Three Wishes

Three Wishes (2003) is the debut novel by Australian author Liane Moriarty. Categorized as British and Irish humor and satire, the novel immediately became a New York Times Bestseller. The tone of Three Wishes is generally light and funny, despite its serious issues of adultery, divorce, abusive romantic partners, and the complications of pregnancy. The story is told from the limited third-person perspective of the sisters and the first-person perspective of several anonymous observers. The location is contemporary Sydney, Australia. Because the book was originally published in 2003, some of the temporal references may seem slightly dated. As the novel follows the adventures of the colorful Kettle sisters, it examines the themes of multiple-birth identity, learning when to hold on and when to let go, and the necessity for attitude adjustments in the face of life’s changing circumstances.

All page citations are taken from the Kindle edition of this book.

Plot Summary

The novel begins with the Kettle triplets—Catriona “Cat” Kettle, Lyn Kettle, and Gemma Kettle—celebrating their collective 34th birthday at an elegant seafood restaurant in Sydney. The events of the evening are told from the perspective of other witnesses, but everyone agrees that Cat accuses the other two of ruining her life and throws a fondue fork that lodges in Gemma’s pregnant abdomen. Chaos ensues as all three are carted off to the hospital.

What brought the Kettle girls to this crisis is the subject of the rest of the book as the narrative traces their lives, starting with their unintended birth to 19-year-old parents. Cat and Lyn are identical, while Gemma is a fraternal twin. The three are extremely close but emotionally dramatic and combative toward one another. Cat is intense and competitive; Lyn is the family overachiever; and Gemma drifts through life with no sense of direction. The trouble starts when Cat’s husband announces that he’s having an affair with a woman named Angela. Cat is enraged and becomes angrier when she learns that Angela is the sister of Gemma’s latest boyfriend, Charlie. Because Cat hasn’t been able to get pregnant, she is also jealous that Lyn has a daughter.

The plot thickens after Cat conceives a baby but has a miscarriage. Gemma also becomes pregnant but is unprepared to care for a child, so she promises it to Cat. During their birthday celebration, Gemma changes her mind, and Cat throws a fondue fork at her. This episode serves as a wake-up call for the siblings as each one makes an effort to eliminate destructive behavior patterns. Lyn learns how to become less of a perfectionist; Gemma learns how to hold onto a good relationship and her baby; and Cat learns to let go of what she can’t control and start a new life for herself. Fortunately, all three sisters mend their ways before wreaking havoc in another Sydney restaurant on their next birthday.