The Gift Maker

by Mark Mayes

'Gifts ought to be free, but they never are. They tie you to the wishes of others. To your own sad expectations. To the penitentiary of your dreams.'

Late one night, Thomas Ruder receives a strange package: a small blue box. Another such item is delivered to his friend Liselotte Hauptmann. These 'gifts' will change their lives forever. In the far-off border town of Grenze, a play is to be performed at the Sheol Theatre. Reynard the impresario expects a very special audience. Thomas and Liselotte, together with their friend Johann, are drawn into Reynard's seductive web, as Daumen, the gift maker, must decide who his master really is.

The Gift Maker is a story about identity, about fulfilling your dreams and becoming the person you always were ... at whatever cost.

Genres: Fiction

343 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 23, 2017

About the author

Mark Mayes has published numerous stories and poems in magazines and anthologies in the UK, Eire, and Italy, and in particular has had several stories published in (or accepted for) the celebrated Unthology series (Unthank Books). His work has been broadcast on BBC Radio 4 and the BBC World Service. He has been shortlisted for literary prizes, including the prestigious Bridport Prize.
 
The Gift Maker (2017 Urbane) is his first novel.  

Reviews

[Miriam Smith (A Mother’s Musings) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought "The Gift Maker" by the very talented and poetically articulate Mark Mayes through the Urbane Book Club and I would like to start by saying this is a beautifully printed book decorated with butterflies that give every page a wonderfully magical appeal. You can't help being drawn to this book, there's something almost ethereal and wondrous about it that you just know you're going to be transported into another world!
Strange boxes wrapped as gifts have been delivered by a very mysterious man to Thomas and his friend Liselotte. What do these gifts represent and how will it effect their lives? You will need to read this beautiful story for yourself to find out more about these special boxes and the journeys Thomas and Liselotte embark on because of them.
This magical book was like a literary learning curve for me, such were the descriptions, places, and unique story telling of this amazing novel. At times I felt like I was floating in a sea of warm fuzziness then other times there was a feeling of dreaded foreboding and with some really scary scenes this book certainly has it all. The characters are just fascinating and you feel like you know everything there is to know about them so descriptive is the authors poetic writing. It was almost like Liselotte had travelled into her own little world of Alice in Wonderland!
"The Gift Maker" in my opinion is a timeless piece of exemplary writing that I wouldn't hesitate to recommend. I'm not sure what genre I would put this in as I've never read anything like this before (I believe it's categorised as Metaphysical though I'm unfortunately very naive about this subject) but Mark Mayes certainly deserves to do well with this his debut book and I am very pleased that I have had the pleasure to read such a charming and wonderful book.

[Sabrina · Rating 2 out of 5]

Late one night, Thomas receives a mysterious blue gift box. He senses this is no ordinary gift, and feeling afraid to open it, puts it away till morning. Then he finds out that Liselotte, the object of his desire, has also received one. When he sees the extraordinarily unbelievable contents he needs to open his own, but it is missing. These gifts set them on an adventure where no one is who they seem, not even themselves. This has never been truer of a book!
I don't think the book description does justice to this book and it did nothing to prepare me for the story. The language is a little more flowery than I'm used to and there is a lot of imagery which is not for the faint-hearted. I also felt that there was probably a lot of deep meaning to much of the book that might have gone over my head a bit. A book that needs further discussion with other readers.

[Tracey-anne McCartney · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful poetic fairy tale

Wow, my expectations of an introduction to something magical were met, exceeded even, in this fabulous debut novel.

The story begins with the character Thomas receiving a gift, mysteriously delivered. Later he finds out that his friend Liselotte also received a gift. Both approach the enigmatic boxes quite differently. They embark on a journey, though not together, and are soon followed by a friend called Johann. From this point, certain experiences cause the characters to re-evaluate the world around them as well as within and their lives are never the same.

Lyrical storytelling captures the essence of life and higher powers in this wonderful novel. Author, Mark Mayes, gives pause for thought while gently and cleverly revealing qualities of Otherworldliness with sublime substance using metaphors and symbology.
Certain imagery will remain with me forever as will passages due to Marks artistry of combining elements of deeper thinking with vivid description, which are masterful.

This book tantalises the senses with different perspectives, all rich and diverse. You can't help but get drawn in and philosophise with the characters who are well-developed and constant. Throughout the book, we learn more about their individual journeys and true purpose within the magical multi-faceted world created. The story keeps you guessing and turning the pages.

I love the way Mark interprets the world around him and one can't help but admire the artistic poetry in which he captures it all in written form. Not an easy task to tie down these elements in a comprehensive way that isn't overpowering or bewildering. This book is an absolute treasure. I really feel that it would make a spectacular movie. A visual delight.

How important are ambitions, hopes, and desires, for both yourself and the world? What about purpose and freedom? These are thoughts which we all have on some level but are they significant or important enough to follow blindly as we often believe?
Find out for yourself in this very different and clever novel.

Thank you, Urbane Publications & NetGalley for Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Yvonne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mark Mayes is a genius. This is one of those books yo occasionally come across that is mind-blowing. I know that before I even start this review, I am not going to be able to do it justice.

I give this 5*

Firstly, this book is beautiful, from the outer cover to the inner pages, to the story inside. It is beautifully and artistically written. It is a masterpiece, this becomes obvious when you start to read it. You know you are experiencing something wonderful, there are very few books that have left me with this "It was an honour and a privilege to read" feeling.

This is the story of Thomas, Liselotte and Jo short for Johann, though there are many more very important and memorable characters. Thomas and Liselotte are given a box each, their reactions to this mysterious package are completely different. Thomas is very wary and wants to ignore and forget about his. Whereas Liselotte embraces her box, opens it and is mesmerised by the contents. The boxes will lead them on a journey of discovery, of horror and hope, of innocence and mixed paths. They will travel dark paths where time looses all meaning, and will question life and their own existence and beliefs.

This book is so deep with so many intertwining stories, characters and ideologies, it is amazing that it all fits into 345 pages. This is not a quick read book, it a book that you will think about. The characters are wonderfully written and the scenes that Mark has created are astounding. This book has left me awestruck. There will be people who read and understand philosophical texts, who will take a lot more from this story than I have. But this lack of philosophical understanding that I have does not for a moment take anything away from the story. It makes me aware that there is something deeper and profound sat in these pages.

There is one quote that I loved from this story that for me jumped out, though there are a lot i could choose, and that was

"We are cursed with free choice." (page 263)

This is not a quick read book, it is a book to be savoured and enjoyed. It is a work of genius.

[Liz Barnsley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this. Different and lyrical. Full review to follow as a website post next week.

[Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Gift Maker is a magical fantasy novel like no other, and I loved it. To try and define the genre that this book fits into is incredibly difficult. It is a fantasy novel, but it is also a magical fairy tale alongside a story of good and evil and of creation. It's an exceptionally clever novel, that uses poetic language, in a world so unlike our own. This is a world where reality sits alongside magic.

And just look at the cover. It is so beautiful.

The Gift Maker is other worldly, it remnded me of when I read Gormenghast by Mervyn Peake many years ago, and for some reason the film Dogville, popped into my mind while I was reading (which I loved). The writing style is very different to the contemporary fiction of today, but I soon relaxed into the melodic dialogue and found myself immersed in this beautiful literary world.

So, the story begins when Thomas is woken in the middle of the night by his landlady, who has a small box to give him. This has been hand delivered by a mysterious man with large hairy hands. Thomas is afraid of what is inside the box and so shuts it away in his bedside drawer. He tells nobody about this gift, not even his closest friend, Johann. He then finds out that a friend of his, Liselotte, whom he cares deeply about, has also received a strange box. She confides in him one evening about what is inside the box. Thomas is unsupportive of Liselotte's revelation, and as a result she dismisses him. He is despondent as he really wanted to be more than just friends. It is the following day that Liselotte disappears, leaving a note behind, simply telling Thomas that she has gone to Grenze. It is from this moment on that the book takes a dramatic turn, and the lives of these three friends is never the same again.

I can't really disclose any more about what happens after this, as it would give the entire plot away, and I really don't want to do that. All I will say is that the three friends go on their own separate journeys of self discovery, defined by the gifts that they receive.

What I loved about this book was the description of the faraway ghost town of Grenze. This is a place that I would never wish to travel to. For me, this tiny village represented the end of the world.

The Gift Maker is not an easy read, in the sense that it makes you think, it is a philosophical read with multiple interpretations available to the reader, depending upon their personal viewpoints and past experiences. This book can be interpreted in many different ways. For me, this book was about good and evil, how the world began and of that all consuming first love. This book is predominantly about self discovery and it asks the question:

Would you really do anything, no matter the cost, to fulfill your wildest dreams?

The Gift Maker is a breathtaking read of self discovery. It is a magical tale of love, morality and of doing the right thing. And as for the ending...well, it was completely unexpected but brilliant. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it.

The Gift Maker is published by Urbane Publications on February 23rd.

With thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an Advanced Reader Copy.

[Cherry Radford · Rating 4 out of 5]

This strikingly original, beautifully written novel reads like a sophisticated but shocking fairy tale for adults.

The story is set in a fictional Eastern European country in which three diffident university students each receive a mysterious gift ‘in a box slightly bigger than a watch box, but smaller than a box that may contain a single book’ from an unknown donor. The extraordinary contents set each of them on a dangerous journey to the town of Grenze – where they each believe they will get some answers about the gift and their lives in general.

I was totally involved in all this until, at about half way through, some of the fantastical events in the story (or ones inside the student’s minds?) started to bewilder me. Furthermore, Grenze is no Oz, and the relentlessly grim goings on started to get me down. On the other hand, this did provoke some wonderful prose, such as the gift maker’s ‘I can zoom out and Grenze is a flickering dot that a god might pinch to rubble between his thumb and forefinger. I can zoom in and smell the faint trace of soap mixed with sweat on the young man’s neck, and how that moisture is chilled as dawn threatens behind them.’

My problems with the second half are more due to my unfamiliarity with the genre, among other issues, than a criticism of the novel (I note another reviewer felt that this is where the book takes off), but explain why I had to give four rather than five stars. I was, however, very glad that I read through to the ending. I would certainly recommend this to fans of literary fantasy – or anyone made of stronger stuff than me!

[Minx Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

was a great read. i got sent a review copy of this. and it was truly wonderful. the writing flowed in a charming way.. i liked the characters alot n the way the book makes you think very good n different from anythin i have read before. magical .. serious.. fun.. friendships.. soul .
enjoyed it.

[Greg Gardiner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was Hooked ! until the very last page !

[Alva · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rather like 'The Doll Funeral' by Kate Hamer, 'The Gift Maker' stirs deep, complicated emotions by virtue of the strangeness of the story. Vivid imagery, beautiful writing, other-worldly events, characters and dreams fuse together to create a disturbing but wonderful tale. Mark Mayes' gift of creating scenes that envelop the reader is evident and consistent throughout. And Mabe! Dear Mabe. No spoilers here. Liselotte and Thomas each have their journeys, started by a gift of a box. Do you want to find out what's in their boxes? Read The Gift Maker. It took me a while to read this book due to other commitments but it was worth it to the last page.

[Gina Kirkham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extraordinarily beautiful...

A beautifully haunting and mesmerising tale, at times I felt magically part of the pages and the words, such is the poetic and descriptive nature of Mark Mayes' writing. A truly extraordinary book, you will not be disappointed, it will stay with you in your heart and mind long after you close the pages.

“The gift will find the receiver, whether he wishes it or not, for it is part of him and cannot be denied.”

[Claire Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to read The Gift Maker by Mark Mayes because I loved the cover. I didn't know what type of book I requested. The first part of the book had me hooked - what was in the strange box that had been delivered by a strange man? An enjoyable and original read. 3 stars.

[Shirley Golden · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this book because I'd previously read Mark Mayes short fiction and knew he was an accomplished, intriguing author. I was also drawn to the genre: literary fiction with surreal/fantastical overtones.

On the surface, Mayes writes a compelling tale of love, identity, and the search for self. The details in the description and characterisation are stunning. The imagery taps into a dark fairy-tale world that incorporates a biblical landscape of wolves, forests, gardens, apples and lambs. But it is so much more than this because, as with all powerful literary fiction, it contains layers of subtext, open to interpretation.

For me, at its heart were the questions, who is the gift maker, or giver of life? And who pulls the puppet strings of the players? It is telling that Daumen is the only first-person viewpoint character, and also of significance to this are Johann's doubts: ' ... They put it all on me because they thought they needed me ...'. I won't expand any more here, as I don't want to reveal too much.

Suffice to say, this is a beautifully written and profound novel (that has made my top twenty best reads of all time), written by an author who I hope will achieve the recognition his work deserves. Highly recommended.

[Daniel Gothard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mark Mayes is such a gifted writer; a rare talent who has an incredible ability to mix imagination with vivid characterisation and an intriguing narrative. I have read his short stories, poems, and listened to his lovely music for years, but this novel is the apotheosis of his skills so far. It is a story virtually impossible to categorise - and all the better for it. David Lodge once questioned the British novel and its lack of ideas. This is a novel full of ideas that will make any reader think and feel and want to find out more about the work of Mark Mayes. My advice is: do that, find anything you can by him - online journals, etc, and read it all. A masterpiece.

[Evab Black · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love books that take me out of reality but at the same time leave me feeling I’ve learned something about people and life. Mark Mayes is probably the most mystical writer I have ever come across in my 60 years. His prose flows like an unhindered river and carries you along with it wanting to know what is round every corner. He is up there with the literary greats but at the same time gives the impression of being a writer of profound insight. I don’t like spoiling plots in reviews but will say you will be subsumed into the lives of the characters until very last page. Highly recommended for readers looking for something very special.

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book. It's a wonderful mix of fantasy, dystopia and magic. Very readable and so beautifully written that sometimes I stopped to re-read a section for the sheer pleasure of the language. The multi-layered plot and fascinating characterisation provides a compelling read. There are hints of childhood and tantalising references to well-remembered fairy tales, bible stories and mythology. There is poetic beauty in some of the writing as well as scenes that are genuinely scary. A remarkable novel that leaves the reader with so much to think about and a wish to read it all over again.

[Michelle Ryles · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not really sure what I've just read but you could have slapped me in the face with a wet kipper whilst I was reading The Gift Maker and I wouldn't have noticed. This is PURE escapism, more theology than fantasy but with a massive thought-provoking ending that left my mouth open catching butterflies.

Thomas and Liselotte are students who each have a strange blue box delivered in the middle of the night. Thomas wants to get back to bed so puts his box in a drawer and goes back to sleep, but Liselotte naturally opens hers straight away. When Liselotte shares the contents of her box with Thomas, he rushes back home to find his box gone. Enter Reynard (who I couldn't help but think of as the fox) and Thomas and Liselotte find their world spun on its head.

What follows would make Lewis Carroll wish he'd written it or Tim Burton wish he'd filmed it first. So jump down the rabbit hole with Mark Mayes and prepare to be amazed, astounded and gobsmacked at this fairytale style unusual story. The Gift Maker defies all genres and refuses to be put into a box, it's an absolutely magical, captivating story.

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a book reviewer sometimes i don’t get to read them all and my husband reads books and gives me his thoughts and this was one he read and enjoyed.
A fantasy like read that captured him from start to finish. Not one I would have picked up I expect but he felt it was right up his street and enjoyed the way it was written. Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for this arc in exchange for my honest review .

[Rae Else · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started this one as well as Hekla’s Children in a conscious effort to read more books published by independent presses. I chose Urbane Press this month as The Gift Maker caught my eye. And I’m so glad it did! It proved to be a disturbing, and yet, beautiful story. It reminded me very much of Bulgakov’s, The Master and the Margarita, with its surreal nature, as well as its Eastern European-esque setting (the characters venture to a town called Grenze, which translates to “Border”).

Descent

At the very beginning, one of the MCs, Thomas receives the mysterious box. I enjoyed gradually getting to know Thomas and his fellow philosophy students - their jokes and banter easing us into the story. It isn’t until we meet Liselotte, the other MC that the story starts to get surreal and magical, but it’s worth the wait. I loved following her on her quest to understand her gift and watching as the world around her becomes more warped and disturbing.

Depth

There is so much to contemplate in this book - there is a depth of soul in this book that is such a rarity. I think some of the quotes I marked will sum up the particular beauty of its pages and its writer:

“The gift will find the receiver, whether he wishes it or not, for it is part of him and cannot be denied.”

“We look for the pure, if hidden, desire. The love of the love for its own sake, not for gross gain. A rare thing in this and other worlds."

I don’t want to give too much away, but there are layers upon layers of meaning and influence in this book. One moment you think of The Master and Margarita, especially with the theatre scenes and then there’s hints of Dr Faustus and questions about one’s ambitions in life and their impact on the soul.

Ascent

This book has stayed with me the last week - and I will definitely be buying a paperback copy so that I can revisit it again when the images and ideas fade.

[Thelastwordreview · Rating 5 out of 5]

When The Gift Maker landed on my doormat I have to say it really intrigued me, I was so taken by the cover and press release that it haunted me, it sat on my desk and I would just look at it as if it was actually calling me to it. Announcing Mark Mayes as a new and rare writing talent. This really is a spellbinding and magical book.

The one thing I will say is that it defies any genre as I cannot place into any perhaps a foot in a number but not one that is specific as this is not like any other book, it is something unique and so beautifully written a fantasy that can be real and unreal in one sentence.

One night a student alone in his lodgings receives what can only be described as a strange looking package that he was not expecting but Thomas Rudder does not open it, it soon becomes clear that he is not the only one who has received a surprise gift out of the blue. We learn that a friend Liselotte Hauptmann has also received a gift, unlike Thomas Liselotte opens hers and so the scene is set. She set off on an adventure that is more of a quest as it is one that is not free from hazards. For Thomas he is worried about his gift and has not opened his, but he soon set off after Liselotte to the town of Grenze. There is a third student that comes into the storyline and Johan he is aware of the gifts to his two friends, but who has sent them and why? All we know is that their lives are never going to be the same again from this moment. We then find that a theatre producer is behind the gifts but why has he sent them on a journey that places perils in front of each of the three students.

A journey made by three students that turns into something unlike anything you will have read in a long time. A journey of self-discovery that the reader will also become part of these very journeys. What happens next is down to you. Now you have to go on your own journey to your local bookshop and order a copy of The Gift Maker and prepare for what is at times scary and extraordinary adventure to a town that you would not never want to visit let alone the journey. This is a story that will make you think about your life and life in general, I found it incredibly philosophical at times difficult and worrying. But I for one delighted that this book landed on my doormat. A book that asks so many questions not in general but to each and every individual reader some questions may hang around for quite some time. Then they will come back to you. This is not a book to take lightly but at the same time it is just brilliant and a read you will not forget. Every book has an ending, just wait until you read the ending to The Gift Maker.

Thank you to Matthew Smith at Urbane Publications for the advanced review copy.

[Neats · Rating 5 out of 5]

What would you do if someone knocked on your door in the middle of the night to give you a strange package: a small blue box, with a white bow, slightly bigger than a watch box, but smaller than a box that may contain a single book. And what if that box had your date of birth on it, would you open it?

This is exactly what happens to Thomas Ruder in the opening of The Gift Maker. When Thomas finds out that Liselotte, a fellow student who he has a crush on, has received a similar box, he's intrigued but he keeps quiet about the fact that he also has his own box, unopened, in his bedside drawer. Liselotte, having opened her box has invited Thomas to view it's contents but only after swearing him to complete secrecy.

Thomas is stunned by what he sees and confesses that he received a very similar box. Liselotte is angry that he didn't say anything before and won't listen to Thomas when he voices his concerns about the origin of these two strange gifts.

His concerns grow when the following day Liselotte doesn't show up at university and he finds a note in his pigeon hole telling him that she is on her way to Grenze to meet a man called Reynard who will be able to help her succeed in achieving her life-long dream.

Leaving his best friend Jo (short for Johann) at the station, Thomas sets off to Grenze in search of iselotte but Jo is soon not far behind them, armed with his own blue box.

The Gift Maker is one of those rare books that doesn't sit comfortably in any genre but this doesn't mean that the story is a confused one, far from it! It has an ethereal quality, the likes of which I've never read before. I was transported into another world that was full of dark secrets, eccentric characters and vivid descriptions. An unconventional journey of self discovery that makes the reader question their own beliefs about good and evil. I loved the clever way that the theme of the blue butterfly, which some believe symbolises a person's essence or soul, either past, present or future, is represented by the beautiful butterflies on every page. For a debut novel Mark Mayes has written a stunning, refreshing and enigmatic novel that will stay in my mind for a very long time to come and one that I would highly recommend you read.

With kind thanks to Urbane Publications for the review copy.

[Brie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I find The Gift Maker an amazingly fascinating read, characterized by thought - provoking images, ideas and a beautiful language. Having mainly known Mark Mayes´ wonderful works as a songwriter, I became interested in his debut novel.
As a non - native English speaker, the book challenged me to go on an uncertain journey, not only linguistically but also substantially. Throughout the story, there always seems to be secrecy and an uneasy feeling in the air and together with the main characters the reader gets drawn into a surreal setting and atmosphere. Like some of the previous reviewers, I have also been reminded of Kafka. Strangers in the story often seem to know more than the main characters and this contributes to the books incredible suspense, screaming for answers until the end. I couldn´t lay the book aside, not least because of its pleasant flow, numerous details and descriptions elegantly embedded. I love how the chapters and the individual events of the main characters switch like movie scenes. Some depictions left me in shock because of their dark nightmarish nature, others made me feel relief. All the triggered mood changes and the unusual mix of different literary elements made my reading experience all the more interesting and generated surprise and curiosity. For some reason, by the book cover and teaser I expected a "soothing" read, presenting an embellished world. Instead, I discovered a fantastic mystery thriller for myself. I realized later, how suitable the wonderful book - layout is after all. The ending left me with a goose bumps effect. I would love to see this novel interpreted in a movie. Alongside many essential topics, to me the book is about the liberation from what has shaped a person´s views in formative years in such a way that it limits her/him becoming the true self. I highly recommend this book. I find it extremely original and unique. Congratulations, Mark Mayes, on an outstanding piece of art!

[Radcliff · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a highly original and utterly mesmerising novel that held me spellbound from the very first chapter. Beautifully written, it charts the lives of three life-dulled students, two of whom suddenly receive a gift that is not only completely unexpected, but also utterly impossible. Liselotte is bewitched by hers, and is so curious about what she believes her gift is telling her that she sets off on an ill-advised quest to the borderland of Grenze - and her journey becomes more hazardous by the moment. Thomas doesn't open his gift initially, and then becomes too afraid to after witnessing Liselotte's gift. After enquiring about the gift's benefactor, Thomas becomes more wary still, but his quandary over whether or not to open his gift is resolved for him - upon returning to his room, it has vanished without a trace.

What neither Liselotte or Thomas know is that the consequences of receiving the custom-made, and highly personal, gifts have already been decided for them - by a theatre impresario whose existence they are unaware of. The third student, the mercurial, enigmatic Jurgen, does not receive a gift, but he is part of their story, too, and follows Thomas in his blind quest.

Rich in symbolism, the novel is poetic, highly charged, and so vividly written that I became completely unaware of my real-world environment, having stepped into the shape-shifting world of Liselotte, Thomas, Jurgen, and the mysterious, nomadic Daumen, whose very identity and existence becomes ever more compromised by following the denouement of the students' story. I literally couldn' put this book down - it is so compelling that you can't bear to leave the characters to their fate. Unusually inventive, this fantasy is not for the faint-hearted.

[Beverley Harvey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This beautifully written novel is rich in spiritual context, drips symbolism and is utterly timeless.
It’s hard to pinpoint the genre of this highly original debut; it’s a quest, a journey, an adult fairy-tale and has more than a sprinkling of magic and stardust. However, it is a mercifully wizard-free zone, and some of it is a tough read – particularly the vividly repulsive descriptions of the border town of Grenze (think Patrick Suskind’s Perfume and you’re halfway there).
The characters are compelling and the story is so multi-layered that just when you think you’ve got a handle of where it’s all going – the plot takes another unexpected turn. It’s a book about identity, vanity, ego and love, and forces beyond our mortal flaws. For me the final chapter was a big reveal, but each reader will draw their own conclusions. I feel richer for reading The Gift Maker – the poetic language alone was worth the journey.

[Gary · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it!

[Carolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Gifts ought to be free, but they never are. They tie you to the wishes of others. To your own sad expectations. To the penitentiary of your dreams.”

Thomas Ruder is a dreamer and incurable romantic. One night, he receives a mysterious package: a blue box, tied with white ribbon, bigger than a watch box but smaller than a box that could contain a single book. There’s no note, just a series of numbers: his date of birth. Unnerved by this, Thomas leaves the box unopened. Another is delivered to Liselotte Hauptmann: Thomas’s friend, fellow student and the girl he’s in love with. Unlike him, she does open her box and its contents prompt her to drop everything to chase the dream it has shown her. Worried, Thomas follows, inadvertently drawing both his friend Johann and Daumen the gift maker into the web. They will travel to Grenze, a desolate dot at the edge of the map, where Reynard the impresario is to put on a play, with two very special actors. Their journey will not only have them questioning reality but the very core at the concept of human identity.

Rich and dense as a fruitcake, tonally, The Gift Maker comes across as a mix between a fairytale and a European arthouse film. What begins as a modern fable of self-identity and doppelgangers becomes a meditation on one of the oldest stories in human history (without wanting to give too much away: apples are a recurring motif). Upon reading The Gift Maker, the first thing that strikes you is the setting: how familiar and yet how ‘other’ it is at the same time. People and place names sound distinctly Germanic and the city where the story opens certainly has the feel of a European city, with its mix of elegant historical and utilitarian modern architecture and hints of a turbulent political past. As the characters travel towards Grenze, the locations take that initial kernel of the fable and expand upon it, with Grenze itself reading a little like Sodom & Gomorrah decided to relocate to Bedford Falls. Situations become increasingly surreal and are played straight for their allegorical, metaphorical and philosophical significance. In Mayes’s author biography, it lists two of his influences being Kafka & Christopher Priest and this definitely comes across (this reader also saw shades of Murakami).

This is a very philosophical book – it’s central theme is the nature of free will – the huge burden it is to be responsible for the consequences of our actions but how, without it, life loses meaning – and its relationship with self-identity – but it wears its erudition lightly. For all the narrative’s complexity, the conclusion it reaches is surprisingly simple, sweet and endearing. I will readily and cheerfully admit that I probably didn’t get all the references or completely understand the significance of some of the plot developments, but – much like a Murakami novel – it feels as though the pieces are almost at the point of being put together and that further readings will unlock the answers. And sometimes, just feeling like you’re on the cusp of knowledge is the best place to be. This is a story where the journey is just as important as the conclusion, if not more so.

Lastly, whilst it’s true that a book should be judged by its cover, it should be noted that, as well as being beautifully written, The Gift Maker is also a beautifully designed book. From the ethereal front cover with its muted blue and violet tones, to the butterflies adorning the page corners and chapter headings. The butterfly is a symbol that in many mythologies has spiritual connotations: in Japanese mythology, for instance, they are a symbol of eternity and the manifestation of the human soul – an appropriate motif for a book with these themes. And so, whilst they crop up quite late in the story itself, this design feature means they’re present in the reader’s consciousness.

The Gift Maker is a slow burner but once the story gets going it will pull you along inexorably in its wake. A book well deserving of the rave reviews it’s been receiving, of which there is now one more.

Review originally published: http://www.walesartsreview.org/books-...

[Thomas Dunn]

a good start but found the second half of the book really complicated, confusing and difficult to get a grasp of. The author does describe as a Gormengast type book (don't know, haven't read) but understand the sort of genre he means.

Well written but plot eluded me.

sorry Mark.