The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer

Book Description

Lucy Hart knows better than anyone what it’s like to grow up without parents who loved her. In a childhood marked by neglect and loneliness, Lucy found her solace in books, namely the Clock Island series by Jack Masterson. Now a twenty-six-year-old teacher’s aide, she is able to share her love of reading with bright, young students, especially seven-year-old Christopher Lamb, who was left orphaned after the tragic death of his parents. Lucy would give anything to adopt Christopher, but even the idea of becoming a family seems like an impossible dream without proper funds and stability.

Just when Lucy is about to give up, Jack Masterson announces he’s finally written a new book. Even better, he’s holding a contest at his home on the real Clock Island, and Lucy is one of the four lucky contestants chosen to compete to win the one and only copy. For Lucy, the chance of winning the most sought-after book in the world means everything to her and Christopher. 

Review

In a blink, The Wishing Game transported me into a world of wonder. I bonded with Lucy almost immediately. Her fierce love for Christopher and her resilience despite her past made me root for her without reservation.

Part treasure hunt and part fairy tale, Shaffer’s novel sucked me in. Full of riddles and joy, the story transported me back to my ten-year-old self. Where the world falls away and you’re there, in the story.

Although there’s nothing overtly supernatural here, The Wishing Game feels like it belongs in the fantasy genre. Clock Island hums with a fairy-tale quality. The world is one where improbable contests and life-changing prizes feel possible. It’s rooted in atmosphere, wish fulfillment, and the unshakable belief that wonder can transform a life. It reminded me of Somewhere Beyond the Sea, where the magic lives not only in spells or fantastical creatures, but in connection, compassion, and the courage to hope.

If I have one critique of the story, it’s that Shaffer didn’t fully develop Clock Island. Yes, we got delicious peeks of the place, but I wanted more. I wanted to see Clock Island as a character with its own secrets and moods. To want to stay there, wandering its paths and searching for clues long after the story ended.

I can see how this book’s sweetness might not work for everyone. There’s a comfort to it, a predictability, that could feel too sentimental if you’re looking for big twists. For me, that was exactly the point. I didn’t need surprise; I needed a story that warmed me through, and The Wishing Game delivered.

If you’ve ever wanted a book to make you feel like a kid again, caught up in puzzles and the promise of possibility, this one might be for you.

Content Warning

Abandonment, Addiction, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Foster care experiences, Grief, Munchausen by Proxy (mentioned), Terminal illness

The header photo is a composite image. Base image by Hans-Peter Gauster on Unsplash