Shaffer, Meg. The Wishing Game. New York: Ballantine Books, 2023.
ISBN-13: 978-0593598832 | $28.00 USD | 286 pages | Contemporary/Magical Realism
Blurb
Years ago, a reclusive mega-bestselling children’s author quit writing under mysterious circumstances. Suddenly he resurfaces with a brand-new book and a one-of-a-kind competition, offering a prize that will change the winner’s life in this absorbing and whimsical novel.
“Clever, dark, and hopeful . . . a love letter to reading and the power that childhood stories have over us long after we’ve grown up.”—V. E. Schwab, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue
A WASHINGTON POST AND SHE READS BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR
Make a wish. . . .
Lucy Hart knows better than anyone what it’s like to grow up without parents who loved her. In a childhood marked by neglect and loneliness, Lucy found her solace in books, namely the Clock Island series by Jack Masterson. Now a twenty-six-year-old teacher’s aide, she is able to share her love of reading with bright, young students, especially seven-year-old Christopher Lamb, who was left orphaned after the tragic death of his parents. Lucy would give anything to adopt Christopher, but even the idea of becoming a family seems like an impossible dream without proper funds and stability.
But be careful what you wish for. . . .
Just when Lucy is about to give up, Jack Masterson announces he’s finally written a new book. Even better, he’s holding a contest at his home on the real Clock Island, and Lucy is one of the four lucky contestants chosen to compete to win the one and only copy.
For Lucy, the chance of winning the most sought-after book in the world means everything to her and Christopher. But first she must contend with ruthless book collectors, wily opponents, and the distractingly handsome (and grumpy) Hugo Reese, the illustrator of the Clock Island books. Meanwhile, Jack “the Mastermind” Masterson is plotting the ultimate twist ending that could change all their lives forever.
. . . You might just get it.SEE LESS
Review
3.5 stars
I waffled about whether I wanted to read The Wishing Game when looking through the various Goodreads Choice Awards nominees, as while it sounded interesting, it didn’t appeal to me specifically. However, when it came to light that Meg Shaffer was the other name for erotic romance author Tiffany Reisz, I was much more intrigued, especially after the minor controversy with it being nominated in the Debut category, and being pulled just before the winners were announced due to this belated revelation about her pen name. While I have not read and do not plan to read any of her erotic work under the Reisz pen name, I did read one of her women’s fiction books a while back, also written under the TR name, so I did wonder how the two would compare. The results were mixed, and I perhaps should have taken Mari from mynameismarines’ word for it, as in retrospect, a lot of our opinions do align
.I generally like the cozy vibes here, and I appreciate how the story pays homage to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, while also creating its own unique “world” and mythos. The fictitious author, Jack Masterson, has this whole expansive series, and the references to it in-text give you a feel for how the story goes. I was also amused by the inclusion of his bibliography at the end, including the 66 Clock Island books which I wish were real now.
I generally liked the characters, and it’s easy to root for them, given that they’re all lonely in their own ways, and the story sees them come together in this beautiful found-family. Lucy is the most sympathetic, having been abandoned by her parents and having a tense relationship with her sister, and I did empathize with her connection with Christopher and the desire to give him a forever-home. And this is also paralleled in her relationship with Jack himself, with him having taken on a paternal role in some form or another throughout her life.
I found myself feeling mixed about the romantic arc. It’s very much a subplot, but this time, it’s not that it was underdeveloped, but the elements that were added to the dynamic between Lucy and Hugo that seem a bit off-putting. Hugo is Jack’s illustrator, and as such, is much older than Lucy, and while a relationship between two adults with an age gap isn’t technically an issue in the present, I, like Mari, was a bit troubled by the choice for Hugo to have history with a younger Lucy, and continue remarking on her age and youthful appearance even now that she’s an adult. I get what Shaffer was going for, as her ending up with Hugo essentially completes the perfect family unit, but surely there was some way to do it without it being so weird?
However, despite my criticisms, I ultimately still mostly enjoyed this book, and am open to trying more from Shaffer in the future, especially as it seems she has another book coming out next year. And if you’re looking for a fairly fun, whimsical story featuring found-family, books, and a dash of magic.
Author Bio
Meg Shaffer is part-time creative writing instructor and the author of The Wishing Game. She lives in Louisville, Kentucky with her husband, author Andrew Shaffer, and their two cats. The cats are not writers.
Buy links
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