Meg Shaffer's The Wishing Game receives praise for its enchanting premise and engaging narrative. Readers appreciate its well-developed characters and emotional depth. However, some find the plot predictable and the pacing uneven. Overall, it's a heartfelt story that resonates with many, despite minor flaws.

The ideal reader for Meg Shaffer's The Wishing Game enjoys whimsical, character-driven stories with a touch of fantasy and adventure. Fans of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series and Erin Morgenstern's The Night Circus will find this book enchanting due to its imaginative world-building and engaging plot.

The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer follows Lucy Hart's determined journey to adopt a boy named Christopher, hampered by financial constraints. She enters a contest devised by famous children's author Jack Masterson to win an unpublished manuscript, facing various challenges and competitors on a magical island, where she encounters themes of found families, storytelling, and personal sacrifice. The novel depicts and discusses statutory rape, child abuse, neglect, and trauma.

Heartwarming / Emotional / Inspirational / Fantastical / Adventurous

Meg Shaffer

Adult

Novel

Fiction

Guide

Study Guide

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Overview

Get ready to explore The Wishing Game and its meaning. Our full analysis and study guide provides an even deeper dive with character analysis and quotes explained to help you discover the complexity and beauty of this book.

The Wishing Game Summary and Study Guide

Background

The Wishing Game Background

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Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Part 1: “Make a Wish”

Prologue-Part 1

The Wishing Game Prologue-Part 1 Summary & Analysis

Part 2: “Tick-Tock. Welcome to the Clock”

Part 2 The Wishing Game Part 2 Summary & Analysis

Part 3: “Riddles and Games and Other Strange Things”

Part 3 The Wishing Game Part 3 Summary & Analysis

Part 4: “Face Your Fears, My Dears”

Part 4 The Wishing Game Part 4 Summary & Analysis

Part 5: “One Last Little Question”

Part 5 The Wishing Game Part 5 Summary & Analysis

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Character Analysis

The Wishing Game Character Analysis

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Themes

The Wishing Game Themes

Symbols & Motifs

The Wishing Game Symbols & Motifs

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Important Quotes

The Wishing Game Important Quotes

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Essay Topics

The Wishing Game Essay Topics

Book Club Questions

The Wishing Game Book Club Questions

The Wishing Game

Before You Read

Reviews & Readership

Review Roundup

Who Should Read The Wishing Game?

Reading Age

Book Details