The Gift by James Patterson

The Gift (Witch & Wizard, #2)

by James Patterson

Leading the Resistance, Whit and Wisty face their most daunting challenge yet in the jaw-dropping sequel to Witch & Wizard.
When Whit and Wisty were imprisoned by the wicked forces of the totalitarian regime known as the New Order, they were barely able to escape with their lives. Now part of a hidden community of teens like themselves, Whit and Wisty have established themselves as leaders of the Resistance, willing to sacrifice anything to save kidnapped and imprisoned kids.
Now the villainous leader of the New Order is just a breath away from the ability to control the forces of nature and to manipulate his citizens on the most profound level imaginable: through their minds. There is only one more thing he needs to triumph in his evil quest: the Gifts of Whit and Wisty Allgood. And he will stop at nothing to seize them.
In this second installment of James Patterson's epic Witch & Wizard series, Whit and Wisty's heart-pounding adventures through the Overworld and Shadowland lead to a spectacular climax and conclusion.

Reviewed by Kim Deister on

4 of 5 stars

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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.

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  • Started reading
  • 22 January, 2011: Finished reading
  • 22 January, 2011: Reviewed