Scan barcode
A review by ellereadsbookslike
The Gifts by Liz Hyder
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
4.0
~Short Synopsis~
October 1840. A storyteller, A botanist, A journalist, An artist. One man's obsession with angels will bring 4 very different women together.
~Review~
I don't want to mention much about plot as the mystery is one of the most enjoyable aspects of the book and I wouldn't want to deprive anyone of that. It is multiple POV with 5 different narrators and it did take me while to remember everyone and to understand what was going on. But after a while things really started to click and I felt myself getting more and more hooked. The book also has very short and snappy chapters which helps keep the pace going but that also may be why it took me awhile to feel like I knew each character.
I enjoyed the really quite sinister atmosphere that Hyder creates and there was something very gothic about the feel of it. I think the writing style was my favourite thing about this book. It's beautifully descriptive and I loved the scenes where we really explored the characters' relationship with nature and the wild.
A feminist historical fiction with elements of magical realism that is perfect for fans of The Winter Garden and The Miniaturist.
October 1840. A storyteller, A botanist, A journalist, An artist. One man's obsession with angels will bring 4 very different women together.
~Review~
I don't want to mention much about plot as the mystery is one of the most enjoyable aspects of the book and I wouldn't want to deprive anyone of that. It is multiple POV with 5 different narrators and it did take me while to remember everyone and to understand what was going on. But after a while things really started to click and I felt myself getting more and more hooked. The book also has very short and snappy chapters which helps keep the pace going but that also may be why it took me awhile to feel like I knew each character.
I enjoyed the really quite sinister atmosphere that Hyder creates and there was something very gothic about the feel of it. I think the writing style was my favourite thing about this book. It's beautifully descriptive and I loved the scenes where we really explored the characters' relationship with nature and the wild.
A feminist historical fiction with elements of magical realism that is perfect for fans of The Winter Garden and The Miniaturist.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Confinement, and Animal cruelty
Moderate: Misogyny, Toxic relationship, and Fire/Fire injury