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plumpaperbacks's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
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? It's complicated
5.0
I went into The Gilded Ones expecting a fun fantasy story, and was surprised not only by its heavier themes but also by just how good it was from the very beginning.
This is one of the most unique, immersive stories I’ve read in some time. Forna created a brilliantly intricate world that, despite a few basic similarities to other fictional worlds, is overall unlike any I’ve read about before. The mythology is so vivid it nearly seems real, the creatures and setting so impressively creative, yet none of it is confusing or difficult to understand.
Forna outdid herself writing a complex, diverse and lovable cast of characters. Deka is a protagonist I rooted for as soon as I met her, and it took very little time for me to be equally charmed by her friends, Britta, Belcalis, and Adwapa. These girls have endured so many hardships and gotten stronger because of them, without losing their vulnerability or the best parts of their personalities. Not only were they all great on their own, but their friendship was phenomenal and so heartwarming. One of the best girl squads I’ve ever read about, undeniably.
I would say the romance was one of the best parts, but honestly, every part of this book could be described the same way. The romance is subtle until the final third of the book, when it becomes clear that Deka and Keita have feelings for each other that go beyond friendship. Their slow-burn romance is memorable because it’s written differently than those in so many other books. It’s focused not on passion and lust but a deep connection between two people, a tender, unwavering affection. I love them so much, more than I can express.
Although the ending was emotional in numerous ways, it wasn’t a cliffhanger, and I appreciate that very much. Even without one, I’m extremely eager for the second book. I’ll be eagerly awaiting any scrap of news I can find.
All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It’s spectacular in every aspect, and the fact that it’s Forna’s debut novel is mind-blowing. I can definitely see the Deathless trilogy becoming an all-time favorite, since the first book is already there. Highly, highly recommended for those who can handle the content.
Representation
This is one of the most unique, immersive stories I’ve read in some time. Forna created a brilliantly intricate world that, despite a few basic similarities to other fictional worlds, is overall unlike any I’ve read about before. The mythology is so vivid it nearly seems real, the creatures and setting so impressively creative, yet none of it is confusing or difficult to understand.
Forna outdid herself writing a complex, diverse and lovable cast of characters. Deka is a protagonist I rooted for as soon as I met her, and it took very little time for me to be equally charmed by her friends, Britta, Belcalis, and Adwapa. These girls have endured so many hardships and gotten stronger because of them, without losing their vulnerability or the best parts of their personalities. Not only were they all great on their own, but their friendship was phenomenal and so heartwarming. One of the best girl squads I’ve ever read about, undeniably.
I would say the romance was one of the best parts, but honestly, every part of this book could be described the same way. The romance is subtle until the final third of the book, when it becomes clear that Deka and Keita have feelings for each other that go beyond friendship. Their slow-burn romance is memorable because it’s written differently than those in so many other books. It’s focused not on passion and lust but a deep connection between two people, a tender, unwavering affection. I love them so much, more than I can express.
Although the ending was emotional in numerous ways, it wasn’t a cliffhanger, and I appreciate that very much. Even without one, I’m extremely eager for the second book. I’ll be eagerly awaiting any scrap of news I can find.
All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It’s spectacular in every aspect, and the fact that it’s Forna’s debut novel is mind-blowing. I can definitely see the Deathless trilogy becoming an all-time favorite, since the first book is already there. Highly, highly recommended for those who can handle the content.
Representation
- Black protagonist
- side characters of color (includes Black rep)
- sapphic side characters
- minor sapphic side romance (f/f)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Murder, Gore, Death, Blood, Body horror, Torture, Misogyny, Sexism, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Emotional abuse, Religious bigotry, Racism, Racial slurs, Self harm, Xenophobia, Body shaming, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Drug use, Drug abuse, Genocide, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Homophobia, Pregnancy, Trafficking, Vomit, Death of parent, and Alcoholism
It can be very grotesque at times, so be careful if you’re squeamish.megloveswords12's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Sexism, Torture, Xenophobia, and Blood
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Vomit, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, Murder, and Confinement
cupidities's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
inspiring
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? It's complicated
3.5
The Gilded Ones is solid YA fantasy, and it does what (in my opinion) YA fantasy does best: using another world to challenge readers' perspectives on our own world. I can also see why this has gotten as much buzz as it has - the story is excellent, Deka is a strong character, the worldbuilding is awesome - but I never really got emotionally invested in the story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Death of parent, Death, Grief, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Racism, Vomit, and Violence
Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Trafficking, Torture, and Xenophobia
cerilouisereads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Violence, and Vomit
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Sexism, Rape, and Religious bigotry
dhwani's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
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? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Confinement, Death, Gore, Grief, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Violence, and Torture
Moderate: Cursing, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Excrement, Hate crime, Murder, Rape, Sexism, Torture, and Vomit
waybean's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
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? It's complicated
4.0
The Guilded Ones was a very enjoyable, exciting read. I found myself wanting to pick it up several times throughout the day, which is sometimes a problem as I tend to get distracted by other activities to remember to read.
The main character, Deka, was likeable enough. Besides the obvious, she was the average young adult protagonist with a good heart who was always sticking up for other characters. I didn't find her to be stupid or too naive, which is a problem I run into with most YA novels. I enjoyed her development throughout the book as she began to mentally change her idea of the role of women in their world, and how she should view people like her. There was enough female empowerment without it feeling obnoxious as it often is presented in feminist liberal spaces. I think there were very wonderful lessons presented to girls in this novel.
I didn't find the other characters to be particularly memorable excluding her Karmoko. Her love interest,Keita, is included in this sentiment. I felt that he was kind of boring and that he should had a longer character development before he changed his beliefs. I also they fell for eachother a little too soon. He was sweet though. The romance was unnecessary in my eyes but I feel that way about many romances in books, so take that with a grain of salt.
I thought that the introduction of her shapeshifter companion, Ixa, was a /little/ cringeworthy and gave me Harry Potter familiar typa vibes, but it's Young Adult, so I'll let it slide.
Also, after all the the constant reminders about how brutal the Warthu Bera(?) training was going to be, the author wrote in...very little of that. Some of the content of the book was disheartening enough so I suppose writing those scenes explicitly would have been a bit too grim, but I would have liked to read some more cool battle scenes.
I found the pace to be a little too fast, but maybe that was just because I was having fun. This story gave me very muchJujutsu Kaisen and Demon Slayer , which I thought would be a bit much for a story in this format, but I ended up loving it.
I would definitely recommend viewing the content warnings if you're sensitive to your average fantasy pain, suffering, and death, because despite the tone of this review, it was QUITE heavy.
I enjoyed the ending, and though the plot twist was a liiittle predictable, it was satisfying nonetheless. I think that the story was wrapped up pretty well in the end, and for that reason I don't see myself reading any further books in the series. I do however very much look forward to reading more books by Namina Forna.
The main character, Deka, was likeable enough. Besides the obvious, she was the average young adult protagonist with a good heart who was always sticking up for other characters. I didn't find her to be stupid or too naive, which is a problem I run into with most YA novels. I enjoyed her development throughout the book as she began to mentally change her idea of the role of women in their world, and how she should view people like her. There was enough female empowerment without it feeling obnoxious as it often is presented in feminist liberal spaces. I think there were very wonderful lessons presented to girls in this novel.
I didn't find the other characters to be particularly memorable excluding her Karmoko. Her love interest,
Also, after all the the constant reminders about how brutal the Warthu Bera(?) training was going to be, the author wrote in...very little of that. Some of the content of the book was disheartening enough so I suppose writing those scenes explicitly would have been a bit too grim, but I would have liked to read some more cool battle scenes.
I found the pace to be a little too fast, but maybe that was just because I was having fun. This story gave me very much
I would definitely recommend viewing the content warnings if you're sensitive to your average fantasy pain, suffering, and death, because despite the tone of this review, it was QUITE heavy.
I enjoyed the ending, and though the plot twist was a liiittle predictable, it was satisfying nonetheless. I think that the story was wrapped up pretty well in the end, and for that reason I don't see myself reading any further books in the series. I do however very much look forward to reading more books by Namina Forna.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Death of parent, Gore, and Vomit
Minor: Racism, Rape, and Sexual violence
kimi72714's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
fast-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
5.0
This book was absolutely incredible and I will sing it's praises to anyone who will listen! This is the book I needed as a teen, and I'm so glad young people will have it read now.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, Murder, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Death of parent, Misogyny, Physical abuse, and Sexual assault
Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, Slavery, Torture, Vomit, and Excrement
There are distressing themes in this book, but they are within context, handled well in the text, and to be expected for a book about young, female soldiers.whatellisreadnext's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
fast-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? No
3.0
"𝘕𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘴, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘩 𝘪𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘢𝘮."
Deka lives in fear of the blood ceremony, that will determine if she is pure. But when the day finally comes, her blood runs gold, the colour of a demon.
After falling in love with this cover over a year ago, and waiting what felt like forever for its release, I think my hopes were just too high. Sometimes I hype a book up so much in my mind, that when it falls a little short, I can't help but feel like it's my fault in a way.
This was a good YA fantasy, that read super quick, and had a really interesting magical system. I just struggled to picture the world, and some of the side characters felt like a bit of an afterthought. Deka on the other hand, was fully fleshed out, and the journey she goes on of growth, as she finds out her history, was what kept me reading.
Another small gripe that probably won't bother too many people, was the kind of pointless romantic arc. This was a story about women, banding together to bring down the patriarchy, so to me the romance felt very out of place and a little forced.
What I did love about The Gilded Ones was the ending, it made the whole read worth it in my eyes. The stakes felt so high, I was flipping the pages like crazy. Even though this book let me down in some aspects of the writing, overall is was a solid read, and after that ending I am dying to get my hands on the next book.
Deka lives in fear of the blood ceremony, that will determine if she is pure. But when the day finally comes, her blood runs gold, the colour of a demon.
After falling in love with this cover over a year ago, and waiting what felt like forever for its release, I think my hopes were just too high. Sometimes I hype a book up so much in my mind, that when it falls a little short, I can't help but feel like it's my fault in a way.
This was a good YA fantasy, that read super quick, and had a really interesting magical system. I just struggled to picture the world, and some of the side characters felt like a bit of an afterthought. Deka on the other hand, was fully fleshed out, and the journey she goes on of growth, as she finds out her history, was what kept me reading.
Another small gripe that probably won't bother too many people, was the kind of pointless romantic arc. This was a story about women, banding together to bring down the patriarchy, so to me the romance felt very out of place and a little forced.
What I did love about The Gilded Ones was the ending, it made the whole read worth it in my eyes. The stakes felt so high, I was flipping the pages like crazy. Even though this book let me down in some aspects of the writing, overall is was a solid read, and after that ending I am dying to get my hands on the next book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Confinement, Death, Gore, Grief, Misogyny, Racism, Torture, Violence, and Vomit
Moderate: Child abuse, Rape, and Sexual assault
mindforbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
A good debut that has lots and lots of potential. It was very strong on 'fuck the patriarchy' vibes and I'll ALWAYS welcome a book like that into my life.
This is probably aimed more at the younger side of YA, even though it's super violent, so it's hard for me to review because it's not really for me, but I was entertained and I enjoyed the characters. I'll be interested to see where the story goes in the future books as it felt like this could be a standalone.I have a feeling some men are going to suffer for their crimes in the next book so count me in.
This is probably aimed more at the younger side of YA, even though it's super violent, so it's hard for me to review because it's not really for me, but I was entertained and I enjoyed the characters. I'll be interested to see where the story goes in the future books as it felt like this could be a standalone.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Violence, Vomit, Slavery, Physical abuse, Gore, Emotional abuse, Death, and Misogyny
Minor: Rape and Child abuse
daniellestarredpages's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
sad
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? It's complicated
5.0
See my review here:
https://youtu.be/sQw8vRDxwGw
https://youtu.be/sQw8vRDxwGw
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Hate crime, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Kidnapping and Vomit