Review: The Wish by Gail Carson Levine

Title: The Wish
Author(s): Gail Carson Levine
Release Date: May 31, 2000
Publisher: HarperTrophy
Page Number: 243
Format: Paperback


Synopsis(Goodreads): From the author of the Newbery Honor Book "Ella Enchanted." When Wilma gets one wish, she asks to be the most popular girl at school. But when her wish is granted, it's more than she bargained for.

My Review: I'm slightly disappointed in Gail Carson Levine right now. I have read all her other books(with the exception of A Tale of Two Castles) and I've loved them all. And I'm not saying I didn't like this book. It just wasn't as good as her other books. [This is a middle grade book. If you don't like reading them, this review is not for you.]

When Wilma Strutz gives an old lady her seat on the subway, she is given one wish. She wishes to be the most popular girl at her middle school. Suddenly everyone wants to be her friend and 40 boys have asked her to the Grad Night dance. But it turns out there might be a loophole in Wilma's popularity, and she'll do anything to avoid it.

This book had no depth. And I'm talking, like ZERO depth. Nothing was very well explained, at all. When Wilma told us that their were two types of people at the school, and that she was a brain, I was excited. I thought she would tell us about how smart the brains were and all about the schools academics. Nope. I hated the lack of depth.

The only character we got to know was Wilma, and because the book was so short, I felt that I didn't know her at all. And because of this, I couldn't paint an accurate picture of who she was as a character.

The writing style of this book was what I was hoping for. Gail Carson Levine has a fantastic writing style that keeps readers reading and wondering what will happen next. I absolutely loved it in all her fairytale retellings, and I loved it here too. The book was such a quick read that I really did enjoy reading, even though I did have problems with it. But, if I'm being honest, I think Gail Carson Levine should stick to fairytales.

Rating: 4/5 Worms

I think I'm rating this book highly because I love Gail Carson Levine as an author, but I also did like this book. It was aimed at a younger audience, but I love this author so much I had to read it.