The Gifts: The captivating historical fiction novel - for fans of THE BINDING

Product Information

Set in 1840, The Gifts opens with a young woman in agony, staggering alone through a forest in Shropshire as a huge pair of wings rip from her shoulders. Meanwhile, when rumours of a 'fallen angel' cause a frenzy across London, a surgeon desperate for fame and fortune finds himself in the grips of a dangerous obsession, one that will place the women he seeks in the most terrible danger... I rarely have a soft spot for foreshadowing, but this book uses it effectively. I liked the hinted tidbits that sealed the gap between scenes without disclosing major spoilers. We were on holiday and the weather was terrible, so we went down the Llanfair Slate Caverns,” says Hyder, speaking after her latest win. “It’s an extraordinary place, it’s really atmospheric.”

There are a few highly triggering scenes concerning dogs. While a couple of these scenes might have been essential to detail the nature of that specific character, the rest felt forced in. This might be traumatising for sensitive animal lovers, so proceed with caution. I had to zoom through those sections because it was too much for me, but I also didn’t want to keep the book aside. Furthermore, there are dark scenes connected to the medical procedures of those times. Fierce and touching, this extremely compelling novel follows its female protagonists through 19th century London where a surgeon struggles with the dark lure of scientific ambition while his marriage crumbles, a journalist pursues the mystery of the angel fished from the Thames and two young women find themselves inexplicably transformed in the depths of despair. Beautiful and riveting." ―Jennifer Saint, author of AriadneImpressive… A celebration of female solidarity, it's brimful of historical detail and beautifully written." ― Sunday Express Magazine (UK) In a Nutshell: A historical fantasy written in literary fiction style. Won’t work for every reader due to the slow pacing and the writing approach, but I liked the plot. Triggers galore!

After a year of reading the horrific stories of the very young children who were sent down mines, this time in England, she wrote Bearmouth in four weeks. In her dystopia, children are sent down the mines as young as four, and live and work there, sending money to their families on the surface, hoping “the Mayker” will reward them in the next life. The cover art was breathtaking and there are occasional illustrations scattered throughout. The print edition is rounded out with a bibliography, suggested questions for reading groups, and a note from the author on the inspirations for ‘The Gifts’.

It’s a book to take your time over and to savour.

I was already struggling with the writing and the fact that we often switch viewpoint or who is being written about in the midst of a paragraph. So you start the paragraph with Annie and then suddenly you are reading about Etta and you are like, wait, who the hell is Etta and how did she suddenly appear? This happens a LOT and I found it really irritating. While I enjoyed the overall theme, some of the details in the story were just not my cup of tea. There was a magical realism element that I loved but it wasn’t ever explained, unless I missed it, so while it was cool, it just didn’t make any sense as to why or how.

There are some very emotional scenes that are described poignantly that made my heart break. It has a haunting and tense atmosphere throughout and the Victorian period is described and captured perfectly. It was a joy to read and I was so sad when it came to an end. I would love to revisit so many of these characters again. Alongside the authentic 19 th century setting, The Gifts is a story of literal and metaphorical wings. These illustrate the power of the metaphysical and philosophical, the scientific and the religious, balanced by a magical realism that is spellbinding. It’s impossible not to be affected and deeply moved by reading about Annie, Etta, Natalya and Mary. This is especially so when they are surviving in a world dominated by men. In London, there are rumours that the body of a 'fallen angel' was found in the Thames. An ambitious surgeon, desperate to make a name for himself, is gripped by a dangerous obsession. Desperate to find a live ‘specimen’ he is willing to do anything achieve his goal.Set in 1840 England and narrated from five different points of view The Gifts is a slow-burn gothic tale of a doctor's obsession with the women with wings. I loved that book fell into many categories such as historical fiction, fantasy, magical realism and a touch of mystery. In amongst the evocative descriptions, the compelling drama and the frequently poetic language, there is wit and human understanding so that The Gifts is a real privilege to read.