All Our Hidden Gifts

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Review: When I tell you I am OBSESSED, not only does All Our Hidden Gifts follow a complex plot with dynamic characters, but also includes so many open and essential conversations, including those about sexuality, gender, race, self esteem and mental health, all in the context of internal pressures and external prejudice.

With a deft hand, O’Donoghue crafts a narrative that is steeped in both classic gothic atmosphere and contemporary representation. . . . Stefanie Caponi’s tarot card illustrations are hauntingly perfect companions to the text. Much like the novel, the cards appear deceptively familiar at first glance. The stakes are high, the narrative is nuanced, and the climax and resolution are refreshingly unexpected. Expect readers to fall into this blurred tale of the normal and the paranormal. Maeve, the main character of this story, is conflicted. She is conflicted about the decisions she has made surrounding her friendships and conflicted about her place in society in general. . . .The story is well written and engaging. It also provides a perspective on how religious individuals, and the Irish community specifically, are working through the changing global perspectives of gender and gender fluidity. . . . This book is a recommended addition for high school readers interested in tarot, mysticism, and gender roles these books are going to mean so much to so many readers. whether you’re finding it difficult being a teenager, trying to recover from your religious trauma, figuring out your gender identity, or feeling othered and out of place even amongst those you love, there is something for you here. beneath the glamor of this series is a story of friendship, love, and perseverance in the face of injustice, and it’s not one you want to miss.As some would say : "All Our Hidden Gifts is an enchanting read, blending the chatty charm of Maeve Binchy with the imaginative scope of Diana Wynne Jones". Having previously read and loved All Our Hidden Gifts and The Gifts That Bind Us, I can safely say the All Our Hidden Gifts trilogy is an underrated gem. This is a trilogy that really digs into its social commentary and thrives in its proudly Irish flair. It is a modern myth in the making, with fantastical powers acting as metaphorical stand-ins for mental health, queer identity and personal struggles. O’Donoghue has created something that will truly help so, so many readers.

Maeve as a character was a bore. She was self-centred, cruel and whiny. The things she said and did to Lily are quite unforgivable in my book. It resulted in me not caring the slightest about her and whether or not she succeeded. Roe was an interesting character (Lily’s older brother) but I don’t think he was developed enough. Fiona was an okay character - if she had been the main character maybe this book would’ve been a lot better. Lily was hardly developed whatsoever! She seemed the most interesting of them all!

Fiona is struggling, everyone has these high expectations of her and it's too much when she still has trauma to process. She's started self harming and why does it matter? She can heal herself with her new gift. She's not "one of those girls with a problem". Nearing the end maybe she realises she does have a problem, when her powers are fading she still self harms even though she can't heal. It's become a routine of hers. I hope she can find the help she needs in the next book.

For me, the main issue with this book are the themes the author chose to focus on. At the end of the second book, a lot of emphasis is put on Dorey, her cult and the fact that she‘s a powerful villain that the characters have to somehow defeat in the last book. There is this huge buildup to a grand finale, and I still cannot believe that this storyline doesn’t even make up 20% of the book (and I‘m still being generous because it’s likely even less). Whilst cleaning she comes across an old walkman with a tape titled ‘Spring 1990’ and some Tarot cards. Maeve takes both items home with her. It isn’t long before she is learning all about Tarot. She feels like the cards talk to her and she has a gift, so much so that she starts to give out Tarot reading at school to the girls in her year with strong accuracy. Maeve Chambers always feels out of place in her family of academically proficient people. Everyone hides a hidden talent though and Maeve’s happens to fall in the category of magic and witchcraft.

Content Warning: bullying, homophobia, religious fanaticism, slurs, HP reference, self-harm, racism, violence, mentions of suicide, mentions of spousal physical abuse, mentions of homophobic assaults (physical and verbal). Maeve’s strangely astute tarot readings make her the talk of the school, until a classmate draws a chilling and unfamiliar card—and then disappears.

Synopsis: Maeve and her friends explore and develop their individual gifts. As word gets out about their magical abilities strange things start happening in town and the group become extremely vulnerable in the place they call home. Who can they trust? What is changing with their abilities? This second instalment seemed to have a slower pace to it than the first and focused more on the friendships, love lives, fallings out, etc than the first. It also felt a little more sinister.This novel maybe for 14+ year olds but I loved it, and I can safely say it’s certainly suitable for the older generation to read. Lily O’Callaghan and Maeve once we’re best friends but had grown apart. You should always be careful for what you wish for. As when Maeve does a reading for Lily it goes horribly wrong, Maeve tells Lily ‘I wish you would disappear’.