The Peithosian Gift

This book was really interesting and kept me glued to the pages.  I loved the characters and I will be keeping this author on my list for future reads.

I had to wait for a bit and ponder what I was going to write in this review. Why?  Because there were a lot going on and this is an unusual story.



First of all, the story (yes, I know it's a fantasy) totally reminded me of several of William Shakespeare plays such as Romeo and Juliet, and any other play which consists of warring families, betrayals, forbidden love and etc.



This novel isn't for a quick read.  It's divided into 5 parts. First part starts several centuries before the presents.  Basically described the start of chain of motons into the presents.  There are a lot of characters involved but as time goes in the book, you'll get the hang of it.



There will be some areas where it can confuse you. 



Basically it involves two families (they share the same common ancestor) who are constantly at war with each other unbeknownst to both sides that there is another branch to the lineage who are hiding from both sides until a fate forced them to reveal themselves. The way they treatneach other is so brutal and shocking for human beings. Why so many years of war between the families?  Because the ability to read, will, and bend the minds which can be very dangerous to the brains. Too much of it can kill the person unintentionally and intentionally. 



The ending was okay.  It was just too abrupt for my taste.



It will make you think.  I had to ponder on this book for a day before I could write anything about it.



I'd give it a 3 3/4 stars.



I received this unusual ARC from Rowanvale Books through Net Galley in an exchange for my honest review.

The Peithosian Gift is a speculative fiction novel about two warring clans with the power to control the minds of others.  

Since ancient times, the Morgans and the Kanes have violently disputed the right to use their gift. The present-day Morgans are outnumbered and persecuted by the Kanes for using their gift; most are in hiding, while others avenge the slaughter of their kin. The Kanes hunt and assassinate Morgans to prevent a mind-controlled world. While one clan seeks a ‘saviour’ to restore the imbalance, the other fears the birth of a too-gifted child.  

Radha, born of a third, lost clan, has superior powers that she is scarcely able to control. Events lead to a clash of clan leaders and key players, forcing Radha on the run with both sides hunting her.

Where do I start?  First of all I absolutely loved the premise of The Peithosian Gift, I found the idea of people around you in life being able to compel your thoughts and actions without your knowledge or even a hint of what was going on, both a terrifying and a thrilling concept - Think Vampire Diaries scale compulsion without the need for eye contact !

In The Peithosian Gift, the author introduces us to two similar but very different warring clans, the Kane's and the Morgan's. Both clans are descended from a shared ancestor who gifted them with the ability of telepathy and compulsion to manipulate and shape the world around them. However one clan, the Kane's forbid this practice believing it to go against the natural order of things, while the other, the Morgan's embrace it and actively use the gift bestowed upon them by their ancestor. Believing it to be their responsibility to nurture their power. This causes a blood war to ensue and while the clans are so focused on warring with each other neither notice they share a common enemy- the child of a forgotten clan, more powerful than any who have come before. A child who threatens the very existence of the world and those who inhabit it. Now the question becomes - how can this danger be faced, let alone controlled?

I loved the compelling characters the author created and I loved how each character must face their own struggle with regard to their gift or curse depending on who the story is focusing on. I thoroughly enjoyed the politics of it all and the historical elements of the tale but i did find it a little jumpy at times,. Making this a slightly slower read as one really needs time to absorb what is going on and to bridge the connections in the plot otherwise some might find it slightly confusing. I personally loved the idea of meeting all the new characters and wondering what was going to happen next instead of figuring out what was going to happen in advance of the story unfolding.

I did find the numerous protagonists, slightly difficult to keep up with at times but I ultimately loved their development and how the author fleshed them out and the culmination of their stories in the present day. While I won't give away the story, I will leave you wondering whether the turmoil faced by the clans will be their undoing or their redemption? Will this new power destroy all? Can ancient feuds be mended in time to persevere and survive a power that threatens humanity and that may bring about an end to the world as it is known? If you would like to find out I would really recommend visiting your local book shop or library to pick up a copy of this book and find out.


I received this unusual ARC from Rowanvale Books through Net Galley in an exchange for my honest review.

This novel took me quite some time to get through - it's definitely not a quick read. It's not your average story and there are a lot of things at play.

I found it hard to follow -  not because it's 5 parts, but because it starts several centuries before the present and the way the timeline was presented confused me.  

I liked the story line and the Celtic theme. I was actually hoping it stayed in the timeline of the first part hundreds of years earlier. 

I kept coming back to it, and I'm not the kind of person who sticks with a book they aren't interested in. Looking forward to the sequel.

I received this through Net Galley in an exchange for my honest review.

I received an ARC of this from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. 

It took me a day to really digest this book. There was a lot that happened over the span of hundreds of years, a complex cast of characters, and an interesting plot. What stayed with me was the fact that because of one mans decision to resort to violent ends, the reason behind which wasn’t really explained very well, he triggered the genocide of an entire line of his own family. And for what really? To prevent something that was foretold to happen anyways. The whole Morgan /Kane thing irritated me a bit, but I get it. Without it, you have no story. 
The timelines and characters in this novel jumped around a bit too much for me. I had a hard time keeping track of people and places. 
That all being said, I wasn’t really sold until the last 60 pages. That’s when everything started coming together and finally made some sense. I’m very curious to see where the author goes from here. The ending was satisfying and left the door wide open for another book. I’ll definitely be reading it. 
Overall I would have actual given the book a 3.5 rating. It starts off complicated and a bit slow but stick with it.