City of Wishes

I’ll admit, I side-eyed the runtime—three hours for a fantasy? But *City of Wishes* proves brevity can be a superpower. Soontornvat packs more personality into this slim story than some trilogies manage in 30 hours. The plot kicks off immediately: Plum, our scholarship-kid protagonist, arrives in Nakhon City and is *instantly* out of her depth among Sam’s high-society crowd. The magic system—where wishes are literal commodities, hoarded by the rich and stolen by the clever—is one of the freshest I’ve heard in YA fantasy. No vague ‘ancient prophecies’ here; the conflict hinges on something far more relatable: a kid wanting to prove herself to friends who’ve never had to earn anything. Sura Siu’s performance is *almost* flawless. Her Plum’s voice—equal parts eager and exasperated—sells the character’s fish-out-of-water arc, and she nails the comedic timing of the banter between the kids. My only critique? The adult voices occasionally slip into caricature, especially Lady Ubon, whose haughty tones veer into pantomime villainy. It’s a minor gripe, but in a story this sharp, the broad strokes feel out of place. The pacing, though, is *perfect*. No saggy middle, no unnecessary lore dumps—just a tight, twisty plot that culminates in a New Year’s ball heist so satisfying, I rewound to listen twice. My only real complaint? I wanted *more*. Not more runtime, but more of this world. A sequel set in the floating casinos or the underground wish markets? Sign me up.