Cover to The Girl with All the Gifts by M.R. Carey. Image: Orbit
The Girl with All the Gifts – M.R. Carey
M.R. Carey’s The Girl With All the Gifts is a strange and thrilling SFF novel that showcases darker themes throughout its story. Compared by critics to the works of Neil Gaiman and Stephen King, it’s one that’s perfect for readers looking to immerse themselves in a world that’s mysterious and even a bit frightening at times.
The Girl With All the Gifts tells the story of Melanie, who is introduced to readers as “a very special girl”—or even a “little genius,” as Dr. Caldwell tells her. Melanie is kept in a cell and escorted to her classes, treated as dangerous by everyone around her. Even when she leaves her cell, she’s strapped into a wheelchair with restraints and held at gunpoint.
Melanie doesn’t understand why she’s treated with fear and caution by those who guard her, nor can she grasp why her mentions of her future make her teacher look sad. But as the reader continues to follow Melanie and those around her, it becomes clear that there’s more to the girl than we’re initially led to believe—maybe even more than Melanie herself realizes.
Set in a dystopian society, The Girl With All the Gifts offers a unique take on the common story of a disease leading to the downfall of mankind. It forces the characters—and the readers through them—to consider what lengths they would go to in order to ensure humanity’s survival. It’s an age-old concept, but Carey uses Melanie’s perspective to put an interesting spin on it. It’s well worth the read, especially for those who enjoy a mesh of science-fiction and dystopian stories.