Using light and darkness in the form of orbs, Soontornvat shines a light on the theme of law and social injustice - the wealthy can afford the brightest orbs, the poor only cheap dim orbs. As Nok pursues Pong with single-minded determination, they find themselves back in Chattana, where in the four years Pong has been gone, Somkit has been legally released from Namwon, and revolution is in the air.Ī Wish in the Dark is an exciting, action-packed novel, a fantasy set in a Thai-like city and has been compared to Victor Hugo's Les Misérables because of the themes it addresses and Nok's unrelenting quest through Chattana's underbelly to capture Pong and to avenge her father's ruined reputation. If Nok could capture and turn Pong in, she believes that would redeem her father in the Governor's eyes, and finally make her feel part of her family. Putting two and two together, Nok is sure this is the Pong who cost her father his job and the Governor's favor. Hearing the name Pong instantly sparks a memory of a visit to Namwon with her family and the Governor.
You could also say she is a somewhat blindly officious in her need for everyone to follow the rules, allowing for no gray areas.ĭuring a visit to the market in Tanaburi, one of the monks calls for Pong to return to the temple immediately because of an emergency. His daughter Nok, also 13, at the top of her class and a champion at spire-fighting, has never really felt truly part of her family and doesn't know why, but she knows there have been whispers about her birth. The former warden is the one under whose watch Pong escaped and as a result, the Governor demoted him. A visit to Tanaburi by the former warden of Namwon and his family proves to be a disaster for Pong. Pong has a quiet life, living and learning from Father Cham and the monks, until he is 13-years-old. There, Father Cham, recognizing the Namwon tattoo all prisoners are given, immediately takes Pong under his wing.
After discovering that escaped prisoners can't really live an open life in Chattana, Pong eventually finds himself in the village of Tanaburi, and the temple, Wat Singh. The wealthier you are, the brighter the orbs you can afford. But the bright lights of Chattana aren't meant for escaped prisoners.Įver since the Great Fire that destroyed the city, fire has been outlawed in Chattana, and all light is provided by the Governor, who creates magical orbs of light. When Pong is nine-years-old, however, he sees an opportunity to escape Namwon, and even though it means leaving Somkit behind, Pong jumps at the chance. Their dream has always been to live a good life under the bright lights of Chattana City when they are released. Pong and his best friend Somkit have always lived in Namwon Prison, a reform center/prison for orphans born to incarcerated mothers who have passed away.
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