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etemp 's review for:
Gifted & Talented
by Olivie Blake
Loveable characters:
No
everybody's got daddy issues and an insatiable need to be special, it's wild. and while i can respect that each of the characters was working out their own redemption and self-actualization, it comes at the cost of being enormous assholes for just about the entire book. not that it was hard to read for that reason - probably the opposite, it felt like hate-watching a train wreck - but what i've come away with is the message that our childhood wounds us more deeply than we can ever know and yet we still have to take accountability for our mistakes and missteps. it's not a book that i could imagine myself reaching for in the future, but i'm really glad that i read it.
and can we talk about the asexual representation???? i was so extremely happy to see such a nuanced portrayal of being in love but not wanting to be touched, and boy am i happy that there was a happy, fulfilled ending for them. very well done, very well written.
the magical elements were a bit confusing at times, like it wasn't really explained how certain things came about or the full ramifications of them, but that's also reflected in the wren siblings' confusion about it all too. my biggest peeve however was about how heavy handed of a metaphor it was. meredith is painstakingly in control of her magic and uses it to manipulate, arthur is essentially powerless to control his and it flows with his emotions, and eilidh slowly loses control of hers as it (whatever's in her chest) eats her alive. the magic was certainly an interesting part of the book, but after finishing it, i don't really think that the book needed it in order to tell the story well.
oh, i also thought that there was waaaaaay too much introspection. this book could have been a lot shorter with some intentional edits, and the message/vibes/subtext would remain unchanged imo. i get that they intellectualize everything, it's what they do, but god was it annoying.
definitely would recommend, especially if you enjoyed knives out, fleabag, riverdale (i know it's cheesy, but the drama! the rivalries!), maybe even practical magic.
and can we talk about the asexual representation???? i was so extremely happy to see such a nuanced portrayal of being in love but not wanting to be touched, and boy am i happy that there was a happy, fulfilled ending for them. very well done, very well written.
the magical elements were a bit confusing at times, like it wasn't really explained how certain things came about or the full ramifications of them, but that's also reflected in the wren siblings' confusion about it all too. my biggest peeve however was about how heavy handed of a metaphor it was. meredith is painstakingly in control of her magic and uses it to manipulate, arthur is essentially powerless to control his and it flows with his emotions, and eilidh slowly loses control of hers as it (whatever's in her chest) eats her alive. the magic was certainly an interesting part of the book, but after finishing it, i don't really think that the book needed it in order to tell the story well.
oh, i also thought that there was waaaaaay too much introspection. this book could have been a lot shorter with some intentional edits, and the message/vibes/subtext would remain unchanged imo. i get that they intellectualize everything, it's what they do, but god was it annoying.
definitely would recommend, especially if you enjoyed knives out, fleabag, riverdale (i know it's cheesy, but the drama! the rivalries!), maybe even practical magic.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Grief, Death of parent, Classism
Moderate: Eating disorder, Mental illness, Suicide, Vomit, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Abortion