A rich, perfectly crafted and structured novel from the author of the brilliant Bearmouth (which is YA; this is general fiction). 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)

Set in 1840, The Gifts opens with a young woman in agony, staggering alone through a forest in Shropshire as a huge pair of wings rip from her shoulders. Meanwhile, when rumours of a 'fallen angel' cause a frenzy across London, a surgeon desperate for fame and fortune finds himself in the grips of a dangerous obsession, one that will place the women he seeks in the most terrible danger... My thanks to Bonnier Books U.K. Manilla Press for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘The Gifts’ by Liz Hyder in exchange for an honest review. This is a novel based on a slightly bizarre concept - in the mid-nineteenth century, a number of women grow wings. In an age of scientific discovery also still heavily influenced by religious beliefs, this piques the interest of doctors and captures the public imagination. 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. I was already struggling with the writing and the fact that we often switch viewpoint or who is being written about in the midst of a paragraph. So you start the paragraph with Annie and then suddenly you are reading about Etta and you are like, wait, who the hell is Etta and how did she suddenly appear? This happens a LOT and I found it really irritating.In an age defined by men, it will take something extraordinary to show four women who they truly are…. 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.

The chapters were short and snappy. This is how I like my books. I feel like I’m not quite ready to move onto another book yet because The Gifts is still under my skin, like the bursting wings of those ‘chosen’ women. All in all, I enjoyed this unusual historical fantasy. If you like character-oriented novels, don’t mind (or can skip over) triggering scenes, and have no problem with multiple perspectives or magical realism, do give this a try. As the long list of ‘ifs’ indicates, this isn’t a book for everyone.Brimming with historical detail and beautifully written, the soulful prose soars. It's an insightful mysterious read celebrating female friendship and solidarity." — Daily Express (UK) 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. I one hundred per cent ‘got’ the story that Liz set out to tell. It’s historical fiction, yes, with magical elements, but it’s also SO MUCH MORE.