Book Review - As You Wish (by C. Sedoti)

[Scarlett Lacarnum]

Title of the book: As You Wish
Authors: Chelsea Sedoti
Series: stand alone (as of now)
Genres: YA fiction, contemporary, fantasy

Short summary of the story:
The premise is simple. Every resident in the small town of Madison is granted a wish on their 18th birthday that is guaranteed to come true. Most people have their wish picked out for years but our main character, Eldon, is a month away from his 18th birthday and has NO IDEA what to wish for. While friends and his own family try to influence Elson’s wish, he still has to deal with everyday life. He is in his last year of high school, has a job, is heartbroken...nothing out of the usual. Every wish comes with a few parameters.

The rules:
1. Never let an outsider find out.
2. Wishes that would impact the world are off limits.
3. Do no harm.
4. No time travel.
5. No bringing back the dead.
6. NEVER BREAK THE RULES.
7. There are always consequences.

Good points / bad points: The plot was intriguing and the characters were genuine. At times it seemed that they had too many problems and I didn’t like how the sheriff’s department was depicted. This is a town where no one really leaves so everyone knows everyone and the sheriff lets teenagers do as they want. The parents in this town can be frustrating. They randomly choose which child of theirs they want to exploit. For example, if they were not happy with the oldest child’s wish they are allowed to put pressure on the younger ones to make a wish that benefits them. The life lessons here are not in-your-face which is good because it doesn’t feel preachy. Some of these lessons are: There will always be someone better, faster and stronger. Hard work counts more than talent.

Takeaway: Obviously this book made me think about what I would wish for. I think the wish I would make now vs what I would have wanted at 18 are two different things and I think that’s the point of this book. Most wishes are shortsighted and don’t actually make your life better. (In case you’re wondering I would wish to be able to eat & drink whatever I wanted and not gain weight.) We have to make the best of everyday and every decision as there is no cure-all.

Now, considering the rules...what would you wish for?