Review: As You Wish by Jackson Pearce

Title: As You Wish

Author: Jackson Pearce

Publisher: HarperTeen

Pub. Date: 2009

Genre: YA

Main Themes: Popularity, Self-esteem, Genies, Wishes, Love, Homosexuality, Friendship

Pages: 298

Plot (from book jacket):

"Ever since Viola's boyfriend broke up with her, she has spent days silently wishing - to have someone love her again, and more importantly, to belong again - until one day she inadvertently summons a young genie out of his world and into her own. He will remain until she makes three wishes.

Jinn is anxious to return home, but Viola is terrified of wishing, afraid she will not wish for the right thing, the thing that will make her truly happy. As the two spend time together, the lines between master and servant begin to blur, and soon Jinn can't deny that he's falling for Viola. But it's only after Viola makes her first wish that she realizes she's in love with Jinn as well... and that if she wishes twice more, he will disappear from her life - and her world - forever."

I picked up As You Wish on a day when I just wanted a quick, feel-good read: I definitely made the right choice! Jackson Pearce's debut novel had just the perfect amount of romance and humor for a lazy Sunday afternoon read.

I loved that As You Wish from told from Viola and Jinn's alternate point-of-views. I think that writing the story in this format not only made Jinn and Viola's romance more vivid, but it also made it easier, as a reader, to connect with Jinn. For me, there is often only a true connect with the narrator and the reader only really gets to see one character fall in love, but Pearce enables the reader to fully understand both characters' motivations and watch both characters fall in for one another.

I thought that Viola acted just as one would expect a teenage girl with three wishes to act. Though, to her credit, she did try to make "smart" wishes. When she does make an impulsive and cliche wish, her actions had a truthful ring to them. While her behavior was annoying at some points, I appreciated the fact that Viola wasn't perfect - she struggled to accept herself without defining herself through others.

Genies/Jinn are not usually portrayed the way they are in this novel - it was completely original. I really enjoyed the background on Jinn and their seperate world. I think that this apect of the novel really added added an interesting twist.

Ratings (Out of 10):

Plot: 10

Characters: 10

Writing: 10

Romance: 10

Originality: 10

Total: 50/50 (A)

As You Wish was a wonderful debut from Jackson Pearce and I can't wait read her next novel, Sisters Red (2011)!