Content levels
Trigger warnings
Positive tags
Protagonist archetypes
Synopsis
A story within a story, The Gift is a story of innocence betrayed and magic rejected. Tim is robbed of his childhood, and Simon is tormented by hearing made too acute. Both are victims of The Usher of the Night, once a boy like them, now pathetically twisted by his own ambition and by Tomen, a malevolent creature of magic. Together Simon and Tim must rid their land of the magic that has been misused by Tomen and The Usher.
Tags
Is The Gift appropriate for my child?
Suitable for most readers 14 and up.
A dark science fantasy about childhood trauma and magical abuse. Contains disturbing themes of innocence betrayed, childhood robbery, physical torment (acute hearing torture), and a villain twisted by ambition. The tone is dark and psychologically intense.
What to know going in
This book has moderate violence, no sexual content, and mild language. Content notes include child abuse, torture, and manipulation (see the full list above).
Who'll love this
Teens who like dark fantasy with magical systems gone wrong and heroes overcoming twisted villains will find this compelling.