My thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for the DRC of “The Gifts”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book. This 19th century setting is one that combines both historical fiction with a touch of magical realism. The story is told from the perspective of these four women, a botanist, an artist, a storyteller and a would be journalist and also Edward Meake, a London surgeon whose aspirations for greater success to better that of his friend and rival, charismatic surgeon Samuel Covell, are overtaken by obsession, greed and ambition with his conviction that he alone has been chosen by a higher authority. Hyder, who also works as a PR consultant, says: “It’s the seventh book I’ve written, and the first to get published. I don’t feel any of the books before it are worth revisiting – the gap between the one before and Bearmouth is massive. I just thought, you know what? I’m never going to get published, so I’m just going to write absolutely what I want to write. I wrote it completely from the heart. I cried quite a lot when I wrote it. It was very intense.” Natalya: Cast out from her community, Natalya is making her way to her cousin in London, unaware of what lies in store for her. A rich, perfectly crafted and structured novel from the author of the brilliant Bearmouth (which is YA; this is general fiction).

They are intriguing, passionate, relatable characters despite the unusual aspects of their lives. But to say too much more would spoil the story! A stirring tale of female empowerment, full of vivid imagery and evocative settings... The Gifts' scope is impressive and sure to win Hyder new fans." ― The Observer (UK) Surprisingly for a historical fiction work, there are many strong female characters. The leading ladies are all shown realistically (limited by the men in their lives), yet they aren’t doormats. They create their own space, and can fight for themselves when the time comes. Sadly I was unable to finish this book. The harrowing and graphic torture and killing of the dog by the surgeon about 10% of the way into the book was way too much for me. It turned my stomach and made me very upset. I don't know what else is in the book but that requires a Content Warning. It is a thing I can't stand and something I avoid in books and movies. It makes me hugely distressed. I can't imagine what that level of distressing detail could possibly add to the story. You could easily show he was an evil man without the detail.Just brilliant. And I remain forever indebted to the women who fought for rights for women. These women are true heroes! Fierce and touching, this extremely compelling novel follows its female protagonists through 19th century London where a surgeon struggles with the dark lure of scientific ambition while his marriage crumbles, a journalist pursues the mystery of the angel fished from the Thames and two young women find themselves inexplicably transformed in the depths of despair. Beautiful and riveting." ―Jennifer Saint, author of Ariadne Remarkable...Hyder skillfully juggles the many threads, never slowing the momentum of her propulsive plot, and by blending realistic and fantastic elements, she perfectly captures the era's uneasy attempts to marry faith and science. This memorable outing has special appeal for fans of fantasy-inflected historicals such as Sarah Perry's The Essex Serpent." — Publishers Weekly (starred review) Alice: Edward’s wife and hobby painter, Alice knows Edward is up to something, but can’t get him to reveal more.

The Gifts is essentially a piece of brilliantly structured magical realism with 4 key themes: the power of greed, of love, of religion in the wrong hands and, most importantly, of women. Set primarily in 19th century London but with the addition of Shropshire and (very briefly) my home county of Essex, it uses the time to weave a new perspective around how much we allowed greed ridden men to rule over talented women.

Rich, feminist and utterly absorbing and entertaining. Hyder weaves a completely genius plot through 1840s London (with Shropshire and Orkney thrown in) and it's so well written and so absorbing and the pace so spot-on that it was exhilarating to listen to it. Hyder has absolutely nailed this story. Such brilliant characters, vivid settings, great dialogue. And a Macbeth-like antagonist, who is brilliant in his complexity and unbridled ambition. Glorious, gripping thematic gold.

I’m left with this thought that gets me right here *pounds fist into heart area* - is it really STILL so scandalous that a woman can have the audacity to grow a pair of powerful wings and set herself free? Edward: An ambitious surgeon, Edward is tired of being under the shadow of his best friend Samuel. When an opportunity possibly leading to fame and fortune comes his way, Edward knows he mustn’t let it go. Told in Newt’s distinctive voice – a fictional dialect drawing on regional vocabularies from around the UK – the book sees Hyder’s characters go to some very dark places. October 1840. A young woman staggers alone through a forest in Shropshire as a huge pair of impossible wings rip themselves from her shoulders’.

The Gifts

The story is narrated in short vignettes, alternating between the voices of the two women with wings, a feisty would-be female journalist, and the wife of the surgeon who sees an opportunity to achieve fame and fortune by exploiting the winged women, the ‘gifts’ of the title, sent to him by God. Hyder is a writer at the top of her craft, and this is only her second book (her first adult book). Liz, you are an actual genius. Please write a book of Natalya's stories –I loved that whole layer of the novel too. It’s one of those books that makes you resent the world for interrupting your reading time! It’s a book to take your time over and to savour. There’s a chemistry between two of the characters that was done so perfectly. I’m not one for ‘love’ in stories, but I was absolutely buzzing for these two, and their banter was hilarious at times. I was crying with laughter during numerous scenes.