Lucy Hart had a horrible childhood, but one book series saw her through: The Clock Island series by Jack Masterton. Now, she’s an twenty-something working as a teacher’s aide. One of her students Christopher is a foster child whom she wants to adopt and who wants her to adopt him, too. The problem remains that teacher’s aides aren’t paid much. Despite Lucy’s best intentions, Christopher’s social worker tells her she’s simply not financially stable enough to adopt. What will come of Christopher?
She’s in luck as Jack invites her to his very real Clock Island off the Maine coast for a contest. This super-rich, bestselling author has received thousands of letters from children who write how he helped them face their fears. The contest involves games crafted by his masterful mind with a chance for contestants to make it rich if they win. Lucy is obviously intrigued. The real challenge, like Jack’s book characters, becomes for Lucy to face her own reality and to overcome her adult fears. Though the book’s eventual outcome seems ever-guaranteed, the twists and turns of the plot induce curiosity about what the ultimate path will be.
This book is clearly inspired by the classic tale of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Shaffer provides a good parody while developing each character’s growth. Just like life, the eventual outcome seems assured in our hearts, but the next step is always precarious. Almost every reader has dreamed of being involved in some fairy tale. However, wishing a fairy tale to become true involves inevitable bravery.
This book kept me engaged as I wondered the next step. Since the final resolution was never in doubt, the suspense didn’t pull me in as much as a great book. The crafty plot hooks did keep the pages turning, but in the end, the book remained just above average.
The Wishing Game: A Novel
By Meg Shaffer
Copyright (c) 2023
Arcadia
ISBN13 9780593598856
Page Count: 284
Genre: Fiction, Fantasy
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