Reviews

The Gifts by Liz Hyder

foxensox's review against another edition

I didn't find the characters or stories interesting enough to get to the overall story.

bloodmaarked's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

an unexpected gem! i loved following this strong ensemble cast

✧ full review on my tumblr ✧

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma, Animal cruelty, Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Animal death, Infertility, Drug abuse, Domestic abuse, and Kidnapping

Moderate: Death of parent, Racism, Blood, Sexual assault, Death, Rape, Car accident, Child death, Emotional abuse, Body horror, Miscarriage, Misogyny, and Self harm

Minor: Alcohol, Colonisation, Sexual content, and Grief

for the car accident warning: obviously, there were no cars in 1840s Britain! but there was an accident with a horse and carriage which was quite shocking. also for the death of parent warning: there are several, but they all happen off-page. for drug abuse: several people are drugged multiple times against their will. for rape: a woman is "medically" examined internally while unconscious (and unconsenting). it isn't sexual but she is essentially raped.

princessbilbo's review against another edition

emotional inspiring tense slow-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

3.5

TW: Animal harm on page
I loved the writing but this book got really slow. I found myself asking "what's the point?" A lot. It was so many PoVs and I don't think it was necessary. But the writing style kept me hooked.

hatto's review against another edition

adventurous challenging informative inspiring mysterious reflective

4.5

moreliajoy's review

3.0

If you love this book, read The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender because The Gifts is a less complex and heartbreaking ripoff of it.

ekbeeks22's review against another edition

challenging emotional 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

andougherty's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

It grew on me for sure. It’s a slow development but a good story. There is one major thing left out though. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Miscarriage, and Animal cruelty

bluebleeder2001's review against another edition

slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.5

eshalliday's review against another edition

1.0

Hmph! I'd been looking forward to this one for ages, but it ended up being badly written. The plot only got its oomph at 70% and even then, it fizzled out again towards the floppiest of conclusions. I was generally disinterested the whole way through. It's a bad state of affairs when, in the final chapters, I still couldn't differentiate between the insipid cast of characters: Annie/Mary, is there someone called Sarah? Richard/Edward/Charles or Charlie... It doesn't help that they have been given the most bland names, I suppose. This was a real disappointment for me, I'm afraid. Too much 'tell', not enough 'show'; Chekhov would not have been pleased.

snuzzbobble's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0