The Wish List - Eoin Colfer

When 14 year old Meg’s Mother dies her world is turned upside down. Left in the care of an abusive stepfather she falls into bad company. After a bungled burglary goes disastrously wrong Meg finds herself hurtling down the tunnel towards life in the here after. Just one problem. Meg’s soul isn’t erring on the side of bad nor is it erring on the side of good. Totally divided - both capable of tremendous wickedness and overwhelming goodness Meg is in the unusual position of not being able to float upwards towards the Pearly Gates and, thankfully, not able to plummet downwards towards the fiery pits of Hell.

With both Saint Peter and Satan fighting for sole ownership of her soul Meg has to return to earth to try and redeem herself. In ghost form she returns to the scene of the bungled burglary, to a not too happy to see her elderly gentleman. In order to get through the Pearly Gates Meg must prove she is more good than bad. She must make it up to the wrinkled old codger she tried to burgle. Meg must fulfil the Wish List.

And she aint got long.

I discovered Eoin Colfer when the girls were taking ages in the library one-day; stumbled across his fantastic Artemis Fowl series and was hooked. So, much to the librarian’s amusement, I am now regularly seen fighting with the youngsters over the newest books in the children’s section.

Needless to say when our small local library finally got this one in I was the proud first stampee. Completed in two hours to much chortling I really was sorry to put this one down. I find Colfer's ability to mix humour with some tragic scenarios really compelling. Let’s face it, who could have a 14 year old burgling a house and then killed within the space of two or three pages and yet manage to raise a chuckle at the imagery? You shouldn’t laugh - but you do. And heck - she does *try* to make it all better... just a bit late that’s all.

I found the humour itself to be quite adult in some places, not rude, just very dry, sarcastic even. I don’t think I would have ‘got it’ as a kid. There is still a lot of in your face slapstick comedy that younger children (and me) will love. So even if the other parts go flying over their heads the book still has plenty of funnies to keep them entertained.

The story is a really good yarn in itself but it’s great the way Colfer has entwined some morality and consequence within the explosions and death. Very well done. Ultimately the story is the age old battle of Good versus Bad. Which side will Meg fall on? Will Saint Peter be able to stop Beelzebub from sending one of his Soul Catchers to trip Meg up or will he let her decipher Good from Bad on her own?
More importantly will he ever be lucky enough to get a programmer up to the gates of Heaven to computerise his ancient ledger - or will he be eternally watching them all go to Hell, destined never to have his files to hand at the click of a mouse.

My only gripe with this book is that it could have done so much more. So many amusing characters were introduced that I would love to have seen again. But at only 200 pages long Many of these characters didn’t get the space that they deserved. Perhaps Colfer is leaving himself room for a sequel, it would be a shame if not. Although one character in particular, a security guard, seemed to be given a very open if untimely exit. I am guessing that the book was kept short to keep children’s attention although to me it just left me disappointed and wanting more - if you look at the length of the last couple of Harry Potter books - and I believe this is aimed at around the same age group - then the book really could afford to go off and explore these other characters a lot better.

Overall I enjoyed the novel, it was both funny and sad at the same time. I really would have liked a longer read as I found I was just getting settled into the book nicely and then it was over, so for that reason have deducted a point.

What can I say? Be careful what you wish for - some delinquent spirit may just make sure you get it!

Thanks for reading :o)

ISBN 0-141-31592-X