A fun story, but it was a bit predictable for me. I liked Duncan's exploration of ESP in this novel. Characters are quite likable and realistic. ( )

Lois Duncan never disappoints. This story of a girl with a special gift seems realistic and poignant - dealing as she does with life changes beyond her control. Autobiographical in nature. ( )

An old woman lays dying and she bequeaths each of her grandchildren a gift: the gift of music, the gift of dance and the gift of magic. Nancy received the gift of magic and she comes to realize that using her gift for evil is very easy but to use her gift for good is so much harder. Lois Duncan delivers again! This is another wonderful book. Most of the book reads like a typical teen novel centering around the relationships of the siblings with each other and their recently divorced mother. Then the magic element is introduced and the atmosphere turns creepy. I've learnt I cannot predict a Lois Duncan ending and once again the story took a turn I hadn't expected and the very last sentence of the book is fabulous.

I am really impressed with Duncan as an author. One thing that really impresses me is how her novels written in the sixties and seventies are not dated. Other YA authors should take note. Duncan does not use slang nor make pop-culture references and technology is very rarely mentioned. Occasionally there is a tiny indication that gives it away such as a mention of the Vietnam War or as in this novel with a mention of a Ford Fairlane. But her work (that I've read so far) is timeless and as relevant today as it was 30-40 years ago. ( )

Years ago this was my all-time favorite book. I enjoyed how Duncan's protagonist enjoyed a unique ESP that let her know who was calling before the phone rang, and the suspenseful mystery was right up my alley. ( )

On her deathbed an old woman tells her crying daughter the gifts she gives to each of her grandchildren, one not yet born. To one, a gift of music. To another, a gift of dance. To the last, she gives the gift of magic...

Fast forward several years. Elizabeth, the daughter, has moved back to her childhood home after spending years traveling the globe with her husband and three children. The children have never lived in a house before - they lived in hotel rooms their entire life - and as they settle into their new homes the gifts their grandmother predicted for them begin to manifest.
The oldest daughter, Kirby, is a skilled dancer, even though her build is a bit rounder and larger than her dance instructor thinks it should be.
The youngest, Brandon, is forced to take piano lessons and is revealed to be a prodigy, although he dislikes his lessons.
The middle child, Nancy, has the most interesting gift of all. Her gift is one of ESP, and it allows her to predict the future, reach into the past, and so much more.

There's suspense in this novel, but it isn't overwhelming. It's mostly a coming-of-age story, where the characters must deal with a lot of change as joys and sorrows change the course of their lives. ( )