Title: Gifted
Author: Karey White
Number of Pages: 224
I will begin by saying that I’ve never read any book like this before. I’m not one to normally go for LDS fiction, but that’s not because I have anything against the genre–more than anything, I just am very unfamiliar with it (and often I’ve found that unfamiliary breeds avoidance). But, when I found out that my former neighbor Karey White had published a book, I figured it was worth checking out.
Gifted is the story of Susan and Brent Weller, a couple who has been trying to adopt a baby for years with no luck. One day, after an infant is left an orphan after a car crash claims the lives of both her parents, Susan gets the call telling her that her and Brent would be the proud parents of little Anna, a unique child with unusual gifts. Although all parents think their children are gifted, Anna’s gifts start to become too apparent to ignore. As more and more time goes on, Susan starts to realize that although Anna’s gifts are innately good, they can have some devastating consequences.
I’ll admit, I had a hard time getting into this book at the beginning. The writing style was more simple than what I normally go for, and I had a hard time getting over how cheery the world of Susan and Brent seemed. (About the time that I realized this, I thought how disturbing it was that I kept expecting terrible things to happen to all the characters. Being an English major has ruined me.) However, when I started to get more deeply into the story, I found myself thinking less and less about the writing style quirks and more and more about the actual storyline (which is always a good sign). I was so absorbed at one point that I didn’t notice when my next appointment had shown up (I was in the middle of peer tutoring conferences), and he just stood there awkwardly in front of me, waiting for me to look up and pay attention to him.
By the end of the novel, I was thoroughly engrossed in the story and wondering what was going to happen next. And although the ending of the novel was devastating, it didn’t leave me with a bad taste in my mouth like some tragic endings do. I actually found myself really thinking about certain themes in the book long after I’d finished it, a practice I find myself engaging in less and less nowadays since many books are more entertainment-based than message-based. It was also a nice change to read a book that actually had a really good, positive, Christian message; I always appreciate a book that makes me want to be a better person, and this book did. If you’re looking for a quick read that has a powerful message, then this is the next book for you.
My Rating: 3.5 Stars
