The Land Of Stories: The Wishing Spell by Chris Colfer

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"What the world fails to realize is that a villain is just a victim whose story hasn’t been told."

If it is not offending, I will give my FOUR thumbs up for Chris Colfer to liven up my childhood memories of fairy tales at one book. He has successfully formulated every single well-known fairy tale into a charming and heart-warming story. And I definitely can't wait to read the next sequel of this book!

Alex and Conner Bailey are twins whose childhood were full of stories from a fairy-tale world. One of the stories that their father ever told them is The Walking Fish. Their Grandma, on the other hand, lives in a lively wooden cabin and has a thick and old book titled The Land of Stories. Alex is a passionate girl and always imagines how her life will be if she lives in a fairy-tale world. She isn't quite good in making friends, so reading stories can lessen her lonely feeling. While Conner, is a rather-lazy boy who cannot stand to stay still every time he attends Mrs. Peter's class.

One day, their Grandma inherits them The Land of Stories book. Even though Alex doesn't really so sure to accept the book--because she knows this book is very important to her--she finally accepts it. In the middle of the night, Alex opens the book and wishes to visit the fairy-tale world and meet the characters she always longing for to be her friends.

Surprisingly, the book trembles and radiates a shimmering light. Alex tests the book by dropping some of her school stuff, such as pencils, pens, and her bag. But, Alex doesn't know where her belongings go and how they will turn back. Alex couldn't say anything at first, and she even cannot sleep, thinking about what is going on with the book.

Alex finally tells Conner about this peculiarity. At first, Conner doesn't believe her, until he sees the shimmering light with his own eyes.

After going home for school, Alex tries to put her hand into the book. It makes her curiosity grows more and more higher. She then drops her feet and her body until waist-deep. She doesn't mean to make herself drown into The Land of Stories book, when Conner suddenly opens her bedroom's door and surprises her to not to going down into the book. Alex loses her grip, then fall into The Land of Stories.

Conner, on the other hand, cannot stay still seeing his sister disappears into an unknown world. He then catches up with her and falls int the middle of forest with thick and tall trees. He even barely can see the sunlight. The atmosphere is very dim and mysterious. He cannot deny that he's scared, and he doesn't know what world he's living in now. With Alex, Conner tries to adapt with the whole new world he faces, and searches for the way to get back home.

The are told by a human-like, gigantic frog called Froggy that there is a well called The Wishing Spell which can grant whatever wish they ask for. Maybe the well can grant their request to go home. Then they are given a journal which lead them to collect items they need to be dropped into the well. But, The Wishing Spell only can grant two wishes. The first wish had been granted a long time ago, so The Wishing Spell only can work one more time.

At first, Alex's and Conner's journey seems very easy, but it is more and more harder when they know that the Evil Queen--yes, Snow White's stepmother--also after The Wishing Spell and is collecting the same items as them. Moreover, there are so many adventures and shocking moments that they should face every time they meet each of the character they once ever read in the book.

Red Riding Hood, for example, now owns her own kingdom. Cinderella is about to become a mother. Goldilocks is a wanted fugitive, dead or alive. Jack falls deeply in love with someone that is far away from him. Sleeping Beauty is anxious because she doesn't know how to wake the people in her kingdom up and how to get rid the sleeping curse. Snow White's kingdom is in a chaos because the Evil Queen escapes from the dungeon... And so many other stories that we ever know, in The Land of Stories, finally everything has changed and gives you the best surprising ending.

Don't forget to follow the twins' journey. Hope they will find their way home!