Product Description

Step into the magical world of Cecelia Ahern in this heartwarming bestseller! If you could wish for one gift this Christmas, what would it be? Everyday Lou Suffern battled with the clock. He always had two places to be at the same time. He always had two things to do at once. When asleep he dreamed. In between dreams, he ran through the events of the day while making plans for the next. When at home with his wife and family, his mind was always someplace else. On his way into work one early winter morning, Lou meets Gabe, a homeless man sitting outside the office building. Intrigued by him and on discovering that he could also be very useful to have around, Lou gets Gabe a job in the post room. But soon Lou begins to regret helping Gabe. His very presence unsettles Lou and how does Gabe appear to be in two places at the same time? As Christmas draws closer, Lou starts to understand the value of time. He sees what is truly important in life yet at the same time he learns the harshest lesson of all. This is a story about people who not unlike parcels, hide secrets.They cover themselves in layers until the right person unwraps them and discovers what's inside. Sometimes you have to be unravelled in order to find out who you really are. For Lou Suffern, that took time.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #167 in Books
• Published on: 2009-10-01
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 320 pages

Amazon.co.uk Review
So many new novels jostle for our attention that readers could be forgiven for lacking the patience to tackle most of them. But in the case of The Gift by Cecelia Ahern, they would be doing themselves a disservice by passing this one by. As in her highly involving debut novel, PS I Love You, Ahern demonstrates a sure and subtle understanding of the human condition and the pleasures and pains in relationships. Her theme in the new book is the way in which we conceal the truth about ourselves -- many people cover themselves in layers of deceit until somebody with the right motivation unwraps those layers and discovers the truth.

Lou Suffern is practised in the art of concealment. He is, also, always overstretched, trying to do too many things at once. His overburdened schedule gives him few moments of peace, even in his sleep. And when he spends time at home with his wife and family, he is always distracted, and, mentally, somewhere else. On a cold winter morning, Lou is on his way to work when he encounters Gabe, a homeless street dweller, sitting outside an office building. Lou is intrigued by him, and contrives to get him a job in the post room. But this act of charity rebounds on him, and Gabe’s presence begins to grate on Lou -- particularly when he discovers that the latter seems capable of being in two places at the same time. Christmas is drawing near, and before the season is over, Lou’s life will be irrevocably change by the casual act of kindness he has performed.

Apart from the sheer storytelling skill of The Gift, perhaps Cecelia Ahern’s most considerable achievement is the way in which she has taken a narrative which could easily have moved into rather twee territory, and very efficiently kept sentimentality at bay. That's not to say that the novel isn't deeply affecting, without ever trying to engage our emotions in a synthetic way, Ahern succeeds in involving us completely. In fact, the title could be said to be apposite -- it's a book that deserves to be a gift given by many people to the readers in their lives. --Barry Forshaw

Review
Acclaim for Cecelia Ahern: 'A sensational debut novel that proves true love never dies' Cosmopolitan 'A wonderfully life-affirming, witty debut' Company 'Like an Irish Sleepless in Seattle and almost certainly the chick-lit bestseller of the year' In Style 'Heartwarmingly good' Heat 'A wonderfully warm and witty debut from a terrific new writer!This exceptional novel about bereavement, friendship and lost love is both heartbreaking and uplifting' Express 'A heartwarming, completely absorbing tale of love and friendship' Company

Review
'A heartwarming, completely absorbing tale of love and friendship'

Customer Reviews

magical and heart warming!!
I sat and read this book all in one go on a 6 hour flight home, despite needing sleep! Its brilliant, magical and heart warming.
I loved P.S I love you and Rainbows end, the others after that i didn't like, in fact gave up reading! (didn't even buy Thanks for the memories!) But The Gift is truly, truly lovely. There is a very powerful message at the end which i wont reveal but if you want a book to make you think, cry and become addicted too - this is for you!!
Absolute brilliance, words twisted together to warm the heart.

Cecelia is the maker of magic!
After reading all of Cecelia's previous books I was really looking forward to receiving my copy of 'The Gift'. It arrived perfectly on time and my husband discouraged me from reading it until Christmas as the presentation of the book itself is like a gift and it really does appear to be a book for christmas day.

I couldn't resist and so pealed open the plastic and unravelled the bow, I wasn't sure what to expect as the blurb on the back was a teasing question, begging me to open the book and read on for myself.

From the moment I read the first sentence of the book I was transported straight into Cecelias magic World. Her descriptions of places, people, thoughts and feelings are so perfect that the book becomes almost becomes real.
Cecelia has done it again, I do wish now I'd saved it for christmas as somehow I've managed to devour the book within a day and now I feel left wanting more and I realise it will take her a while to write more magic!

Another great read by Cecelia
I love Cecelia Ahern and I am always so excited when another one of her books is released. She is so young but writes so wisely. I watched the video of her interview on Amazon and she seems like a really nice person. I thought that the book itself was a really great read. I read it in 2 days (around work!) and loved it. I finally finished it in the bath last night and the water went cold because I wanted to finish my book!
The story is a story within a story. The first story is about a kid who throws a frozen turkey through his Dad's living room window (it is Christmas time) and the second story is a story told by a policeman to the kid with the frozen turkey. It sounds confusing but it really isn't.
Lou is a busy working man. He never has time for anything and always needs to be in 2 places at the same time. Enter Gabe. Gabe is a homeless guy that Lou gives a job to. Gabe is so efficient and he seems to be everywhere in Lou's life. Gabe offers Lou some tablets for a headache that essentially means that he can be in 2 places at the same time. His dream come true!
The story follows Lou through Christmas time as he learns a few valuable lessons. I think they are lessons that many people could do with learning. The story was totally unbelievable but the message wasn't.
Another great read by Cecelia and the story will stay with you for a while after you stop reading.....