Reviews

I really liked this! I love the characters, the world, the story. The ambience is giving “riding through the woods on my mighty steed with my hooded cloak trailing behind me, snowflakes gathering in my hair and the only sound the beating of hooves” and I’m obsessed!

My main complaint is the resolution was extremely rushed and it really felt like Marissa (yes I consider us to be on a first name basis, I’m obsessed with basically everything she writes, get over it) was grasping to fill those gaps and end up with something rather than fulfilling something planned (at least up until the very end, that felt like the perfect ending, but that was all so rushed, it lost any opportunity to be fulfilling)

It was a good book but as a sequel, I feel like it fell a bit flat sadly. A lot of answers we got were just thrown in so quickly and without fanfare, plus the time in the castle dragged when I feel like there was so much opportunity to explore the dynamic between Serilda and the Erlking that was only poked at.

Still recommend and enjoyed the experience, though! I adore you, Marissa Meyer, my dear! Please keep writing books!

Content Warnings

jadehusdanhicks's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

4.0

I ADORED THIS. The sequel to gilded this book brings the astonishing retelling of rumplestiltskin and mortals blessed by gods to a close with a wonderfully happy ending.

Through fights and chaos, finding freedom, future and truth, this book truly does go through the phases. Having loved the lunar chronicles when I read them at 17 I had high expectations or Marissa again and not only did she meet them but really exceeded them.

Seeing Gild and Serilda finally have a happy ending was so heartwarming, and alongside the creativity, great world building and every other amazing part of this book I was also overjoyed to see queer representation in several forms both in the past and present settings of the books time and lore.

Overall these are a great and engaging read for someone wanting a re spun fairytale with a magically engaging plot that’s truly unique in its own right too

Content Warnings