✨ Messy, Addictive, and Complicated in All the Best Ways ✨

I didn’t know what to expect going into Gifted and Talented by Olivie Blake, but I can definitely say it delivered on all the dark, complicated family drama I was hoping for.

The Wren siblings, Meredith, Arthur, and Eilidh, are a disaster, and I mean that in the most fascinating way possible. Meredith is ruthless and ambitious as the CEO of her own magitech company, Birdsong. Arthur is charming but so desperate to be loved that it’s painful to read. And Eilidh who was struggling to piece herself back together after losing everything she thought defined her.

What really sold me on this book was the way Blake writes these messy, painfully human characters. Meredith’s need for control, Arthur’s constant validation-seeking, Eilidh’s grief and frustration, it’s all so raw and complicated. The family dynamics feel tangled and real, with everyone vying for their own version of success while dealing with the shadow of their father’s death.

Blake’s writing is definitely an acquired taste, it’s poetic, overly detailed, and sometimes a little too heavy. But there’s something addictive about the way she builds her characters and their broken relationships. It’s like reading about a beautiful train wreck you just can’t look away from.

The pacing did drag at times, especially for a book that only spans a few days. But even when I got frustrated, I couldn’t stop reading. Blake’s characters are the kind you hate to love but still want to know everything about.

If you’re into messy, character-driven stories with flawed but fascinating siblings fighting over inheritance and legacies, Gifted and Talented is definitely worth a read. Just be ready for the pretentiousness, because it’s there and it’s thick.

A huge thanks to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for letting me read this captivating and complicated story early.

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✨ Why you NEED to read this book ASAP:

✨WHAT I LIKED:
📌 Meredith’s ambition and how unapologetically cutthroat she is.
📌 Arthur’s desperate need for love and validation.
📌 Eilidh’s struggle to rebuild herself after her dreams are shattered.
📌 The subtle magic woven into the characters’ personalities.
📌 That snarky, omniscient narrator dropping truth bombs along the way.

✨TROPES:
📌 Dysfunctional family dynamics
📌 Power struggles and inheritance drama
📌 Morally gray characters
📌 Tragic backstories and healing from trauma
📌 Found family vibes
📌 Ambition vs. legacy
📌 Messy relationships and complicated love
📌 A moderate amount of spice

Thank you Tor for this ARC.

I keep seeing people saying if you liked the show Succession then you will like this book. I haven’t watched Succession but after reading Gifted and Talented, I think I will.

The three main sibling characters are a beautiful mess. So unlikable but in the most entertaining ways. But my favorite character was the fourth wall breaking narrator, God. The snarky and sarcastic comments on the lives of the Wren family honestly kept me even more invested.

If you aren’t a fan of dry and sarcastic humor along with dark social themes of a modern society that happens to have a touch of magic, then this book may not be for you. The magic/sci-fantasy elements were entwined really nicely into the narrative without taking away from the dysfunction of the characters.

This book did take me a bit to get through because there was quite a bit of information to take in at once. But at the end of the book it was pretty worth it.

𝟰.𝟱 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘀

”but hey, a bad dad is a bad dad.”

from as long as i can remember, words have always flowed effortlessly whenever i tried to write a review. but 𝘎𝘪𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘛𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 has proven to be my most challenging yet; perhaps because of the characters’ complexity, the plot’s layered diversity, or the tangled, conflicting relationships that unfold within its pages.

at its core, this is a story about three siblings, bound by blood yet fractured in ways only family can be. 𝐌𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐡, who built an empire on a fraudulent app, her success now threatened by an ex-boyfriend journalist poised to expose her. 𝐀𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐮𝐫, the eldest, a married politician navigating a polyamorous relationship while still tethered, irrevocably, to his wife. and the youngest, their father’s golden child—𝐄𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐝𝐭𝐡—a former ballerina whose dreams were shattered by an accident that forced her into the rigid embrace of corporate life, right beside their patriarch.

their father’s death is the catalyst, the moment that sets everything into motion, yet the story is less about 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘴 and more about how they dissolve. told through shifting perspectives and an arsenal of writing styles, this novel is a masterclass in narrative craftsmanship. Olivie Blake’s penmanship is anything but orthodox; it demands attention, forces you to linger on every syllable, every carefully chosen word.

but beyond its literary prowess, this is a book driven by characters. or more accurately, 𝘥𝘢𝘥𝘥𝘺 𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘶𝘦𝘴. the brilliance of it lies in how it captures the subtle yet seismic ways siblings can grow up under the same roof, share the same parents, and yet; experience entirely different versions of the people who raised them.

Blake caricatures this phenomenon with precision, braiding in threads of magical realism and just the right soupçon of family drama. it’s messy, it’s intricate, it’s painfully human. and maybe that’s why it’s so difficult to review; because how do you encapsulate a book that isn’t just a story, but an examination of the bonds that define and destroy us in equal measure?

thanks for the eARc !

Gifted & Talented by Olivie Blake is a book that should not have worked, but it absolutely does. We have three thoroughly unlikeable adult children of a billion business entrepreneur, Thayer Wren. First born, Meredith, a genius who founded her own company, Birdsong, with a product, Chirp, that will make you happy. Meredith likes to remind people that she is a prodigy, a genius, and it is definitely in her wheelhouse to do what ever it takes to win. Arthur, the middle child, and only boy, is the second youngest Congressman ever elected to the House. His wife Gillian is lovely, but he is very busy with his extracurricular activities in a thruple that has nothing to do with Gillian. He will tax every last bit of your patience because he feels unloved and misunderstood by everyone. Finally we have the youngest Wren daughter. A prima ballerina with a bright future ahead of her, until a car accident prevents her from ever dancing professionally again. She is very busy feeling sorry for herself and working in marketing at her father's company. Thayer unexpectedly dies and the kids gather to hear the will - they all want to know who their father loved best. Multiple narrators including an omniscient narrator, god. So many reasons this should not have worked, and yet, it does. Such a good read. I give this book 4.75 stars and need to thank Net Galley and Tor Publishing Group for my advance reader copy.

You all know Olivie Blake is an auto-buy author for me, but this one needs to be on everyone’s list.

In Gifted & Talented, we follow three deeply-flawed siblings in the wake of their father’s unexpected death. Their relationships are already tenuous, but when it becomes clear that the inheritance of their father’s tech dynasty is now up for grabs, things really begin to fall apart at the seams.

Oh, and to complicate matters further, each sibling possesses a magical mallody that seems to rear its head at the least opportune time.

G&T was less about the plot and more about deep character studies. Normally that’s not my vibe, but I was absolutely obsessed with these characters and all their messy, emotional wreckage. The side characters were particularly enjoyable (Yves you lovable buffoon you), and each romantic relationship was more heartbreaking than the next.

What really drew me in was Olivie’s stinging social commentary and her omnipotent, God-like narrator (“A Brief Note From God” had me dying). Olivie got mad within this one. The sassy, sarcastic mad that you don’t fully realize until after it’s hit you. Some might call the prose flowery or purple, but you can give me all the paragraph-long sentences as long as they leave me with a gut-punch and a blown-mind.

If you’re a fan of Olivie, this is a must-read. If you’re new to her work, I think this is a good one to try first!

Olivie Blake once again crafts a fascinating character study and intriguing family drama in her latest novel Gifted & Talented. This is definitely a character driven story more so than anything else, there's not too much plot but the vibes are definitely strong! Filled with her signature wit, dry sense of humor, spot on political and societal commentary, this is another hit from Blake.

If you love character driven stories then this is definitely for you. The book lets you know from the very first line that you will not like these characters. So at least you're prepped for it! But as you continue the read, there is a type of 'enemies to lovers' situation going on between you and the characters. Olivie Blake always finds ways to have unique perspectives and writes her stories in an unconventional manner that can be chaotic yet refreshing. This book finds ways to make you feel fully and completely. You may be disoriented (like these characters for the majority of the book lol) and I think that's the point. Life is chaotic, disorienting, and confusing but it is also forgiving, lovely, and passionate.

pub day review: gifted & talented by olivie blake

this book will make you cry :)

the wren siblings are struggling. meredith’s entire career is a lie. arthur’s life is messy (he has a wife, a boyfriend, & a potentially pregnant girlfriend). eilidh has no purpose & she’s spent the last few years working for her father who is now dead. thus begins olivie blake’s latest novel, filled with flawed characters, complex family dynamics, and hilarious side plots. she does what she does best by making all these unlikeable players become so lovable. without giving too much away, let’s get into it.

GIFTED & TALENTED is a character study told across multiple povs, & it takes place over the course of a few days, which gives us lots of time to simmer in all of our protagonists’ consciousness. last month, i got to attend a signing & told olivie that i had a feeling that this book will break me. & i was right to assume so. as an only/oldest daughter, meredith’s ambition & endless search for validation resonated deep within my soul. my insecurities were laid out on the page like an exposed wound, & i was both so uncomfortable yet comforted about being so transparent. meanwhile, arthur’s relationships posed so many questions about marriage & love, which felt apt for me (having just got married six months ago). eilidh may be the most “likable” of the three wren siblings, which isn’t saying much tbh, because of her own longing for belonging, even if she isn’t doing much to fight for herself.

overall, i think this is some of olivie’s best work. it doesn’t take much for her to craft a story that sticks with you, with little nuggets of wisdom hidden beneath her clever sense of humor. while i know this one won’t be for everyone, it definitely worked for me in this season of life so thanks again olivie. i knew this one would break me.

GIFTED & TALENTED is out today.

I will always be in awe on how Olivie writes her characters. How they’re so witty and just fun to follow and read about. What I love most is how the characters are troubled, victims of their own circumstances. It truly is gifted child to clinically depressed pipeline. One I could completely relate to. It’s a book about family, self worth, navigating ambition and the dysfunction it entails.
I could not put this down, I love Olivie and I love this book and thank you for the arc!

I'm not sure how Olivie Blake managed to take everything I constantly say I don't care for (slow-paced, character-driven, unanswered questions), shove it all into one book, wrap it in her equally beautiful and funny prose, and make me love it, but here we are.

The Wren siblings, Meredith, Arthur, and Eilidh, are brought together by their father's sudden passing. Keeping the peace between them is difficult enough without the added tension of waiting to see who will inherit Wrenfare Magitech, the billionaire's actual favorite child. Throw in the fact that Meredith is being investigated for fraud, Arthur is losing his re-election campaign, and Eilidh has a penchant for causing small apocalypses, and they'll be lucky to last long enough for the lawyers to decide which will is Thayer's actual final testament.

I was hooked from the very first sentence- and can now attest to the fact that Meredith Wren is indeed an asshole. The ridiculous sibling antics were enough to keep me reading, but with God's added snarky narration, I was audibly laughing throughout the entire book. I don't understand how I can hate a cast of characters so much and still root for them endlessly. They are entitled, privileged, whiny, and varying degrees of bad people, and yet there was also something so humanly relatable about being a burnt-out, previously-labeled-gifted child turned depressed adult that made them almost endearing to me (Meredith especially, damn her). I genuinely wanted each of them to find their version of happiness. Which is what I think this book is really asking- what does it mean to be happy, and how do we get there? I loved watching their journey through grief, and I don't think I could ask for anything more from a family drama.

This story perfectly suits Blake's writing style. If you've read any of her previous novels and didn't enjoy the writing, then this one may not be for you as it's much of the same. But if you, like me, know that you love her prose and the way she structures her narratives in a not-so-linear fashion, then I cannot recommend enough that you pick up a copy of this immediately. There's something special in this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, TOR Books, for the opportunity to read and review this eARC.

Olivie Blake is an exceptional writer and I never know what to expect from her book to book. In Gifted and Talented, she has served up some major family drama, The three Wren siblings have complicated relationships and like most people are sorting through the damage of their childhood. But in the Wrens' case, there is the extra layer of magic, competition and expectations within the family company, and so much more. Clever and sharp, as always, Olivie Blake has written a tome that will have you sat for its duration, always wanting more.

thanks to Tor for the e-ARC

I’m pretty stingy with the full five stars, but I think this book deserves it, even despite being long enough I read it in multiple sittings. I’m someone who has believed in Olivie Blake’s skill and potential even as I’ve had issues with most of her books, and it’s in this book that I think her unique talents get to shine: flawed characters that you still get invested in, witty narrative voice, and experimental writing style.

I spent every page of this book alternating between loathing and mourning for these characters. they’re all certainly obnoxious, but they’re also determinedly human in a way where it’s hard not to empathize with how miserable they are. the text plays with this- reminding you that they suck when they’re seeming to sympathetic, and giving you a human moment when they’re seeming seem villainous.

the narration and writing style are experimental in a way that paid off for me. sarcastic and conversational omniscient-ish third person is incredibly fun, and helped maintain some continuity across different character focuses. the periodic short chapters or format changes also helped me maintain interest during a longer book.

I really think this sort of standalone with a grounded plot but wacky world is the perfect sandbox for Olivie Blake’s writing, and I’m thoroughly satisfied by this read.

The Gifted and Talented is a sharp, and often cynical exploration of sibling dynamics, ambition, and the burdens of expectation - especially throughout childhood. The quirky writing style had me giggling, and honestly at time, clueless as to what was going to happen next. Throughout most of the book, I found myself unable to root for most (though not all) of the main characters. But… maybe that was the point? These characters, while horrible (imo) truly felt...well, real.

Despite these 3 siblings all experiencing the same childhood trauma - unrealistic expectations and lack of love from their father, instead of joining together to support one another, they choose to only assume the worst. Yet, despite their deep-seated resentment and rivalry, they find some common ground - their shared greed and the unattainable expectations their father instilled in them from childhood. Each sibling wants nothing more than to be happy, but none of them are emotionally equipped for love or capable of recognizing the good in anything long enough to achieve it. Their desires to be the best, the smartest, or even the easiest to love manifest in different magical abilities, that in my opinion reflect their individual struggles.

Overall, this book was quirky, unique, and frustrating at times. While I had fun reading it, I can say that it won’t be for everyone. It’s the kind of book that will leave some readers mesmerized and others frustrated, but either way, it’s a testament to Olivie Blake’s ability to craft something that lives in your thoughts long after the final page.

Miss Blake never misses, I fear.

Gifted and Talented explores themes of redemption, power, and family within a magical fantasy world. The sibling's relationship from the beginning to the end of the book was very interesting to me.

This was absolute chaos, the characters were messy. I love a character driven book, and this delivered. Miss Blake has a talent for writing so many different characters you can dislike lol. The siblings are hard to like until the very end, which is a charm in itself of Blake's writing.

I was on the edge of my seat. Thank you, Tor Publishing, for the arc.

Thank you @torbooks & @macmillan.audio for the free book & ALC. ♡

*ೃ༄*ੈ✩‧₊˚ This book did make me happy.

This may be the most bizarre of my write-ups to-date.

Weirdly this book has almost all the characteristics of books that I usually despise: vibes > plot, slow plot progression, a whole lot of daddy issues, long & drawn out character studies, a magic system that is woefully under explained and follows no logic, and some of the most unlikeable, entitled characters I’ve seen in a while. However somehow, it just worked and was utterly devastating and flawlessly executed.

I blame the beautiful prose, the deeper subtexts, the witty banter, and the narrator “God” who provides a third person running commentary throughout the book. The main characters all suffer from various forms of brilliant idiocy, selfishness, lack of self-awareness, stupid amounts of money, and a lack of understanding what love looks like.

We get a character study of the 3 poor-little-rich-kids — completely dysfunctional Wren siblings: Meredith - a mind bender, Arthur - a walking electrical hazard, and Eilidh - the bringer of the apocalypse.

Thayer Wren is arguably a terrible father, husband, and businessman, who in death solely determines who the Wrenfare empire goes to. Fair warning: it will take 80% of the book for his will to be read.

Other thoughts:
❥ Somehow the book is also deeply romantic. A love story.
❥ At almost 500 pages, this was objectively longer than it needed to be, but somehow I didn’t mind.
❥ This book has a dozen-ish beautiful full page illustrations throughout the book, as well as mixed media format.

‧₊˚🎧⊹ I don’t think I’ve listened to any other books narrated by Eunice Wong, but she was *spectacular*! I highly recommend this on audio if you have the chance.

The first half of this book was five stars and the second half was two stars. It started out so whip smart and the writing throughout is excellent. But I feel like the story really fell off in the last part of the book and it became tedious. I read the ebook and listened to audio. I definitely recommend listening to the audiobook because the narrator is excellent!

Almost immediately, this book was giving me Umbrella Academy vibes. And I freaking loved that show. Siblings with extraordinary abilities who are honestly deeply flawed and unlikable, yet Olivie Blake had me zoned in watching the turmoil unfold.

This is definitely a character driven story so keep that in mind. At times, I wish the pacing moved a bit faster, but the sarcasm and dry humor kept me going.

Thank you to Tor for the early copy!

Olivie Blake is an author that is so hit or miss for me, and as excited as I was for Gifted & Talented, it was a miss. I just struggled so much in the beginning and never really got invested with the characters.

***Thank you to Tor Books for providing an advanced copy of the book via NetGalley. My review contains my honest thoughts about my reading experience.***

I’m not quite sure what to say about Gifted & Talented. Obviously, I enjoyed it. It is an Olivie Blake book after all. Do I think everyone will love it? No. It was very character-focused with a meandering, almost non-existent, plot. However, none of that changes that the story was absolutely brilliant.

The character work in Gifted & Talented was nothing short of spectacular. Blake has a real knack for writing messy characters and making unlikeable characters relatable. These people had PROBLEMS, and I loved every second of sinking deeper into their troubled psyches. They were pretentious, self-absorbed, and completely caught up in the expectations of greatness that surrounded them. Those lofty expectations were a major ingredient in their dysfunction, in addition to their tumultuous family dynamic and past traumas. The journey of their internal selves was surprisingly cathartic for me as someone once classified as gifted who has dealt with the overwhelming fear of failure that often accompanies that label into adulthood.

The writing in Gifted & Talented completely sucked me into the narrative. It felt smart and witty and held no punches in its commentary and dialogue. I loved the stream of consciousness feeling to it and the unique structural choices used to tell the story. Blake utilized her craft to really dig into a vast variety of timely topics. Some that come to mind include motherhood, the evils of capitalism, the nature of politics, and what it means to be ‘happy,’ among many others. There was no shortage of profound philosophizing and thought-provoking content weaved seamlessly into the character work.

I don’t want to say too much more because I think Gifted & Talented is best experienced with as little foreknowledge as possible. However, I do want to point out the one thing that felt a bit like a weakness to me. The book is classified as a fantasy, but there weren’t many fantastical elements to the story. Furthermore, the ones that existed weren’t explained very well. For example, I never really got a clear understanding of technomancy. Was it really magical? Was it just another way of describing modern telecommunications? I honestly don’t know. I would have loved to get a better idea of how the magic of this world worked.

Overall, Gifted & Talented was exactly what I’d expect from an Olivie Blake book. The characters were all messy and complex. The writing provided a deep probe into their internal worlds and highlighted the subtle personal growth experienced over the course of the novel’s events. If you are looking for a great character-focused story with lots of family dysfunction and timely commentary, then you’ll probably enjoy this one as long as you don’t mind a slow plot and vague fantasy elements. Therefore, I rate this book 4.5 out of 5 stars.

4.5 stars, rounded up. Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

TL;DR: This book started out weird and I was super lost but decided to stick with it because the premise itself seemed interesting, and I'm glad I did. While it does get pretentious at parts, the characters were great. And if you've read my other reviews, you know my affection for character-driven novels.... Especially when the characters are remarkably complicated and morally grey.

So. The plot of this is weird and yet somehow predictable. The three main characters are dealing with the sudden death of their father. While there's a slight mysterious element to this, and some fantasy tie-in with subtly referred to magic, basically that's the story. I would hesitate to call this a mystery or fantasy. It's a contemporary fiction story with literary overtures. And honestly, big parts of the "plot" were predictable.

But the characters sell the story and kept me engaged. Meredith and Arthur were fascinating. Their younger sister, Eilidh, was more likable although less interesting in my opinion. The narration is hilarious and heartfelt in weird ways. I was laughing at certain parts, and other parts I highlighted and was intrigued by and felt were brilliantly stated.

There are some twists in this. And if you need to like the characters in order to read a full book about them, this is not the best choice for you. Truly all three Wren siblings have aspects of them that make them remarkably unlikable. But they also have aspects that make them wildly interesting to read about. Parts of the storytelling and narration felt a little over the top and unnecessarily erudite, but it worked for me. If you're looking for something funny and thematically relevant, with lovely prose and unique characters, this is a great pick! It's not really a fantasy, though, and if you're wanting to root for the heroes, skip this one.