Esme’s Wish by Elizabeth Foster – Book Review, Preview

Item: Esme's Wish
Rating: 4.5
Author: Phyllis Helton

Posted April 9, 2020 by Phyllis Helton in Book Reviews /

Esme's Wish

by Elizabeth Foster

Series: Esme Trilogy #1
Series Rating:
Published by Odyssey Books
Publication Date November 30, 2019
Genres: Fantasy, Action/Adventure, Young Adult
Setting: Australia Contemporary
Main Character Ages: 15-18
Written for: Middle-School, High-School/Young Adult
Pages: 295

Synopsis:

This was her last chance. Her hand twisted high in the air.
When fifteen-year-old Esme Silver objects at her father’s wedding, her protest is dismissed as the action of a stubborn, selfish teenager. Everyone else has accepted the loss of Esme’s mother, Ariane—so why can’t she?
But Esme is suspicious. She is sure that others are covering up the real reason for her mother’s disappearance—that ‘lost at sea’ is code for something more terrible, something she has a right to know.
After Esme is accidentally swept into the enchanted world of Aeolia, the truth begins to unfold. With her newfound friends, Daniel and Lillian, Esme retraces her mother’s steps in the glittering canal city of Esperance, untangling the threads of Ariane’s double life. But the more Esme discovers about her mother, the more she questions whether she really knew her at all.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. This gift did not influence my opinion or review.

Also in this series: Esme's Gift

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Esme’s Wish is the first story in a fantasy trilogy for young adults. Well-written with a compelling plot that drew me in; I wanted to know more and more as I followed Esme and her friends through the mysterious city of Esperance as she searched for answers about her mother’s disappearance.

Dragons and dreams. Sirens and shadows. Cities with canals for streets and water that can be breathed like air. This lovely tale is filled with enchanting creatures and an adventure leading Esme through dangers and mysteries. While some of the creatures are familiar from myths and fables, some were not and the story is imaginative and interesting.

While written for a younger audience, the language is not dumbed down as if middle-schoolers don’t know how to read, which delighted me to no end. Some of the words and language were terms I was not familiar with – some due to their use primarily in Australia and others simply because they aren’t a part of my vocabulary. This delighted me as well!

Esme’s Wish is very clean and with nothing I found objectionable or that would make me hesitate to share it with my young niece. While there was a fight resulting in the destruction of an enemy, it was detailed in a way that kept it from being gory or scary. There are references to mythology and gods – so if you prefer your child not reading stories with these things, do be aware.

I see that the second book in the series is already available and am looking forward to reading it. And can’t wait for the final book to be released!