"The Wishing Well" is the second book in a series of books about the people in the village of The Wales written by Kai Strand. The storyline is built on the Cinderella premise and will probably be more enjoyable to girls than boys. Molly Minstrel is an 11-year old girl who is a servant in her own home. Just like Cinderella, Molly has to do all the chores and is constantly told she has done nothing right by her mother Greta and her two older sisters, Eva & Hannah. The only "chore" that Greta, Eva & Hannah are interested in doing is "finding husbands for Eva & Hannah." The only relief in Molly’s life is her dear friend, Riddle. Every day once Molly’s mother & sisters leave the house, Riddle comes and helps Molly with the chores so they can go out and play with the other children from the village. One such day, Molly has a chance encounter with a blue, elf-like character named Unwanted. Molly remembers the stories that Mary Wordsmith (The Weaver) had "weaved" about Unwanted and about how he granted her wish to "weave a yarn as beautiful as her mother." Before Molly can ask Unwanted any further questions, they are interrupted by the other children and Unwanted disappears.
Will Molly get another chance to talk with Unwanted? Such an opportunity does arise outside Molly’s house at the well. Her wish is that her family would be nice to her, but her actual words, "I wish my Mom and my sisters would just say what they mean." Is Molly’s wish granted the way she wants? Will her mother and sisters eventually treat her with kindness?
Anyone who enjoys Cinderella will also enjoy this book. "The Wishing Well" is a good book about how we should be careful with our words and the use of them. It also can generate great conversations between parents and their children about how words can hurt and once they are said you can’t take they back.
There is one chapter in the book, however, that I feel is not appropriate for the younger end of targeted age group of 8-12 year olds. Chapter 17 describes Molly "weaving" a tale about her older sister Eva that can actually give the impression that it’s okay to lie if the end justifies the means. More importantly, she "weaves" a story with a very sexual implication. There is also a mention of wine & beer being served at dinner in an earlier chapter. I would advise parents to read this book themselves to decide if it is appropriate before giving it to their children to read.
Overall, the book is good. I did not enjoy it as much as Ms. Strand’s first book, "The Weaver." However, if given the opportunity, I will read the other books in her series. (reviewed by P.Howard)
About The Wishing Well: Molly Minstrel is treated worse than Cinderella by her mom and sisters. When Molly meets the magical creature, Unwanted, she wishes her problems away. However, you must first understand what you need before knowing what to ask for. Molly will have to look within for the solution to her troubles.
Book info: Guardian Angel Publishing ISBN Number(s): hardcover 978-1616333010 Softcover 978-1616333027 Publication Date: July 24, 2012 Genre: Juvenile Fantasy
Author Website: www.kaistrand.com
Blog Address: http://kaistrand.blogspot.com/
Twitter URL: @KaiStrandFacebook URL: https://www.facebook.com/kai.strand.9
Facebook Fan Page URL: https://www.facebook.com/KaiStrandAuthor?ref=hl
DISCLOSURE: A complimentary softcover copy of The Weaver was provided by World Of Ink Network on behalf of the author and publisher.
Thanks for the review! I do want to mention there is no explicit mention of any inappropriate behavior. It is an old world setting where young adults were expected to act in a more formal manner, so being discovered unchaperoned and kissing in a carriage is enough to ruin a young lady's reputation. I understand how an older reader might interpret beyond what is written, however a younger reader without those experiences shouldn't come to the same conclusion.
ReplyDeleteThat said, I love when parents are involved in a child's reading and would encourage a discussion of manners and formality.
Thank you for your time and opinion on my books. It really means a lot to me.
Thank you for hosting and reviewing Kai Strand's book. I also enjoyed this one as well.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the review and the background. I will read both books
ReplyDeleteViji