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pigsandbooks's review against another edition
4.0
4.5
I have many thoughts. This book was amazing with its commentary. I’m going to read the sequel for sure at some point but for now I’ve got to talk about this book.
I have many thoughts. This book was amazing with its commentary. I’m going to read the sequel for sure at some point but for now I’ve got to talk about this book.
ametakinetos's review against another edition
3.0
My feelings on this book are deeply mixed.
On the one hand, it was cluttered. The worldbuilding and exposition felt rough at best, getting to the point where my only reaction to any revelations or instances of ex machina via fantasy methods was a "Sure, I guess." The heist and puzzle-solving components seemed straight out of a National Treasure movie, with no real chance of the reader figuring out anything. Additionally, the strong undercurrent of anticolonialism and such and such felt cheap. Sentiments were explored in characters' personal thoughts but not executed in the plot or really adding anything to the story.
And yet, on the other hand - I love these characters. I love how fully their different motivations and strengths are fleshed out. I love the complexity that is given to each of them, even though Laila and Séverin take center stage. I am a total sucker for a good found family, and this book absolutely has that. The plot was terribly predictable, but it was more fun to see the dialogue and inner turmoil that would happen along the way than to guess at the action.
I don't know if I recommend this to anyone else. I wouldn't say it's good, necessarily.
Yeah, I'm still going to read the next book.
On the one hand, it was cluttered. The worldbuilding and exposition felt rough at best, getting to the point where my only reaction to any revelations or instances of ex machina via fantasy methods was a "Sure, I guess." The heist and puzzle-solving components seemed straight out of a National Treasure movie, with no real chance of the reader figuring out anything. Additionally, the strong undercurrent of anticolonialism and such and such felt cheap. Sentiments were explored in characters' personal thoughts but not executed in the plot or really adding anything to the story.
And yet, on the other hand - I love these characters. I love how fully their different motivations and strengths are fleshed out. I love the complexity that is given to each of them, even though Laila and Séverin take center stage. I am a total sucker for a good found family, and this book absolutely has that. The plot was terribly predictable, but it was more fun to see the dialogue and inner turmoil that would happen along the way than to guess at the action.
I don't know if I recommend this to anyone else. I wouldn't say it's good, necessarily.
Yeah, I'm still going to read the next book.
Spoiler
Tristan's death was so cheap. SO. CHEAP. Did him dirty. Almost singlehandedly dropped this book to 2 stars. That whole sequence of the party was sloppy.lillithclaire's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.0
starfleckedsoul's review against another edition
5.0
First of all, as a Filipino, I am grateful of this book. Thank you, Roshani Chokshi.
Second of all, I just finished it. I'm not sane enough to collect my thoughts properly but let me just tell you that it's everything you need: representation, humor, incredible character arcs, just enough sexual tension, and hearty interactions between the characters.
Lastly, I knew Tristan was going to die but still I wasn't prepared that he actually would. I never really learn.
Second of all, I just finished it. I'm not sane enough to collect my thoughts properly but let me just tell you that it's everything you need: representation, humor, incredible character arcs, just enough sexual tension, and hearty interactions between the characters.
Lastly, I knew Tristan was going to die but still I wasn't prepared that he actually would. I never really learn.
zutara123's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
votesforwomen's review against another edition
3.0
Well. That may have been the most confusing book I've read in a long time.
*cracks knuckles* Who's ready for a long, detailed review?!
Okay, so I knew absolutely nothing going into this book. I'd seen it hyped and that was literally ALL. It's been compared to Six of Crows, which I can definitely see? But it feels almost like Six of Crows lite. Severin is Kaz-lite, the heist is SoC-lite, Laila is Inej-Lite in one personality and Nina-lite in the other, Enrique reminded me a lot of Jesper, Tristan was a lot like Wylan. Zofia was the most unique character--I personally didn't feel like she was similar to any of the SoC characters. But I digress.
I think I enjoyed this one better than Six of Crows! Because it wasn't GRATUITOUS in the way SoC was! There was no ridiculous level of violence--I mean, yeah, there was still violence, and there was sensual stuff and language and all that jazz. But it was definitely toned down from SoC, and I can appreciate that very much.
The characters are definitely my favorite thing here. Our cast consists of:
-Severin. Your average brooding male lead, with a plot that's ridiculously complicated, a desire that makes little sense, and a bad habit of chewing cloves. Half Algerian. Probably my least favorite.
-Laila. An Indian girl with a secret, an ability, AND a ridiculously strong baking talent. Dancer, sensuous, the Mom Friend, will kill you if you touch Her People. One of my favorites.
-Enrique. Half Filipino, sassy to the extreme, supposedly a historian but I didn't see that so much? I thought he seemed more like an archaeologist. *shrugs* Bisexual.
-Zofia. A Jewish engineer girl who miiiight be autistic? Idk really. But she's definitely the mathematician and the brains and they all love her even though her social awkward level outdoes even mine. It WAS lovely, I admit, to see someone with social anxiety! I appreciated that!
-Tristan. The innocent child of the gang. Has a giant pet tarantula, will drink all the cocoa, basically acted like he was five and not seventeen which is a trope I'm not terribly fond of? Severin's adopted little brother.
-Hypnos. FLAMBOYANT, CHARISMATIC, AMAZING. I laughed every time he was onscreen and his character arc was lovely. 10/10 enjoyed.
So while the characters were great--and characters make a book for me--we will now have to deal with a plot. Unfortunately, the plot is where the book was unmade for me.
First of all, there's the fact that the backstory here comes from the Bible. Now, that's fine--the Tower of Babel story is a weird passage, and it's interesting to see a world built around that story. BUT. This book does ADD a verse to the Tower of Babel passage, which does not sit well with me. It's inaccurate. It's sort of sacrilegious. So that right there docks a star in my esteem, because I can't support the misuse of God's word in that way, as a Christian. I'm not apologizing for that, either. That's one complaint I have right up front.
And then the rest of it is just downright confusing. We have a heist situation--but the locations never made sense to me? I'm not sure why, but it's all mathematical and not well-described and ugh I just didn't get it. The action sequences were well-written, but I had trouble immersing myself because I was never quite sure WHERE everyone was. *sigh*
Plus, what were they even going for? They had to get an Eye--so they could find a Ring--to stop the Doomsday clock--but WHY? I didn't UNDERSTAND what was happening. *cries*
Also, what was the magic system? It's like it could do almost anything. Laila's ability is cool, but never explained, and there's nothing like it in the rest of the story. The Forging makes sense--certain people are gifted in certain areas, okay--but what about the whole Blood thing at the end? What's the deal with that? Is it SO MUCH TO ASK to have a clear magic system? (says the girl who has no idea how to write a clear magic system lol.) So...more effort on that front wouldn't have been a bad idea by any means, since the magic dcould do pretty much anything with no explanation. Sigh.
Overall, 3 stars for an enjoyable ride and a great cast. There is some content--two guys kiss, and Laila is very, very into Severin, which leads to some awkward scenarios. On top of that, she's a dancer who does not always stay in...shall we say...PG dancing. At least I think that's the case. It's not written graphically. xD And some language, including at least one f-word. I only remember one.
(Although if it were just for the banter I'd give this 5 stars. The banter is impeccable.)
*cracks knuckles* Who's ready for a long, detailed review?!
Okay, so I knew absolutely nothing going into this book. I'd seen it hyped and that was literally ALL. It's been compared to Six of Crows, which I can definitely see? But it feels almost like Six of Crows lite. Severin is Kaz-lite, the heist is SoC-lite, Laila is Inej-Lite in one personality and Nina-lite in the other, Enrique reminded me a lot of Jesper, Tristan was a lot like Wylan. Zofia was the most unique character--I personally didn't feel like she was similar to any of the SoC characters. But I digress.
I think I enjoyed this one better than Six of Crows! Because it wasn't GRATUITOUS in the way SoC was! There was no ridiculous level of violence--I mean, yeah, there was still violence, and there was sensual stuff and language and all that jazz. But it was definitely toned down from SoC, and I can appreciate that very much.
The characters are definitely my favorite thing here. Our cast consists of:
-Severin. Your average brooding male lead, with a plot that's ridiculously complicated, a desire that makes little sense, and a bad habit of chewing cloves. Half Algerian. Probably my least favorite.
-Laila. An Indian girl with a secret, an ability, AND a ridiculously strong baking talent. Dancer, sensuous, the Mom Friend, will kill you if you touch Her People. One of my favorites.
-Enrique. Half Filipino, sassy to the extreme, supposedly a historian but I didn't see that so much? I thought he seemed more like an archaeologist. *shrugs* Bisexual.
-Zofia. A Jewish engineer girl who miiiight be autistic? Idk really. But she's definitely the mathematician and the brains and they all love her even though her social awkward level outdoes even mine. It WAS lovely, I admit, to see someone with social anxiety! I appreciated that!
-Tristan. The innocent child of the gang. Has a giant pet tarantula, will drink all the cocoa, basically acted like he was five and not seventeen which is a trope I'm not terribly fond of? Severin's adopted little brother.
-Hypnos. FLAMBOYANT, CHARISMATIC, AMAZING. I laughed every time he was onscreen and his character arc was lovely. 10/10 enjoyed.
So while the characters were great--and characters make a book for me--we will now have to deal with a plot. Unfortunately, the plot is where the book was unmade for me.
First of all, there's the fact that the backstory here comes from the Bible. Now, that's fine--the Tower of Babel story is a weird passage, and it's interesting to see a world built around that story. BUT. This book does ADD a verse to the Tower of Babel passage, which does not sit well with me. It's inaccurate. It's sort of sacrilegious. So that right there docks a star in my esteem, because I can't support the misuse of God's word in that way, as a Christian. I'm not apologizing for that, either. That's one complaint I have right up front.
And then the rest of it is just downright confusing. We have a heist situation--but the locations never made sense to me? I'm not sure why, but it's all mathematical and not well-described and ugh I just didn't get it. The action sequences were well-written, but I had trouble immersing myself because I was never quite sure WHERE everyone was. *sigh*
Plus, what were they even going for? They had to get an Eye--so they could find a Ring--to stop the Doomsday clock--but WHY? I didn't UNDERSTAND what was happening. *cries*
Also, what was the magic system? It's like it could do almost anything. Laila's ability is cool, but never explained, and there's nothing like it in the rest of the story. The Forging makes sense--certain people are gifted in certain areas, okay--but what about the whole Blood thing at the end? What's the deal with that? Is it SO MUCH TO ASK to have a clear magic system? (says the girl who has no idea how to write a clear magic system lol.) So...more effort on that front wouldn't have been a bad idea by any means, since the magic dcould do pretty much anything with no explanation. Sigh.
Overall, 3 stars for an enjoyable ride and a great cast. There is some content--two guys kiss, and Laila is very, very into Severin, which leads to some awkward scenarios. On top of that, she's a dancer who does not always stay in...shall we say...PG dancing. At least I think that's the case. It's not written graphically. xD And some language, including at least one f-word. I only remember one.
(Although if it were just for the banter I'd give this 5 stars. The banter is impeccable.)
katieinca's review against another edition
3.0
I love the idea of this book. Paris, in 1889, with magic! But it's a 19th century Paris written to acknowledge the existence of colonialism, and incorporates that in a way that gives it realism and richness, and informs the experiences of the characters.
However, 4 POV characters is a rough way to dive into a book. And worse, the lead guy is a dud. I would *almost* read the next book to find out what happens to Enrique and Zofia, but Séverin suffers from Ted syndrome - he's the least compelling character in a story he's at the center of. Also, if I had time and breath, I could complain to you about both the ending and the main romantic pairing. So it'd be 2 stars, except I really appreciated how she explored Paris.
However, 4 POV characters is a rough way to dive into a book. And worse, the lead guy is a dud. I would *almost* read the next book to find out what happens to Enrique and Zofia, but Séverin suffers from Ted syndrome - he's the least compelling character in a story he's at the center of. Also, if I had time and breath, I could complain to you about both the ending and the main romantic pairing. So it'd be 2 stars, except I really appreciated how she explored Paris.
ineffablebob's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
slow-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
4.25
The Gilded Wolves is a young adult historical urban fantasy, set in late 19th century France, where certain people have magical powers granted by fragments of the Biblical Tower of Babel. Powerful, secretive houses guard the locations of the Babel fragments and control much of the magic. The story follows five young people who have been shut out of those houses, who use their powers as thieves while searching for ways to deal with their own personal issues. There's good characterization of the five viewpoint characters, each of whom has their own history and problems to deal with, ranging from autistic tendencies to childhood trauma to racial bigotry. Most of the plot progression takes place during a series of heists, with interludes to figure out what to steal next. I thought it was well executed, but you need to enjoy the heist plotting and be OK with some rather unsubtle romantic angst to enjoy this one.
elaryen's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0