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    The Orphan's Wish
    The Orphan's Wish
    The Orphan's Wish
    Audiobook8 hours

    The Orphan's Wish

    Written by Melanie Dickerson

    Narrated by Jude Mason

    4.5/5

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    About this audiobook

    A reimagining of the beloved folktale, Aladdin, set in medieval Germany.

    Orphaned and alone, Aladdin travels from the streets of his Arab homeland to a strange, faraway place. Growing up in an orphanage, he meets young Lady Kirstyn, whose father is the powerful Duke of Hagenheim. Despite the difference in their stations, Aladdin quickly becomes Kirstyn’s favorite companion, and their childhood friendship grows into a bond that time and opposition cannot break.

    Even as a child, Aladdin works hard, learning all he can from his teachers. Through his integrity, intelligence, and sheer tenacity, he earns a position serving as the duke’s steward. But that isn’t enough to erase the shame of being forced to steal as a small child—or the fact that he’s an orphan with no status. If he ever wants to feel equal to his beautiful and generous friend Kirstyn, he must leave Hagenheim and seek his fortune.

    Yet once Aladdin departs, Lady Kirstyn becomes a pawn in a terrible plot. Now, Aladdin and Kirstyn must rely on their bond to save her from unexpected danger. But will saving Kirstyn cost Aladdin his newfound status and everything he’s worked so hard to obtain?

    An enchanting new version of the well-known tale, The Orphan’s Wish tells a story of courage and loyalty, friendship and love, and reminds us what “family” really means.

    • Full length clean fairy tale reimagining
    • Includes discussion questions for book clubs
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherThomas Nelson
    Release dateJun 26, 2018
    ISBN9780718074821
    Author

    Melanie Dickerson

    Melanie Dickerson is a New York Times bestselling author and two-time Christy Award winner. Melanie spends her time daydreaming, researching the most fascinating historical time periods, and writing and editing her happily-ever-afters. Visit her online at MelanieDickerson.com; Facebook: @MelanieDickersonBooks; Twitter: @MelanieAuthor; Instagram: @melaniedickerson123.

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    Reviews for The Orphan's Wish

    4.5/5

    66 ratings6 reviews

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    • 5/5
      A beautiful story of love loyalty and friendship
      This story is one of the best
    • 4/5
      I love this author. she takes me to a now place
    • 3/5
      Aladdin refocused! An interesting take on Aladdin joins Melanie Dickerson's insightful series of traditional folk and fairytale retellings, set in the German dukedom of Hagenheim. The vision Dickerson brings to these works is so original. I am always in awe of the prism through which the stories are told and the wellspring of creativity Dickerson seems to flawlessly draw upon. That said, for all its interesting perspective, I didn't warm to Aladdin's story in the same way that I have to others. The tale of a young boy rescued by a monk from an Oliver Twist type start to life in Palestine, who journeys to an orphanage in Hagenheim and then to Lüneburg. A tale of love, courage and friendship.Growing up with the Duke of Wilhelm’s daughter Kirstyn, Aladdin and she become inseparable. As he becomes older Aladdin realizes he must leave to make his fortune in order to be deemed worthy of Kirstyn. A deeper challenge for Aladdin is his self image, his needing to redeem himself. Even though he is successful, he continues to see himself through the eyes of Mustapha, his old thief mentor, his "Faigin."Aladdin "needed to prove he wasn’t just a poor, unlovable thief. A rat, Mustapha had called him. Those memories brought him so much shame. "Back in Hagenheim, all is not as it should be, and when Kirstyn is kidnapped, all that Aladdin loves is threatened.A rewarding read despite my misgivings.A NetGalley ARC
    • 5/5
      O my goodness, I’m so excited about this book! (flails arms in excitement and squeals!) If you didn’t already know, Melanie Dickerson (also known as the “Queen of fairy tale retellings”) has long been one of my favorite authors. I always eagerly anticipate her next release. The book I’m reviewing today is called “The Orphan’s Wish” and is an Aladdin retelling and it’s amazing! Okay, enough fan-girling.“The Orphan’s Wish” is a fantastic Aladdin retelling! Even though it’s a fairy tale retelling, Ms. Dickerson sets her stories in realistic settings, choosing not to use the fantastical elements some would equate with the words “fairy tales.” She uses great historical details and I felt like I was transported to medieval Europe and the Holy Land. While reading, I was in the midst of a bustling German town with ornate doors, I could smell the fresh bread, and see the old churches so vividly. She uses great descriptions of the culture, clothing, and it’s obvious that she possesses a vast knowledge of the time and place. I also enjoyed picking up on the nods to the original Aladdin fairy tale and the Disney version.I love the main characters in this book, especially their faith and their love story. I’m a sucker for stories with childhood friendships that later lead to something more, so this one melted my heart from the very beginning. Our main characters, Kirstyn and Aladdin, start off with a strong friendship at a young age. It’s so sweet how protective Aladdin is of Kirstyn and how kind Kirstyn is to Aladdin. They are both great characters who have both dealt with trauma in their past and are forced to grow in their faith separately before they are able to be together. I love the way God teaches both of them through their trials. It’s great watching how they grow stronger through those trials instead of becoming bitter. They pray a lot and God is such a huge part of their lives. The Gospel message is also clearly conveyed, which I love!This is such a great book for all ages! Parent and child alike will relish this retelling with strong faith aspects and lessons such as depending on God, knowing His peace, and trusting Him through trials. I highly recommend this book!Content: This is a clean read, with a PG to PG-13 rating for some content. Some examples of the content are: a man threatens to beat a boy if he doesn’t do what the man says; a man is abusive towards a child; someone mentions an illness could be caused by a demon;Aladdin is met with prejudice and racism because he’s Palestinian; men are described as drunkards; some violence; an evil man beats and handles women roughly; mention that a boy has tried to molest a girl in the past; a woman is in an abusive relationship; a girl is abducted and held prisoner.Rating: I give this book 5 stars!Genre: Christian fiction; Historical; Fairy tale retelling; RomanceI want to thank Melanie Dickerson, Thomas Nelson, Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction and NetGalley for the complimentary copy of this book for review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I express in this review are my own. This is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s CFR 16, Part 255.
    • 4/5
      I thoroughly enjoyed this take on "Aladdin". It is not the one that you have come to know and love from Disney but a different one that is just as good. After the passing of his mother; Aladdin finds himself just another street thief. This is until a priest rescues Aladdin and takes him home to live with him. Aladdin meets Kirstyn. They share an instant connection. A very close bond. One that grows stronger when Aladdin saves Kirstyn from a bear. The story continues with Aladdin saving Kirstyn again later in live from kidnappers. Yet, the bond that they share never breaks. Author, Melanie Dickerson weaves a glorious story filled with endearing characters and a great storyline. I loved both Kirstyn and Aladdin. Their bond is an unbreakable one. I was so into this story that I could not stop reading. The Orphan's Wish had me spellbound.
    • 4/5
      3.5 StarsA medieval middle grades novel very loosely based on the Aladdin story. This adaptation starts off well, somewhere in the Middle East, then continues in communities in Germany (this book is part of a series). Many of the themes from the original story are included here: orphans and the meaning of family and romance between two people from opposite side of the tracks, but with some Christian elements and written for a younger audience. There were not as many parallels between the Aladdin story and this retelling as many of the other works by this author; however, if you have enjoyed the previous novels in the series, then you will like this one too.Net Galley FeedbackI received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.