The Gifts: A Novel

The Gift is utterly breathtaking. I devoured it over three days and miss the characters already. The writer’s voice is unique so one should not compare it with others but the poetry and magical realism resonated with Jennette Winterson and Kate Atkinson, the delicious historical detail as rich as C.J. Sansom’s Shardlake series. It kept me enthralled and empathetic from start to finish. Can’t wait for Liz Hyder’s next novel!

Beautiful book inside and out. A captivating story in a historical setting that was clearly so well researched I felt I was learning whilst having fun. If like me you are feeling a bit tentative about the “angels” then please don’t be. I’m not sure how but Liz Hyder manages to use the concept to augment the human aspect of the story and not overwhelm it. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and feel I will carry elements of it forward with me for many months to come. It also looks beautiful on the bedside table/bookshelf/whilst reading on the train! I urge you to try it.

Okay. I feel really bad about this because this review is unfair to the author. The Gifts by Liz Hyder – what I read of it – is really well written. The London setting is evocative, the characters are well written and the multi-perspective narrative is really good but the type of story and the way the story developed just wasn’t my cup of tea. I think other people will like it and I desperately did want to but I couldn’t get invested in the story. Sadly, it was a DNF for me. The Gifts by Liz Hyder is available now.

‘The Gifts’ by Liz Hyder is a superb literary historical novel that has at its heart a wondrous transformation. I found myself completely swept up in this fantastical tale right from its opening pages. However, its plot is rather difficult to summarise, so only a few details. October 1840 and a young woman is wandering in a Shropshire forest gripped with sadness over the death of her canine companion. Without warning a huge pair of wings erupt from her shoulders. She is confused but then is struck by a crossbow bolt! We then are transported to London eight days previously. Quite an opening! In London, there are rumours that the body of a 'fallen angel' was found in the Thames. An ambitious surgeon, desperate to make a name for himself, is gripped by a dangerous obsession. Desperate to find a live ‘specimen’ he is willing to do anything achieve his goal. ‘The Gifts’ is told through the perspectives of five characters, four women and one man, and moves quickly between them. Each of the five is assigned a symbol that appears as a small drawing at the start of their sections. In the audiobook edition the narrator helpfully states the character’s name with each change of perspective. Liz Hyder utilises her historical backdrop of the nineteenth century to great effect. The novel explores the shifting spheres of science and religion, the relationship between humanity and the natural world as well as role of women in the patriarchal society of the day. Although I loved this novel, I did find the narrative a bit fragmented due to the frequent point of view shifts. Yet after a while I became used to this rhythm of movement. The cover art was breathtaking and there are occasional illustrations scattered throughout. The print edition is rounded out with a bibliography, suggested questions for reading groups, and a note from the author on the inspirations for ‘The Gifts’. I fell in love with ‘The Gifts’ from the opening in the Shropshire woods through to its dramatic conclusion. I found Liz Hyder’s writing beautiful and loved the imagery of these mysterious transformations. Definitely one of my books of the year. Update: 29 September 2022 I recently revisited ‘The Gifts’ via its unabridged audiobook edition. It is narrated by Tuppence Middleton, a well known British actor with stage, film, and television credits. She has a beautiful, polished voice and her reading brought the novel’s characters, story, and setting vividly to life.