The Wish List by Eoin Colfer
(Cover picture courtesy of tabbed books.)
Cast out of her own home after her mother’s death, Meg is a drifter, a troublemaker. But after a botched attempt to rob an old man, Meg ends up in a very sticky situation. Her soul is up for grabs as the divine and demonic try every underhanded trick imaginable to claim it. Meg’s only chance to redeem herself is to help the old man she robbed fulfill his list of last wishes…before time runs out.
Eoin Colfer is probably best known for his Artemis Fowl series, but The Wish List deserves equal recognition, in my opinion. It is a wonderful, occasionally hilarious tale of forgiveness and redemption. The Wish List is a book that can be enjoyed by the young and old alike.
It starts off with Meg, the protagonist, and Belch (her accomplice) robbing an old man, injuring him badly. When Meg hesitates and wants to stop the burglary, Belch fires a shotgun at Meg, which explodes the gas tank behind her and kills them both. This may sound like a horrible beginning to a YA book, but it gets a lot better. Meg’s list of good and bad deeds is completely equal, which means she has to go back to Earth and help the old man she injured fulfill his bucket list (aka, his wish list) in order to get into Heaven.
While Meg helps atone for her bad deeds, we learn more of her story as well as why both the devil and St. Peter are battling for her soul. Of course, Eoin Colfer uses his creativity to create very interesting versions of Heaven and Hell. He also uses his writing prowess to make a plot twist and turn in such a way that the ending will leave you pleasantly surprised.
I give this book 4.5/5 stars.