Bright Shadow

Avi, my favorite unknown author since childhood, writes what I would call subversive children's books; not necessarily subversive in the political sense (though sometimes that's true too), but in the narrative sense: these books defy convention and expectation as well as, much of the time, the traditional "happy happy" ending that children's books are "supposed" to have. In this particular book, we have magic, the journey of our hero -- a girl who unwittingly and unwillingly receives the last wishes of a kingdom -- mistaken identity -- her best friend and would-be love interest is mistakenly thought to be the wish-bearer -- death and a remarkably thoughtful though not really pleasant ending. Like everything I have read of Avi, this is show more intriguing and worth reading. It may not be as wonderful as The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle, which is a personal Avi-favorite of mine since age 12, but it is quick and unexpected and just right for a rainy afternoon's entertainment. show less

This is a story of a cruel king’s young chambermaid, Morwenna, who ends up being the improbable recipient of a dying, old wizard’s five wishes. Unluckily, Morwenna isn’t provided any direction or counsel in regards to the wishes, as her friend, Swen believes he is the new wizard. This fantasy novel addresses deep issues like egotism and self-sacrifice as a twelve-year-old is responsible for the future of her country.

Morwenna has the world's last four wishes, which is bestowed to her by an old wizard. She doesn't know until she hears the nagging voices that come with the wishes. The voices are now constantly haunting her not to use her last four wishes, but through many trials, she slowly loses them, and she eventually is down to the last wish. If she uses that last wish, she ends up dying. She ends up fleeing the people of the world, so that she might not be tempted to use the last wish she has. Although Morwenna was not as bright in the head, as I think, YOU might like it and wish to challenge yourself to this book.

Five wishes can save a suffering kingdom--but, as we learn in Bright Shadow , they come at a high price to 12-year-old Morwenna, who is responsible for granting them.
When Morwenna is given the gift of wizardry, she must guard the five wishes she has been granted. She must protect herself and the peasants from vengeful King Ruthvin.

This is a story about a girl that got the last five wishes in the country. If she uses up all her wishes, she will die. At that time, there was war, so they needed her powers. Although she was the one who had the five wishes, people believed that her friend had the last five wishes. Find out what happens, how she kept her last wish......

I'm honestly not sure what to think of this book. It's about gradeschool level, so it really wasn't that interesting to me. I don't really care for the way it ended, or for the way the story went at all. A young reader might enjoy it, but I didn't.

Having used four of the five wishes she is granted to make on behalf of the hapless citizens of her country, Morwenna flees the kingdom to decide what to do with the last wish.