At age 18, did YOU know what you wanted (what you really, really wanted)? I mean, honestly. Yeah...me neither. Which is why so many residents of the desert town of Madison are living lives of regret, trying (and mostly failing) to cope with the repercussions of teenage spontaneity.
This is because in Madison, which is no more than a blip on most maps (if it's on there at all), harbors a secret. The younger generations believe it is a wonderful, magical secret. The adults, however, know better. In Madison, there exists a cave that grants everyone exactly ONE wish on their 18th birthday. Most people wish for money or fame or other frivolous things (you know, the usual suspects). But the catch is this: These wishes aren't what they seem. And, more often than not, they bring dire consequences. Maybe not right away, but sooner than later...
That's the funny thing about wishes. You have to be careful with them.
This is why Eldon, soon to be 18, is feeling quite a bit of stress over his impending situation. He's been fielding quite a bit of pressure from his family and friends about what to wish for. What they think he should wish for, that is. He's been weighing his options. And he's determined to make his wish count. Then, with his birthday only a day away, Eldon comes to the conclusion that there is only ONE thing to wish for. The perfect wish.
No spoilers, though.
For a book that has absolutely nothing to do with The Princess Bride (as the title may imply), Chelsea Sedoti's new novel As You Wish is really pretty mind blowing. It deals with the very essence of human nature and just how far people will go to get what they want (scary!). This is one I'll be thinking about for a while...
Which begs the question:
If YOU (yes, YOU) could wish for anything, what would it be?
Think carefully before you answer.
--AJB
No comments:
Post a Comment