O my goodness, I’m so excited about this book! (flails arms in excitement and squeals!) If you didn’t already know, Melanie Dickerson (also known as the “Queen of fairy tale retellings”) has long been one of my favorite authors. I always eagerly anticipate her next release. The book I’m reviewing today is called “The Orphan’s Wish” and is an Aladdin retelling and it’s amazing! Okay, enough fan-girling.
“The Orphan’s Wish” is a fantastic Aladdin retelling! Even though it’s a fairy tale retelling, Ms. Dickerson sets her stories in realistic settings, choosing not to use the fantastical elements some would equate with the words “fairy tales.” She uses great historical details and I felt like I was transported to medieval Europe and the Holy Land. While reading, I was in the midst of a bustling German town with ornate doors, I could smell the fresh bread, and see the old churches so vividly. She uses great descriptions of the culture, clothing, and it’s obvious that she possesses a vast knowledge of the time and place. I also enjoyed picking up on the nods to the original Aladdin fairy tale and the Disney version.
I love the main characters in this book, especially their faith and their love story. I’m a sucker for stories with childhood friendships that later lead to something more, so this one melted my heart from the very beginning. Our main characters, Kirstyn and Aladdin, start off with a strong friendship at a young age. It’s so sweet how protective Aladdin is of Kirstyn and how kind Kirstyn is to Aladdin. They are both great characters who have both dealt with trauma in their past and are forced to grow in their faith separately before they are able to be together. I love the way God teaches both of them through their trials. It’s great watching how they grow stronger through those trials instead of becoming bitter. They pray a lot and God is such a huge part of their lives. The Gospel message is also clearly conveyed, which I love!
This is such a great book for all ages! Parent and child alike will relish this retelling with strong faith aspects and lessons such as depending on God, knowing His peace, and trusting Him through trials. I highly recommend this book!
Content: This is a clean read, with a PG to PG-13 rating for some content. Some examples of the content are: a man threatens to beat a boy if he doesn’t do what the man says; a man is abusive towards a child; someone mentions an illness could be caused by a demon; Aladdin is met with prejudice and racism because he’s Palestinian; men are described as drunkards; some violence; an evil man beats and handles women roughly; mention that a boy has tried to molest a girl in the past; a woman is in an abusive relationship; a girl is abducted and held prisoner.
Rating: I give this book 5 stars!
Genre: Christian fiction; Historical; Fairy tale retelling; Romance
I want to thank Melanie Dickerson, Thomas Nelson, Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction and NetGalley for the complimentary copy of this book for review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I express in this review are my own. This is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s CFR 16, Part 255.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Melanie Dickerson is an award-winning author who earned her bachelor’s degree in special education from The University of Alabama.
A member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and Romance Writers of America (RWA), she now spends her time writing and taking care of her husband and two daughters near Huntsville, Alabama.
To visit the author's website click here
To purchase the book click here
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