusing mostly on the eldest sister, Alex, made it easy to follow. I enjoyed the interweaving of adventurous scenes with slice-of-life moments that brought home the message that resisting oppression must come from all sides - from grassroots efforts to direct action to making bigger ripples within policy. 

While I thought the language was more suited to younger readers, the themes in both the main story and the secondary story-within-a-story, featured as a pause between chapters further into the book, held enough nuanced layers for the intrigue of adult readers.

I think this one is a beautiful book to read out loud to or with kids.

It is femme-empowering, without demanding sacrifice. Queer and trans affirming, without slipping into carricature. It is wonder-filled, with a voice that's both gently attuned and powerful in its stance against harm. Highly recommended for an easeful, fun read or as a gift for the child/inner child of someone who could use some warmth in their days.

Thank you to Atthis Arts and NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
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