Title: Esme’s Wish (Esme Series #1)
Author: Elizabeth Foster
Genre: MG/YA Fantasy
Publishing Date: Oct 30, 2017
Publisher: Odyssey Books
Length: 252 Pages
About the Book:
“A fresh new fantasy of an enchanting world.” – Wendy Orr, New York Times best selling author of Nim’s Island.
When fifteen-year-old Esme Silver objects at her father’s wedding, her protest is dismissed as the action of a stubborn, selfish teenager. Everyone else has accepted the loss of Esme’s mother, Ariane – so why can’t she?
But Esme is suspicious. She is sure that others are covering up the real reason for her mother’s disappearance – that ‘lost at sea’ is code for something more terrible, something she has a right to know.
After Esme is accidentally swept into the enchanted world of Aeolia, the truth begins to unfold. With her newfound friends, Daniel and Lillian, Esme retraces her mother’s steps in the glittering canal city of Esperance, untangling the threads of Ariane’s double life. But the more Esme discovers about her mother, the more she questions whether she really knew her at all.
This inventive tale, the first in an MG-to-YA series, is suited to readers ten years and over. Perfect for fans of Narnia, Percy Jackson and Nevermoor.
Esme’s Wish recently won first place in the fantasy category of the 2018 Purple Dragonfly Book Awards, which recognises excellence in children’s literature.
My Review:
Admittedly fantasy is not my genre, however I picked up a copy of this one because it looked intriguing and I thought the daughter of a friend of mine might enjoy it. It can be nearly impossible to find good, clean, appropriate reads for kids who read at a level significantly above their age group. From a secular standpoint this story had plenty of mystery and intrigue, and was highly engaging. I believe it would easily captivate the attention of young readers. From a biblical perspective there were a few things I saw that I wasn’t comfortable with. I don’t do ghosts. They are on the top of my “won’t touch” list when it comes to reading. They were not a major part of the read, however I wasn’t a fan of the scene they were in. I also was uncomfortable with references to “the gods”. Personal convictions would prevent me from recommending it for those reasons, however I would also say it’s up to the parents’ discretion. I think if you’re aware of the content and have the discussions with your kids it might not be an issue. If those things don’t bother you at all then I could say this was a fun, adventurous escape of a read.
*I received a copy of this book through JustRead Tours. Thoughts and opinions expressed are mine alone.
Good review! Thanks.
Thanks 😊