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A Wish in the Dark

Christina Soontornvat (Goodreads Author)

4.44 · Rating details · 818 ratings · 256 reviews

A boy on the run. A girl determined to find him.

All light in Chattana is created by one man — the Governor, who appeared after the Great Fire to bring peace and order to the city. For Pong, who was born in Namwon Prison, the magical lights represent freedom, and he dreams of the day he will be able to walk among them. But when Pong escapes from prison, he realizes that the ...more

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ebook, 384 pages

Published March 24th 2020 by Candlewick Press

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Average rating 4.44 ·

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· 818 ratings · 256 reviews

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Feb 10, 2018 may ➹ rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: read-2019, pov-male, pretty-cover, rep-poc-author, favorites, rep-poc-asian, arc, diverse, middle-grade, rep-poc

4.5 stars

A Wish in the Dark is a Middle Grade fantasy that follows two children: Pong, a boy who escapes the prison he was born in, and Nok, the prison warden’s daughter who has become a warrior. As Nok tries to track him down, Pong discovers how the rich of Chattana thrive while the poor struggle, and he and his friend Somkit band together to bring justice.

I’ve said before that I felt like this book was flawless, and I still stand by it. Immediately after I finished it, I remember smiling broad ...more

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Sep 04, 2020 Melanie marked it as to-read

Recommended to Melanie by: may ➹

Shelves: own-voices, fantasy, middle-grade

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May 02, 2020 Gavin rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: middle-grade, 2020-reads

Beautifully told story about privilege and humility with a middle grade Les Misérables twist.

Pong was born in a prison and therefore automatically condemned behind bars. Finding his life unfair, he manages to escape prison and start a new life elsewhere. However, the consequences of his escape has been felt by Nok's family. She is the daughter of a prison warden who is being blamed for Pong's escape. Desperate to restore her family name, Nok makes it her mission to find Pong and put him back beh ...more

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Mar 27, 2020 chloe ♡ rated it it was amazing

Shelves: asian-author, i-own, asian-rep, 2020-read, yarc-2020, review-copy

i received a review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. all opinions below are my own.

"you can't run away from darkness," pong whispered. "it's everywhere. the only way to see through it is to shine a light."

the french novel les misérables is famous for exploring the topics of poverty, wealth disparity and justice, and these are all handled equally well in a wish in the dark, which has been dubbed “a retelling of les misérables set in a thai-inspired world”.

in the book, social st i received a review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. all opinions below are my own.

"you can't run away from darkness," pong whispered. "it's everywhere. the only way to see through it is to shine a light."

the french novel les misérables is famous for exploring the topics of poverty, wealth disparity and justice, and these are all handled equally well in a wish in the dark, which has been dubbed “a retelling of les misérables set in a thai-inspired world”.

in the book, social status is represented by what kind of orbs you use. since fire is banned, orbs are the only source of light for the citizens of chattana, but not everyone can afford the best ones – the rich bask in the luxury of bright lights, while the poor can only use the dimmest, cheapest kind of light. i loved the clever use of symbolism, and the world-building was so amazing. thailand, with its delicious food, friendly people, and rich culture, is one of my favorite countries in the entire world, and i enjoyed seeing it represented in the form of a fantasy world ❤

the relationships in this book gave me the warmest fuzzies. the friendship between somkit and pong is so, so beautiful – they are always there for each other, and each one of them are so forgiving and loyal towards the other. i also loved father cham and how he always manages to see the good in every single person. his little blessings for pong are so incredibly sweet, and i couldn’t help smiling at every one of them. on top of that, we witness the development of nok’s relationship with her parents – in the beginning, nok feels that she’s seen as “imperfect” and always worries about ruining her family’s reputation, but at the end, her father explains the truth to her and tells her how much he loves her, and i literally couldn't stop smiling giddily.

in conclusion, a wish in the dark is a story with wholesome relationships and incredible world-building, discussing social issues such as wealth disparity and equality through beautiful storytelling. the book made me so happy, and i highly recommend it ♡

follow my blog ...more

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Apr 25, 2020 Erin Kelly rated it it was amazing

I love everything about this book. Seriously, everything.

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May 21, 2020 ash ♡ rated it really liked it

Shelves: 4-and-a-half-stars, cover-eye-candy, poc-rep, powerful-themes, fantasy, middle-grade

ahhhhh this was so beautiful!! the characters had such great growth and the themes were actually PERFECT. i also loved the Thai rep!! 10/10 recommend.

4.5 stars

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Mar 23, 2020 Camille Oquendo rated it it was amazing

Shelves: read-in-2020, arc, favorites

4.5/5
This book has been on my radar for over a year, so to be fortunate enough to receive an ARC, I was beyond happy to get a chance to read it early. Upon finishing it, I can definitely say it's become one of my favorite reads of 2020 so far.

Cleverly written, absorbing. I enjoyed the fact that AWITD wasn't info dumpy which I feel a lot of fantasy books fall victim to; the flow of the story felt very easygoing. I'm amazed by how many things Soontornvat's done well with this book-- her use of sym 4.5/5
This book has been on my radar for over a year, so to be fortunate enough to receive an ARC, I was beyond happy to get a chance to read it early. Upon finishing it, I can definitely say it's become one of my favorite reads of 2020 so far.

Cleverly written, absorbing. I enjoyed the fact that AWITD wasn't info dumpy which I feel a lot of fantasy books fall victim to; the flow of the story felt very easygoing. I'm amazed by how many things Soontornvat's done well with this book-- her use of symbolism (i.e. the whole light/darkness and colored orbs paralleling the rich from the poor, the supposed "worthy" from the "unworthy"), the messages she portrayed and the way she addressed justice and privilege. She does it in a way that's not overly preachy but in a smart and heartfelt way that makes you genuinely care and think and question on why the world is the way it is.

I loved seeing the juxtaposition between our two main protagonists, Pong and Nok. It really felt as if they were the yin and yang to each other. You have Pong, who just wants to escape his life in prison and be free. And Nok, the prison warden's daughter, who has molded herself into this girl who always follows the law and does what's right because that's what she's grown up accustomed to believing. Seeing how these two characters transform from beginning to end, it really made everything come together beautifully. It just goes to show nothing's ever set in stone and people can always change.

This book also had one of the best set of minor characters I've ever read about. Father Cham, a monk and Pong's mentor. It was so essential to have him be a part of this story because he really kickstarted Pong's journey towards finding himself and that's really what Pong needed. Someone to see beyond the surface and see him as a good-hearted human being, not just a product of his environment. Then, we have the righteous Ampai, who showed Pong the value of community and the power of movement. And who could forget about Somkit? Pong's fellow prisoner. Innovative, entertaining, and a loyal friend all the way to the end, his and Pong's friendship was very touching. The bonds that Pong had with each of these characters tied everything up seamlessly and made the book all the more special.

Don't underestimate middle grade literature because this book is a prime example of just how impactful this genre can be if it's done well. I'd be more than happy to recommend this book to any teacher, friend, human being out there.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for providing me an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. ...more

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Sep 26, 2020 Skip rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

A middle grade fantasy set in Thailand, following a common trope of rich/privileged versus the downtrodden/poor. Set in the divided city of Chattana, which is under the iron rule of the Governor, who has brought peace by banning the fires that almost destroyed the city and selling magical lights. The protagonist Pong, lives in a prison, because his mother was incarcerated. He is a strange boy, listening to the world around him, including mangoes ripening so that he and his BFF, Somkit, can get t ...more

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Mar 15, 2020 Jenna (Falling Letters) rated it really liked it

Shelves: arc, middle-grade, 2020

Review originally published 27 March 2020 at Falling Letters. I received a free copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Content warnings:(view spoiler)

Of all the books I’ve read this year, A Wish in the Dark feels most keenly relevant to today’s world. (…I mean that in a broad sense, not a COVID-19 sense). Soontornvat has penned a moving story about the importance of believing in positive change and standing Review originally published 27 March 2020 at Falling Letters. I received a free copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Content warnings:(view spoiler)

Of all the books I’ve read this year, A Wish in the Dark feels most keenly relevant to today’s world. (…I mean that in a broad sense, not a COVID-19 sense). Soontornvat has penned a moving story about the importance of believing in positive change and standing up for what’s right, both at a personal and community level. The story’s touch of magic (in the form of magical orbs providing light and energy) serves to visualize and make concrete a system of structural poverty.

Everything in Chattana – every orb, every cookstove, every boat motor – all of it ran on the Governor’s light-making powers. (Loc 187)

Nok and Pong find themselves caught up in a grander movement to shift the balance of power in Chattana. Their lived experiences lead them to initially resist that movement, albeit for different reasons. Pong has internalized the words he’s had pushed on him all his life. The Governor, destroying Pong’s idolization of him, tells Pong “Those who are born in darkness always return. You’ll see” (loc 217).

He was a runaway and a thief and a liar, and if there was a word for someone who disrespects a monk in his own temple, he was that, too. it had all happened so fast. In the span of a few days, Pong had become exactly what the Governor said he was. (Loc 419).

Nok comes from a privileged (albeit imperfect by high society’s standards) family and has benefited from following the rules. She doesn’t realize that following the rules doesn’t guarantee a good life for everyone. Nok’s father also turns out be a more complex character than I initially assumed. I love a backstory that involves a character’s parents in middle grade fiction.

In following Pong and Nok’s experiences, A Wish in the Dark can serve as a gentle, clear introduction to social inequity and activism. I think it is difficult to write a book for children on such topics without coming off as didactic. But Soontornvat strikes a good balance between telling an entertaining fictional story and making a pointed observation about the world in which the reader lives.

If a march were all it took to stop the Governor and his rich friends, someone would’ve done it already! (Loc 2244)

Soontornvat writes in third person limited from both Pong and Nok’s perspectives. (I think Pong receives more page time). Despite not being a POV character, I have to highlight Pong’s childhood friend Som. Like Pong, Som was born in the prison, where he lived until he aged out. Som has learnt to live a life vastly different from Pong’s. As Pong does, I wondered why Som didn’t appear to harbour any ill will towards Pong. This point is eventually addressed in a way I didn’t expect. Their friendship was a highlight of the book for me. (The scene in which they reunite kept me on my toes!)

The Bottom Line:A Wish in the Dark infuses important messages and examples about social justice into a creative and vivid light fantasy story set in a Thai-analogue world. ★★★★.

(Also, it’s a Les Misérables retelling! As with More to the Story , I didn’t know that til after I finished the book, haha). ...more

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Feb 17, 2020 Shealea rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: highly-recommended, arc-review

* I received a physical ARC of this book from its publisher in exchange for an honest review.

🌻 My links: Blog | Instagram | Twitter ...more

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Sep 06, 2020 Romie marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Recommended to Romie by: may ➹

the way my heart needs this

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May 02, 2020 Danielle rated it it was amazing

This story of Pong, of Nok, of a Thai-inspired fantasy city called Chattana completely captivated and carried me away. This book is an adventure with depth, a book about light that illuminates inequalities and moral quandaries, full of compelling characters to follow and feel for.

"You can't run away from darkness...it's everywhere. The only way to see through it is to shine a light."

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Jul 09, 2020 Leonard Kim rated it it was ok

Listened to audiobook at 1.2x. Combines elements of Les Mis, fantasy, and social issues. I do have a problem when books concerned with social issues lean heavily on a few individual characters who wield outsized influence on the course of events and are thus constantly and improbably thrown against each other. For example, it's fine to have the march, and have Pong, Nok, and Somkit all present for it, but I think it's a concession and weakness for all three to be such literally front-and-center ...more

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Jan 27, 2020 Kathie rated it it was amazing

ALL THE STARS!!! This is my favorite read of 2020 so far; in fact, it's been a VERY long time since I've loved a book as much as I loved A WISH IN THE DARK. Thank you to the author for sending an ARC to #bookportage for review.

I'm not going to try and review this book. Others can tell you how it's masterfully written, inspired by Les Miserables in a Thai-inspired world with a touch of magic. I've never read or seen Les Mis, I can't tell you how it compares, but I will tell you I'm convinced it w ...more

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Sep 28, 2020 Deb (Readerbuzz) Nance rated it it was amazing

Shelves: community, spirituality, inspiration, fiction, poverty, justice, sci-fi-fantasy, problems-ideas, children-s-books

It's the Governor who has created all the light in Chattana. Pong and his friend, Somkit, were born in prison, and they both eagerly look forward to the day when they will have freedom. It's the Governor Pong looks for as inspiration in the world. But then Pong actually meets the Governor and his hopes are dashed. An opportunity appears, and Pong can't wait; he escapes, making his way to a monastery. There he meets a true inspiration in the form of a monk, Father Cham. But the monk is growing ol ...more

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Jul 02, 2020 Dan Allbery rated it really liked it

"Well, sometimes light shines on the worthy. But sometimes it just shines on the lucky ones. And sometimes . . .” He looked over his shoulder at the East Side, glittering like a rainbow across the river. “Sometimes good people get trapped in the dark."

As a school teacher in Thailand, I teach many Thai students. All students should be able to see themselves within the books they have access to and read. I especially appreciate Christina Soontornvat's writing not merely set in a Thai-inspired worl ...more

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Oct 17, 2020 Amber rated it it was amazing

Shelves: audiobooks, middle-grade

Such a heartwarming and beautiful book!
I had no idea this was a retelling of Les Miserables, and I am not sure if that’s a good thing, but I loved this book! It seemed so fitting for our political climate right now and is such a heartbreakingly beautiful tale of standing up for what’s right.

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May 30, 2020 WyrmbergSabrina rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult-and-childhood

What a beautiful story.

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Feb 14, 2020 ayesha rated it really liked it

4.5

Middle grade fantasy?? is a genre that's usually a hit or miss for me. A wish in the dark is definitely a hit because it combined all the good elements of middle grade and fantasy and gave us a book that truly SLAPS.
A wish in the dark, set in a Thai-inspired fantasy world, is about a boy named Pong who grew up in a prison because of the crimes of his dead mom (wtf right?). This world he lives in is ruled by a Governor who is practically a walking talking torch or in other words he creates li ...more

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Dec 03, 2019 Sarah rated it it was amazing

Sometimes the sheer rightness of a book reminds me so overwhelmingly that people are mostly good, and that my faith in humanity is neither naïve nor misguided, that it inspires both a wave of universal love and a fierce sense of affection and gratitude toward the author for leaving such a gift where I could find it. A Wish in the Dark is like that. Soontornvat enspells us with exactly what we came for—a Les Miserables-inspired story in a Thai-inspired fantasy world—but if you’ve read other books ...more

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Mar 11, 2020 Nandini | Novels and Nebulas rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 2020, favourites

I'm so thankful for the opportunity to read this early! I received an e-ARC via Net Galley from Candlewick Press.

✨ Reasons to Love ✨
✔ Middle grade fantasy
✔ Thai-inspired setting
✔ Cat-and-mouse plot
✔ Magic system based on light
✔ Les Misérables with a twist

✨ Characters ✨
I could relate to Pong and Nok both for different reasons. Nok’s character arc was pure perfection as she was brought up in a position of relative privilege and had to unlearn some of the harmful beliefs she had assimilated because ...more

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May 14, 2020 Deva Fagan rated it it was amazing

A beautiful and compelling adventure that grabbed my heart right from the first pages and didn’t let go. Set in a meticulously-detailed world full of sparkling luminaries and powerful magic only the wealthy can afford, this story doesn’t shy away from delving into questions of law and justice, poverty and inequality.

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Jul 14, 2020 Laura Janette rated it liked it

I didn’t realize until I finished reading, this is a creative take on Les Miserables. I don’t know why, but I struggled to get hooked. It was a good read, but I wanted to like it more than I did.

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Oct 08, 2020 Nicole M. Hewitt rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: cybils-nominated, needs-amazon-review

This review and many more can be found on my blog: Feed Your Fiction Addiction

This book absolutely blew me away! Right off the bat, I was hooked by the premise: a middle grade fantasy retelling of Les Miserables set in a Thai-inspired world. I mean, how cool is that? Now, I have to say that Les Mis the musical is an absolute all-time favorite of mine and I’ve seen it a bunch of times. Someday I will actually read the tome it was based on, but … I haven’t managed to get through it yet. All that i This review and many more can be found on my blog: Feed Your Fiction Addiction

This book absolutely blew me away! Right off the bat, I was hooked by the premise: a middle grade fantasy retelling of Les Miserables set in a Thai-inspired world. I mean, how cool is that? Now, I have to say that Les Mis the musical is an absolute all-time favorite of mine and I’ve seen it a bunch of times. Someday I will actually read the tome it was based on, but … I haven’t managed to get through it yet. All that is to say, I’m incredibly familiar with the basics of the story as presented by the musical (but not with the full original material). I LOVED the parallels I discovered between my beloved musical and this book! Soontornvat did a fantastic job of capturing the essence and themes of the original story without copying the plotline exactly. The result was wonderful!

This book follows Pong, a young boy who was born in a prison. After being told by his hero that children like him are destined to find their way back to prison even after they’re released, he loses his hope for a better life. It isn’t until he escapes the prison and is shepherded by a wise and kindly monk that he begins to regain a sense of his own self-worth.

In the meantime, Nok has grown up with a life of privilege, and she has always believed in following the rules. She discovers Pong and believes that she must help her family’s reputation (and her own) by tracking down the escaped prisoner. Her sense of right and wrong is challenged throughout the book.

The story puts the spotlight on poverty and class differences through the use of magic—the lower classes can only afford the most meager of magical light orbs to use in their daily lives for both light and cooking, while the upper classes enjoy the stability and privilege of the most powerful sources of magical light and heat. The people have had enough, and they plan to march in protest of the unfair conditions (a parallel to our current world that would be great to discuss in classroom settings). Pong has to decide whether to stand for what he believes is right or run the other way to avoid being caught for the crime of escaping the prison. The fact that the story is told from both Pong’s (a poor prisoner) and Nok’s (a member of the privileged elite) perspectives gives the book incredible depth.

This book features an exciting plot and rich character development, while it also gives a nuanced representation of the struggles between the rich and the poor. I highly recommend it! ...more

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Mar 22, 2020 USOM rated it really liked it · review of another edition

(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)

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 ...more

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May 31, 2020 Riley rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: classic-retellings, high-fantasy

Okay, this is one of those books where when it's described to you, you have to do a double take. Middle grade novel set in a fantasy Thailand that's also a retelling of Les Miserables? It shouldn't work, but oh boy does it. The story is sweeping and gorgeous, the fantasy world is stunningly beautiful and the characters are so absolutely delightful and human they feel like real people. Nok and Pong are delightful foils of each other and even the side characters like Father Cham, Ampai and Somkit ...more

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Jun 22, 2020 Julie Kirchner rated it it was amazing

Shelves: middle-grade, 2020

This book is a favorite of 2020. The story of a city separated into sections of poverty and wealth, led by a Governor who gets energy from power and controlling the citizens of the city, a government that is unforgiving of criminals even after they have served their time and see them as disposable, and the peaceful rising up by those who have been oppressed led by young warriors who refuse to allow their voices to be silenced. Sound familiar? A beautiful middle grade fantasy story whose message ...more

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Sep 05, 2020 Maëlys marked it as to-read

Shelves: aoc, own-voices, 2020-releases

i need this in my hands right now!!

Youtube ☆ Twitter ...more

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Jun 09, 2020 Kip rated it it was amazing

Such a beautifully-written story, and 100% relevant today. Highly, highly recommend!

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Mar 11, 2020 Brenda rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2020, fantasy, middle-grade

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 a ...more

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About Christina Soontornvat

Christina Soontornvat

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Christina Soontornvat grew up behind the counter of her parents’ Thai restaurant in a small Texas town with her nose stuck in a book. She is very proud of both her Thai and her Texan roots, and makes regular trips to both Weatherford and Bangkok to see her beloved family members (and eat lots and lots of Thai food!). Christina is the author of the fantasy middle grade series, The Changelings, and ...more