Am I too old for middle-grade stories? Either way, my kids and I found this little gem as an Audible original and absolutely loved it. Berry and her narrator Jayne Entwistle left us wishing for more. Entwistle narrated the characters with energy and made them come alive.
The main character of this story, Maeve Merritt is a bit of a plucky troublemaker because she doesn’t fit the cultural standards for a young girl in the late 1800s. It is because of her unruliness that she is sent off to Miss Salamanca’s Boarding School for Upright Young Ladies. The spirited young Maeve, however, would much rather be playing sports like the boys or traveling the world.
Maeve is both quick-witted and quick to use her fists and this type of behavior is what has her sorting through the school’s trash as punishment. This chore, however, is where she happens upon a djinni. Like Miss Maeve full of moxie, her djinni isn’t basic either. He’s sarcastic and fish-smelling because his “lamp” is a sardine can.
Throughout the story, we see Maeve, who is full of heart and courage, make mistakes and inevitability learn from them. We get to see her make new friends and travel to places she never thought possible as they face mummies, monsters, and evil bankers.
Wishes and Wellingtons is full of magic and wonder with its versatile characters, suspenseful moments, and sometimes sarcastic hilarity. It certainly takes you back to when you believed in fairies and magic and even genies.
Be careful what you wish for …
Maeve Merritt chafes at the rigid rules at her London boarding school for “Upright Young Ladies.” When punishment forces her to sort through the trash, she finds a sardine tin that houses a foul-tempered djinni with no intention of submitting to a schoolgirl as his master.
Soon an orphan boy from the charitable home next door, a mysterious tall man in ginger whiskers, a disgruntled school worker, and a take-no-prisoners business tycoon are in hot pursuit of Maeve and her magical discovery. It’ll take all of her quick thinking and sass to set matters right. Maeve Merritt is one feisty heroine you won’t soon forget.
