The Gift - Softcover

Ahern, Cecelia

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0061782092 ISBN 13: 9780061782091

Publisher: Harper Perennial, 2011

Synopsis

The Gift is a magical, fable-like Christmas story from Cecelia Ahern, the celebrated New York Times bestselling author of P.S. I Love You and Thanks for the Memories. The story of Lou Suffern, a successful executive frustrated by the fact that he spends more time in the office than with his doting wife and two young children, The Gift is "a tantalizing tale wrapped in a tale....[the] perfect treat for the holidays." (Sara Gruen)

About this title

Review:

So many new novels jostle for our attention that readers could be forgiven for lacking the patience to tackle most of them. But in the case of The Gift by Cecelia Ahern, they would be doing themselves a disservice by passing this one by. As in her highly involving debut novel, PS I Love You, Ahern demonstrates a sure and subtle understanding of the human condition and the pleasures and pains in relationships. Her theme in the new book is the way in which we conceal the truth about ourselves -- many people cover themselves in layers of deceit until somebody with the right motivation unwraps those layers and discovers the truth.

Lou Suffern is practised in the art of concealment. He is, also, always overstretched, trying to do too many things at once. His overburdened schedule gives him few moments of peace, even in his sleep. And when he spends time at home with his wife and family, he is always distracted, and, mentally, somewhere else. On a cold winter morning, Lou is on his way to work when he encounters Gabe, a homeless street dweller, sitting outside an office building. Lou is intrigued by him, and contrives to get him a job in the post room. But this act of charity rebounds on him, and Gabe’s presence begins to grate on Lou -- particularly when he discovers that the latter seems capable of being in two places at the same time. Christmas is drawing near, and before the season is over, Lou’s life will be irrevocably change by the casual act of kindness he has performed.

Apart from the sheer storytelling skill of The Gift, perhaps Cecelia Ahern’s most considerable achievement is the way in which she has taken a narrative which could easily have moved into rather twee territory, and very efficiently kept sentimentality at bay. That's not to say that the novel isn't deeply affecting, without ever trying to engage our emotions in a synthetic way, Ahern succeeds in involving us completely. In fact, the title could be said to be apposite -- it's a book that deserves to be a gift given by many people to the readers in their lives. --Barry Forshaw

Review:

"Light holiday fare with a lesson . . . [that] encourages readers to appreciate the important things. . . . Ahern has a way with character."--Kirkus Reviews

"A winning tale of magic and redemption. . . . Ahern's an accomplished storyteller, and her writing chops elevate this far above the normal holiday fare. There's magic, but it's not campy, and the sentiment is real."--Publishers Weekly

"[A] holiday treat . . . This clever twist on the guardian angel story will appeal to Ahern's fans and lovers of holiday fiction."--Library Journal

"A moving tale . . . The Gift weaves magical elements into modern-day setting, and will certainly appeal to readers looking for a touching supernatural tearjerker."--Booklist

"THE GIFT is a tantalizing tale wrapped in a tale that I devoured in one sitting. It's a perfect treat for the holidays."--Sara Gruen, author of Water for Elephants

"An updated version of Dickens's A Christmas Carol . . . with some surprising twists."--Boston Globe

"This modern-day Scrooge tale is a delightful read with plenty of fun twists and turns."--USA Today

"Charming . . . The Gift is like a warm sweater."--Associated Press

About this edition

• Publisher: Harper Perennial
• Publication date: 2011
• ISBN 10: 0061782092
• ISBN 13: 9780061782091
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 336