Silke’s Comments (group member since Mar 01, 2016)

Silke’s comments from the Random Readalongs group.

I finished the book and I thought I would post my full review here. So i won't spoil anyone who is still reading.

After finishing Cinder I had my doubts going into a ya fairy-tale retelling yet again. But I was reading it for a read a long, so I had to. And boy, am I glad that I did! Because this book..... this book.... see I can't even make sense of what I want to write. Let's just state the obvious, this book restored my trust into YA fairy-tale retellings! So, so, so good!

Of course that would be the shortest review ever and as my followers may know I don't do short reviews. So I am going to bore you for a little longer with all the wonderfulness that is The Forbidden wish. If you do not wish to be bothered, then stop reading and buy this book. (Yes, it is that good! Go buy it, NOW!)

So you are still reading? Good, then I will be raving about why I liked this book so much.

First of all it's an Aladdin retelling and I think that is quite original. I don't think there are many retellings of Aladdin. (It might just be me! So if you know any, please share!) At the same time it didn't quite feel like a retelling of Aladdin, because it was told from the perspective of the jinni of the lamp. So yes, Aladdin is present but it is not his story. It is Zahra's story and what an incredible story it is!
For one, Zahra, our Jinni, isn't the blue funny ghost you may remember from the Disney movie. No, she is a girl. Not just any girl. One of the most powerful jinni's ever. Smart, witty, sarcastic and feisty. But also flawed, lonely and disappointed in herself. Scared to be trapped for another 500 years in her lamp. Scared to love and scared loose once more.

Of course this book is a romance. The synopsis is pretty clear that something is going on between Aladdin and Zahra. I am a sucker for love, so I am definitely in it for the romance. But I was pleasantly surprised that the romance wasn't the whole story-line. There is so much more then just the tension between our main characters. There is the story-line of Jinn magic, of wishes that should never be spoken, lost kingdoms, revenge and what happens when a Jinni forms a bound with a human. Step by step we learn Zahra's past and why she has become the woman she is right now. At the same time we follow a princess fighting for her kingdom and throne. For everything she believes in. Three very different stories that in the end fit together perfectly and form this one powerful story.

Another big plus in The Forbidden wish is all the girl power in-bedded in the story. Yes obviously there is the kick ass female jinni. Which is pretty awesome. She doesn't need Aladdin to save her. She is nothing like Jasmin, sitting around waiting for a dude to "show her the world" Nope, Zahra shows Aladdin the world. Aladdin and Zahra compliment each other like every good couple should. So hooray for that! But I was talking girl power and apart from Zahra, this book is filled with amazing women! Powerful, wise queens, warrior girls who fight for what they believe in, you name it. It is probably there. And not just that, but these women form amazing female friendships. They are powerful apart, but they become indestructible together. Beautiful to see and read about! No slut-shaming, no bashing, no venom being spread. No just girls having each others backs and being there for each other.

And then there is the writing..... the writing is breathtaking. If you are not into fairy-tale retellings or romance, you should still read it, just for the writing. I fell in love from the very first page because it was so gorgeous. You feel the magic crackle in the air, the warm wind of the Sahara on your face. Its stunning, really stunning.

Now I am going to shut up. If I haven't convinced you, that you should run to the store right now... I don't know what will....

I actually never read a book like this. Of course I read a lot of fairy-tale retellings, but never one with a Jinn or Aladdin. So far I am really loving this book.
Mostly because I am mesmerized with the writing style The desserts and the middle eastern towns really come to live for me. The pace of the story feels just right. Not to slow, not to fast.

I actually love the switching between the present and the past. I am really curious to learn more about Zahra and her history. How did she betray her friend? Aladin doesn't feel very real to me at the moment. I hope he will get more fleshed out in the coming chapters.