The Skinny
(aka Back of the Book Summary in a Sentence)
On his eighteenth birthday, Eldon will be able to make a wish and it is guaranteed to come true, but he has no idea what to wish for.
Nutritional Value
(aka What’s Good)
That was a surprisingly exciting chapter considering the only action was Eldon talking to a middle-aged couple as he pumped gas into their car. But he was speaking in such a stealthy way that he would be the perfect intern for the Men in Black.
Freezer Burn
(aka What’s Bad)
Eldon works at a full service gas station in the middle of the Mojave Desert. There are barely any people who drive by his little town, and he says himself that only one car comes by per work shift. I have no idea how this gas station is even making any money if only one car drives by every few hours to get gas. And how does the owner even afford to pay his employees if he only gets half a dozen customers per day?
Lingering Aftertaste
(aka My Prediction)
I’ve read “The Monkey’s Paw.” I know how wishes work. Eldon will probably make a wish that he thinks will have a positive impact on his life, but then everything will slowly start spiraling into the dark abyss of unintended consequences.
Taste Test Verdict
(aka Would I Read More?)
Second scoop all the way. I’m so curious about what wish Eldon is going to make, and what kinds of wishes the other citizens of the town have made. If I were living in this town, I’d probably wish for an unlimited supply of chocolate chip cookies. Or acceptance into Harvard University. Actually, nah, I’d definitely go with the cookies.
Memorable Morsel
(aka Quotable Quote)
If these attractions were real, I would pack up everything I own and move to this town right now.
I mean, pretty much anything would’ve been better than claiming we have an invisible church on Main Street. You can’t miss it. It’s over there between Santa’s workshop and the unicorn corral.
What are some of the special things about your town? Maybe a dinosaur petting zoo? Sound off in the comments below!
Get As You Wish
Gwen thinks that it’s as close to magic as humans can get when a blank Word document is filled with groups of letters, and those groups of letters turn into lines, and those lines turn into a whole new world.
When Gwen isn’t reading or writing, she’s drinking boba milk tea and singing along to Steven Universe. You should sing along with her.