In her third novel Cloudwish, Fiona Wood introduces the reader to Van Uoc Phan, who loses a glass vial with the word 'wish' trapped inside, a prompt her creative-writing teacher gave her class to write about. Her teacher guarantees that Van Uoc will find it, but she remains distracted over the vial's disappearance, especially when she has a liking for Billy, a boy who wouldn't be into a Vietnamese-Australian girl like herself. Her Bronte obsession forces her to ask herself what Jane Eyre would do in particular situations. Then somehow she captures Billy's attention, and the two hurdle their school and home environments to find themselves and each other. 
 Cloudwish is not only a sweet, heart-melting Romeo and Juliet-styled romance set in Melbourne, but it is a book that uses identity as a theme to reflect on political issues pervasive in Australian culture, for example, immigrants and 'boat people'. Giving Van Uoc a family of the immigrant nature adds another layer to the story - the pressures Van Uoc must deal with to do the best that she can do in her studies and be the best that she can be because of the sacrifices and choices her parents made for a better life. Cloudwish also touches on the effects emigration has on someone's health, with Van Uoc tending to her mother's needs as her health declines. 
 Wood has written another beautiful novel to stand alongside Six Impossible Things and Wildlife. The three are linked, but ultimately present three individual stories about Australian teen/young adult experiences in a genuine, delightful and relatable manner. Fans of Melina Marchetta's Looking for Alibrandi will see similarities but will also find a new favourite. 
 #LoveOzYA