![]() He is helping the police find out what happened to the Bishop of Oxford. Gifted is about fifteen year old Frank Sampson who is a forensic sorcerer which is a magician who helps the detectives solve crimes. Gifted is an intense and compelling read with a deliciously unexpected plot twist, and the book is worth reading for the Percy Jackson level of sass in Frank, who kept me laughing page after page. There is depth to be had in these characters. You want to understand Frank and his motives, Marvo and her thoughts. When is this book set?! However it is very clear that Hounam is a gifted (pun 100% intended) novelist who has a vivid imagination and his books have potential to swell cults the size of the Mortal Instruments fandom. Another thing that added to my confusion was the timing. It was't until halfway through I really knew what a "nekker" was! The main feeling I had when reading this book was confusion I felt I wasn't really able to keep track of the characters or plot, which is expected when reading a 'who dunnit' but not in this capacity. I wish the author had pulled the reader in a little more slowly, not just introducing us to "tatties" and such without much background information. However the descriptive scenes are rich and powerful, so you might not understand the significance of the setting, but you can sure imagine it. I found myself many times having to reread pages because I had no idea where the characters were, or why they were there. It realistically represents the mind frame of a teenager, making the book relatable to its young adult audience, but often makes it difficult to make sense of settings and plot. The confused narrative of the main character, Frank Sampson, is a blessing and a curse. Hounam has developed this world intricately and thoroughly, introducing the reader to "nekkers" and "tatties" and "Ghosts", to name a few. This book has little elements of everything mystery, humour, heavy topics, with a dash of sorcery. A diverse story suitable for lovers of Cassandra Clare's The Mortal Instruments and screen adaptations of Sherlock Holmes. Gifted pulls you in right from the start. You may be interested in trying A Dangerous Magic by Donald Hounam if you like Cassandra Clare's Shadowhunter Chonicles. There's so much further the novel could go and so much more that the author could explore. Overall, this novel has several good things going for it, but it didn't live up to my expectations. Partly that may be because the story jumps around so much, possibly in response to the type of kid Frank actually is. I didn't really care very much about anyone at all let alone our leading fifteen year old. While I liked being thrown right into the world of the characters, and some of the background, I had a difficult time connecting to the characters. ![]() In the end, though, I have it admit, it was quite underwhelming in comparison to what I was hoping for. When I discovered this novel on NetGalley, I thought it sounded so promising - just the kind of urban fantasy I needed in my life. If Frank wants to solve the mystery behind the murder, he's going to have to do some very dangerous magic. He's pulled into a murder investigation when a bishop gets beheaded. I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.įrank is a forensic sorcerer with powerful gifts.
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