The Gift (Witch & Wizard, #2)

by James Patterson

Whit and Wisty Allgood are leading the Resistance against the despotic New Order. Hailed as 'Liberators', they are prophesised to overthrow the ruling regime. As such, Whit and Wisty have achieved notoriety and are very much at the top of the New Order's 'most wanted' list. But, as time passes, they are becoming more skillful at harnessing their magical capabilities and their powers are growing stronger everyday. The One Who Is The One, leader of the New Order, has escalated the intensity of his bid to eliminate the Allgoods and will allow nothing to stand in his way. But, there is something he needs from them first - their 'Gift'. If he manages to take it from them, it could bolster his already immense magical powers to a level unimaginable. And this could make The One Who Is The One, and the New Order, unstoppable.

• ISBN10: 0606234519
• ISBN13: 9780606234511
• Publish Date: 25 October 2011 (first published 4 November 2010)
• Publish Status: Out of Print
• Out of Print: 6 April 2021
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Demco Media Inc
• Edition: Bound for Schools & Libraries ed.
• Format: Hardcover (Library Binding)
• Pages: 400
• Language: English

Reviews

I might prefer The Gift over Witch & Wizard, but it's still not great. 

The biggest problem is that events and character development don't occur naturally, but are rather contrived out of nothing for the sake of plot. The main characters, Whit and Wisty, gain powers and abilities as and when needed, without any understandable or valid explanation, and soon they will probably be able to do anything under the sun. I usually don't mind The Chosen One trope, but I don't like when there's deus ex machina happenings. 

The characters are flat and static and the dialogue is unrealistic and cringy. Whit has a cardboard personality. Wisty is too trusting and gullible and I couldn't believe she would be that way after her experiences. Byron is the most interesting character in this series, but his potential is wasted. One good aspect: I started taking The One Who Is The One (also known as The One Who Needs A Better Title) a little more seriously, but he's still a stereotypical villain and I have no doubt that Whit and Wisty will be able to defeat him because he stays failing. 

This is also a series that doesn't need romance. There is a pairing that I like in theory, Byron and Wisty, but it's poorly executed because the one-sided love and its declarations come out of nowhere and even becomes that character's driving force. The other pairing, Whit and Janine, doesn't make sense. Whit is apparently madly in love with Celia so why in the world is he starting something with Janine. 

The Gift might not be a great book, but it's fast-paced and held my interest while I was reading. It wasn't a chore to read and that counts for something. 

[wyvernfriend]

Trying very hard to be clever but just doesn't work quite right, readable but somehow meh.

[Kim Deister]

The Gift is the second novel the young adult series, Witch & Wizard. The cliffhanger from the first novel led neatly into the second novel, the ongoing adventures of Whit and Wisty Allgood in their changing world. Freeland (the outlying areas populated by children who have managed to avoid being kidnapped, imprisoned, and brainwashed) is growing smaller as the New Order scouts delve farther and farther into the territory. The leader of the New Order, The One Who Is The One, is on obsessive quest to seize control of the Allgoods and their undeniable gifts. In this novel, the dystopian theme is further developed as we learn more about how the New Order operates. Magic isn't magic, but energy. Children that they want to brainwash and use for New Order purposes are not witches and wizards, although those they don't want are labeled as such. The characters of Whit and Wisty were further developed in this novel, more as individuals than in the first. Whit is almost obsessed with his need for his now-dead girlfriend, and Wisty has some romantic entanglements of her own. Patterson's writing style translates well to the young adult demographic with the dialogues between the characters. It was humorous and witty at key points with the story. Once again, the chapters were fairly short, shifting the point of view of each chapter between Whit and Wisty. That technique kept the story interesting, adding texture to it. I think The Gift may have been my favorite of the two so far. The next book in the series, Witch & Wizard: The Fire, will be out in December 2011.