chris colfer the land of stories the wishing spell

While Greg’s positive about the move, he’s not completely uncaring about Rowley’s action. Left with only enough inheritance to patch and repair the exterior of the house-and with the school’s dismal standardized test scores as a final straw-Greg’s mom steers the family toward moving, opening up house-hunting and house-selling storylines (and devastating loyal Rowley, who doesn’t want to lose his best friend). Once the professionals are brought in, the problems keep getting worse: angry neighbors, terrifying problems in walls, and-most serious-civil permitting issues that put the kibosh on what work’s been done. Before bringing in the construction crew, the Heffleys attempt to do minor maintenance and repairs themselves-during which Greg fails at the work in various slapstick scenes. Greg’s mom calls a family meeting to determine what to do with their share, proposing home improvements and then overruling the family’s cartoonish wish lists and instead pushing for an addition to the kitchen. When Great Aunt Reba dies, she leaves some money to the family. The Heffley family’s house undergoes a disastrous attempt at home improvement. A Curvy Tree is saved from loggers because of its “uniqueness.” Alex wants to be in this fairy-tale world because it is “where good things to good people.” Conner, upon learning that he is part fairy (grandmother = fairy godmother), 'sarcastically' opines that “he guys at school can never hear about this.”Ĭardboard characters and awkwardly episodic situations result in a poorly manufactured tale. Unfortunately, Colfer’s prose, though sincere, drowns in bizarre imagery and trite phraseology. Alex and Conner must collect eight fairy-tale items in order to return to their world, all while being pursued by a snarling wolf pack in the employ of the Evil Queen, whose life Snow White has spared. Sleeping Beauty, Snow White and Rapunzel are now queens, while Jack (of beanstalk fame), Goldilocks and Red Riding Hood are embroiled in a fierce love triangle. Predictably, they fall into the book and encounter all the fairy-tale characters, albeit some years after their happily-ever-afters. On their 12th birthday their grandmother gifts them her treasured Land of Stories, a book their late father often shared with them. Twin brother Conner, on the other hand, falls asleep in class. Celebpub collides with fairy-tale redux in this unsuccessful debut.Īlex is enraptured with fairy tales and soaks up her teacher’s lessons on their universal truths.

Chris colfer the land of stories the wishing spell