Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.99 AVERAGE
3.99 AVERAGE
2⭐️
Este libro no ha sido de los que más me han gustado.
Sentía un poco que la autora iba escribiendo las cosas según se le ocurrían de forma caótica, y los “plot twists” se me han hecho un poco un sinsentido. Hay partes que se me ha hecho largo, y que sentía que la protagonista evolucionaba un poco sin sentido y de una página a otra.
Otra cosa que no me ha convencido es que se me hacía una escritura demasiado young adult (para mi) pero s la vez muy violenta y con escenas desagradables, y no me encajaban mucho ambas cosas. Había partes que se me hacía interesante por ver cómo seguía la historia pero no mucho más. Algo de lo que si no he disfrutado es que se me hacía muy predecible constantemente, te dejaba cosas caer que a l siguiente página pasaban y me hacía la lectura algo tediosa.
Dicho esto, hay partes que he disfrutado, sobre todo del final, y quizás me lea la segunda parte cuando la saquen, pero no es un libro que me ha marcado, aunque sí entretenido (a partes). Las escenas de lucha y de entrenamiento si me gustaban, y el mundo también, aunque siento que tenía ciertos plot holes por esto que digo de que era un poco caótico. Aún así, valoro y aprecio la inclusión de los personajes, que eran muy diversos y de una forma no forzada. Otra cosa que me ha gustado eran ciertas escenas y sobre todo como muestra una realidad de las mujeres que sigue siendo cierta para algunas, y lo ha sido siempre en el pasado. Te da ciertas enseñanzas que está bien leer y trasmitir, aunque sea un libro de fantasía.
Este libro no ha sido de los que más me han gustado.
Sentía un poco que la autora iba escribiendo las cosas según se le ocurrían de forma caótica, y los “plot twists” se me han hecho un poco un sinsentido. Hay partes que se me ha hecho largo, y que sentía que la protagonista evolucionaba un poco sin sentido y de una página a otra.
Otra cosa que no me ha convencido es que se me hacía una escritura demasiado young adult (para mi) pero s la vez muy violenta y con escenas desagradables, y no me encajaban mucho ambas cosas. Había partes que se me hacía interesante por ver cómo seguía la historia pero no mucho más. Algo de lo que si no he disfrutado es que se me hacía muy predecible constantemente, te dejaba cosas caer que a l siguiente página pasaban y me hacía la lectura algo tediosa.
Dicho esto, hay partes que he disfrutado, sobre todo del final, y quizás me lea la segunda parte cuando la saquen, pero no es un libro que me ha marcado, aunque sí entretenido (a partes). Las escenas de lucha y de entrenamiento si me gustaban, y el mundo también, aunque siento que tenía ciertos plot holes por esto que digo de que era un poco caótico. Aún así, valoro y aprecio la inclusión de los personajes, que eran muy diversos y de una forma no forzada. Otra cosa que me ha gustado eran ciertas escenas y sobre todo como muestra una realidad de las mujeres que sigue siendo cierta para algunas, y lo ha sido siempre en el pasado. Te da ciertas enseñanzas que está bien leer y trasmitir, aunque sea un libro de fantasía.
Content warnings: torture, murder, blood/gore, rape (mention)
The Gilded Ones has one of the most stunning covers of the year, and after reading it, I think it’s going to be one of the biggest YA fantasy books of the year! It’s a very fast paced, action heavy fantasy with some really excellent worldbuilding and a fascinating patriarchal society built on a religion. I do think the pace was at times detrimental, but this was still a very fun read and it was great to see some grimdark fantasy make the move to YA!
The Gilded Ones opens brutally: Deka is going through a rite of passage that will prove whether she is a pure woman, or if she is a demon. When her blood runs gold, she is proven to be demon and tortured by those she once called friends. Until, rescue comes from the most unlikely of places: the emperor, who wishes her to fight for his army. What follows is a bloody and brutal journey as Deka is trained to fight deathshrieks, unnatural creatures who are viciously murdering hoards of people across the empire. But not everything is quite as it seems, and the more Deka trains and her demon powers grow, the less convinced she is that she’s even a demon.
The worldbuilding is one of the best things about this book. Forna has built this West African inspired society, a place where religion has built a society based on the suffering of women for the will of men. The religion and history of the nation, the history of The Gilded Ones, demons who terrorised the nation before they were imprisoned, and the whole process of women forced to go through the violent rite of passage to prove they are not demon, are all detailed excellently. There is such a sense of history that really put fear behind the power of men. The way Forna writes about the way women have been trained to fear themselves, to fear their power, and to make themselves small for the sake of men, was absolutely brilliant and the parallels to our world were so clearly rendered.
I also thought the plot was absolutely fantastic. The way the mystery of the deathshrieks, the alaki and the Gilded Ones play out was so interesting. I absolutely sped through the book whenever I picked it up because the mystery really drives you forward, it’s so fast paced. There are lots of unexpected twists to the story that I really enjoyed because I was always kept on my toes!
In saying that, the speed of the book is also often it’s downfall. There are so many times, particularly the more emotional behaviours, decisions, feelings etc, that just happen far too fast and it really dragged me out of the story. From how quickly Deka seemed to get over the horrific torture she goes through, to the romance that kinda hits you out of nowhere with almost no time on page with the two characters together, it’s just very jarring in what is an otherwise pretty excellent YA. There’s also a couple of rather annoying plotholes that I couldn’t stop thinking about – where did the awful sense of fear and control at the barracks disappear to after the first scene? I mean, for example, Deka is even allowed to keep a pet?! In the place where they flay you if you don’t kill enough deathshrieks?! It doesn’t really make a lot of sense.
(Please note the next para has minor spoilers.)
The plot between White Hands and the emperor also really annoyed me. How the fuck does White Hands have so much power if the emperor knows exactly who she is? Why would he trust her? It makes absolutely no sense.
(Spoilers over!)
But despite these issues, I think teens are going to absolutely love this book. It has such an impactful and interesting plot that you can get over the few issues with it. It was a very enjoyable read and I’ll definitely pick up the sequel when released!
The Gilded Ones has one of the most stunning covers of the year, and after reading it, I think it’s going to be one of the biggest YA fantasy books of the year! It’s a very fast paced, action heavy fantasy with some really excellent worldbuilding and a fascinating patriarchal society built on a religion. I do think the pace was at times detrimental, but this was still a very fun read and it was great to see some grimdark fantasy make the move to YA!
The Gilded Ones opens brutally: Deka is going through a rite of passage that will prove whether she is a pure woman, or if she is a demon. When her blood runs gold, she is proven to be demon and tortured by those she once called friends. Until, rescue comes from the most unlikely of places: the emperor, who wishes her to fight for his army. What follows is a bloody and brutal journey as Deka is trained to fight deathshrieks, unnatural creatures who are viciously murdering hoards of people across the empire. But not everything is quite as it seems, and the more Deka trains and her demon powers grow, the less convinced she is that she’s even a demon.
The worldbuilding is one of the best things about this book. Forna has built this West African inspired society, a place where religion has built a society based on the suffering of women for the will of men. The religion and history of the nation, the history of The Gilded Ones, demons who terrorised the nation before they were imprisoned, and the whole process of women forced to go through the violent rite of passage to prove they are not demon, are all detailed excellently. There is such a sense of history that really put fear behind the power of men. The way Forna writes about the way women have been trained to fear themselves, to fear their power, and to make themselves small for the sake of men, was absolutely brilliant and the parallels to our world were so clearly rendered.
I also thought the plot was absolutely fantastic. The way the mystery of the deathshrieks, the alaki and the Gilded Ones play out was so interesting. I absolutely sped through the book whenever I picked it up because the mystery really drives you forward, it’s so fast paced. There are lots of unexpected twists to the story that I really enjoyed because I was always kept on my toes!
In saying that, the speed of the book is also often it’s downfall. There are so many times, particularly the more emotional behaviours, decisions, feelings etc, that just happen far too fast and it really dragged me out of the story. From how quickly Deka seemed to get over the horrific torture she goes through, to the romance that kinda hits you out of nowhere with almost no time on page with the two characters together, it’s just very jarring in what is an otherwise pretty excellent YA. There’s also a couple of rather annoying plotholes that I couldn’t stop thinking about – where did the awful sense of fear and control at the barracks disappear to after the first scene? I mean, for example, Deka is even allowed to keep a pet?! In the place where they flay you if you don’t kill enough deathshrieks?! It doesn’t really make a lot of sense.
(Please note the next para has minor spoilers.)
Spoiler
The plot between White Hands and the emperor also really annoyed me. How the fuck does White Hands have so much power if the emperor knows exactly who she is? Why would he trust her? It makes absolutely no sense.
(Spoilers over!)
But despite these issues, I think teens are going to absolutely love this book. It has such an impactful and interesting plot that you can get over the few issues with it. It was a very enjoyable read and I’ll definitely pick up the sequel when released!
no words. i loved this book! a little bit predictable, but doesn’t mean the reveals weren’t still fantastic.
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Just don’t hold my interest — maybe too YA
Dnf- I am sooo disappointed! This was so high on my anticipated reads list and I thought it would be an easy 5 stars! Dark fantasy with unique world building and diverse rep?! YES PLS. But honestly, this felt like a middle school read for me. There wasn’t much that hooked me and I found myself annoyed most of the time. I had to DNF because there’s other books I’d rather read.
This book was so full of heart. Struggling against racism, sexism, and classism in a patriarchal society, Deka is courageous, passionate, and a fighter. Some elements of the fantasy world have been done before and it suffered from a little bit too much of the Chosen One trope, but somehow Namina Forna wrote this in a way that was new and refreshing. I was so invested in Deka's journey. The sisterhood she discovered and her new understanding of what it means to be loved were moving and inspiring. Deka is the hero every little girl needs to see.
Overall: a badass protagonist, her sweet friends, and a well-built fantasy world made for a joyous and heartfelt story of rebellion and fighting for the downtrodden.
Overall: a badass protagonist, her sweet friends, and a well-built fantasy world made for a joyous and heartfelt story of rebellion and fighting for the downtrodden.
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
The ending gets wrapped up so quickly in a nice little bow and I don't really see where the next 2 books in the series could be going. The writing is very repetitive and looks down on the reader in a way YA novels often do that I find condescending. Also it makes a commentary on purity culture while still uplifting purity culture as the best way.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Torture
Moderate: Child abuse, Trafficking