Melanie Dickerson

From New York Times bestselling author Melanie Dickerson comes a magical fairy tale retelling in The Orphan's Wish.

The Orphan's Wish

Hope Brockway

I'm not really sure what to rate this. Or how I feel about this. But here we go. 

First of all, if the main character hadn't been named Aladdin, I wouldn't have known this was an Aladdin retelling. I mean, writing an Aladdin retelling without magic has got to be hard, but I couldn't really see any similarities to the Disney classic. I mean, this book's got rags to riches, this "Proud of Your Boy" theme (check the Broadway musical for this gorgeous song), and Abu (who's a boy instead of a monkey #blessed [I just really hate monkeys]), but other than that, there are pretty much no similarities. 

Second, there was no Middle Eastern culture. This is a touchy topic for me. I would love to see some Christian fiction with a diverse cast or not set in Europe or the US. I do love how she portrayed their biracial relationship, and I would definitely love to see more of that in Christian fiction because we live in a diverse world. But I felt like plucking Aladdin from the Middle East and almost erasing his culture . . . I dunno. I think culture is something to be celebrated because we're all different and God loves and created those differences and we shouldn't erase that or brush over it. 

Third, the flashbacks were very confusing. They happened during other scenes. *looks around in confusion* Picture this, you're reading a scene of Aladdin doing something mundane like balancing checkbooks (not my cup of tea, but my mom enjoys it) and then literally the next sentence he's in the woods by a stream or something. There are no transitions or anything. And there is where my confusion occurred. Like hello? This book was basically me constantly trying to figure out what was happening. 

I think I'm getting too old for these books. I really enjoyed them when I was younger but now . . . *shrugs* 

Anyway, I didn't mean to bash this book. It's a fun, fluffy read, but I find I want something more, ya know? I'm sorry.

Hannah Conard

Reese Kuck 

From New York Times bestselling author Melanie Dickerson comes an inspired retelling of the beloved folk tale Aladdin. Orphaned and alone, Aladdin travels from the streets of his Arab homeland to a strange, faraway place. Growing up in an orphanage, he meets young Lady Kirstyn, whose father is the powerful Duke of Hagenheim. Despite the difference in their stations, Aladdin quickly becomes Kirstyn’s favorite companion, and their childhood friendship grows into a bond that time and opposition cannot break. Even as a child, Aladdin works hard, learning all he can from his teachers. Through his integrity, intelligence, and sheer tenacity, he earns a position serving as the duke’s steward. But that isn’t enough to erase the shame of being forced to steal as a small child—or the fact that he’s an orphan with no status. If he ever wants to feel equal to his beautiful and generous friend Kirstyn, he must leave Hagenheim and seek his fortune. Yet once Aladdin departs, Lady Kirstyn becomes a pawn in a terrible plot. Now, Aladdin and Kirstyn must rely on their bond to save her from unexpected danger. But will saving Kirstyn cost Aladdin his newfound status and everything he’s worked so hard to obtain? An enchanting new version of the well-known tale, The Orphan’s Wish tells a story of courage and loyalty, friendship and love, and reminds us what “family” really means.

The Orphan's Wish

Reviews