Wish

by Alexandra Bullen

Overview

If you could have anything, what would you wish for?For broken-hearted Olivia Larsen, nothing can change the fact that her twin sister, Violet, is gone... until a mysterious, beautiful gown arrives on her doorstep. The dress doesn't just look magical; it is magical. It has the power to grant her one wish, and the only thing Olivia wants is her sister back.With Violet again by her side, both girls get a second chance at life. And as the sisters soon discover, they have two more dresses-and two more wishes left. But magic can't solve everything, and Olivia is forced to confront her ghosts to learn how to laugh, love, and live again.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780545283281
Publisher:	Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date:	12/01/2010
Sold by:	Scholastic, Inc.
Format:	eBook
Pages:	336
Lexile:	960L (what's this?)
File size:	393 KB
Age Range:	14 - 18 Years

About the Author

Alexandra Bullen has been a playwright, waitress, barista, gardener, script reader, yoga instructor, and personal assistant. She grew up in Massachusetts, went to college in New York City, and lives most of the year on Martha's Vineyard (except when she's visiting San Francisco). www.akbullen.wordpress.com.

Editorial Reviews

Bullen delivers an enticing first novel about twin sisters—one alive and one dead. Grief-stricken high school junior Olivia moves with her parents to San Francisco to pick up the pieces after Violet's unexpected death. One night, while wearing a beautiful dress—a gift from a mysterious seamstress—Olivia wishes to have her sister back. She wakes up to find Violet's ghost waiting for her. Olivia is both shocked and overjoyed, and soon finds out that her seamstress is a cross between a fairy godmother and a genie—and that she has two more wishes (and new dresses) to come. The sisterly dynamic will draw readers in as Violet offers Olivia everything from fashion advice to counsel about boys, and Olivia gradually re-enters the world of the living, making new friends and finding romance. As Olivia's life becomes fuller it gets more complicated, too, but the story never surrenders to melodrama or gloom. Bullen's prose is solid, her head-to-toe descriptions of clothing are lavish, and she makes the sights of San Francisco come alive in this sweet story of siblings determined to remain inseparable. Ages 14–up. (Jan.)

Publishers Weekly

Gr 9 Up—Olivia looks up from the wreckage of many months following the death of her twin to find herself uprooted across the country to San Francisco by her grieving attorney-mother and inconsolable contractor-father. Without Violet as a social and emotional crutch, Olivia doesn't know how she can face Golden Gate Prep. The touch of magic is subtle as the teen stumbles upon a hole-in-the-wall seamstress who agrees to mend an old dress of Violet's for a gathering at her mother's new firm. Instead, Olivia finds herself wearing a beautiful custom creation with a butterfly that bursts from fabric into life as Violet is wished back into Olivia's life. No one else can see or hear her, but Olivia's confidence is bolstered enough that she soon becomes friendly with Calla, the most popular girl in school, and catches the eye of skater cutie Soren. Complications ensue when Soren breaks up with Calla, and Olivia launches a clandestine romance, with a couple of dresses left to wear and wishes left to spend. This first-time novelist has produced an enjoyable variation on the three magical wishes scenario with nicely executed and believable characters, not so much fairy tale as realistic story—with some teen drinking. Olivia works through the wishes to realize her strengths and learn to face the world on her own.—Suzanne Gordon, Peachtree Ridge High School, Suwanee, GA

School Library Journal

Following the death of her twin, Olivia and her parents relocate to San Francisco to rebuild their lives, but for Olivia, who was always most comfortable in her sister Violet's shadow, the transition isn't easy until she discovers a dressmaker with supernatural talents. In addition to creating three perfect dresses for Olivia, the dressmaker embeds three wishes into her creations. Unsurprisingly, Olivia first conjures Violet, who, as a semi-solid spirit, coaches Olivia through her additional wishes and her new school's social strata. Olivia's quick climb to popularity is out of character, and her awkwardness with it is painfully realistic and endearing, especially as she clumsily partners with her crush. Despite the text's supernatural elements, which in some spots wear thin, the detailed descriptions of San Francisco and above all the sisters' relationship provide solid grounding for a touching, enjoyable read that will have readers rooting for Olivia to find her own voice and step into the sun. (Fiction. YA)

Kirkus Reviews