WISHBONES | Virginia MacGregor

◮ Be brave, I tell myself. If you’re going to take this resolution seriously, if you’re going to have everything in place for when Mum wakes up, you have to be proactive. ◭

Oggi prima recensione in inglese 😶😖 spero vada bene.

Comunque ho deciso di provare a scrivere una recensione in inglese, per vedere un attimo come va.

Disclaimer: nonostante io capisca benissimo l'inglese scritto, faccio -molta- più fatica a scriverlo. Siate buoni.

Hi there 

Today I'll try to write a review in English. I hope it won't be that bad.

Disclaimer: although I can perfectly understand written English, I struggle at writing. Please be patient

~INFO~

Author: Virginia MacGregor

Book: Wishbones

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Plot: Feather Tucker has two wishes:

1)To get her mum healthy again

2) To win the Junior UK swimming championships

When Feather comes home on New Year’s Eve to find her mother – one of Britain’s most obese women- in a diabetic coma, she realises something has to be done to save her mum’s life. But when her Mum refuses to co-operate Feather realises that the problems run deeper than just her mum’s unhealthy appetite.

Over time, Feather’s mission to help her Mum becomes an investigation. With the help of friends old and new, and the hindrance of runaway pet goat Houdini, Feather’s starting to uncover when her mum’s life began to spiral out of control and why. But can Feather fix it in time for her mum to watch her swim to victory? And can she save her family for good?

~My Wandering Thoughts ~

I don't know where to start, actually.

The cover is really simple, in a minimal way but I really like it in its colors and little wishbones near the white feather.

This book is peculiar but in a good way, because it's like anything I've ever read. 

The story is told from Feather's point of view. She is a little girl that dreams of winning the UK Junior Butterfly Swimming Championship and - after her mum's fit during New Year's Eve - make her mum lose weight so to get her healthy again. 

We see her struggle to persuade her mum to do so, and she begins seeking help. It seems as she asks for help from -basically- everyone in town that her mum is keeping something, something important from her, and everybody, while knowing it, isn't saying anything to her.

So begins Feather's journey into discovering what had caused her mum to gain weight.

As the story unfolds we witness Feather's change, not only her emotional change but also the transformation of her relationships. She raises awareness about her parents' situation. In the beginning of the book we find a child that slowly grows into a girl, for what concerns her thoughts and consciousness. 

I found Feather to be a very kind-hearted and kind of vulnerable girl, but also strong-willed, and I liked her very much for this. She never gave up on her dreams and for her beloved ones, even though with the passing of time, the circumstances turned out to be very problematic. It would have been unbearable for me to stand all that, and I admire Feather for how she managed all that was going on. 

I also liked her relationship with Jake, her best friend. It's not a romantic bond the one they have, but it warmed my heart.

We don't get to see only Feathers situation though. We discover about the troubles of her other townsfolk. It seems like it's all linked...like a puzzle.

The style is lovely in its simplicity, and I find it fitting for this book. It's vivid and sometimes wistful. I think that Virginia has done a very good job in putting all the emotions in words and sentences.

The ending was very beautiful but in a lonesome way, almost bitter.

It is a special book, and I recommend it to everyone who likes a good story of friendship, love, and growth.

I valued the way the author spoke of eating disorders, a very sensitive topic which can fall in pettiness, if not described ad it should.

  ☆ 4.00 ☆

I'm so excited to meet the author at YALC this summer! 

Italian readers, if you're looking for a book to start reading in English, this is the perfect one, since it's middle-grade and the phrasing isn't too difficult.

Have a nice day xxx

Nora A.