Author: Olivie Blake
Published: April 1, 2025 by Tor Books
Format: Kindle, Hardcover, 512 Pages
Genre: Fantasy
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.
Blurb: Where there’s a will, there’s a war.
Thayer Wren, the brilliant CEO of Wrenfare Magitech and so-called father of modern technology, is dead. Any one of his three telepathically and electrokinetically gifted children would be a plausible inheritor to the Wrenfare throne.
Or at least, so they like to think.
Meredith, textbook accomplished eldest daughter and the head of her own groundbreaking biotech company, has recently cured mental illness. You're welcome! If only her father's fortune wasn't her last hope for keeping her journalist ex-boyfriend from exposing what she really is: a total fraud.
Arthur, second-youngest congressman in history, fights the good fight every day of his life. And yet, his wife might be leaving him, and he's losing his re-election campaign. But his dead father’s approval in the form of a seat on the Wrenfare throne might just turn his sinking ship around.
Eilidh, once the world's most famous ballerina, has spent the last five years as a run-of-the-mill marketing executive at her father’s company after a life-altering injury put an end to her prodigious career. She might be lacking in accolades compared to her siblings, but if her father left her everything, it would finally validate her worth—by confirming she'd been his favorite all along.
On the pipeline of gifted kid to clinically depressed adult, nobody wins—but which Wren will come out on top?
My Opinion: This isn’t just a book, it’s an experience, a ride through chaos, sharp wit, and unsettling family dynamics that leave you wondering what just happened. It moves fast, then slows down, then throws something at you that you didn’t see coming. It’s the kind of book that makes you pause, reread, and mutter, “Wait, what?” more times than you’d like to admit.
There’s no shortage of quotable lines, either. Some are funny, some are profound, and others just hit differently. If you go the audiobook route, do yourself a favor and speed it up a notch. It heightens the manic energy and makes the humor shine even brighter. Speaking of humor, it won’t be for everyone, but if it works for you, it really works.
The first few chapters are a jumble of confusion as Blake throws the reader headfirst into the tangled backstories of the Wren siblings. It’s overwhelming, but once things settle, the real intrigue begins. That is, until you realize you have no idea who Lou is and who’s telling this story. Let’s just say their identity is part of the fun. The reveal? Brilliant. And Lou’s identity? An unexpected twist that makes you rethink everything.
Now, about the world-building. The Magitech industry, with its roots in electromagnetic waves dating back to Tesla’s era, offers a fascinating backdrop. But despite being placed in the fantasy genre, magic isn’t really the driving force here. Sure, the siblings have their abilities, but this isn’t a story about spellcasting or grand magical battles. No, this is a story about deeply flawed people making bad decisions, tangled in dysfunctional family dynamics that steal the spotlight.
And let’s be honest: Gifted and Talented does not offer a single truly likable character. Some had potential, but you wouldn’t want to sit down to dinner with most of them; they’re either morally gray or downright terrible. That said, the morally gray ones would make for some fascinating conversation, but don’t believe a word they say.
This was my first Olivie Blake novel, and I completely understand the hype. It’s unpredictable, clever, and relentless. A book that lingers in your mind long after you’ve turned the last page.
Thayer Wren, the brilliant CEO of Wrenfare Magitech and so-called father of modern technology, is dead. Any one of his three telepathically and electrokinetically gifted children would be a plausible inheritor to the Wrenfare throne.
Or at least, so they like to think.
Meredith, textbook accomplished eldest daughter and the head of her own groundbreaking biotech company, has recently cured mental illness. You're welcome! If only her father's fortune wasn't her last hope for keeping her journalist ex-boyfriend from exposing what she really is: a total fraud.
Arthur, second-youngest congressman in history, fights the good fight every day of his life. And yet, his wife might be leaving him, and he's losing his re-election campaign. But his dead father’s approval in the form of a seat on the Wrenfare throne might just turn his sinking ship around.
Eilidh, once the world's most famous ballerina, has spent the last five years as a run-of-the-mill marketing executive at her father’s company after a life-altering injury put an end to her prodigious career. She might be lacking in accolades compared to her siblings, but if her father left her everything, it would finally validate her worth—by confirming she'd been his favorite all along.
On the pipeline of gifted kid to clinically depressed adult, nobody wins—but which Wren will come out on top?
My Opinion: This isn’t just a book, it’s an experience, a ride through chaos, sharp wit, and unsettling family dynamics that leave you wondering what just happened. It moves fast, then slows down, then throws something at you that you didn’t see coming. It’s the kind of book that makes you pause, reread, and mutter, “Wait, what?” more times than you’d like to admit.
There’s no shortage of quotable lines, either. Some are funny, some are profound, and others just hit differently. If you go the audiobook route, do yourself a favor and speed it up a notch. It heightens the manic energy and makes the humor shine even brighter. Speaking of humor, it won’t be for everyone, but if it works for you, it really works.
The first few chapters are a jumble of confusion as Blake throws the reader headfirst into the tangled backstories of the Wren siblings. It’s overwhelming, but once things settle, the real intrigue begins. That is, until you realize you have no idea who Lou is and who’s telling this story. Let’s just say their identity is part of the fun. The reveal? Brilliant. And Lou’s identity? An unexpected twist that makes you rethink everything.
Now, about the world-building. The Magitech industry, with its roots in electromagnetic waves dating back to Tesla’s era, offers a fascinating backdrop. But despite being placed in the fantasy genre, magic isn’t really the driving force here. Sure, the siblings have their abilities, but this isn’t a story about spellcasting or grand magical battles. No, this is a story about deeply flawed people making bad decisions, tangled in dysfunctional family dynamics that steal the spotlight.
And let’s be honest: Gifted and Talented does not offer a single truly likable character. Some had potential, but you wouldn’t want to sit down to dinner with most of them; they’re either morally gray or downright terrible. That said, the morally gray ones would make for some fascinating conversation, but don’t believe a word they say.
This was my first Olivie Blake novel, and I completely understand the hype. It’s unpredictable, clever, and relentless. A book that lingers in your mind long after you’ve turned the last page.
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