Did you grow up on fairytales? Have you always loved the down-and-out stories of Cinderella and Rapunzel while craving more cultural depth from stories like Frozen? Then you’re in the right place. The Wishstress is a fairytale fantasy with palpable Dutch and German cultural ties in a world where the powers of Talents and Banes are about to collide.
From the very first page, tensions begin building and every page seems to bear worse news than the one before. It all starts when Myrthe wastes two wishes on a character you’re never supposed to like, and then she is cursed for it with only one possible solution… reach the Well of Talent for some vague hope it will cure her.
Meanwhile, Bastiaan hunts her down and decides not to turn her into the new king, at least not yet. Unlike some authors who use multiple perspectives (*cough* Sanderson *cough*), Brandes introduces the characters to each other very early, although they have no idea the way fate will tie them together until Bastiaan finds his mark and realizes he has more to lose by turning her into the crown.
Myrthe and Bastiaan’s epic adventure is constantly interrupted and eventually, they have no choice but to face their greatest fears… the challenges that surround the Well of Talents and the baleful waters of the Night Well
While I can recommend this book to adult, fairytale lovers who are ready to get invested in a longer book, I cannot say the same for those who expect to be invested on the first page. Myrthe is an interesting character with equally interesting complications to her power, but once she is cursed, it becomes very difficult to like her as she pushes her emotions away. The very thing that draws you to her at the beginning of the read is dead and buried for about half of the book.
The breaks in the narrative where Bastiaan and his sidekick, Runt, come into play were easily my favorite portions of the book. Although he has lived many years outside of time, Bastiaan has all of the impatience of a 17-year-old boy. He is flawed and yet compassion runs beneath his skin like living water. He is broken and yet dares to hope at every turn. This compassion and hope draws Myrthe from her hard-heartedness and leads them both to make sacrifices that leave a mark on Fairhoven forever.
I hope you’re ready to dig deep on this one because from start to finish, there is no good stopping point.
The Wishstress walks a fine line in its presentation of good versus evil. Myrthe is oppressed before the story even begins by her grandmother of all people, and Anouk's body is sold to men far older than her by her father. Characters are tortured for their loyalties. Men kill for Talents and allow the control of Banes when they do not get what they want.
The fallen nature of man is palpable and heartbreaking, which makes the shining light of compassion and hope all the more powerful. Even as things continue to fall apart, Myrthe and Bastiaan find hope in the well and strength in their compassion for others.
One point I believe should be highlighted is the romance of the book. It adds both to the ideologies and the plot of the book, but I could have done without the ageless-teen trope for a teen/young adult read.
It sheds light on why Bastiaan is so skilled and knowledgeable even though he is a commoner and isn't an issue for adult readers, but the chronological difference between his and Myrthe's age could be confusing for younger readers. As the old psychologist, Erik Erikson would put it, they are not ready to enter the sixth stage of development, intimacy versus isolation, because they have yet to resolve identity development versus role confusion. In other words, young readers have enough on their plate figuring out their identity.
At the very least, this ought to be discussed with a younger reader so they do not develop the idea that “age is just a number” or “if you’re mature enough, age doesn’t matter.” Ideas like these can lead young girls into bad situations.
Still, Bastiaan is a far better choice than Anouk’s decision to marry the power-hungry prince just because she had a child with him at fourteen. Even Myrthe is aghast at that.
Getting back to the plot…
When the prince becomes king, he becomes infatuated with the Night Well and its banes, hatching a plan to turn everyone in Fairhoven into a Bane user and thus taking control of his kingdom. This puts Bastiaan between a rock and a hard place, much like his mysterious relationship with the previous king.
While Bastiaan believes Talents are meant to serve the crown and the citizens, the king's edicts do not serve the people. This philosophy cannot stand in its current state and tears at Bastiaan's mind until he realizes that the Talents are to serve the Well and, in doing so, all people.
When Bastiaan and Myrthe choose to surrender to the Well of Talents and act in humble servitude, they send Fairhoven into a new era where every man may choose who he will serve.
