A Wish in the Dark by Christina SoontornvatFormat: ARC Paperback
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Number of Pages: 375
Publishing: March 24th, 2020
Source: Publisher in exchange for an honest review
Opening Line: " A monster of a mango tree grew in the courtyard of Namwon Prison."
Long ago the City of Wonders was a great place, filled with magic. But then one day a Great Fire came and destroyed the city. Not long after the Governor came, bearing new magic that created light orbs and saved the people of Chattana. Not only could the Governor control the light, but he also made the rules of the city and built a series of prisons. In this way, he ensured the villagers knew that "wickedness had a price."
Pong and Somkit have been friends since birth, both orphaned after their mothers died during childbirth, and imprisoned at Namwon prison as a punishment for their mother's crimes. Until the day that Pong boldly escapes. It wasn't something Pong planned to do but was a spur of the moment decision. A decision that came with an incredible risk, because a tattoo on his wrist marked him as a prisoner. For four long years, Pong escaped his fate. He found his way to a small village of monks and lived in the temple under the tutelage of Father Cham, far away from the prison.
Nok is the daughter of the Namwon prison warden, a position that held both prestige and wealth. Nok is an excellent spire-fighter, a proud, loyal daughter with a strong belief in abiding by the laws. When she learns of Pong's escape, she vows to be the one to track him down and on an unexpected family trip to Father Cham's temple, the two come face to face. Forced to flee once again, Pong makes a daring escape and heads toward Chattana with Nok following closely behind him once again. Neither aware of what the future has in store.
A Wish in the Dark is set in a Thai-inspired fantasy world and has been described as a "twist on Les Miserables." Both do emphasize the themes of social justice, human rights, and privilege. In Soontornvat's story, there is an inequality of wealth surrounding the light orbs and the way they're distributed among the villagers. The city is separated into a wealthy Westside and a poor East, an uneven system where only the rich can afford the brightest of orbs. The Governor controls how the lights are produced and charged. At a whim, he can increase the prices to fund any of his projects. If you're unable to pay the price, you're left in the dark. Since the Great Fire, all fires have been outlawed and the light orbs are the only system of power for the villagers.
To counteract these injustices the people choose to rise up or revolt. It is the only means of bringing about change, so the east side of Chattana organizes a peaceful march across a bridge to show that they want to rid themselves of the tyrannical rule of the Governor. Not only did it remind me of the uprising in Les Miserable, but I also felt it was very similar to the civil rights march of 1965 in Selma, Alabama. Where the Governor was once thought of like a hero, now the people are impassioned to make a change.
If you've read or watched Les Miserables the themes of resistance and privilege will certainly resonate with you. Pong was such a wonderful character, he simply wanted to be free. He envisioned that the world outside of the prison would be different, perhaps he would be treated fairly. What he found was that "darkness can be found everywhere," but equally as important is what an individual chooses to do to counteract it.
Long ago the City of Wonders was a great place, filled with magic. But then one day a Great Fire came and destroyed the city. Not long after the Governor came, bearing new magic that created light orbs and saved the people of Chattana. Not only could the Governor control the light, but he also made the rules of the city and built a series of prisons. In this way, he ensured the villagers knew that "wickedness had a price."
Pong and Somkit have been friends since birth, both orphaned after their mothers died during childbirth, and imprisoned at Namwon prison as a punishment for their mother's crimes. Until the day that Pong boldly escapes. It wasn't something Pong planned to do but was a spur of the moment decision. A decision that came with an incredible risk, because a tattoo on his wrist marked him as a prisoner. For four long years, Pong escaped his fate. He found his way to a small village of monks and lived in the temple under the tutelage of Father Cham, far away from the prison.
Nok is the daughter of the Namwon prison warden, a position that held both prestige and wealth. Nok is an excellent spire-fighter, a proud, loyal daughter with a strong belief in abiding by the laws. When she learns of Pong's escape, she vows to be the one to track him down and on an unexpected family trip to Father Cham's temple, the two come face to face. Forced to flee once again, Pong makes a daring escape and heads toward Chattana with Nok following closely behind him once again. Neither aware of what the future has in store.
A Wish in the Dark is set in a Thai-inspired fantasy world and has been described as a "twist on Les Miserables." Both do emphasize the themes of social justice, human rights, and privilege. In Soontornvat's story, there is an inequality of wealth surrounding the light orbs and the way they're distributed among the villagers. The city is separated into a wealthy Westside and a poor East, an uneven system where only the rich can afford the brightest of orbs. The Governor controls how the lights are produced and charged. At a whim, he can increase the prices to fund any of his projects. If you're unable to pay the price, you're left in the dark. Since the Great Fire, all fires have been outlawed and the light orbs are the only system of power for the villagers.
To counteract these injustices the people choose to rise up or revolt. It is the only means of bringing about change, so the east side of Chattana organizes a peaceful march across a bridge to show that they want to rid themselves of the tyrannical rule of the Governor. Not only did it remind me of the uprising in Les Miserable, but I also felt it was very similar to the civil rights march of 1965 in Selma, Alabama. Where the Governor was once thought of like a hero, now the people are impassioned to make a change.
If you've read or watched Les Miserables the themes of resistance and privilege will certainly resonate with you. Pong was such a wonderful character, he simply wanted to be free. He envisioned that the world outside of the prison would be different, perhaps he would be treated fairly. What he found was that "darkness can be found everywhere," but equally as important is what an individual chooses to do to counteract it.
This sounds like an intriguing book. I have seen Les Mis a lot of times and can see the similarities to this story. Pong sounds like a great characters. Thanks for the introduction! :)
ReplyDelete~Jess
I did not realize this is a Les Mis retelling until I after I read it, haha. A great story with an important message.
ReplyDeleteTotally agree the messaging is so important.
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