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someenchantederin's review
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
*arc review*
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of the audiobook of The Gifts in exchange for an honest review.
This was a really strange, but interesting book. I could almost believe it was written in the time period because the feminist resistance is subversive and subtle enough that it rings true to the time.
I’m sure there are allegories within that I’m missing, but the overall message about religious zeal and doing evil things in the name of God are well portrayed. That said I think on numerous occasions in this I said out loud, WTF just happened? Edward was bananas and I hope Annie’s post book life is a better one.
Other reviewers have mentioned the frequent POV changes bothered them, but I was able to follow along easily after I remembered who was who. I often prefer short chapters because it makes me feel like I’m accomplishing more! Overall I liked the book… could have survived without the dog murder.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of the audiobook of The Gifts in exchange for an honest review.
This was a really strange, but interesting book. I could almost believe it was written in the time period because the feminist resistance is subversive and subtle enough that it rings true to the time.
I’m sure there are allegories within that I’m missing, but the overall message about religious zeal and doing evil things in the name of God are well portrayed. That said I think on numerous occasions in this I said out loud, WTF just happened? Edward was bananas and I hope Annie’s post book life is a better one.
Other reviewers have mentioned the frequent POV changes bothered them, but I was able to follow along easily after I remembered who was who. I often prefer short chapters because it makes me feel like I’m accomplishing more! Overall I liked the book… could have survived without the dog murder.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infertility and Kidnapping
Moderate: Animal cruelty and Animal death
Minor: Suicide and Murder
maaikereadsbooks_'s review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Many thanks to Bonnier Audio and Liz Hyder for the advanced audio copy of The Gifts via NetGalley, in return for my honest and unbiased review. Quick note: I don’t recap plots in my reviews, as it’s easy enough to read the book’s synopsis and blurbs, I purely focus on my feelings & opinions of how the books makes me feel.
I enjoyed listening to The Gifts. I was drawn in by the cover art and was not actually sure what it was going to be about, so the entire story came as an unknown surprise to me!
I live in Shropshire, so listening to the beautifully written descriptions of the Salopian countryside of the 1840s was lovely. It was obvious that the author either had a lot of pre-existing knowledge or did a lot of research into botany for the book.
The narrator, Tuppence Middleton, was very nice to listen to. The audio quality was superb, with no obvious edits, volume changes or errors. The accents were done well and smoothly.
The different POVs were initially perhaps a bit daunting but after a couple of chapters were easy enough to adjust to. By the end of the book, however, each chapter was a hodgepodge of characters’ views contributing to that chapter’s content.
Overall, The Gifts is a well-written piece of fantastical historical fiction. It will appeal to both readers of light fantasy and historical women’s fiction.
Moods: challenging, dark, emotional, mysterious, reflective
Pace: medium
Character development: strong
Plot or character driven: 50/50
Diversity: medium
Spice: 0/5
Trigger warnings: Alcohol abuse, Amputation, Animal abuse/death, Blood/Gore, Death, Infertility, Kidnapping, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Murder, Physical or mental abuse, Physical illness, Racism, Violence
Rating:
Story: 4/5
Audio: 5/5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Miscarriage, Murder, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Infertility, Animal death, Confinement, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Kidnapping, Misogyny, and Racism
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