It's rare that a book makes me as hot and bothered as this book did... I thought it was rather a strong premise so that is why I sought a copy of the book. I really loved the original cover with the beautiful purple night sky and the shadowed house and person peering up into the stars. It felt like Nevada and really made me excited for the tone of the book!
After I had received word I would get a copy and before I obtained that copy they changed the cover to this unisex birthday cover that saps away the magical realism of the book! (Thus my 2 star cover rating below!) That sent up warning signs and I wrote this post... wondering what was up!
So now the cover is off putting and I wished as hell that I hadn't sought out this book... but you know I really enjoyed those first two chapters. The thing is at first Eldon seemed like a kid who had to make some pretty essential decisions for his future and was crazy scared he'd mess it up! I could relate to that kid and even though I didn't have a magic wish I have needed to decide what I want to do with my life, what school and job I would get into and other things that would determine my happiness level with my day to day life.
Here's the thing I read the first couple chapters and then had to wait a month! I DID remember what I read but when I FINALLY read another 80 pages... I WAS SHOCKED... basically I learned nothing new inside those pages!! Uh... whot happened?! Red flags are waving and sirens are starting to blare. But actually these 80 pages were the LEAST OFFENSIVE of all I read in this book. I think its made WORSE by the fact I LOVED the PREMISE! I really did... And I don't read much magical realism and the fact that when I do I got this... well its upsetting...
There's some spoil-y things I want to talk about BUT DON'T WORRY they are below in spoiler tags!
Here's some of the ways Eldon offended!
-All the whining about what other people's wishes were doing to ruin his life.
-He has some SERIOUSLY PROBLEMATIC thoughts about an epidemic that is sweeping our nation... RIGHT NOW!! (see Spoiler #1 below!)
-Assuming someone likes you enough to make out with you just because they spend time with you and your friend is just... EWWWWW! And so damn arrogant and self serving!
-How he treats his best friend Merrill is just... NOT HOW TO TREAT A BFF! And I don't find his words later much of an apology but self centered Eldon is too concerned with... well, himself!
-The way he acts out against the town and their secret just made me steam!
Here's some of the ways the WRITING offended!
-PROBLEMATIC ideas -- Spoiler #1 This is the thought Eldon had about Fletcher suiciding! "Right before Fletcher jumped, he must have been dead in his own mind.” This sounds awfully like condoning suicide! Feelings associated with suicide feel real IN THE MOMENT, but pass if given enough time. To tell a child if you feel dead inside it’s okay to commit suicide is the height of abuse... Seriously this is majorly PROBLEMATIC with the percentage of suicides RISING with teens and children due to bullying and a perception of acceptance!!! It's actually disgustingly ABUSIVE!!
-When I read the mayor’s wish story and found it a horrible story of mental abuse... I realized I HATE THE WISH STORIES... they are written in this creepy narrator voice that is mocking the person in the story! It doesn’t read as if from that character at all... it’s disturbing how awful these stories are...
-I found it awfully suspicious that ALL the wish stories ended the way they did with EVERYONE UNHAPPY! Only those with money, like Merrill, were happy and only because he had something he was going to DO with the money. AND I hated the platitude that came at the end with his ex-girlfriend who accused him of only seeking out unhappy wishers! Geeze why wasn't his freaking MOTHER happy?! I felt it was so contrived that her heart didn't melt when her husband agreed with her, causing her to compromise as well and think of him for his sake!! And SORRY wishing away feelings towards other men doesn't create an ABSENCE of ALL feeling! Like there aren't such sexual beings as bisexuals!!
-I was super offended at what a SAINT Eldon turned into at the end...
First...I TOTALLY didn't believe his sudden reversal with how he was acting. Though it makes a sort of sick sense... He wasn't getting his way by throwing a fit so instead HE STOLE EVERYONE's OPPORTUNITY!! Yes, he took away their ability to choose (perfect revenge).
Second...HOW THE HELL IS ELDON ANY DIFFERENT THAN THE MAYOR!! The mayor wanted to control the wishes... and well, so did Eldon... Except the mayor just wanted to maintain the status quo in a sick way and Eldon literally TOOK his power and made the decision irreversible!
Finally...Doesn't it make more sense that the town will dry up with no more wishes?! The only reason families stayed in this dead end town was to supply gas and to get wishes! When their wish "didn't make them happy" they stuck around to try to hijack their children's wishes... What's to keep them now?! Those getting money may stick around a while but the rest would drift away...
As a reader I CAN NOT in good conscience suggest this book to anyone... BUT the reason I gave the book a 2 star instead of a 1 star is that it has SERIOUS POTENTIAL!
The relationship between Eldon and Merrill was super sweet BFF material! I LOVED Norie! She was able to give Eldon a serious wakeup call with his friend and even though I wasn't sure he internalized that like he should, I still applaud the attempt! I also likes his relationship with Fletcher, Penelope - the save the world girl, the annoying wish guy (forgot his name) and the teacher who was a little too earnest (does his name matter at this point?!) There was this great attempt to flesh Eldon's life out with people... much like we have in real life!!
I also understand that some of Eldon's actions were a way to process his loss... and he IS a teenager... This just isn't the kind of character that I want to follow into a magically real story...
After I had received word I would get a copy and before I obtained that copy they changed the cover to this unisex birthday cover that saps away the magical realism of the book! (Thus my 2 star cover rating below!) That sent up warning signs and I wrote this post... wondering what was up!
So now the cover is off putting and I wished as hell that I hadn't sought out this book... but you know I really enjoyed those first two chapters. The thing is at first Eldon seemed like a kid who had to make some pretty essential decisions for his future and was crazy scared he'd mess it up! I could relate to that kid and even though I didn't have a magic wish I have needed to decide what I want to do with my life, what school and job I would get into and other things that would determine my happiness level with my day to day life.
Here's the thing I read the first couple chapters and then had to wait a month! I DID remember what I read but when I FINALLY read another 80 pages... I WAS SHOCKED... basically I learned nothing new inside those pages!! Uh... whot happened?! Red flags are waving and sirens are starting to blare. But actually these 80 pages were the LEAST OFFENSIVE of all I read in this book. I think its made WORSE by the fact I LOVED the PREMISE! I really did... And I don't read much magical realism and the fact that when I do I got this... well its upsetting...
There's some spoil-y things I want to talk about BUT DON'T WORRY they are below in spoiler tags!
Here's some of the ways Eldon offended!
-All the whining about what other people's wishes were doing to ruin his life.
-He has some SERIOUSLY PROBLEMATIC thoughts about an epidemic that is sweeping our nation... RIGHT NOW!! (see Spoiler #1 below!)
-Assuming someone likes you enough to make out with you just because they spend time with you and your friend is just... EWWWWW! And so damn arrogant and self serving!
-How he treats his best friend Merrill is just... NOT HOW TO TREAT A BFF! And I don't find his words later much of an apology but self centered Eldon is too concerned with... well, himself!
-The way he acts out against the town and their secret just made me steam!
Here's some of the ways the WRITING offended!
-PROBLEMATIC ideas -- Spoiler #1 This is the thought Eldon had about Fletcher suiciding! "Right before Fletcher jumped, he must have been dead in his own mind.” This sounds awfully like condoning suicide! Feelings associated with suicide feel real IN THE MOMENT, but pass if given enough time. To tell a child if you feel dead inside it’s okay to commit suicide is the height of abuse... Seriously this is majorly PROBLEMATIC with the percentage of suicides RISING with teens and children due to bullying and a perception of acceptance!!! It's actually disgustingly ABUSIVE!!
-When I read the mayor’s wish story and found it a horrible story of mental abuse... I realized I HATE THE WISH STORIES... they are written in this creepy narrator voice that is mocking the person in the story! It doesn’t read as if from that character at all... it’s disturbing how awful these stories are...
-I found it awfully suspicious that ALL the wish stories ended the way they did with EVERYONE UNHAPPY! Only those with money, like Merrill, were happy and only because he had something he was going to DO with the money. AND I hated the platitude that came at the end with his ex-girlfriend who accused him of only seeking out unhappy wishers! Geeze why wasn't his freaking MOTHER happy?! I felt it was so contrived that her heart didn't melt when her husband agreed with her, causing her to compromise as well and think of him for his sake!! And SORRY wishing away feelings towards other men doesn't create an ABSENCE of ALL feeling! Like there aren't such sexual beings as bisexuals!!
-I was super offended at what a SAINT Eldon turned into at the end...
First...I TOTALLY didn't believe his sudden reversal with how he was acting. Though it makes a sort of sick sense... He wasn't getting his way by throwing a fit so instead HE STOLE EVERYONE's OPPORTUNITY!! Yes, he took away their ability to choose (perfect revenge).
Second...HOW THE HELL IS ELDON ANY DIFFERENT THAN THE MAYOR!! The mayor wanted to control the wishes... and well, so did Eldon... Except the mayor just wanted to maintain the status quo in a sick way and Eldon literally TOOK his power and made the decision irreversible!
Finally...Doesn't it make more sense that the town will dry up with no more wishes?! The only reason families stayed in this dead end town was to supply gas and to get wishes! When their wish "didn't make them happy" they stuck around to try to hijack their children's wishes... What's to keep them now?! Those getting money may stick around a while but the rest would drift away...
As a reader I CAN NOT in good conscience suggest this book to anyone... BUT the reason I gave the book a 2 star instead of a 1 star is that it has SERIOUS POTENTIAL!
The relationship between Eldon and Merrill was super sweet BFF material! I LOVED Norie! She was able to give Eldon a serious wakeup call with his friend and even though I wasn't sure he internalized that like he should, I still applaud the attempt! I also likes his relationship with Fletcher, Penelope - the save the world girl, the annoying wish guy (forgot his name) and the teacher who was a little too earnest (does his name matter at this point?!) There was this great attempt to flesh Eldon's life out with people... much like we have in real life!!
I also understand that some of Eldon's actions were a way to process his loss... and he IS a teenager... This just isn't the kind of character that I want to follow into a magically real story...