geoffry's review against another edition
2.0
Een Cecelia Ahern boek is mijn manier om uit een reading slump te raken, maar deze keer heeft het weinig geholpen. Vlot geschreven, maar het verhaal en de moraliserende boodschap lieten me koud.
laurahadi's review against another edition
4.0
It had like boring parts but the end made it way better and its the first book to ever make me cry and i actually loved it there was a plot and alot of interesting stuff well written book i totally recommend ppl to read it
ronimac74's review against another edition
3.0
When I began the book, I really had no knowledge or expectations of what the story was going to be about. The story itself was ok and I did find that at times I was intrigued as to what was going to happen next. However, I wasn't a big fan of the main character and I felt that the other characters weren't really developed enough for me to fall in love with them. I'm not certain I like how the book ended, I wish there would have been a bit more closure and more to the story.
thereadingcat15's review against another edition
3.0
Here is the link to my full book review:
https://thecatwithabook.wordpress.com/2021/12/18/book-review-the-gift/
https://thecatwithabook.wordpress.com/2021/12/18/book-review-the-gift/
lizzyyyy08's review against another edition
I didn't like reading that much at the time and I got bored since it was slow and descriptive. If im ever in the mood for a Christmas romance id try picking this up again but I almost never read romance books.
snippie99's review against another edition
3.0
This was a lovely written story about appreciating the time we have with people and not taking anyone or anything for granted.
reytru1065's review against another edition
5.0
What a wonderful read for the holiday season. I cried my eyes out the last chapter!!
sophiefrancoiselucie's review against another edition
4.0
I love Cecelia Ahern. She just KNOWS how to give me all the feels. I usually read her books in a couple of days and close them with a big smile on my face, because life's so beautiful and full of surprises, you know. Well, let me tell you that The Gift is an exception to the rule. I actually read it quite quickly but I ended up with swollen eyes and a strong desire to spend the week to come in my bed, crying until my mum comes and sings me a sweet lullaby. Now, my mum's not here, I'm just alone with my tears and my dirty tissues scattered all over my bed. This is a wonderful book; of course the morality is not really subtle and you know what the main character needs to understand from the very beginning... but it's so beautifully done. And a small reminder from time to time can never do any harm, I reckon.
letty_and_books's review against another edition
2.0
As far as I'm concerned, form and content can't be considered independently from each other. That's why the poor writing style (IMHO), apart from getting on my nerves, also greatly diminished the quality (if any - oh, I'm so mean!) of the story. Above all, the ridiculously ubiquitous comparisons spoiled it for me. Case in point:
"her voice was as solid as faith in a nunnery"
"his face cleanly shaven, smooth as a baby's behind"
"his groomed hair with even speckles of grey throughout, as though someone had taken a salt canister to it and, along with grey, sprinkled charm at a ratio of 1:10"
"Lou looked on after him with hope on his face, like a dog awaiting his walkies"
"his head moving back and forth as though a tennis-match spectator"
"her hips swinging in the slinky red dress and looking like the dangly thing at the back of a throat"!! Really Cecelia?!
If there had been a drinking game based on the occurrences of similes, I'd have been sloshed by page 29!
Moreover, even though I like me a good old story-within-a-story, this narrative strategy just didn't work here as it was purely implausible and unrealistic.
And the heavy-handed moralizing conclusion was the cherry on top of an already stodgy cake
"her voice was as solid as faith in a nunnery"
"his face cleanly shaven, smooth as a baby's behind"
"his groomed hair with even speckles of grey throughout, as though someone had taken a salt canister to it and, along with grey, sprinkled charm at a ratio of 1:10"
"Lou looked on after him with hope on his face, like a dog awaiting his walkies"
"his head moving back and forth as though a tennis-match spectator"
"her hips swinging in the slinky red dress and looking like the dangly thing at the back of a throat"!! Really Cecelia?!
If there had been a drinking game based on the occurrences of similes, I'd have been sloshed by page 29!
Moreover, even though I like me a good old story-within-a-story, this narrative strategy just didn't work here as it was purely implausible and unrealistic.
And the heavy-handed moralizing conclusion was the cherry on top of an already stodgy cake
gabrieljingco's review against another edition
4.0
I know that Cecelia Ahern is a pretty popular author but what made me interested in her works is that her brother in-law is Westlife's Nicky Bryne! The book's message that love cannot only be spelled as L-O-V-E but it can also be spelled as T-I-M-E. This is because we wont bother giving them our time if we don't love them. Time is precious and unlike money it cannot be taken back so, let us all use it to create wonderful memories that would definitely last a lifetime.