Book of the Week(end): The Girl with All the Gifts
I just finished reading one of the creepiest fiction titles I've read in a while. If you're not BBQing, off to the cottage or doing otherwise summery things, I suggest you get your hands on this as fast as you can.
The Girl with All the Gifts by M.R. Carey
Melanie isn't like most other little girls. She's extremely bright and unusually kind, but she's also strapped into a high-security wheelchair each morning and locked into a special classroom. The scowling Sargeant and the lovely Miss Justineau are a few of the handful of adults she sees as her days go by. Why is the Sargeant pointing a gun at her as he wheels her out of her room? And why is Miss J's smile so beautiful, yet so sad?
When her carefully scheduled life is interrupted one day by a sudden, vicious turn of events, Melanie slowly becomes aware of who- and what - she truly is.
I imagined Melanie to be some sort of superhero, alien or exceptional genius, but she's all these things and more. At just over 450 pages long, there are no wasted words in this book. Every scene and every interaction is necessary, gripping and memorable. I was completely sucked into how dark and twisted this novel could get. Saying any more could really spoil it for you, so I'll just say that if you like speculative, creepy fiction, this is definitely a title to add to your reading list this summer.
Itching for a copy yet? Place a hold on The Girl with All the Gifts!
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