rakesandrogues
Written on Jan 6, 2011
I've had a copy of WISH for nearly half a year now gathering dust on my shelf. I only really bumped it up to the top of my to-read when I got a free copy on my Nook from Barnes & Noble. I finally tackled it last night reading it straight through. It's a quick and easy read, just at the right length. The length is refreshingly short as compared to those monster paranormal novels that are being released today. I don't know if I could have taken more than 300 pages of this book so I thank the author and the publisher for releasing a book of the perfect length.
As for the novel itself, I thought the premise of the book was adorable but as I read, the execution was not as exciting as I hoped to be. For me, the book really lacked that fairy tale and magical feel to it. I think the magical aspect of the plot can be easily forgotten as the book has a contemporary feel to it. However, that does not mean I did not enjoy the meager magic that was in the book. Mariposa's dresses were simply beautiful. I looked forward to the scenes when Olivia would unveil another dress because I am a complete sucker for a pretty dress. I'm a princess at heart, what can I say?
The story was sweet and sad at the same time. The novel had its touching moments but the writing wasn't enough for me to shed even a tear. I sympathized for the Olivia, but not to the point that I was feeling her pain. I wasn't too satisfied with the ending as I hoped I would be. The ending fell flat and I was not happy with how the story was resolved. Still, I enjoyed reading.
As for the other characters, I really felt a lack of genuineness, especially from Calla and Soren. Soren seems like an adorable skater boy in my mind but when I really think about it, their relationship progressed far too quickly for my liking and it just wasn't realistic. I was actually cheering more for Miles than Soren and I was disappointed that he and Bowie turned out to be much minor characters. Calla projected to be just using Olivia throughout the whole book. They barely knew each other and Calla would be asking Olivia for favors left and right. I wanted to like her, but I didn't see myself doing so.
I did love the setting of the novel. For some reason, I feel as if a lot of books I read take place on the East Coast of the United States, specifically in New York and New Jersey. While its great to read about where I live, it's even better to get a sense of escape every now and then. I have been to San Francisco many times and I loved reading about it. I managed to recognize places and attractions so I didn't feel like a lost tourist while I was reading.
WISH is a light, easy read. If it's on your to-read, keep it there. I don't think there's any rush to read this book, but it would be great if you got to it eventually. I would definitely recommend WISH to those who love fairy tales, pretty dresses, and yearn to visit San Francisco and California.