The Wish Thief

The Wish Thief is a fantasy novel set in a world in which everyone is born with a Wish to make when coming of age. It follows the story of Lia, a teenage girl with a particularly strong Wish Orb and a big secret: she might be the only person Maar who doesn’t want to wish for anything. Her life is thrown upside down by a visit from the Carinal, the powerful head of the Wish Order, and by her grandfather’s disappearance. When she learns that a mysterious Wish Thief is hunting down people like her, and strangers try to kidnap her in the middle of the night, Lia knows she is no longer safe.

She and her childhood friends embark on a perilous journey to the Wish Order, hoping to find her grandfather. On the way, Lia confronts a series of challenges that make her rethink what she imagines she knows about Wish-making, about Maar, and about herself.

Will this be enough to save her from the trap set by the Wish Thief?

A book full of adventure, mystery, magical beings, trustworthy friends and unexpected villains, The Wish Thief is dedicated to everyone, young and old, fascinated by our capacity to dream, hope, make wishes, and live with their consequences. 

Inspired by both Romanian and world folk stories, the novel brings together the kind of rich universe found in Pullman’s His Dark Materials with the epic, fairy-tale quest of Gaiman’s Stardust.

The covers, map, and chapter illustrations are drawn by the talented Mark Hill.