The Gifts

Glorious
Wonderful
Dark and insightful
Poignant and compelling
Magical yet there are cloaked figures lurking in the shadows....
A world in which men *think* they hold all the power yet women plot in secret
A novel about hope, survival, how power corrupts and what it means to be free
A brilliant read highly recommended
All the stars. Tons more than 5.

This wasnt at all what I was expecting, for all the right reasons. A great step back into Victorian England with lots of societal issues at the forefront, and the backdrop of this read.
A really interesting and wonderfully unusual concept that captured my attention immediately and had me hooked the whole way through.
This moves at a great pace and the ending is superb.
A compelling, emotional read.

Liz Hyder's first adult novel is very different from her YA debut, but just as captivating and interesting. Her characters sing off the page, leaping into your throat and holding you hostage until you get to the last page. The hum of Victorian London - of discovery and botany and science and women taking charge of their own lives - weaves through the book with a skill I would expect from a far more established writer. Liz Hyder is the real deal. I loved this, I loved this, I loved this.

Gorgeous! Hotly tipped to be one of the biggest reads of 2022.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me access an advance copy of this book in exchange for my feedback.

Beautifully written with a unique slant on gothic Victorian London, this novel will suck you into a breathless journey of discovery. I enjoyed the shift of power between the characters and once I got used to the narrative jumping back and forward between the main protagonists, liked the slow way Liz Hyder developed each of their stories. Unusual and arresting and bound to be a huge success.

The Gifts by :Liz Hyder is a stunning piece of historical fiction, set in 1840. A desperate young woman is fleeing unknown assailants through a forest in Shropshire, but she is no ordinary woman. From her back sprout huge angel wings.
In London, an ambitious surgeon is obsessed with possessing the other 'fallen angels' rumoured to exist, and he will stop at nothing to make his name in the world of science.
Told through the eyes of multiple characters, The Gifts is beautifully written, and explores themes of power and patriarchy, science and religion. I loved Liz Hyder's children's book Bearmouth, but this adult debut is utterly brilliant, and I can't wait to read more of her work

I enjoyed this book much more than I expected to. I was not sure what to expect after Bearmouth but found this book about strong female characters really engaging and decidedly gothic in themes. Will be looking out for this authors next offering.

Victorian London in the 1840s, South Shropshire, and some magical realism. What's not to appreciate about that? After writing Bearmouth for youngsters, Liz Hyder makes her adult debut with this novel. It's a really fantastic one. You won't be able to put it down once you start reading it. It includes short, punchy chapters and is mainly a story about four females trying to find their place in a male-dominated Victorian England. While there is a fantasy element, it adds a touch of enchantment and hope at the end of the day.