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A review by gummifrog
The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer
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