Some nice imagery, and an interesting premise, but also a vague and disjointed story. I wasn't sure whether Thea's world was supposed to be a future version of our world, or an alternate version. It sounded like the Alphiri came from another world (as in another dimension-sort-of-thing), but some passages made it seem like they just came from another planet. These science fiction elements are intriguingly blended with fantasy, but the details could have used some more work.Thea's father was said to have gone to work in Washington D. C., but was apparently retired, because later in the book the family was living in Washington State(?) Or did I just miss a transition there?Also, the Magical Indian theme--a little eye-rolling at first, but I was glad that as it went along, it took on more aspects of native mythology, aside from Magpie's cliche animal healing. It also confused me that Cheveyo was an Anasazi (ancient Pueblo people), but Thea's friend Magpie from some Pacific Northwest tribe understood his words for the months. Why would Magpie know Anasazi words? Just because she's a Native American? Say what? All in all, the Native American elements were interesting, but an awkward blend with the later scenes in Thea's school and the computer magic. Her ability to access other worlds through computers seemed sort of contrived and random--I guess since in her world, she and computers were both supposed to be unmagical, that somehow allowed her to use them to access her otherworldly powers?A school on the Olympic Peninsula at this point smacks of Twilight, as does the "Quilcah" tribe--I'm glad that this story is better and that the commonalities ended there.Though a little different in nature, the main enemy being "The Nothing" was pulled straight from the pages of The Neverending Story and didn't show up until the final third of the book--the author could have elevated the sense of threat and tied the story together better if the enemy had been present the whole time, and not just in the form of the somewhat-sinister-to-Thea-but-otherwise-benignly-avaricious Alphiri.Confusing, to say the least, but good enough to read the sequel.NOTE: After reading the whole trilogy, I'd say it's definitely worth going on. It gets better with each book.
The seventh kid of two seventh kids, the main character whose name I've already forgotten is supposed to have a ton of magic. But she doesn't. So her father sends her away to study with an Anasazi spiritual guide or something and she finds herself and talks with a Spider Goddess who isn't Anansi, because the trickster in the story is a wolf.But eventually she goes off to a school for people with no magical ability (which is a real rarity in the world, as there only seems to be one school in the whole world). And the school is the reason I selected this book with Novelist as a tool. So I was glad she finally got there.I'm not sure what I think of the inclusion of Native American elements. For the most part, it just didn't interest me. But I don't know enough to know if it was handled well, with knowledge and care, or not.After reading this and Shaman's Crossing by Robin Hobb, I came to the conclusion that I don't like spiritual journeys with a tutor/guide/teacher/whatever. Too much talking and perhaps magic I'm not comfortable with. Or just bored by.So, not bad, once she finally got to the school. But I'm not ready to put in an ILL request for the next book in the series either.
What do You think about Gift Of The Unmage (2008)?
Thea is the seventh child of Paul and Ysobel Winthrop, both of whom were seventh children. In the world of magic and fantasy, the “double seventh child” is endowed with special gifts and powers. Try as she might, Thea couldn't perform magic tricks. She faces many challenges: she wants to please her parents, fulfill the expectations of her special place in the family, and enjoy her friends. Although the book is first and foremost a fantasy novel, it is also a superb “coming of age” story whose main character, Thea, struggles to understand herself and the world around her.To read our full review, go to The Reading Tub®.
—Terry
Reviewed by Jocelyn Pearce for TeensReadToo.comThea is a double seventh--a seventh child of two seventh children--and so, as soon as she is born, great things are expected of her. Everyone waits anxiously for her sure-to-be powerful magic to reveal itself. And waits. And waits. She disappoints everyone with her lack of the magic almost everyone in her world has, even those who can't show it, like her parents. However, in a last-ditch attempt to find Thea's power, her father sends her to another world, where her teacher, Chevyo, helps her to discover her own abilities. Back home, however, Thea attends the Wandless Academy, where those hopeless cases are sent to be isolated from magic. There, her strange powers that Chevyo helped her find in the other world come in surprisingly handy when she and a few friends, thought to be talentless and useless by much of their society, are called upon to save their world. GIFT OF THE UNMAGE was a good book, really, but at times I felt like it had a lot of potential to be even better, so I was a little disappointed. It's still worth the read for those who are looking for this sort of fantasy, however, and I will be looking forward to Ms. Alexander's next books.
—Jennifer Wardrip
Cultural appreciation/cultural appropriation. It's a fine line, and a subjective one. Unfortunately, this book ended up on the wrong side of that line, at least in my opinion. There was a definite Noble Savage vibe to much of the story. Which is too bad -- I really liked the main character, her frustration with being unable to live up to her family's expectations and her eventual acceptance of herself as she is. She doesn't have to change who she is to like herself, and that's a rare message.
—Djinnjer
