At first I was skeptical of how A Wish in the Dark could pull off a Les Mis re-telling for middle grade audiences, but I had no reason to be. A Wish in the Dark tackles the same issues of privilege, justice, and corruption in thoughtful ways for middle grade audiences. It asks us the price of staying quiet, of being complicit in a system that is unfair. Retaining elements of Les Mis, A Wish in the Dark is delightfully Asian and full of heart. It has such a fabulous and tender friendship between two boys, Pong and his friend, which I think is so important to see in a middle grade.

At the same time, A Wish in the Dark retains the heart, emotions, and important questions. Both characters, Pong and Nok - there are dual perspectives for each child - have this heart even though they are on complete different sides. Pong is impulsive, but has a good heart even though he is weighed down by guilt. Whereas Nok has a strong heart, but a strong idealism in justice that doesn't function in our real world. Even though it may be harder for some to empathize with Nok, I found her relatable. We can be so trusting, so driven by this mentality of absolute right and wrong, that we fail to see the shades of grey, the pieces of humanity.

This book is wonderfully crafted to share the social injustice in the city of Chattana. The Governor controls the light and overtime becomes quite corrupt. Pong, an escapee from Namwon Prison, is in search for a more fair life. Little does he know, nothing like this exists. Meanwhile, Nok is trying to hunt him down to turn him in to show she is worthy to her family. As this hunt prolongs she learns many secrets. Pong learns you cannot run away from darkness. It’s everywhere. The only way to stray from it is to shine a light on others. This book is unlike others with its blend of social justice vs. law, privilege, and self-realization.

Pong is itching to be free. But freedom can’t be anything but a dream for a boy who was born in Namwon prison. He and his best friend Somkit are stuck in the prison until they are 13 just because their moms were put in prison. Their mothers are both gone, but the boys have to stay. And there isn’t much hope for them once they get out. Everyone believes that those born of prisoners will just end up back in prison, and in Chattana that happens frequently. When Pong sees his chance to escape one day, he takes it, though he feels guilty for leaving Somkit behind. The years pass and the boys find themselves reunited in the middle of a city that is tired of chafing under the Governor’s rules that favors the rich and keeps the poor and downtrodden in poverty. The Governor brought magical orbs of light to Chattana and helped rebuild it after the Great Fire. But his light has come at a price. The prison warden’s daughter is also on Pong’s trail, determined to prove herself with his capture. She was brought up believing that the Governor’s rules were all good and right, but her quest to capture Pong is leading her to areas where everything she has believed comes into question. Is freedom even something a kid like Pong can dream about, or is it an impossible dream?

Soontornvat has recreated a fantasy version of Thailand here. The food, the customs, the names are all authentically Thai. But the political situation and the magical orbs that the Governor can create are fantasy. The book tackles questions of justice, poverty, wrongful incarceration, and other human rights issues in creative ways. How can people stuck in cycles of poverty can get out when the system is set up against them? When do the punishments stop for people who were once incarcerated? Are laws really just, or are they merely convenient for certain people? Those are deep, hard questions, but wrapped up in a dystopian fantasy they are a little easier to start thinking about. This is a book to chew on long after the covers are closed. The students at my school will love seeing the landscape and food of Thailand in a book, and some of them will be ecstatic to find their own name as the name of a character in an English book. Pong’s journey is adventurous. Somkit is a wonderful friend. And though you start off by not liking Nok, the prison warden’s daughter, she grows a lot and becomes likable. And the poor citizens rallying together to find a way to change their city is inspiring. My hope is that as students enjoy the story of a boy looking for freedom, may they start to ponder how to make the world a better place for those who have the odds stacked against them from the start. Highly recommended for those who like dystopian fiction, light fantasy, or stories set in lightly fantasy Asia.

Notes on content: No language issues. No sexual content. There are some small skirmishes as characters make escapes and such, but no major injuries. There is a natural death and a death in a fire off page.

I received an ARC of this title from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This adventure story feels like it's part folk tale and part dystopian future. It's about three kids who are all growing up in a jail, two as inmates (who will be released when they are 13) and one that is the daughter of the warden. Each are confined in different ways, but when one escapes, each follows their own paths until they come back together to help make the world a better place. This is a wonderful story about friendship, loyalty, lessons to be learned, kindness and the abuse of power. It would be great for upper elementary or middle school students.

Soontornvat’s Thai-inspired twist on Les Misérables is engaging and delightful, filled with gorgeous imagery and relatable characters. Young readers will be captivated by Pong and Nok and the text will offer opportunities for discussions surrounding inequality, justice, and privilege. Highly recommended.

Every now and then, a book comes along that's just a little bit perfect. A little bit special. Not in a loud way, but the sort that wraps itself around your heart and whispers, I'm going to stay here forever.

A WISH IN THE DARK is brilliance.

Set in the beautifully wrought city of Chattana, this story is a loose Les Miserables retelling about a boy who escapes from prison, a law-abiding girl desperate to prove her worthiness, and an unjust Governor who controls the world's light. Not only is it a cracking adventure, but Soontornvat has embedded extremely important questions about justice, poverty, privilege, destiny, and legacy into the characters' journeys. These topics are handled with incredible grace. I'm always wary of books that set out to teach a lesson, but oh, Soontornvat could teach a master-class on how it's done. The problems here are eternally applicable to the real world, and I would highly encourage all readers - especially teachers - to embark on Pong & Nok's struggle for freedom.

What more can I say? It's a wholehearted recommend from me, with an easy 5/5 stars.

I really enjoyed this children's book about an alternate Thailand where magic, wishes, and the nature of "goodness" clash (the author refers to it as a retelling of Les Misérables, although I'm not sure I agree with this categorization). There's a good mix of fantasy, thought provoking plot, and gorgeous world building all of which should keep all kinds of readers happy.

Oh, what’s this? A pattern! Friends, this is officially the third time I’ve picked up Middle Grade Fiction (I don’t dislike it) without intending to and finding myself pleasantly surprised.

A Wish in the Dark by Christina Soontornvat is a magical story centered around Pong, who was born in Namwon Prison, and Nok, the prison warden’s perfect daughter. It focuses on issues like how the world isn’t simply black and white, and on popular themes like friendship, adaptability, resourcefulness and resilience. I love the way the story is executed and am particularly amazed by how it has so little dialogue. The stark lack of dialogue gives every word spoken by the characters more impact and that’s brilliant.

However, I must admit that I find Somkit and Pong’s conversations awkward, particularly at the beginning for both and later, for Somkit. Their dialogue doesn’t sound natural no matter how I read it and I can’t imagine kids who have been neglected and used as a source of entertainment in a prison speaking like that.

On the topic of characters, they’re all pretty archetypal (characteristic of the genre/targeted demographic), but they’re also solid. Each character has something you can learn from, whether big or small. Moreover, the plot is typical of middle grade fiction but as implied by my earlier declaration of love for how this story is executed, it’s fleshed out nicely and written well in overall.

Other than that, the world building is as brilliant as it should be. The attention to detail and the way the details are written are things I appreciate greatly from middle grade fiction writers. They manage to include so much, making all that information feel like an adventure instead of one of those boring information dumps.

Everything considered, A Wish in the Dark is a book that perhaps has one of the purest and most hopeful feeling to it. Like a lot of middle grade fiction, it’s about kids discovering what’s important to them and how they’re going to live in a world that’s not all sunshine and laughter. However, it manages to go through the grimmer parts of reality without well, being negative about it in a way that really sticks to you. Every cloud has a silver lining and it’s knowing that that silver lining is there each time that makes this book feel so pure and hopeful.

Wow what an intensely significant book!
The characters have such resonance, Pong and Somkit who are born in Namwon -the women's prison in their village. Nok who comes from a respected family, as her father is the prison's warden. Pong wants nothing more than to escape and when that happens it starts a chain reaction of events that will play out years down the road. Pong is such a lively character stuck in this prison, born there, and searching for a life that means something, not just one of circumstance.
There are a lot of prominent questions, like is The Governor the best source of help and light for the people? Or are the people carrying light and hope themselves? How can they change the way things are going and what are the repercussions of wanting something better for themselves and others?
An intense read, but a good one.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for this ARC!