Reviews tagging 'Grief'

Gilded by Marissa Meyer

41 reviews

hermioneinravenclaw's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Animal death, Murder, Violence, War, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Child death, Blood, and Animal cruelty

Minor: Sexual content and Pregnancy

xtsukix's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No

2.0

This book was agonisingly slow and I found so much of the content utterly boring. When S was in the castle (I listened to the audiobook, please don’t ask me to spell her name) and doing the tasks set out before her and interacting with Gild, I was absolutely interested and hooked, but there was so much needless other stuff going on that took up the majority of the book that I found myself disinterested the majority of the time. 

I found that this book had moments that were notably dark and grotesque, but that they didn’t necessarily FIT the book. Whenever they happened it would take me out of the book and have me wondering why it was necessary, I think purely because the suspense and tension was not kept throughout the book. The main cause of this, I think, is because the villain of this story is utterly underwhelming. He’s supposed to be cold, ruthless and cruel, but instead just comes across as a template for the evil character archetype. He has no real depth, his cruelty is seen few and far between and almost entirely happens offscreen, and although the book unravels his desires and what he wants, he really doesn’t showcase this himself at all, and seems utterly dispassionate about his desires. 

I think all of the deaths that happened also happened offscreen, which created such a dissonance between the random moments of gore and the reality that the most horrific things were just told to us to have happened. 

The mystery was interesting, although S feels like she’s ten steps behind the reader in understanding what’s going on. The romance was somewhat rushed and rooted in nothing but them both being alone and happening to find another person they can be with, no matter who that person is, which did not culminate in the most root-worthy or shippable romance, but it was not awful considering they were only together for about 5% of the book. 

The book really picked up for the ending and I’m looking forward to reading the sequel, and seeing how the revelations play out, and if the various curses can be lifted. Also, it’s not often you see a ginger male romance lead, so that was very exciting. 10 points for that.

Also please do not let Gild’s real name be Rumpelstiltskin, I am praying for all that is good and holy. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Child death, and Death

Moderate: Misogyny, Animal death, Body horror, Abortion, Blood, Kidnapping, Animal cruelty, Gore, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, and Sexism

Minor: Miscarriage, Vomit, Sexual content, and Bullying

outer_books's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This was a great one to read! I enjoyed it and it was so much fun!

I enjoyed the first few chapters until right before the last few ones. Those where I enjoyed the introduction to the world, to the German Folklore creatures and not just Rumpelstiltskin. The writing was so good! It was the most atmospheric.

I also refused to believe that this was a retelling of Rumpelstiltskin! I refused! I had no knowledge of this book and have never read any works of Marissa Meyer until this one but have heard of and been in my wishlist for so long! And this made me want to keep on reading here amazing work because if this type of writing is the same within all of her books then I would be happily to swim in it.

The only complaint about that I have to give was the romance. I felt nothing towards it, there was no chemistry there but I understand it. These are two people who had never experienced romantic and yearning love ever, BECAUSE OF REASONS, and they share that common reason. Makes sense to me and I know it might not to others but I do wish to see more interactions between them, a chemistry build up and something to form together in the next book.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Murder, Abandonment, Kidnapping, Violence, Death, Slavery, and Child death

Moderate: Stalking, Torture, Grief, Genocide, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Pregnancy

catorureads's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark hopeful mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Gore, and Child death

Moderate: Grief, Kidnapping, Pregnancy, Torture, and Slavery

Minor: Vomit

sunrae_booknook's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

First book of the year down. I loved this. I always forget that Marissa Meyer has such a way with words that really makes yourself get lost in the book.  I love retellings and she’s the Queen on them. Can’t wait to jump into Cursed! 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Gore, Grief, Murder, Suicide, Violence, Confinement, and Kidnapping

Minor: Animal cruelty, Pregnancy, Abortion, Gaslighting, Confinement, Slavery, and Panic attacks/disorders

reading_ani's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated

4.75

Absolutely loved this retelling! It’s pretty dark and I have to be honest, at the beginning, I thought the Erlking would be the love interest or he would at least be part of a love triangle, but oh boy was I wrong… or who knows, maybe in the sequel?! I loved the direction the story took and that even

Rumpelstilskin didn’t know his actual name or his past.

I also absolutely love the foreshadowing of no book containing the history of the castle. It’s VERY evident what will happen in the second book, but hey, it’s YA, so…. that’s okay. I love the direction the story took and can’t wait to read the sequel.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death

Moderate: Confinement, Grief, Slavery, and Toxic relationship

uranaishi's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Death of parent

Moderate: Child death, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Animal cruelty, Blood, Cannibalism, Self harm, Kidnapping, Suicide attempt, Abandonment, Toxic relationship, Child abuse, Confinement, Sexual content, and Suicide

Minor: Alcohol, Animal death, Infidelity, and Pregnancy

laneys_library's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Child death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Death, Death of parent, and Murder

Moderate: Violence

Minor: Kidnapping, Cannibalism, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Vomit, and Abortion

thecatconstellation's review against another edition

adventurous dark sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

I went so back and forth with this book. There are parts that I really enjoyed and I will definitely read the second one. But at times it felt like this was dragging on, and I don’t particularly love any of the characters. I also found it at times just utterly depressing for no reason, like things being sad not for the plot but just to be sad.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Blood, Child death, Death, Murder, Animal cruelty, Violence, Confinement, Death of parent, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Kidnapping

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Abandonment, Abortion, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Physical abuse

Minor: Sexual content

katyfortner's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This was such a cool retelling. The author definitely has a way with drawing in the reader and hooking them. It may not have been my favorite story but it still hooked me the whole time. It was heartbreaking and mysterious and dark. I’m excited to read the next one. 

Even though I knew they couldn’t have been talking about giving up her first born baby so much without her actually getting pregnant soon after but still thought it was very abrupt that they slept together once and then the next section of the book she’s pregnant. She definitely wouldn’t have been able to tell that fast even if her bleeding cycle was late.. at least I wouldn’t think so.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death of parent, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, Slavery, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, and Death

Minor: Abortion