Instead Of Three Wishes: Magical Short Stories (2006) - Plot & Excerpts
Instead of Three Wishes: Magical Short Storiesby Megan Whalen Turner160pp USAEos 5.99ISBN 9780060842314A annoying elf prince trying so hard to get a unwilling girl a gift.A leprechaun sighting all you need to know. Leroy and the roaches giant and small.A factory worker and a ghost girl having a fateful meeting.Olga the mysterious and the NGA painting.Nightmares for those who are not careful what they wish for.A prince who returns not to be king but someone else.The elf prince, his mother, and unwilling girl and her mother all wanting something different but in the end all getting together and having a good tea time,eating pastries. The trouble of a leprechaun the help of a gold coin and a phone call.Leroy goes back in time and helps out prehistoric Sweden.A beautiful voice, a mysterious women,a puzzle in a painting,and a little girl who loves solving puzzles.Chocolates and book for two ghosts.A imaginary glob when you ask for something you shouldn't have.I recommend anyone to read it because there are the many kinds of stories. And all are very interesting like the one about nightmares.Here is a quote which will make you want to find out more : Whatever you got Kevin,i want it.Do you understand?... He cupped his hand around invisible jello and tossed it in to the older boys waiting hand.Or when the prince thinks the girl expects a reward and hands her 3 small business like cards.And they are Wishes.
A Plague of Leprechaun: 2 stars. Not a bad concept, but much, much too short for the reader to have any emotional reaction to the events beyond polite interest.Leroy Roachbane: 2 stars. Virtually the same as the first. Clever concept, half-hearted execution.The Factory: 2.5 stars, tentatively. Morally incorrect, but fascinating and kind of sweet at the same time.Aunt Charlotte and the NGA Portraits: 3 stars. The story was fun and creative, but since the reader was hearing it second-hand, the interruptions took away from the flow somewhat. (I don't dislike the telling-a-story premise, but it was overused here.)Instead of Three Wishes: 5 stars. Utterly enchanting. It made me giggle! I loved the concept of an elfin queen and her son forced to operate in modern society, when mortals no longer want the traditional rewards.The Nightmare: 3 stars. Cute, kind of feel-good. Nothing special.The Baker King: 5 stars!! This (and maybe Three Wishes) is the only story where you can see the roots of Attolia. It is not set in the same world, but it definitely has the same themes and culture. Absolutely loved it. : )Average: 3.214 stars.
What do You think about Instead Of Three Wishes: Magical Short Stories (2006)?
Instead of Three Wishes is a collection of short stories by Megan Whelan Turner. On the cover is the simple quote "Delightful." and I am pleased to agree. These are simple stories, told simply and well. They leave plenty to the imagination while still bringing the reader from beginning to end without a single mis-step. I recommend them to anyone who wants to read short fairy tales with interesting endings that both meld with the modern world and can maintain timelessness. I will be giving this book to a thoughtful 10 year old with the expectation that his mother will enjoy it just as well.
—Colleen
Not a great, but not a terrible collection of magical/fantasy short stories. This book is part of the Schoolwide collection of mentor texts for the fiction unit in 7th grade. There are seven stories in the collection including; "A Plague of the Leprechaun", Leroy Roachbane", " Factory", "Aunt Charlotte and the NGA Portraits", "Instead of Three Wishes", "The Nightmare", and "The Baker King". My favorites were "Factory" and "Aunt Charlotte and the "NGA Portaits". In "Factory" there is a man who must work on the crane at the top of a factory. He discovers that all employees who held this job before him quit when they started seeing ghosts. In "Aunt Charlotte" an older woman shares a story of how she entered a painting of Venice and attempted to track down a fur coat belonging to a strange and mysterious woman. Both had strong themes and were easily relatable. The other stories dragged in some parts and seemed to have extra information that was not always necessary in building their plots.
—Kate Brown
YA Short storiesFantasy; magical realismI am a huge fan of The Queen's Thief series by Megan Whalen Turner, so wanted to give these short stories a try. I like them overall. I felt ambivalent after reading the first two or three stories. However, I did enjoy the last several stories (in an upward arc).I would recommend this book to upper elementary and middle school students. In particular, a reluctant reader could escape into the book and then shortly afterwards put it down with a story completed. As for adult readers, sure, particularly Megan Whalen Turner fans - just make sure you continue reading after the first few stories (not my favorites).
—Neyly
