3.5 stars. As You Wish features the seemingly boring town of Madison, Nevada. However, Madison is much more interesting than its desert surroundings imply. Every person living in Madison gets to make a wish on their eighteenth birthday - but unlike ordinary wishes made on birtday candles, it comes true. The story follows one resident of Madison, Eldon, whose eighteenth birthday is quickly approaching, but unlike many others his age, he cannot figure out what he wants to wish for. The reader watches as Eldon talks to other people who have made their wish, studies their regrets, and ultimately makes his wish.
As You Wish surpassed the expectations I had going into it. I was a little skeptical, given that it isn't like the books I usually choose for myself, but I wound up enjoying the story. I found Eldon and his difficulty with the big decision of what to wish for to be relatable, just as I'm sure many other young adults struggle with making decisions that determine their future. The story following Eldon through his process of deciding what to wish for kept me engaged the whole time, and I especially enjoyed the history passages interspersed throughout the story to see what kinds of things other people in Madison have wished for.
As You Wish surpassed the expectations I had going into it. I was a little skeptical, given that it isn't like the books I usually choose for myself, but I wound up enjoying the story. I found Eldon and his difficulty with the big decision of what to wish for to be relatable, just as I'm sure many other young adults struggle with making decisions that determine their future. The story following Eldon through his process of deciding what to wish for kept me engaged the whole time, and I especially enjoyed the history passages interspersed throughout the story to see what kinds of things other people in Madison have wished for.