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aholland5's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
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
4.5
what_katie_read_in_ca's review against another edition
5.0
Impacting and relevant for today, this story is filled with meaningful spiritual themes that I will definitely be exploring more. Love its Les Mis threads!
clovewinter's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
nujibuji's review against another edition
5.0
This book was perfection! The world-building was so magical I could just imagine all the orb lanterns and the marketplaces and the canals. The plot pacing was done really well, with lots of really engaging storylines. The characters and dialogue were written in such a way that I immediately grew fond of the boys and their relationship with others. The underlying themes and the nuanced messages in the story were done flawlessly! I absolutely loved it!
msilveira330's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
zoeslibrary's review against another edition
5.0
If you read my reviews or if you listen to my podcast, you probably know how much I love rewritings, and this was one of the best I ever read! It was so interesting to see a middle grade book based off "les misrables" and, although I was a bit wary going into the book, I quickly got into it, and really liked it! Although I didn't find Noks chapters as interesting, Pongs narrative was extremely fun to read
switht's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.5
wardo2700's review against another edition
5.0
This book got better and better the further I read. The author develops the three main younger characters so well that you can't help caring for them. She also created some intriguing minor characters that added to the story. There weren't too many surprising twists but that didn't take anything away from the engaging fantasy story. The last third of the book was so good I couldn't put it down. I'd recommend this book to all readers 10 and older, especially those who enjoy the genre of fantasy.
finitha's review against another edition
5.0
The first thing that I thought after finishing the last page is 'Where did I come to know this book from?'. Is it GoodReads, Twitter or another book blog? I don't have the slightest idea. The book has been on my TBR for more than a month now and I am so grateful to whoever made me add this to my shelf. So here I am, passing on the baton hoping that 'A Wish in the Dark' will find a place on many more bookshelves.
Most have categorised it as a middle-grade children's story, but I feel that this belong to the young adult. Intricately woven, the novel starts from Namwon prison to the monastery in the outskirts and back to Chattana assembling a plethora of characters uniquely crafted. What I loved the most about this book is the good feeling it projects, just like Victor Hugo's 'Les Miserables'. As a huge fan of this classic (the abridged version that is), it is no coincidence that I fell completely for it.
Pong might be the central character but the one that drew my attention was Nok. She reminded me a lot of one of my classmates, the daughter of a police officer, who supported the third-degree interrogation methods. Well, law and order need to be maintained, but that is not an excuse for being inhuman. I wish Nok had come to her senses even without that shocking reveal.
Inspiring, poignant and dramatic -- yup, that is exactly what this story felt. A blessing in the darkest times.
To know the summary of the book, please visit: https://finithajose.blogspot.com/2022/01/a-wish-in-dark-christina-soontornvat.html
Most have categorised it as a middle-grade children's story, but I feel that this belong to the young adult. Intricately woven, the novel starts from Namwon prison to the monastery in the outskirts and back to Chattana assembling a plethora of characters uniquely crafted. What I loved the most about this book is the good feeling it projects, just like Victor Hugo's 'Les Miserables'. As a huge fan of this classic (the abridged version that is), it is no coincidence that I fell completely for it.
Pong might be the central character but the one that drew my attention was Nok. She reminded me a lot of one of my classmates, the daughter of a police officer, who supported the third-degree interrogation methods. Well, law and order need to be maintained, but that is not an excuse for being inhuman. I wish Nok had come to her senses even without that shocking reveal.
Inspiring, poignant and dramatic -- yup, that is exactly what this story felt. A blessing in the darkest times.
To know the summary of the book, please visit: https://finithajose.blogspot.com/2022/01/a-wish-in-dark-christina-soontornvat.html
booksrachelreads's review against another edition
4.0
The beginning of this book was like “?? Where is this going?” But by the end I was 100% on board. A story with really beautiful and powerful themes of poverty, justice, empathy, and redemption, all with magical realism and the hopefulness that exists in middle grade books