Product Description

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #34219 in Books
• Published on: 2004-07-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 256 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780439443364
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

Amazon.com Review
Meg Finn has led a miserable life. First, her mum died, saddling her with a useless, nasty stepfather. Then, angry and alone, Meg found herself committing acts of petty crime with dim-witted hood Belch Brennan. Finally, just as she was about to go straight to honor her sainted mum’s memory, Belch went and got them both killed as they attempted to rob crabby old Lowrie McCall. And if that wasn’t bad enough, now St. Peter and Beelzebub can’t decide which way Meg is supposed to go. She is one in a million: a soul perfectly balanced between good and evil. Now Meg’s got to go back and somehow tip the scales UP--the further, the better! To earn her wings, Meg’s been assigned to help the last person she tried to hurt (Lowrie McCall) who has a wish list of wrong choices that he wants to make right. But Beelzebub can’t stand the thought of a bad soul going good. So he sends back the soul of powerfully stupid Belch, (who went straight down without stopping) to muck things up for Meg and Lowrie. But Meg’s got smarts on her side and more than just a few tricks up her insubstantial sleeve...

At times, best-selling author Eoin Colfer’s Wish List reads like a head-on collision between Dawson’s Creek and Touched by an Angel. But rabid fans of the Artemis Fowl books won’t notice or care. This black comedy is sure to make every fantasy-reading teen’s Wish List. --Jennifer Hubert

From School Library Journal
Grade 7 Up-Meg, kicked out of her house by her stepfather after her mother dies, becomes a troublemaker. When she and her friend Belch attempt to rob Lowrie McCall, an elderly neighbor, a nearby gas tank inadvertently explodes and she finds herself in a tunnel, hurtling toward the beyond. Meanwhile, Saint Peter and Beelzebub argue over Meg's soul-she is not really a bad kid but neither is she a very good one. In order to decide her fate, they send her back to Earth, where she must try to patch things up with Lowrie. After a rough beginning, she and the dying man embark on a quest to help him right the mistakes that he made during his life. Their adventures are both humorous and poignant, as Lowrie confronts his regrets and Meg strives to attain salvation. Whether the events are set in Ireland or in a hereafter complete with computer technology, Colfer concocts a delightful novel that is written in a much lighter vein than his "Artemis Fowl" books (Hyperion). He brings together several unforgettable characters, including an irascible old man, a mouthy heroine, and a malevolent spirit that attempts to stop Meg from completing her mission. The interaction of the heavenly-and not so heavenly-beings adds an unexpected dimension to the novel. An entertaining and compelling read.
Janet Hilbun, formerly at Sam Houston Middle School, Garland, TX
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist
Gr. 6-9. The author of the Artemis Fowl books offers a cheeky look at life after death and how the ethical decisions made on earth influence one's ending up in heaven or hell. Within the first few pages, 14-year-old Meg Finn and her partner, Belch, along with his pit bull, are blown to smithereens while attempting to rob elderly Lowrie McCall. Belch and his dog meld into one unearthly creature headed straight to hell, but Meg's good deeds and bad are of equal weight. St. Peter and Beelzebub agree to give her a last chance; they arrange for her to help old McCall complete his wish list. But Beelzebub isn't about to play fair; he sends Belch after Meg to make sure she screws up. A dying curmudgeon's wishes may not be the most compelling plot device for young readers, and the narrative is so breezy that it's sometimes hard to follow--especially when the characters are often inhabiting one another's bodies. Yet the moral underpinnings of the story--why people do bad things and the idea of obtaining redemption--are presented in an interesting, amusing way. Surprisingly thought-provoking. Ilene Cooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Customer Reviews

Delicious
When a "real" life entity enters a book of fiction, and the reader perks up in anticipation to see how the author handles the writing of this character, you know that you're reading the work of a good writer. Such it is with The Wish List.

When Beelzebub made his initial appearance, I practically sat straight up with my hair on end. Colfer has such a terrific sense of humor, and a remarkable ability with characterization, that I looked forward to the scenes with Beelzebub (and especially his ruminations on Satan) the most. That's not to say that the rest of the story was uninteresting - far from it. The story was refreshingly unconventional, and while I promised myself that I would never mention Artemis Fowl in a review about Colfer's other works, I feel the need to say this: This man can write books without Artemis Fowl in them. Unfortunately (?) Artemis Fowl - not just the character, but the entire series - is so riveting that it can be difficult to look past it and judge the rest of Colfer's work as standing on their own.

Well, difficult for some, but not for me.

This book tells the engaging and delightful story of a girl who made a series of poor choices in her life (although many can be forgiven due to the effects of her horrid stepfather), and one particularly bad choice. It's almost a delightful twist of such concept films as "It's a Wonderful Christmas", or perhaps even a satire, and it works brilliantly. It would have been very easy to fall into cliché ridden roles and experiences, but Colfer is far too deft an author to fall prey to any of those.

Delightful book, highly recommended.

Something for the entire family...
This is the best book I have read in a long time. I borrowed it from my youngest son and was thoroughly engrossed. It is a book I would like to read aloud and discuss with my children. For anyone curious about life after life and how our place in eternity is decided, The Wish List provides some very thought provoking content. The heroine, Meg Fin, finds herself prematurely in the hereafter, due to her and her partner in crime, Belch, untimely death while they are trying to rob an ageing pensioner, Lowrie McCall. Meg's balance sheet tallies to an unusual 50/50. Since neither heaven nor hell can claim her, she is sent back by St. Peter to help Lowrie. If she can tilt the balance sheet by doing good, she will go to heaven. However, Satan has decided he'd like to have someone of Meg's intelligence and determination in hell, so he sends Belch to drag her back. Lowrie feels he wasted his life. The Wish List is a list Lowrie has made of four things he wants to do before dying and Meg must help him achieve them if she wants to get to heaven. How they work together, and while so doing, develop a deep respect and compassion for each other, is amazing. Meg comes to understand Lowrie's life and heart and develops a deep compassion for him and a determination to help him atain his four wishes before he dies. Lowrie also comes to understand Meg's deep sorrow after losing her mother. Mr. Colfer is a master storyteller who weaves a wondrous tale...it's almost like he's had a sneak preview of the hereafter. This book will make you laugh and cry, and think quite a lot. I recommend it for all readers. Mr. Colfer ranks with Madeline l'Engle and C.S. Lewis as my favorite authors.

Put This Book on Your Wish List!!!!!!!!!
This is a really great book!!! Only Eoin Colfer could turn hanging by a thread between Heaven and Hell and being sent back to help someone you wronged while having a half human half dog demon on your tail ready to drag you down to Hell into a very pleasant, humorous, action filled book, filled with emotion.

Eoin Colfer did a great job with this book and all the others he has written like the ones in The Artemis Fowl Series and The Supernaturalist.

Meg Finn is a 14-year-old girl who, after her mother died, left her mean lazy boob of a stepfather. She now is helping Belch to rob an old guy named Lowrie McCall. When they are in the house Lowrie comes out with his gun to find Meg and Belch busy pawing through his stuff. With that gun pointed at him, Belch decides to set his vicious dog on the old man. The mutt lunges at Lowrie and blood gushes everywhere. Meg grabs the gun and threatens Belch with it if he won't call of his dog. Belch calls him off but then grabs the gun and chases Meg down an alley there he kills Meg and himself and his dog. (killing himself was unintentional) Meg finds herself traveling down the tunnel. Instead of down with Belch, as she expected, she keeps going straight. Because of saving Lowrie, her list of good and bad deeds has come out even. Meg has to go back and help old Lowrie if she wants to get up into Heaven.

Unfortunately for Meg though, the Devil has seen the bad things Meg has done in her past and is also wanting her soul. He sends Belch to make her do something bad so she will be on an express ride to Hell.

Back on Earth, Meg has to help Lowrie, but he is not making it easy. Lowrie has made a wish list for her to help him to complete (hence the title). The list takes them all over the world, with Belch in hot pursuit. Lowrie and Meg have a shaky relationship at first but as the story goes on their friendship strengthens till they are strongly connected by friendship.

This book is extremely good and is filled with the sarcastic humor that is so common in Eoin Colfer's books. This book had a lot in common with the Artemis Fowl Series such as the Action, the style of writing, and all the high-tech gizmos. Colfer couldn't even give up all fairy stuff as Belch continuously was calling the hologram, named ELPH, a fairy to further irritate him (the hologram was sent to help Belch in his quest to retrieve Meg).

I highly recommend The Wish List which is humorous, and packed with action as well as heart.