‘The Orphan’s Wish’ Book Review

The Orphan’s Wish
Melanie Dickerson
Thomas Nelson, 2018

Rescued from a life of thievery, orphan Aladdin does everything he can to please those who have befriended him, especially his very best friend Lady Kirstyn. But as the two children grow and deeper feelings begin to develop, Aladdin becomes increasingly aware of the difference in their stations. He decides he must seek his fortune if he is to have any hope of convincing Kirstyn’s father, the Duke of Hagenheim, to give his daughter in marriage.

Aladdin sets off and soon meets a very successful merchant who quickly grows to love Aladdin as a son. Hard work, intelligence, and integrity help him blossom under the merchant’s tutelage and he advances quickly in his new home and occupation. Despite missing Kirstyn dreadfully, things are beginning to look up – until word reaches him that Lady Kirstyn is in trouble. Joining forces with her father, Aladdin will do whatever it takes to save her, including leaving behind everything he has worked for.

This post contains affiliate links. Read more about that here. Thanks to TLC Book Tours for providing a copy of The Orphan’s Wish for review.

Happy release day to The Orphan’s Wish! I’ve been looking forward to this book for a while and was overjoyed to receive a copy for review. I love Melanie Dickerson’s penchant for reworking fairy tales, which I was first introduced to last year with The Huntress of Thornbeck Forest. She does a great job again with this story, taking Aladdin and placing him in medieval Germany. Admittedly I was skeptical about that part of the story line, but I’m here to assure you that her explanation for how he got there works.

In regards to the fairy tale side of it, the author does a great job of bringing in characters and their key features with just the right balance. What I mean by that is that there is a satisfying familiarity to the storyline but with enough originality that you don’t feel that you are simply reading the German version of the Disney movie. Also, there is no magic. Everything about this book is realistic and historically accurate, as far as I can tell.

At the heart of The Orphan’s Wish is the idea that we are all loved by God and worthy of love by others without having to be ‘exceptional’. Aladdin struggles with his past, the fact that he is a poor orphan who was forced to steal as a child, and that shame plays out as he strives to please everyone in his life, from his priest to his teachers, to his employers and certainly Lady Kirstyn. Though it manifests differently, Kirstyn struggles similarly, often feeling overlooked or forgotten among her many siblings. Both find that the thing that draws them together is the ready acceptance that they show each other despite imperfection. They are special and worthy in each others eyes.

In the end, this story is about friendship, faith, and loyalty. This book is an easy read, intended primarily for a YA audience, but definitely enjoyable for adults as well, especially if you like happy endings. And are you ready for an extra exciting bonus? You can click here to read an extended excerpt – the first four full chapters!!

Do you like fairy tale retellings? What are some that you would recommend?