Reviews with content warning for Death - The Gilded Wolves

This is probably because I really had high expectations for this, but I feel a little let down by it.

It started of really interesting. I liked (most of) the character interactions , the world and its magic system and how it connects so many mythologies from around the world (even when it got really confusing to follow because of just how much information and details are introduced all at the same time that made it impossible to even remember what was going on 🙂). I loved the atmosphere there were times where it was so immersive I could feel myself in the characters place.
The heist that spanned most of the book was also so much fun and I loved it so much I thought this was going to be a new favourite.

The last 20% it completely lost me. I did not enjoy it one bit. Everything happened so fast and was somehow not interesting at all. I did not like how this ended and everything leading to this end felt rushed and not enjoyable to the least.
Also, even though I enjoyed the character interactions through out the book, I still found myself not caring very much for them??

when Tristian died I honestly could not care less....the whole scene made very little sense to me and we never get a chapter from his pov for some reason?? maybe I missed something but I honestly dont get why we never got a chapter from his pov

I will still be reading the next book in the series just to know what actually happens after the reveal at the end and because I'm very confused right now after that and I don't like that.

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lri_reads's review against another edition

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adventurous dark funny 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? N/A

4.5

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alexiab's review against another edition

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adventurous dark funny tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

HELP I AM A PUDDLE I AM GONE I AM DECEASED 😭😭

Oh my GOD what an excellent start to a trilogy. The characters are incredible and I love all of them with my whole heart, the plot is interesting and twisty and gOT ME ON THE EDGE OF MY SEAT?! the magical world is unique but easy enough to follow, the drama, the humour, all of it is WONDERFUL.

And that ending?! Ripping my heart out more than once, flipping the whole story on its head while also setting up a killer plot for the sequel??

BE STILL MY HEART IM DESPERATELY IN LOVE.

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queer_bookwyrm's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional mysterious tense 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? No

5.0

5 ⭐ CW: violence, descriptions of blood, pet tarantula, child abuse, slavery mention, human zoo mention, death of parents, antisemitism mention, subtle racism

The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi is book one of the Gilded Wolves trilogy. This is the second Chokshi book I've read this year, and I loved it! I flew through the story and now I wish I had the next book!

We get different POVs from each of our characters: Séverin, our ring leader and hotelier trying to get his inheritance back; Tristan , his brother in all but blood who owns a pet tarantula (why did no one warn me about this?!) And loves gardening; Enrique, the historian who is trying to find his place in the world when he fits nowhere; Zofia, the Jewish, neurodivergent engineer with a debt to pay; Laila, a performer with a secret and a quest; and Hypnos, the Patriarch of House Nyx (although we don't get his pov until the end).

This was such a fun read! It's like if Six of Crows met Indiana Jones/antiques roadshow. The story is set in the Beautiful Era in Paris where opulence, science, and industry are flourishing. Chokshi gives us such an illustrious setting, but doesn't shy away from the horror that was also present at this time due to racism and colonialism. We get a heist and found family trope. All each of these characters want is to belong, to have a family, for them to all be together.

I loved all of the character moments we get throughout the book. I love all of the small, but loving things they do for each other. Like Laila makes sure she is always clear with her instructions to Zofia and brings her favorite cookies. Séverin is our broody, handsome guy that keeps pushing his feelings down about Laila (serious Kanej vibes). Hypnos is my favorite! He's charming, annoying, and chaotically bisexual. I love how flamboyant he is. I really need for Hypnos, Enrique, and Zofia to be poly.

So. Many. Mixed. Race. Characters! Both Séverin and Hypnos are the sons of enslaved women and French noblemen, and this plays a role in how they are treated in society. Enrique is Filipino and Spanish, but his features appear more Spanish and so he suffers from not feeling Filipino enough and we see this reinforced when he is brushed off by the Illustrados. I also didn't realize that Chokshi herself is mixed race, being Indian and Filipino. I think this is also the first book I've read that had Tagalog in it.

Now I need to get my hands on book two! This definitely a new favorite for sure.

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lavenderbluestories's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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thebakerbookworm's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Historical fiction but make it fantasy! This book was a lot of fun and just what I need to scratch my young adult fantasy itch. I can't wait to read the rest of the series! (Waiting for library holds teaches me patience, right?)

We get four main POVs and enough world-building to set the stage. A lot of history—real history from 1889 Paris—mixed with the magic. I will admit to being a little confused at some descriptions, but it didn't detract from my understanding of the plot or enjoyment of the book. It has a slower start, but things really pick up around the middle of the book and don't slow down until the end.

I loved these characters. Some of them took a little while to get to know, but this is a great found-family read with each member having a distinct personality and complexities. I loved the development, loved the ups and downs. Zofia might be my favorite.

I've read two other books by this author—years ago, so I don't really remember them, but I can definitely say this one is my favorite of hers. I did read this book because it was compared to Six of Crows, but that's probably unfair to this book. Was it as good as Six of Crows? No, but it's different...so I don't think it's a fair comparison. And I'm hoping these characters get even more time to steal my heart in the next two books!

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karambit's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging funny 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

3.75

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nishana's review against another edition

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adventurous

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

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