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easypeasy17's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
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? It's complicated
5.0
This world is beautiful! These characters are so intriguing and I already hold so much love for them! I’m so excited to see where the trilogy goes!
jujuvansunshine's review against another edition
adventurous
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? It's complicated
3.0
juniperluvie's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
amiascah's review against another edition
challenging
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Does this book have multiple diverse characters? yes. Does it have heist, 'Six of Crows', found family, history, puzzles, Dan Brown, mystery vibes? also ye. Does it deliver? Not to me it seems.
'The Gilded Wolves' is Roshani Chokshi's first book of the series of the same name. It takes place in the late 1800's in France, though none of the main characters are truly French, we have biracial, Indian, Russian, Spanish, we have all the diversity one can want, Unfortunately listening to the audiobook it still took me 15-20% to figure out who was who. The magic system felt very steam punk less mystical. This was one of those group books that I only really had interest in one or two characters and the rest was annoyingly in the way. I really did not like Severin, he got the most time spent on him and I guess he was the most central character but I could have done without him. The intrigue was so convoluted at the beginning, what with the disjointed too much info dump and constant changing of narrators who had very different voices for some characters that by the time I understood what they were after I didn't care. I had checked out and maybe if I had been able to get back on track and my head back in it I may have enjoyed it.
'The Gilded Wolves' is Roshani Chokshi's first book of the series of the same name. It takes place in the late 1800's in France, though none of the main characters are truly French, we have biracial, Indian, Russian, Spanish, we have all the diversity one can want, Unfortunately listening to the audiobook it still took me 15-20% to figure out who was who. The magic system felt very steam punk less mystical. This was one of those group books that I only really had interest in one or two characters and the rest was annoyingly in the way. I really did not like Severin, he got the most time spent on him and I guess he was the most central character but I could have done without him. The intrigue was so convoluted at the beginning, what with the disjointed too much info dump and constant changing of narrators who had very different voices for some characters that by the time I understood what they were after I didn't care. I had checked out and maybe if I had been able to get back on track and my head back in it I may have enjoyed it.
darbar's review against another edition
3.0
This was like Six of Crows, but... Not as good. In a 300+ page book, it shouldn't take me 100 pages to feel interested, and then only hold my interest for 50 pages or so. I disliked many of the characters, and I hated the end. It fely very hopeless and didn't give me much to want to read the next one.
maddieoftheorangetree's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.75
The second half of this book? Absolutely marvelous. The characters glittered and the writing sparkled. I absolutely fell in love with the little found family I had heard this series praised so highly for. Enrique, Zofia and Hypnos ?? Absolutely amazing, those three. My favorites out of the entire book.
The first half? Excruciating. But it was worth it for those last ten or so chapters! What a doozy!!! I wish I hadn’t put this off for so long, having got it as a Christmas gift.
The first half? Excruciating. But it was worth it for those last ten or so chapters! What a doozy!!! I wish I hadn’t put this off for so long, having got it as a Christmas gift.
kittycat416's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.75
libraryofdreaming's review against another edition
3.0
I think my expectations were just too high for this book. I wanted a true historical fantasy, but the historical part didn't feel solid. Sure, there are some interesting historical events discussed in the book, but the characters didn't behave the way I would have expected.
They didn't talk, act, or even think the way I would expect from the time period. They felt like they'd been pushed through a filter and transformed into fairly generic modern YA. There's nothing wrong with that, I was just expecting something else. It lacked spice and flavor for me.
There was a lot I liked and overall I did enjoy reading the book, but I can't help wishing for more than just a middle of the road YA. I wanted some legit Victorian/Gilded Age/Art Nouveau characters. Their cultural backgrounds and traumas felt real, but the rest didn't resonate well with me.
While I was reading, I was reminded of a recent discussion I saw in the bookish community discussing the issue of teens in YA going through, well, mature situations. I admit that I'm getting tired of reading about 17 year old geniuses who are experts at seduction, thievery, etc. What would be the danger in making these characters 20+ years old?
I also think that it would have helped my connection to the characters if we saw them at the beginning of their relationship with one another. When this book starts out, 99% of the characters are already a team. Instead of watching a dynamic row, I felt like I was thrust into the middle of an already developed story.
I wanted to adore this book because I really loved The Star Touched Queen, but I'm left feeling torn, and not in a good way.
They didn't talk, act, or even think the way I would expect from the time period. They felt like they'd been pushed through a filter and transformed into fairly generic modern YA. There's nothing wrong with that, I was just expecting something else. It lacked spice and flavor for me.
There was a lot I liked and overall I did enjoy reading the book, but I can't help wishing for more than just a middle of the road YA. I wanted some legit Victorian/Gilded Age/Art Nouveau characters. Their cultural backgrounds and traumas felt real, but the rest didn't resonate well with me.
While I was reading, I was reminded of a recent discussion I saw in the bookish community discussing the issue of teens in YA going through, well, mature situations. I admit that I'm getting tired of reading about 17 year old geniuses who are experts at seduction, thievery, etc. What would be the danger in making these characters 20+ years old?
I also think that it would have helped my connection to the characters if we saw them at the beginning of their relationship with one another. When this book starts out, 99% of the characters are already a team. Instead of watching a dynamic row, I felt like I was thrust into the middle of an already developed story.
I wanted to adore this book because I really loved The Star Touched Queen, but I'm left feeling torn, and not in a good way.
starrydreamer's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
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? It's complicated
4.5
cassidyserhienko's review against another edition
4.0
Lately I have been very into anything set in Paris. Not that I’ve actually read that many books, I just think a lot about how I would like to. It’s the New Orleans effect for me, if I see anything that takes place in either of these cities I automatically click Want to Read (whether or not I actually do is up for debate). So a fantasy HEIST set in Paris was basically made for me.
Though it is never explicitly stated (because the language did not exist in the era the book is set in), Zofia is clearly on the autism spectrum. Enrique is a bisexual disaster (although nowehere near Hypnos’ level of tragic and dramatic), and Laila is a dancer from India. If you’re looking for quality diversity in a fantasy, The Gilded Wolves definitely has it. However, I didn’t think that Chokshi gave herself time to really delve into each of the character’s and their issues, but seeing as this is a series I think that she did a good job of establishing each of them and getting us invested while still giving them room to grow and issues to explore in the sequel.
Time was really my biggest issue with the novel, and was perhaps why I didn’t find it as memorable as I would have thought given everything that it has going for it. I felt that some of the biggest issues should have either been left for the next book, or devoted more space. Like Laila was created from a dead baby? Or something? That was kind of just thrown at us and never really addressed again. And the big emotional climax didn’t really have much payoff for me. *Spoiler: We were never given enough time to really get to know Tristan to feel the effects of his death*
All that said, I think that the set up for book 2 was superb (meaning all that tension between Laila and HBIC Séverin) and the characters and world are worth buying into this series, so I will definitely be picking up The Silvered Serpents.
Though it is never explicitly stated (because the language did not exist in the era the book is set in), Zofia is clearly on the autism spectrum. Enrique is a bisexual disaster (although nowehere near Hypnos’ level of tragic and dramatic), and Laila is a dancer from India. If you’re looking for quality diversity in a fantasy, The Gilded Wolves definitely has it. However, I didn’t think that Chokshi gave herself time to really delve into each of the character’s and their issues, but seeing as this is a series I think that she did a good job of establishing each of them and getting us invested while still giving them room to grow and issues to explore in the sequel.
Time was really my biggest issue with the novel, and was perhaps why I didn’t find it as memorable as I would have thought given everything that it has going for it. I felt that some of the biggest issues should have either been left for the next book, or devoted more space. Like Laila was created from a dead baby? Or something? That was kind of just thrown at us and never really addressed again. And the big emotional climax didn’t really have much payoff for me. *Spoiler: We were never given enough time to really get to know Tristan to feel the effects of his death*
All that said, I think that the set up for book 2 was superb (meaning all that tension between Laila and HBIC Séverin) and the characters and world are worth buying into this series, so I will definitely be picking up The Silvered Serpents.