This was such a beautiful and emotional story that thoroughly captivated me! It is a simply exquisite contemporary version of the classic Beauty and the Beast. Clara is the light and life that Jonah needs, even if he doesn’t initially realize it. Their dynamic was almost magical, even their path together wasn’t always easy. The book’s setting also added to the magic of the story, set in New Orleans. Clara, new to the area, has heard a local legend, and she is drawn to the story. It becomes a mission, trying to unravel the whole story. The Wish Collector tells both stories, that of Clara and Jonah in the present and that of Angelina, a slave, and John, a white man, in the 1800s.
This is very much a character-driven story, with an element of magical realism. It is both heartbreaking and heartwarming, the story one of love, loss, forgiveness, and redemption. It is a book that is beautifully haunting, one that is deeply emotional and thought-provoking.