There is nothing quite like reading a book that sweeps one away to faraway lands and immerses one in the daily life of a different culture. Dangerous Wishes achieves this with complete success due to Sleator's extensive knowledge of Thai culture and his story-telling prowess. The lives and customs of Thais do not merely serve as an exotic backdrop for a suspenseful adventure story but are instead the heart of the novel. Thai spiritual beliefs, traditions, customs, and everyday lives are essential to the events of the novel and are so well integrated into the plot that the novel would collapse without this fusion of elements. Sleator takes his characters on a journey through the streets of Bangkok, out of the city into the countryside, into a country village, and back again to the city, giving a view of Thais in their diversity.