A Wish in the Dark by Christina Soontornvat

Pong and his best friend Somkit have always lived in Namwon Prison, a reform center/prison for orphans born to incarcerated mothers who have passed away. Their dream has always been to live a good life under the bright lights of Chattana City when they are released. When Pong is nine-years-old, however, he sees an opportunity to escape Namwon, and even though it means leaving Somkit behind, Pong jumps at the chance. But the bright lights of Chattana aren't meant for escaped prisoners.

Ever since the Great Fire that destroyed the city, fire has been outlawed in Chattana, and all light is provided by the Governor, who creates magical orbs of light. The wealthier you are, the brighter the orbs you can afford. After discovering that escaped prisoners can't really live an open life in Chattana, Pong eventually finds himself in the village of Tanaburi, and the temple, Wat Singh. There, Father Cham, recognizing the Namwon tattoo all prisoners are given, immediately takes Pong under his wing.

Pong has a quiet life, living and learning from Father Cham and the monks, until he is 13-years-old. A visit to Tanaburi by the former warden of Namwon and his family proves to be a disaster for Pong. The former warden is the one under whose watch Pong escaped and as a result, the Governor demoted him. His daughter Nok, also 13, at the top of her class and a champion at spire-fighting, has never really felt truly part of her family and doesn't know why, but she knows there have been whispers about her birth. You could also say she is a somewhat blindly officious in her need for everyone to follow the rules, allowing for no gray areas.

During a visit to the market in Tanaburi, one of the monks calls for Pong to return to the temple immediately because of an emergency. Hearing the name Pong instantly sparks a memory of a visit to Namwon with her family and the Governor. Putting two and two together, Nok is sure this is the Pong who cost her father his job and the Governor's favor.

If Nok could capture and turn Pong in, she believes that would redeem her father in the Governor's eyes, and finally make her feel part of her family. As Nok pursues Pong with single-minded determination, they find themselves back in Chattana, where in the four years Pong has been gone, Somkit has been legally released from Namwon, and revolution is in the air. 

A Wish in the Dark is an exciting, action-packed novel, a fantasy set in a Thai-like city and has been compared to Victor Hugo's Les Misérables because of the themes it addresses and Nok's unrelenting quest through Chattana's underbelly to capture Pong and to avenge her father's ruined reputation.

Using light and darkness in the form of orbs, Soontornvat shines a light on the theme of law and social injustice - the wealthy can afford the brightest orbs, the poor only cheap dim orbs. In the person of the Governor, she explores the use power and authoritarian rule, and especially of oppression and ways the wealthy keep the poor in their place. For example, in the beginning, when Pong is still in Namwom, the Governor tells him "Light shines on the worthy...All other fall into darkness." (pg 24) These words have a profound impact on Pong, so much so that even Somkit notices the change, and they are words Pong repeats to himself throughout the book, even as he seeks light.

Can children shine a light in the dark? Read Pong, Nok, and Somkit's story and decide for yourself.

You can download a useful Discussion Guide courtesy of the publisher, Candlewick Press, HERE

This book is recommended for readers age 9+
Thank you, Candlewick Press, for providing me with an ARC