Tuesday, January 06, 2009

Just One Wish


Rallison, Janette. 2009. Just One Wish. Putnam. March 2009. 272 pages.

I would have expected to see this sort of line if, say, Elvis had returned from the dead to give a concert.

Just One Wish is both predictable and heartfelt. On the one hand, we've got Annika Truman, a big sister with all the bravado in the world, who'll do whatever it takes to make her little brother, Jeremy, feel safe and secure heading into his surgery: he's got cancer, brain cancer. She's a girl with no bounds; she'll be in-your-face and won't-take-no-for-an-answer. She'll out-maneuver and outwit anyone and everyone who stands in her way. Rather it be the bully-of-a-man at the toy store who has all the Teen Robin Hood dolls in his basket. Or the real-life star of Teen Robin Hood, Steve Raleigh. You see, she's promised her brother the impossible: that wishes really do come true. Now to prove it, she must get Robin Hood to visit him--Jeremy--in person before his surgery which is just a handful of days away.

Can a girl--no matter how bold and impulsive--and her best friend do the impossible? Go to Hollywood, crash the set of their favorite show, and convince the star himself to go back home with her?

All these elements--a girl who can manipulate herself into and out of a hundred and one crazy scenarios--make for a plot that at first seems so unbelievable that it's hard to care. However, I'll be the first to admit that this silly plot--ordinary girl meets dreamy-celebrity-heartthrob--turns into so much more by the end. Yes, those elements were predictable. And I have a hard time finding them realistic--pure fantasy and wish fulfillment in my opinion. (Like most teen romance movies that you get all giddy about when you see them on the screen.) But as this persona she portrays breaks down--layer by layer by layer--we see the vulnerable-and-achy, scared-silly girl that you can't help loving.

Just One Wish is both a novel about family and a novel about love. As a family drama--the story of a brother and sister, it is heartfelt. Not all of her family is fleshed-out, far from it, but her devotion she feels for her brother--her worry, her hopes, her fears, her genuine love--is there throughout. As a romance, it starts off silly I admit. But by the end, I was satisfied with how it all developed. I liked it.

Author's blog; website;
Jen Robinson's review;



© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

I knew you read fast, but not this quickly. You have a wonderful gift.

Lexie said...

I might have to pick this one up--I once did something everyone told me was impossible for my little sister as well. Thanks so much!

Unknown said...

i loved this book. it had adventure, drama and love. the author should write a sequel!

Anonymous said...

I loved this book as well. I thought it was very well written and I enjoyed it. I would recommend this book to anybody.

Unknown said...

I loved this book, but it was sad what happened to Annika`s brother at the end.

Unknown said...

I loved this book but it was sad what happened to her brother at the end.

Karla said...

i love her books my to favorite ones are "just one wish" and my fary godmother"

Anisa Genet said...

This book was absolutely heartfelt, yet a sad comedy, with a good life-lesson. I would read this book over and over, when I got it I had no idea it would be so full of beautiful drama, and tear-jerking twists, but it was. And I would recommend the author wrote a book two, or sequel. I beg her too, one of my favorite stories. And i love reading, I read hundreds, yet I put this at least number three on my list, AMAZING! BEAUTIFUL! GENIUS!!!!!! I hope Janette Rallison understands how much I admire her writing :) Write on, Mrs. Rallison! <3

Ashleigh said...

This book is amazing I'm reading it right now and I couldn't put it down so my mom had to take it away and right now I'm supposed to be doing math homework!!!

Please please please write a sequel!!!!!!! So good, not at all predictable!!

Anonymous said...

I REALLY LOVE THIS BOOK! And it was really amazing,perfect and so good. i hope that there's a second book of just one wish and i get really sad when i found out that there is no second book, but its not too late to make a second book of just one wish so I'm just saying that a lot of people really want to read a second book of just one wish so please please i really hope you can make a second book of just one wish.