When the old woman died, she left each of her grandchildren something very special. For Kirby, the gift of dance. For Brendon, the gift of music. A...
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Jun 10, 2010
Jack705
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I think that this book is saying with great power comes great responsibility. In this story, the main character Nancy, finds out that she has ESP, or extra sensory perception. She has the ability to go back the past, see where people are and what they are doing in the present. She’s able to tell what people are thinking, and she knows what’s going to happen in the future. With these great powers she could easily influence people's lives - what they do and think - and this is a huge responsibilit
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Apr 08, 2010
Papia
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This books title really goes with the story!There's a girl in the book name Nancy and she have ESP. Which means that can have extraordinary magic. She can see the past,read people mind,and she can make them do what she wants. She doesnt like her teacher so she thought about dropsy a disease where you keep dropping stuff.So,it happened.But magic sometime can also be harmful to people. Nancy felt embarrased for doing that to ther teacher.Her other sister Kirby have the gift of dancing and her brot
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May 27, 2009
I think that this book was kinda boring in the beginning and then later on in the book it got better. I never liked fantasy both this book really changed my mind. The plot included a girl named Kirby thats gets a gift of dance when she did ballet dance move that she can't do yet and she brakes her leg, a girl named Nacey that gets a gift of magic and can read peoples minds, and this little boy named Brendon that gets a gift of music and can play the piano very well. There mother named Elizabe
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May 29, 2009
this book was full of magic which by the way matches the name that it was given. I enjoyed reading this book because it was very magical and i could relate to it! this book was mostly about a family with divorced parents and kids called Kirby, Nancy, and Brendon. During these family's life they are living in Florida home of the beaches and crabs where Nancy and her sister and brother are attending a new school and making new friends making it feel like they are completely normal!what is special
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Feb 24, 2010
Sarai
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from Amazon: When the old woman died, she left her grandchild Nancy with the extraordinary gift of magic. Nancy can read people's minds, know their thoughts, and make them do what she wants. Will she use her gift for good, or satisfy her own selfish desire?
I'm not sure how old I was when I first read this, but I know I was a young adult and I still own the book. I really enjoyed Lois Duncan's books; she was probably my favorite YA author. I have always enjoyed books with psychic phen More...
I'm not sure how old I was when I first read this, but I know I was a young adult and I still own the book. I really enjoyed Lois Duncan's books; she was probably my favorite YA author. I have always enjoyed books with psychic phen More...
Oct 26, 2010
Shirley
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When I think of magic I think of fantasy. Nancy has esp and I never think of that as magic.
This is a delightful and quick read. I liked all of the characters and think this book is a great read for the young adult who wants life to "stay the same" or "follow their wishes".
If a divorce is part of your life it might help the parents to read this and make it a family read too. Perhaps it will open discussions.
Is this a lesson message book.....only if More...
This is a delightful and quick read. I liked all of the characters and think this book is a great read for the young adult who wants life to "stay the same" or "follow their wishes".
If a divorce is part of your life it might help the parents to read this and make it a family read too. Perhaps it will open discussions.
Is this a lesson message book.....only if More...
Jun 04, 2009
Violet
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This was one of the most boring paranormal books I've every read. It was SO boring. There could have been so much more done. It was a wonderful concept, but Lois Duncan went nowhere with it. There could have been someone trying to get them because of their gifts, or some more contact with the late grandmother, or SOMETHING more! It was so cheesy in some parts (the "can't let mother marry somone other then dad"). There was a happy sappy ending (I hate those). So you can guess that I rea
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Dec 03, 2011
Josephine
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The plot of A Gift of Magic is much more straightforward than Stranger with my Face and comparatively mundane, allowing for the inclusion of middle child Nancy discovering at 12 that she has multiple psychic abilities despite the family never suspecting that such things ran in the family. Did none of the family wonder how Nancy's grandmother knew her daughter would have a third child, a son, two years before his birth? much less that he'd have a gift for music? The family simply accepts Nancy fo
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Jul 13, 2008
Relyn
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All I can say is that Lois has had her day, and I am glad to be finally finished with this little project of mine. There is nothing wrong with Lois Duncan, and she has written a few really good books. Duncan had phenomenal success at a time when not that many books for teens were being published. So, I intend no disrespect when I say that I am no longer a teen and am more than finished with these books. I have learned a few things from this project, though.
1. There are too many More...
1. There are too many More...
Jul 23, 2010
Sarah
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I can't remember why I put A Gift of Magic by Lois Duncan on my wishlist but I did. I've started to try to read through that list by locating the books at my local libraries.
A Gift of Magic differs from Duncan's typical young adult thrillers. This one has magical realism instead of a mystery. A mother recently divorced moves her three children into the home she's inherited from her mother. Along with the home the children begin to develop heightened skills: one gets music, one gets d More...
A Gift of Magic differs from Duncan's typical young adult thrillers. This one has magical realism instead of a mystery. A mother recently divorced moves her three children into the home she's inherited from her mother. Along with the home the children begin to develop heightened skills: one gets music, one gets d More...
May 09, 2008
Jessica
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Written by the best selling author of I Know What You Did Last Summer, Lois Duncan, A Gift of Magic is another one of her works. A Gift of Magic is written in third person telling the story of Nancy and her two siblings Kirby and Brendon. Before Kirby, Nancy and Brendon where born, their grandmother told her daughter that each one of the children will have a gift- Brendon given the gift of music; Kirby with the gift of dancing and awarding Nancy the gift of magic. Unlike Brendon who can play the
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Dec 27, 2010
Julia
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There is something about this book I don't understand: Every time I read it I love it. But after a while I forget what it's about and go back and read it again. Then the same thing happens. I must have read it 3-4 times just trying to engrave into my mind what it's about. Still all I remember is that a girl gets the gift of magic from her grandmother and her stepdad thinks she has ESP. That might be the gist of the book, but if it is, it was still a great read- every time!
Feb 14, 2009
Tayzia
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WEll... first of all, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I thought that it was a little bit short, but the author was very descriptive, and the plot was very interesting. I loved how developed the personnalities of the characters were. Nancy was very serious all of the time, Kirby was always zoning out, thinking about dancing, and Brendon was a troublemaker. I loved how it all worked out in the end, and I loved the "Once upon a time" and "happily ever after" thing. overa
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Jun 28, 2010
Gentiana
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Kirby, Brendon, and Nancy have a sick dying grandmother who gives each child a gift, Kirby the oldest got the gift of dance, Brendon got the gift of music and Nancy the youngest got the most important gift of all, the gift of magic. The whole time i was wondering about what would happen then reading it I was amazed, Nancy's gift really was the most amazing of all seeing as how much good it came to herself, Kirby and Brendon.
Jun 02, 2008
Lily
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This wasn't one of my favorite Lois Duncan books, but it certainly did have points that encouraged me to stop on jot down my thoughts. The quote that stood out for me the most was, "...when someone dies, they die in pieces, not all at once." I do not believe that when the main character, Nancy says this, she is referring to death on a literal level. I believe that she is reffering to the loss of innocence she had when her parents got a divorce. Her childhood kind of died in pieces with
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Mar 25, 2011
♥Xeni♥
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This and Daughters of Eve are my two ultimate favorite Lois Duncan books. Her writing is just so incredible that I come back to them again and again, although they are classed as YA!
This book really touched my heart back when I read it first, and it will probably continue to do so. It's a powerful story that'll move even the hardest of hearts!
This book really touched my heart back when I read it first, and it will probably continue to do so. It's a powerful story that'll move even the hardest of hearts!
Apr 02, 2011
Emmie
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I read this book in middle school and remember nothing about it except that I was ridiculously jealous of the main character who had ESP. She could anticipate the phone ringing, or the answer to a question her teacher asked. I've spent years wondering what the title of this book was until I simply googled it today. Mystery solved.
Jul 20, 2011
Drucilla
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I loved the idea of each kid getting a different gift. The story and its conclusion were satisfying. The novel is beautifully written, of course. <spoiler>I was a little disappointed that only one of them took advantage of their gift but for some reason I usually am disappointed with Lois Duncan's epilogues.</spoiler>
May 21, 2009
|Lala| :)
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In the story, Nancy, her sister Kriby, and their brother Brandon all have special gifts. Nancy has ESP, Kirby has the gift of dance, and Brendon is a great musician(although he doesnt incorporate it much into his life). Nancys parents are divorced and she's going through a lot. From her mom moving on and getting used to her gift. Will she learn to use her gift appropriately?
Jan 13, 2012
Marisa
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Nancys grandma left her three grandchildren each a gift wen she was on her deathbed. To Kirby, the oldest, she gave the gift of dance, to Brendan, the youngest who was not even born yet, she gave the gift of music, and to Nancy, the middle child, she gave the gift of magic.
Jul 03, 2010
Annette2009
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This book was my junior high introduction to Lois Duncan, and though I'm sure it would be trite and silly to me today, I remember thinking it was absolutely wonderful. Have to give it four stars just because I can still remember the plot and the ending!
Jan 22, 2009
Kate
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I remember discovering this book after I'd already read a number of Duncan's books, and believed it was her first book. Telepathy was the main paranormal element here, which felt almost commonplace after some of her other paranormal books.
Jun 17, 2009
Norma
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this is one of the few lois duncan books i didn't read as a younger me. i really liked her books as a pre-teen/young teenager, but this one wasn't stellar...in that it didn't have anything very scary of strange. but duncan is a good writer.
Sep 11, 2010
Jennifer W
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As a teen, I read many of Lois Duncan's books and they scared me silly. This book I feel was more appropriate for younger readers as it's not really scary. I liked it for the story. I especially liked it for the cute twist at the very end.
Aug 18, 2008
Swankivy
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This is a story about a family whose grandmother gave her grandchildren "gifts"--Kirby got the gift of dance, Brendon got the gift of music, and Nancy got something else that she's not sure what it is. She doesn't know much about ESP, but when she reads up about it and realizes it describes what she can do, she's both kinda afraid and kinda interested in developing it. But then, of course, it ends up hitting her that she might have a responsibility that comes with her unusual talent,
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Jan 02, 2011
Sarah
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It is such a good book, but the doubt of the possession of magic is...bad. It seems stupid, somehow. Just read it, and you might get addicted to Lois Duncan, which is a good thing. She writes amazing books.
May 29, 2010
Daniel
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This was not intended to be scary, unlike her other books. Instead it was a character drama with a hint of the paranormal. I guess worth it if you're a Lois Duncan fan, but not otherwise.
Jul 13, 2011
Lauren
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A great book!! It was interesting how the whole plot was set up and how everything tied together in the end. I would like to t=see how other people like it!!
Aug 28, 2011
Emily
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A great book for teens and younge adults (i read this when i was a teen and just loved it ) Louis Duncan is on her game yet again in this novel
Sep 17, 2010
Elisabeth
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This is a favorite from my early adolescence, so I can't really look at it too objectively. Only the 2nd time I've read it, though.
