Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

The Gift

3.64 of 5 stars 3.64 · rating details · 7,443 ratings · 660 reviews

Svakog dana Lu Safern bije bitku sa časovnikom. Stalno mora da bude na dva mesta istovremeno. Stalno mora da obavlja dva posla odjednom. Kad spava, sanja. Između snova protrči kroz dnevna zbivanja planirajući sledeći dan. Kad je kod kuće sa suprugom i porodicom, u mislima je uvek negde drugde.

Jednog zimskog jutra, dolazeći rano na posao, Lu upoznaje Gejba, beskućnika koji...more

Paperback

Published 2009 by Harper Collins (first published January 1st 2008)

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

More…

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

This book is not yet featured on Listopia. Add this book to your favorite list »

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 3,000)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

Feb 19, 2012 Fatima rated it 3 of 5 stars

Recommended to Fatima by: Ghaida Abdul Rahman

Cecelia Ahern is a very clever, creative writer. I really admire her work. It's pretty awesome. When you look at her covers, you don't expect much (At least that's how it was with me). You expect just another romantic comedy with all the gooey, cheesy, lovey-dovey romantic parts. Trust me, that is FAR from the case.
Her books are wonderful. They deal with serious issues and serious problems. Real-life, every day shit. She also throws in a little bit of magic and intrigue. Her books have this cre...more

11 likes · like · see review

Mar 22, 2012 Stephanie (Stepping out of the Page) rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: christmas-books, realistic-fiction, read-in-2011, cover-appeal, chick-lit, adult-fiction, magical-realism, let-down

I'll admit that I found Cecelia Ahern to be a better writer than I assumed that she would be. I've not read any of her other books before and from the genre she's known for, chick-lit, I was simply expecting something simple and fun. This book dealt with some every day problems and issues and it was trying to teach us something. The story is set in modern day Dublin, nearing Christmas, and the story is well set with clear, visible descriptions.
In this book, Ahern is trying to tell a story about...more I'll admit that I found Cecelia Ahern to be a better writer than I assumed that she would be. I've not read any of her other books before and from the genre she's known for, chick-lit, I was simply expecting something simple and fun. This book dealt with some every day problems and issues and it was trying to teach us something. The story is set in modern day Dublin, nearing Christmas, and the story is well set with clear, visible descriptions.
In this book, Ahern is trying to tell a story about giving the gift of time. However, near the end, she does come across as though she is giving a lecture and the fact that she is clearly telling the reader what to do and appreciate just doesn't come across well - unfortunately, I found the last, ending paragraph to sound a bit pretentious - not a good way to end a story. I do appreciate the lesson that is given which is to spend time with your loved ones and to let them know that you care about them. Though I don't think it's something that really needs to be pointed out, it gives a nice seasonal message to the story. I found the strong points of the novel to be in the working out of relationships between Lou and his family as they felt very realistic. The dynamics between Lou and his wife and children were especially well explored.
I didn't feel as though Ahern had a very clear direction for this story and her characters weren't very solid. The story is told in the form of a policeman (Raphie) telling a teenage boy (known as Turkey Boy) the story of a case that he worked on. For me, the story of 'Turkey Boy' and conversation between him and Raphie in a few short chapters were more intriguing and felt better developed than the main story of Lou. I couldn't bring myself to like Lou at all - there was simply no part of his persona that appealed to me. Gabe, the character brought into the novel in order to give a message, had a huge amount of potential to be interesting, but he seemed to flit in and out of chapters without any development. Both Lou and Gabe had an uncertainty to them, as though Ahern herself didn't really have a firm idea of them herself.
As for the magical realism in this book, I totally was not expecting it and it completely threw me off. For some people, this may be a nice surprise, but it wasn't for me. I enjoy magical books, but the 'magical cloning pills' that were thrown into this just felt completely random and made the whole thing feel a little disjointed. I know that they were an important component to the storyline, but it almost completely ruined this book for me.
The climax of the book comes around near the end and I can see it being a twist that will either work for you or that you'll really, really resent. Thankfully, for me it worked. Despite reminding me of the ending of One Day by Nicholls (which I didn't enjoy), I found this to be effective in bringing closure to the tale and the message.
This book was not something that I'd particularly recommend, as I didn't enjoy it all that much. However, it was nice to sample what Cecelia Ahern has to offer and I found that her writing was quite creative. I'll certainly be reading more from her in the future, but this one was nothing amazing.(less)

3 likes · like · see review

Apr 17, 2012 Adela Cacovean rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Am cumpărat această carte în momentul în care a apărut în librării, însă din diverse motive, m-am apucat tot de altele şi am reuşit să o citesc în vacanţa intersemestrială. Din motive de timp, sau mai exact lipsa lui, scriu doar acum despre ea.

În ziua de Crăciun, sergentul Raphael O’Reilly şi Jessica Rabbit sunt de serviciu. La secţie este adus un adolescent, care aruncase un curcan îngheţat prin fereastra tatălui său, aproape rănind-o pe sora lui vitregă, pe motiv că tatăl său anulase cina cu e...more

2 likes · like · see review

Jun 13, 2013 Laura Smith rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

My local library managed to get this one for me in the week between Christmas and New Year which was nice timing. The story of Lou, the workaholic father of two who spends his entire life letting his family down as he focus solely on his rise up the corporate ladder started out well. As he gets homeless man, Gabe (Gabriel), a job in his office postroom over the festive period things are all happy and fine. Things start to unravel though when Gabe appears at unexpected times and begins to ferret...more

like · see review

Dec 23, 2012 Sabine rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012-read

Ich hatte mir von der Geschichte viel erhofft und mir das Hörbuch extra für die Weihnachtszeit aufbewahrt, und leider war ich sehr enttäuscht, denn ich habe nicht den Zauber gespürt, von dem so oft bei diesem Buch gesprochen wird.
Lou Suffern ist ein vielbeschäftigter Ehemann, der ehrgeizig die Karriereleiter erklimmt, dabei jedoch Freunde und Familie vernachlässigt. Zufällig lernt er den Obdachlosen Gabe kennen, fühlt sich mit ihm seltsam verbunden und vermittelt ihm einen Job. Doch Gabe vermag...more

1 like · like · see review

Dec 13, 2012 Emma rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is the first novel I have read by Cecelia Ahern and I have to admit I was a bit of a sceptic. Not being a big fan of mainstream 'chick-lit' or mass produced literature I had put Cecilia into this category in my head. I have to say it's been a battle as to whether The Gift was a 2* or a 3* read for me but Cecelia's engaging, easy reading style made me round her up. If there was a 2.5 option I would have hovered in the middle! I won't recount the story as you can see that in the description....more

1 like · like · see review

Oct 17, 2012 S rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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 th...more

2 likes · like · see review

Sep 07, 2012 The Labyrinth Literary rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

RESUMEN

La historia comienza en la comisaria en plena noche de navidad donde un joven se encuentra retenido por "atacar" de una manera curiosa y un tanto divertida, la casa de su padre. Haciendo tiempo para la llegada de su madre, el oficial Raphael O´Reilly decide contarle una historia de una lección que ha aprendido. La historia de Lou.

En este libro conocemos a Lou Suffern un hombre que lo tiene todo, una familia, un trabajo que lo llena pero la ambición y la competitividad que lo mueve le des...more RESUMEN

La historia comienza en la comisaria en plena noche de navidad donde un joven se encuentra retenido por "atacar" de una manera curiosa y un tanto divertida, la casa de su padre. Haciendo tiempo para la llegada de su madre, el oficial Raphael O´Reilly decide contarle una historia de una lección que ha aprendido. La historia de Lou.

En este libro conocemos a Lou Suffern un hombre que lo tiene todo, una familia, un trabajo que lo llena pero la ambición y la competitividad que lo mueve le destruye cualquier valor que tiene por la gente a su alrededor, hasta que conoce a Gabe, un vagabundo que se sienta cada mañana en la entrada de su edificio, con el cual se pone a conversar y se da cuenta que es una persona muy observadora pues empieza hablar sobre cada uno de los trabajadores conociéndoles por sus zapatos.

Lou, sorprendido, decide ir más allá y le ofrece un puesto en el departamento de paquetería de su empresa. Pero Gabe no resultara ser lo que esperaba, al parecer conoce la vida de Lou mejor de lo que el mismo cree. Aunque está preocupado, no espera que su misterioso amigo le entregase el regalo más valioso de navidad.

OPINIÓN

La narrativa es perfecta, fluida y muy ligera. A medida que lees vas de una página a otra sin detenerte, es un libro muy completo que en cada capítulo te da pequeñas dosis de lección y no es hasta la última página cuando descubres lo valioso de este.

Podría decir infinidad de cosas sobre él, es un libro que he recomendado a todo mundo y el motivo es muy simple. Un Regalo del Cielo, es una historia muy emotiva, que nos hace reflexionar sobre cómo estamos llevando nuestra vida, que es lo más importante o que debemos tomar en cuenta antes de perdernos y hacer todo por el éxito.

Muchas veces no sabemos valorar lo que tenemos, ni a las personas que nos rodean, este es un ejemplo ideal para poner las cartas sobre la mesa y entablar una seria conversación con nosotros mismos, debemos ir más allá de lo que está a simple vista, hay que saber reconocer todos los regalos que nos da la vida, esos pequeños detalles aunque parezcan insignificantes, y agradecer por tener la suerte de vivirlos y compartirlos, porque eso es lo importante, pase lo que pase en la vida todo se puede superar.

Y aunque el tiempo no se puede regalar, se puede compartir, disfruta lo que tienes ahora porque nunca sabremos de cuánto tiempo disponemos. (less)

like · see review

Feb 16, 2012 GM Oreiro rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: toppers

This book made me love Dublin. Entirely. The setting was rich in the Irish side, and yet the theme was all too universal for anyone to understand--which is awesome.
The story speaks of valuing time with family which was exhibited as Lou Suffern's (the protagonist's) main flaw. He was overwhelmed with his job and his salary that he began to think that material sustenance was all he needs to give his family.
I was amazed by Ahern's use of the Turkey Boy and the police officer as essential narrator...more

like · see review

Jan 06, 2012 Cadiva rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I don't often read "chic lit" but chose this for our book club to read for our December novel as it appeared on my Amazon recommendations. With that in mind, I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it and was very pleasantly surprised not only by the novel itself but by the ending (which I won't spoil here).
In her main character Lou Suffern, Ahern creates a protagonist that is difficult to empathise with at the same time as he is very easy to understand. A driven, work is priority while his family su...more

2 likes · like · see review

Oct 14, 2011 Julie rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I wanted something easy to read on public transport and this certainly ticked that box. I finished it before even adding it to my 'currently reading' on this site!

The protagonist is fallible, something I always think makes a book interesting, and all the characters are somewhat believable, but it was very hard to find anything warm or likeable in them. The people and the settings made me feel uncomfortable somehow. Perhaps they was supposed to.

I suppose it's easy to be cynical about the characte...more I wanted something easy to read on public transport and this certainly ticked that box. I finished it before even adding it to my 'currently reading' on this site!

The protagonist is fallible, something I always think makes a book interesting, and all the characters are somewhat believable, but it was very hard to find anything warm or likeable in them. The people and the settings made me feel uncomfortable somehow. Perhaps they was supposed to.

I suppose it's easy to be cynical about the character of Gabe in his mysterious guardian angel role, and I understand the whole point of this story is to emulate a type of Scrooge story in the city; a man who goes through an experience that forces him to see the world differently and prompts him to want to turn over a new-leaf. You have to introduce an element of magic and suspend disbelief to achieve that, that's fine. It's even set at Christmas time! It only narrowly avoids the cheesiness of a Hollywood Christmas movie by its ending, but by that point, I actually wanted to see the new leaf pan out and the characters to live happily ever after.

I felt Gabe was under developed and could have thrown in a couple of jokes just to make him more likable.

The concept that the whole story is being narrated between some barely connected characters based in a police station was distracting and did not work, to my mind.

This book left a bad taste in my mouth mostly because of the tone of the author. She patronisingly lectures about the lessons we ought to have learned on this insightful journey she has been so good to lead us through (!). I don't believe the message that time is precious and you should appreciate your loved ones was something most people needed to be told by an over privileged chick lit author.

I've neither read or watched PS. I Love You so I have no prior expectations except that I assumed since it had been so phenomenally successful, the writing of the author must be good. Unfortunately I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would, but perhaps if I'm basing my judgement on my perception of the success of another book, I ought to have read that one instead.
(less)

1 like · like · see review

Aug 23, 2011 Melissa rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction

What do you get when you combine George Bailey, Ebenezer Scrooge, and Don Draper?

You get Lou Suffern.

Lou's the main character in this Christmas-novel-with-a-timeless-message by Irish author Cecelia Ahern, whose books I tend to enjoy. (See my review of There's No Place Like Here.) I'm usually not a Christmas book reader, but I was in the mood for such a novel this past week. When I saw this on display at the library, I grabbed it because Ahern's novels tend to be light reads (guilty pleasures,...more What do you get when you combine George Bailey, Ebenezer Scrooge, and Don Draper?

You get Lou Suffern.

Lou's the main character in this Christmas-novel-with-a-timeless-message by Irish author Cecelia Ahern, whose books I tend to enjoy. (See my review of There's No Place Like Here.) I'm usually not a Christmas book reader, but I was in the mood for such a novel this past week. When I saw this on display at the library, I grabbed it because Ahern's novels tend to be light reads (guilty pleasures, a little piece of literary chocolate at midnight) and I hadn't realized she'd written a Christmas story.

If you've never read Cecelia Ahern, her stories are almost in a genre all to themselves; they're light reads, but with an element of the modern day and the fairy tale. Picture BlackBerries next to a magic wand. If you like Sarah Addison Allen, chances are you'll like Cecelia Ahern.

From Publishers Weekly: Lou Suffern is a busy man, and his family’s growing weary of constantly taking the backseat to his career. On a whim, he offers Gabe, a homeless man he meets outside his office, a low-level job, and the uncharacteristically kind gesture plays out in a very unexpected way when Lou learns that Gabe has the power to be in two places at once. As the holidays draw nearer, Gabe tries to make Lou realize the importance of his family, but slow-to-change Lou might not come around to Gabe’s way of thinking until it’s too late.

It's a somewhat predictable premise, and while there are some unexpected moments in The Gift, this one didn't seem as magical to me as Cecelia Ahern's other novels. I didn't fully connect with Lou nor have much sympathy for him, and there were several elements of the plot that didn't quite seem to fit. There's a secondary storyline happening at the same time (a policeman is telling Lou's story to a juvenile delinquent in an attempt to get him to see the error of his ways). I kept thinking there was some way they were all connected ... but other than a shared epiphany of "we all have the same amount of time on this Earth and none of us ever know when that time will end," there really isn't a connection between these characters, which makes for a bit of a disjointed story.

As I said, I went into this one looking for a bit of a lighter read than usual and that's what The Gift is. Sometimes that's OK. Although this one wasn't quite for me, I still think Cecelia Ahern has a literary gift. (less)

1 like · like · see review

Jul 27, 2011 Saimah rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Prerequisite for reading the book: For a little while, just suspend reality and by the time the book ends you'd have reality facing you.

Just like any of us, Lou wants his work to speak of his abilities and talent. He finds joy in his accomplishments at work, without sparing even a single thought as to how he has been as a son, a brother, a husband or a father. This until he meets a homeless man, Gabe (Gabriel?) who helps him in his ordeals by giving some special kind of pills (Miracle? Placebo?)...more

1 like · like · see review

Jul 26, 2011 Jhoie Saldua rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: cecelia-ahern

"The Gift","Ahern Cecilia","","review","the gift is a very excellent book. the third novel by Cecelia Ahern that i have read and was never able to put it down for a while when i started reading it. like her other novel/s, the story will take you to ""another world,"" a fairytale of some sort that is suited for our time... the book is an excellent read, one that you will never regret buying and reading and probably will read over and over again.

the book will help you realize as to what in life is...more

like · see review

Feb 18, 2011 Roberta rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2010

Questa è la storia di Lou Suffern, un uomo in possesso di tutto ciò che si può desiderare. Un lavoro di successo, una bella famiglia. Ma nell'ansia di ottenere consensi sul lavoro Lou si tuffa in una girandola di impegni sempre più fitti, dimenticando di vivere e impedendosi di avere un minuto di pace, o una serata dedicata alla famiglia non solo con il corpo ma anche con la testa - e con il cuore.

La Ahern secondo me in questo libro casca un po' male. Le riesce molto meglio di P.S. I love you m...more

like · see review

Dec 05, 2010 Nicolette rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

THE GIFT
By Cecelia Ahern
(HarperCollins)

THIS book caught my eye with its silver wrapping-paper effect hardcover of shiny snowflakes and bright red ribbon tied in a bow to look like the perfect gift.

This touching novel focuses on a man who comes to realise that some parts of his life can only bring him to ruin.

Businessman Lou Suffern always has to be in two places at the same time. He catches the beginning of one meeting or function so that he can be there at the end of another.

His womanising and...more

3 likes · like · see review

Aug 27, 2010 Iris Blobel rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A must read for Cecelia Ahern Fans!

I loved the book because after I had read the previous few books, I fell in love with Cecelia's stories yet again.

It's a common story: a busy husband and father, with a big career, wants everything, yet bigger and better, and not getting his priorities right. His family and health are suffering. Lou at some stage lost the ability to live until he meets Gabriel, or Gabe, a man living on the streets. After this his life changes forever....

Cecilia Ahern always add...more

3 likes · like · see review

Apr 12, 2010 Lindsay rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I love Cecelia Ahern's stuff. Her books are always magical and touching and can make you laugh and cry. But with this one, I didn't really get that feeling. I kind of felt like her editor wanted her to write a holiday book and she kind of just made this story up. Its a little confusing. The story is about a cop who is telling a kid the store about Lou who is a busy, busy man, and always needs to be in two places at one time. One day Lou gives a homeless man a cup of coffee and later decides to g...more

1 like · like · see review

Feb 10, 2010 Hafsa rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Before I begin, I just want to warn people that there might be spoilers, i'm not sure, because I know different people consider different things "spoilers," so consider yourself warned!

This book got me hooked like all her other books have, I truly enjoy her prose and more importantly, her incredible insight. I've said this before, and i'll say it again, this girl has a talent for observing people and emotions. She writes about human complexities so easily; she's always ready with the perfect an...more Before I begin, I just want to warn people that there might be spoilers, i'm not sure, because I know different people consider different things "spoilers," so consider yourself warned!

This book got me hooked like all her other books have, I truly enjoy her prose and more importantly, her incredible insight. I've said this before, and i'll say it again, this girl has a talent for observing people and emotions. She writes about human complexities so easily; she's always ready with the perfect analogy to a complex emotion. I love this about her and her writing.

What I don't love so much is her almost Debbie Downer tale spin her books seem to take towards the end. Its like I start reading, i'm hooked, and i'm excited to see where its going to lead... and then disappointment. I think it takes a lot for an author to put her characters through difficult situations, to deliberately write a sucky situation, but it's not that fun for the audience. Especially an audience like myself, who likes happy endings (so I like things to turn out well, sue me).

I personally like the "magical" element Ahern has in her books, I think its fun and whimsical, and the story tends to play out like a movie. I've heard others don't appreciate it, but I don't mind.

The basic gist of this book is the importance of time. I appreciated the theme, I think it's nice to be reminded of the preciousness of time. But I have to agree with some other reviewers that Ahern was doing the whole "let me spell it out for you" game that some authors tend to do. I can understand an author explaining a complex theme, but her's was not complex, so why the need to spell it out, to the point that it sounded uber-moralistic and preachy?

A little bit of the story was sketchy, like how we never really know who/what Gabe is. Not totally annoying, but I was curious.

Overall, I finished this book in two days, but if you had more time, you could definitely devour it in one sitting. Characters were simple, story was simple, but it grabs you and you're left wondering what's going to happen next. I just wish the ending was an actual happy ending! It kinda sucks she wrote that kind of ending for a "Christmas" book, very depressing and not uplifting like Christmas-theme books usually are, what with good cheer and all.

Still love ya though Ahern :)(less)

like · see review

Apr 23, 2013 Lauren rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2013-reads, irish

Lou Suffern is your typical workaholic/egomaniac. When not at work (always the first in and the last to leave), he is plugged into his Blackberry or sleeping with his secretary. It’s almost easy to forget that he has a lovely wife and two beautiful children at home, as he is never there. With the Christmas season approaching and a promotion right around the corner, Lou spends even more time at work, overbooking his already overbooked life, while his family becomes more and more distant from him....more Lou Suffern is your typical workaholic/egomaniac. When not at work (always the first in and the last to leave), he is plugged into his Blackberry or sleeping with his secretary. It’s almost easy to forget that he has a lovely wife and two beautiful children at home, as he is never there. With the Christmas season approaching and a promotion right around the corner, Lou spends even more time at work, overbooking his already overbooked life, while his family becomes more and more distant from him. He justifies it by saying he’s “working hard for his family,” but what if his family just wants him?

Enter Gabe, a mysterious homeless man who seems to have Lou’s back (when he’s not judging him for being a total prick). Keeping Lou informed about inner office politics, stepping up to help in the mail room when the holiday rush overwhelms them, and being perhaps the only friendly face Lou sees over the holiday season, Gabe also offers Lou some mysterious pills that have him seeing double… literally. The pills clone Lou for a couple of hours so that he can accomplish all the things he’s promised everyone he’d do. From work commitments to family events, suddenly Lou’s able to do it all, but who would he rather be with?

This is your typical feel-good Christmas novel, with a Scrooge-esque lesson to be learned. Cecelia Ahern’s books have always been some of my favorites, but this one fell short of the mark. It felt really commercialized, like she was writing it purely to sell books around the Christmas season, and it lacked the charm of her other novels. The book was still sweet, but it just didn’t grab me.

The characters were also really superficial. Lou’s back story wasn’t really explained, Gabe really is just a strange homeless man who seems to appear out of nowhere, and all the other characters are secondary. With Lou being so unlikable and Gabe being so mysterious, it was hard to really feel too passionate about either one of them.

A short read, the book definitely wasn’t a huge investment of time, but I really felt like the story felt like it was trying too hard and wouldn’t recommend it. Cecelia Ahern has much better work out there (my personal favorites being The Book of Tomorrow and There’s No Place Like Here), and I don’t think it really got me in the Christmas spirit very much for being a Christmas book (and yes, I know it’s April, but I’m the kind of person who listens to Christmas music year-round and petitioned my parents for years to celebrate the holiday in July, as well, so I’m always in a Christmas frame of mind). (less)

like · see review

Feb 08, 2013 78sunny rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

3,4 von 5 Sternen
*Inhalt:*
Lou ist ein erfolgreicher Geschäftsmann, aber seine Familie leidet sehr darunter. Seinen 1jährigen Sohn kennt er so gut wie gar nicht, seiner 5jährigen Tochter hört er nicht zu und interessiert sich nicht für ihre Hobbies und seine Frau hat er schon mehrfach betrogen. Eines Tages trifft er Gabe, der auf der Straße lebt und irgendetwas verbindet ihn mit dem Landstreicher. Er bietet ihm einen Job an und lernt durch Gabe eine völlig neue Sichtweise auf sein Leben und seine...more

like · see review

Jul 08, 2012 Sarah rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I've not read one of Cecelia's books before, only seen the film P.S. I Love you.

I found the writing, whilst easy going, somewhat contrived. I struggle to read chick-lit anyway, so this probably was never going to be my thing. However, I have been given a whole box full of used books, and as a book lover, I feel compelled, and duty bound to read them, before rehoming them again, and The Gift is one of these books.

I don't want to give any 'spoilers' as such, but the book is re-telling of a familia...more

like · see review

Mar 19, 2011 Jane rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Okay, I read this book during Lent. This book was published in time for Christmas 2009 as a Christmas read. But tell me, I'm not the only one to watch Love Actually and The Holiday at anytime of year. They are feel good movies which just happen to be set over Christmas time.
This book didn't do it for me, and not just because I read it at the wrong time of year. I didn't enjoy it as much as PS I Love You. I get the idea, the scenario is supposed to make you think about the importance of time. To...more

like · see review

Aug 25, 2010 Adam rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobooks-a-z

Post-listen review:

Cute baby reaching for an ornament? check

Turkey chucked at someone? check

(Those first two were impressively accomplished in the first track.)

Overworked family man who would be happy if he could only focus on said family instead of work? check.

Homeless man who is really an angel? check.

The lesson that time with loved ones is more precious than packaged goods, success, status or financial gain? check.

A miracle that makes the man realize his mistakes before it is too late? check....more

3 likes · like · see review

Nov 05, 2011 Francine rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Everyone

Recommended to Francine by: My wonderful English teacher's DEAR reading list

This book truly stuck a nerve and one of my heart strings at the same time. After reading the book, I was put in a state of shock. But it was a good kind of shock. If you were to ask me if this book changed my life then I would say that in a way, it did. Don't misunderstand me, though. This book did not turn my world upside down and left me breathless. But what it really did was even more amazing. It opened my eyes.

I can confidently say that Cecelia Ahern is a gifted writer. To be honest, I had...more This book truly stuck a nerve and one of my heart strings at the same time. After reading the book, I was put in a state of shock. But it was a good kind of shock. If you were to ask me if this book changed my life then I would say that in a way, it did. Don't misunderstand me, though. This book did not turn my world upside down and left me breathless. But what it really did was even more amazing. It opened my eyes.

I can confidently say that Cecelia Ahern is a gifted writer. To be honest, I had a hard time adjusting to her writing style at first. But as I got more into the story, I found her writing to be simply beautiful. She writes with so much emotion and passion; therefore, her characters came across as real people.

Lou Suffern frustrated me many times in the book. He can be a real prick sometimes but I do not and cannot doubt his love for his family. It may not seem evident in the book to some but I realized at the end that he loved his wife and family more than he even realized. I also liked Gabe. And it is one of my theories that he is in fact an angel sent from Heaven - his name, Gabe, which is short for Gabriel, was a total giveaway. I grew fond of so many characters - though their roles may seem miniscule - and I think that's because Cecelia Ahern wrote them so well. In a funny way, I also cannot forget Smug Family Man - reading about him made me laugh.

The greatest thing about the book that cannot be overlooked is the message it gave me. It presented the lesson we all hear and know. It presented the lesson we are told time and time again - but I observed that we never seemed to absorb it.

Time is precious. Money can always be reproduced - it's just paper after all. Diamonds and rubies can be overlooked - they're just mostly for jewelry anyway. But like what the book said, Time cannot be made or given.

That message hit me cold and hard in the face this time. I believe that this book meant more for me than most people because in a way, I am like Lou Suffern. I am a workaholic and a study addict. I probably spend more time in my room studying than actually living. I even put all my assignments above simple family matters. And what am I doing it all for? An award? Recognition from my peers?

This book also made me realize that there IS more to life than pleasing people and pleasing yourself - because at the end of the day and at the end of your life, none of your achievements will even matter. (less)

like · see review

Dec 28, 2012 Holly rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I was a little bit skeptical of this book, but I decided to give it a chance since I have had positive experiences with Cecelia Ahern's books in the past. Well, I should have went with my instincts, because this book was pretty awful.

The first of several rants has to do with this book's unrealistic nature. I mean, I'm all for fiction, but this was just pushing it a little. My biggest complaint, with regards to its unrealistic tendency, is the whole business of Lou getting cloned on three separat...more

1 like · like · see review

Dec 02, 2012 Anne rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: language-german, genre-contemporary, read-2012, age-adult

Da es so langsam weihnachtlich rund herum wird, wird es auch Zeit für ein paar Herzensbücher, wie ich sie nenne. Außerdem besitze keine wirklichen Weihnachtsbücher (das sollte mal geändert werden^^), da dachte ich mir mit einem Cecelia Ahern Buch kann man nichts falsch machen. Somit habe mir „Zeit deines Lebens“ ertauscht, da es ja zur Weihnachtszeit spielt.
Achja, und genau so ein Herzensbuch/Wohlfühlbuch ist es auch. Klar, sind ihre Bücher ein Stück zu romantisch oder zu verträumt, aber genau s...more Da es so langsam weihnachtlich rund herum wird, wird es auch Zeit für ein paar Herzensbücher, wie ich sie nenne. Außerdem besitze keine wirklichen Weihnachtsbücher (das sollte mal geändert werden^^), da dachte ich mir mit einem Cecelia Ahern Buch kann man nichts falsch machen. Somit habe mir „Zeit deines Lebens“ ertauscht, da es ja zur Weihnachtszeit spielt.
Achja, und genau so ein Herzensbuch/Wohlfühlbuch ist es auch. Klar, sind ihre Bücher ein Stück zu romantisch oder zu verträumt, aber genau so etwas braucht man auch manchmal um sich wohl zu fühlen. Aus diesem Grund hat mich jetzt Frau Ahern, nachdem ich damit ein zweites Buch von ihr gelesen habe, überzeugt ihre restlichen Bücher auch auf meine Wunschliste zu packen.
Lou Suffern ist ein wahnsinniger Workaholic und vergisst dadurch mehr als einmal seine Familie. An sich erscheint jetzt erstmal nichts sonderlich Neues. Doch Lou trifft auf Gabe, einen Obdachlosen auf der Straße, den er wenig einen Job in seinem Büro gibt. Allerdings ist Gabe etwas anders, doch Lou kann es nicht genauer definieren. Immer weiter von seiner Arbeit genommen, vergisst Lou völlig was wichtig im Leben. Seine Familie, insbesondere die Schulaufführungen seiner Tochter etc. Als Rettung bietet Gabe Lou dann „Kopfschmerztabletten“ an, mit welchen er sich verdoppelt. Kurz vor Weihnachten, nachdem Lou alles in Job erreicht hat, kommt auf den Boden der Tatsachen zurück, aber das vielleicht schon zu spät.
Besonders schön fand ich, dass es sich hierbei nicht nur um Lou’s Geschichte handelt, denn diese Hauptgeschichte ist eingebettet in eine Erzählung des Polizisten Ralphie, der einen aufmüpfigen Teenager zur Raison bringen möchte. Erstaunlich ist weiterhin, dass Lou als Protagonist eigentlich gar nicht liebenswürdig ist, häufig möchte man ihn eigentlich Ohrfeigen für seine Gedanken und Taten und doch bleibt man bei ihn. Seinen Ehrgeiz konnte ich eigentlichen auch zum größten Teil nachvollziehen, bzw. die Gründe warum er so handelt. Doch greift er dabei meist auf die falschen Dinge zurück. Gabe empfand ähnlich zu Lou etwas merkwürdig, man weiß nicht ob man ihn mögen soll oder doch weiter misstrauisch bleiben sollte. Ruth, Lou’s Frau, ist für mich schon ein bisschen bemerkenswert, dass sie so lange durchgehalten hat und bei ihm geblieben ist. Die Geschichte sich mehr Zeit zu nehmen für die wichtigen Dinge im Leben ist einfach wunderschön geschrieben. Besonders hat mir das allererste Kapitel gefallen, wo Miss Ahern die Häuserreihen beschreibt. Alles wirkte so schön friedlich. Und kaum hat man sich versehen ist man schon fast auf Seite 200. Man kann es kaum beschreiben, aber beim Lesen verflog die Zeit wie im Flug. Darin liegt eine leichte Ironie zum Thema des Buches. Gegen Ende konnte ich mir auch ein paar Tränchen kaum verkneifen. Das schafft Cecelia Ahern immer wieder gut.
Tja, was soll ich anderes sagen, als das Buch meine Erwartungen erfüllt hat und mich in seinen Bann gezogen hat. Cecelia Ahern ist eine Meisterin des gefühlvollen Schreibens. Es handelt hier um eine gute Unterhaltung zum Wohlfühlen, denn wenn man so etwas liest, dann kann die Welt nicht nur schlecht sein und es gibt für jeden Hoffnung. Achja. (less)

like · see review

Jun 12, 2012 Sarah rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

what a bittersweet tale. Cecelia Ahern is a little jewel and has a way of sucking you right in to her whimsical world in Ireland. This one, a Christmasy story, tells of a man named Lou- (and it should be noted that this book came across to this reader as a Christmas Carol but a very modern Ahern-like way)who has it all. He has a good job and a good wife and two kids and all that but he's kind of a loser because he's had affairs and is always working and is always looking for the next level to mo...more

like · see review

Dec 16, 2009 Night rated it 4 of 5 stars

Actually, this book gets 3.5 rating from me.

The plot, the characters and morals here are 'Christmas-miracle' cliche, but if you read it at the right mood/atmosphere, chiche can be classic as well.

The edition I read has a very small font (1 mm in height) that could've been doubled in size easily. I often have migrane with small fonts, so I had to resentfully force myself to keep reading the first 100 pages. In effect, I couldn't fully enjoy the author's style of narration.

Anyway, after reading a...more

like · see review

Dec 08, 2012 Joana Silva rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This wasn't a book with which I feel in love with right from the first chapter. I love the way Cecelia writes, and I loved all of her novels I've read before, so I was starting to feel a little frustrated because I've always wanted to read this one.
During the first chapters the reading was slow and I had to force myself to read. Maybe it was only because I was feeling a little more tired than usual, but I didn't feel that excitement I usually feel when reading a good book (all always felt when r...more This wasn't a book with which I feel in love with right from the first chapter. I love the way Cecelia writes, and I loved all of her novels I've read before, so I was starting to feel a little frustrated because I've always wanted to read this one.
During the first chapters the reading was slow and I had to force myself to read. Maybe it was only because I was feeling a little more tired than usual, but I didn't feel that excitement I usually feel when reading a good book (all always felt when reading one of Cecelia's books).
But then things start to really happen and I started to really get interested in the story. The book started to get better and better, and the ending was simply surprising.
Lou, the main character, is difficult to empathize with, but at the same time it is easy to understand him. Usually I can connect with the characters she creates, specially the main character, but I couldn't connect with Lou. I don't know why, it simply happened. It doesn't mean I think that the character is not believable; men like him do exist, with the same ideas, problems, points of view. When he meets Gabe, an homeless man who is always near the building where he works, his life starts to change.
At the same time we read about Lou's life, some chapters show us another story line in which a policeman tells Lou's story to a teenager who made an mistake that day, so he is waiting for his mum to pick him up. I think it was a good idea to have this story line behind the main story, even if we don't see the connection to the rest of the story in the beginning.
Also, the attitude of Lou's wife towards his actions (you have to read it if you want to know) made me feel a bit angry with him and sorry for her. I know this happens in real life but I couldn't help myself to feel this way while reading the story.
Like always, I loved the way the story was written, although I think that this book didn't seem as magical as Cecelia'as other novels. It kind of disappointed me in the beginning but I think the the last chapters (from the moment of the Christmas party at the office) make the reading worth it.
My rating is between 3 and 4 stars, out of 5.(less)

like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 99 100 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

topics	posts	views	last activity
Books are my life...: The Gift by Cecelia Ahern	12	55	Oct 08, 2012 11:42pm

combine
Other Editions (56)

More editions...

Genres

Womens Fiction > Chick Lit

139 users

Holiday > Christmas

65 users

Romance

46 users

Fantasy

23 users

Contemporary

21 users

Holiday

12 users

Adult

11 users

Modern

9 users

Drama

7 users

Book Club

7 users

See top shelves...

Readers also enjoyed similar books

About Cecelia Ahern

Cecelia Ahern was born on September 30, 1981 in Dublin, Ireland. She is the daughter of the former Irish Taoiseach Bertie Ahern. On 14th December 2009 it was announced that Cecelia had given birth to her first child with partner David Keoghan, a girl named Robin. She was secretly married on 11 June 2010 in County Kildare, Ireland. Her older sister, Georgina Ahern is married to Nicky Byrne of Irish...more

More about Cecelia Ahern...

Books by Cecelia Ahern

More…

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Trivia About The Gift

17 trivia questions

More quizzes & trivia...

Quotes from Zeit Deines Lebens

“Time cant be given. But it can be shared.” — 176 people liked it

“Time is more precious than gold, more precious than diamonds, more precious than oil or any valuable treasures. It is time that we do not have enough of; it is time that causes the war within our hearts, and so we must spend it wisely.” — 130 people liked it

More quotes…

title link	preview: The Gift
avg rating	preview: The Gift Goodreads rating: 3.64 (7443 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7153557-the-gift?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1370622241l/7153557.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7153557-the-gift?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]The Gift by Cecelia Ahern[/url]

The Gift

Friend Reviews

Community Reviews

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website