Fairytale Come True • The Wishing Spell

The Wishing Spell by Chris Colfer
Series: The Land of Stories #1
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Publication Date: July 17, 2012
Source: BEA 2012 || ARC
[I received this book from the publisher. This in no way affects the contents of my review.]

The Land of Stories tells the tale of twins Alex and Conner. Through the mysterious powers of a cherished book of stories, they leave their world behind and find themselves in a foreign land full of wonder and magic where they come face-to-face with the fairy tale characters they grew up reading about. But after a series of encounters with witches, wolves, goblins, and trolls alike, getting back home is going to be harder than they thought.

I grew up reading fairytales, the kind where there's a beautiful princess, a handsome rescuer and a happily-ever-after all the time. When I got a little older, I actually did a lot of research on fairytales and read the "real" ones - the ones with gruesome endings, the ones meant to teach readers important lessons. So you can imagine how delighted I was to hear about a book that incorporated fairytales in it - I just had to snag a copy of it at BEA!

Plus, it doesn't hurt that the author of this book is Chris Colfer, better known as Kurt Hummel on Glee. I've been a longtime fan of the show (though even I will admit it gets a little strange sometimes), and Chris does a superb job as Kurt. Personally, I find myself completely in awe of his talent - he acts, sings, dances, wrote a screenplay and now he's writing books. It's just amazing.

Anyway, I'll go back to my review.

THE WISHING SPELL starts out a bit slow for me, as the first few chapters were set up so that we would get to know Alex and Connor and their situation a little better. Though I do have my own opinion about it, objectively, I think it's a good way to set up the book for younger readers. It does pick up though, especially when they fall into the Land of Stories!

After they enter the book, the story gets much more fun to read. The incorporation of fairytales is well-done, both amusing and intelligent. CHRIS COLFER certainly knows how to weave a story within a story within a story, and I admire the use of that ability in this book. 

Many popular fairytales and their characters are called upon to play a role in this tale. It's such a treat to see these beloved and familiar characters (such as Cinderella or Little Red Riding Hood) being placed in an entirely different story, with personalities that are unexpected but also really cool and believable.

All in all, as a fan of fairytales, I think CHRIS COLFER has certainly woven quite the tale in THE WISHING SPELL. Filled with adventure and following a similar fairytale format, this book is actually one of my favorite reads from this year. By the time the book ended, I was satisfied... but also ready for the next one!

Book Quotes  (All are taken from the ARC.)

"It's proof that if someone wants something enough, and they're willing to work for it, they can achieve great things."

"Every driven person comes from a mountain of pain they wish to keep hidden."

"Courage is the one thing that no one can ever take away from you."