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headcanonheadcase's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 stars rounded down to 4.
Something epic this way comes. The first in a new duology, The Gilded Crown follows Hellevir, a woman who can enter death and bring back souls from the other side, but at a great cost to her. In death, she meets a dark stranger and makes a bargain. If she brings him precious treasures from the living world, he will let her bring back souls for a lesser cost. He gives her riddles to solve to find the required treasures. Following them opens her eyes to the thruth of the fabled history of an ancient war. Meanwhile, there are powers swirling in the living world that threaten to upset the balance of her country. She is swept into the intrigue when she raises the Princess and only heir to the throne from the dead.
I was captivated by Hellevir and her story. She was caught in the middle of so many opposing forces. Life and Death. The old ways and a new religion. The Queen and her family. Sullivan and her brother. I'm excited to see how this duology will end. There was no cliffhanger, rather the book ended with the start of a new chapter in Hellevir's life.
I enjoyed the riddles as a way to incorporate world building without it feeling like I was slogging through info dumping. Each new riddle took Hellevir someplace new and added a new layer to the legends, challenging what she thought she knew. And I'm sure there are more riddles and secrets to come in book two.
I developed a few theories about the plot as I was reading. Some of them were proven wrong before the end of book one, but a few are still unresolved. I really enjoy when a book gets me actively theorizing as I read and looking for clues. The plot was very engaging, compelling, and complex enough that I wasn't content to sit and read; I needed to dig into the layers of this new world.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Avon, Harper Voyager, and NetGalley for the ARC.
Something epic this way comes. The first in a new duology, The Gilded Crown follows Hellevir, a woman who can enter death and bring back souls from the other side, but at a great cost to her. In death, she meets a dark stranger and makes a bargain. If she brings him precious treasures from the living world, he will let her bring back souls for a lesser cost. He gives her riddles to solve to find the required treasures. Following them opens her eyes to the thruth of the fabled history of an ancient war. Meanwhile, there are powers swirling in the living world that threaten to upset the balance of her country. She is swept into the intrigue when she raises the Princess and only heir to the throne from the dead.
I was captivated by Hellevir and her story. She was caught in the middle of so many opposing forces. Life and Death. The old ways and a new religion. The Queen and her family. Sullivan and her brother. I'm excited to see how this duology will end. There was no cliffhanger, rather the book ended with the start of a new chapter in Hellevir's life.
I enjoyed the riddles as a way to incorporate world building without it feeling like I was slogging through info dumping. Each new riddle took Hellevir someplace new and added a new layer to the legends, challenging what she thought she knew. And I'm sure there are more riddles and secrets to come in book two.
I developed a few theories about the plot as I was reading. Some of them were proven wrong before the end of book one, but a few are still unresolved. I really enjoy when a book gets me actively theorizing as I read and looking for clues. The plot was very engaging, compelling, and complex enough that I wasn't content to sit and read; I needed to dig into the layers of this new world.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Avon, Harper Voyager, and NetGalley for the ARC.
haleyhbrill's review against another edition
3.0
Title: The Gilded Crown
Rating: 3.5/5
I absolutely loved the concept of this book. The main character Hellevir and her relationship with Death and being able to enter it like a realm was very interesting. I also love the queer representation in the main love interests. The writing of this book is beautiful too, the descriptive writing style the author uses really drew me into the book.
The overall drive of the plot fell flat for me though. It felt very strong in the beginning with having the different death experiences and then the need to serve the crown, but after that I just couldn’t feel invested. I also felt the ending was a little bumpy as far as wrap-up and really drawing me into wanting to read another book on some of these characters. Overall, I did enjoy the story though, and think that the writing was beautifully done.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. My thoughts are wholly my own.
Rating: 3.5/5
I absolutely loved the concept of this book. The main character Hellevir and her relationship with Death and being able to enter it like a realm was very interesting. I also love the queer representation in the main love interests. The writing of this book is beautiful too, the descriptive writing style the author uses really drew me into the book.
The overall drive of the plot fell flat for me though. It felt very strong in the beginning with having the different death experiences and then the need to serve the crown, but after that I just couldn’t feel invested. I also felt the ending was a little bumpy as far as wrap-up and really drawing me into wanting to read another book on some of these characters. Overall, I did enjoy the story though, and think that the writing was beautifully done.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. My thoughts are wholly my own.
bookish_selkie's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
itaby's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
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? Yes
3.75
catiedearest's review
3.0
Thank you to Harper Voyager and Netgalley for providing an eARC to review!
This book is a solid 3 ⭐ for me. The cover art is what drew me in. It is well written and has a lot of possibility. I thought that it was going to be a true romantasy, but it was not. It did take me quite a while to get into the book, but when all is said and done I am glad I picked it up to read. The plot was fun to follow and I'll be reading the second when it comes out.
This book is a solid 3 ⭐ for me. The cover art is what drew me in. It is well written and has a lot of possibility. I thought that it was going to be a true romantasy, but it was not. It did take me quite a while to get into the book, but when all is said and done I am glad I picked it up to read. The plot was fun to follow and I'll be reading the second when it comes out.
spost's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
*I was able to read this book early via NetGalley thanks to Harper Voyager!*
A girl who can travel to the realm of death and save people - for a price - is a strong premise for a book. Having this girl raise her kingdom's princess from the dead adds intrigue. If only The Gilded Crown had lived up to the promise it set up for itself.
Hellevir wants a quiet life as an herbalist, despite the fact that she has an ability to raise people from the dead. But when the realm's queen needs her granddaughter and heir brought back, Hellevir is exposed in a way that she had hoped to avoid. She's eventually blackmailed into becoming the princess's personal resurrectionist, all while the kingdom inches towards civil war.
I probably should have DNF'd this book, given the fact that I was bored and confused pretty quickly after starting it. But I pushed on, because I was curious about where it was going to go. There were definitely glimmers of interesting things - the civil war and corresponding political machinations, Hellevir's forays into the realm of death, her plucky bird sidekick - but the bulk of the plot was circular and frustrating. Hellevir kept threatening to leave the city and kept not doing it. She kept wondering why she was so drawn to the princess and then shrugging it off. People kept dying and she kept bringing them back despite her misgivings. It never quite felt like anyone grew or changed or learned.
The result was a book that was just kind of okay but not really all that good. Kind of a bummer.
A girl who can travel to the realm of death and save people - for a price - is a strong premise for a book. Having this girl raise her kingdom's princess from the dead adds intrigue. If only The Gilded Crown had lived up to the promise it set up for itself.
Hellevir wants a quiet life as an herbalist, despite the fact that she has an ability to raise people from the dead. But when the realm's queen needs her granddaughter and heir brought back, Hellevir is exposed in a way that she had hoped to avoid. She's eventually blackmailed into becoming the princess's personal resurrectionist, all while the kingdom inches towards civil war.
I probably should have DNF'd this book, given the fact that I was bored and confused pretty quickly after starting it. But I pushed on, because I was curious about where it was going to go. There were definitely glimmers of interesting things - the civil war and corresponding political machinations, Hellevir's forays into the realm of death, her plucky bird sidekick - but the bulk of the plot was circular and frustrating. Hellevir kept threatening to leave the city and kept not doing it. She kept wondering why she was so drawn to the princess and then shrugging it off. People kept dying and she kept bringing them back despite her misgivings. It never quite felt like anyone grew or changed or learned.
The result was a book that was just kind of okay but not really all that good. Kind of a bummer.
vicerry's review against another edition
dark
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? Yes
4.75
caffeinated_reads3's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
2.0
This is Priory of the Orange Tree Lite. How The Gilded Crown similar to the Priory? Simple: take a matriarchal empire with swords and horses, throw in a lesbian romance between the FMC and royalty, the "protector" of royalty has some kind of power, a group that has been established for a long time that's attached to said power, and oh yeah, throw in another homosexual relationship. Yup, that's about it. Seems harsh, but it's the truth.
The Gilded Crown is a book that I wish was better. It has the potential to do well and be better than average. The FMC realizes that she has a relationship with Death, and able to bring once living things back to life. She learns that there is a price that needs to be paid for each life. Of course she is young and d*mb, and in a way to prove to herself that she can do amazing things, she brings back the life of the princess. From there, the queendom uses and abuses the FMC. There's a weird and forced romantic relationship that builds between the princess and FMC. The magical part is confusing and not well described, though I would love to read more about it (backstory of the empire's origin and magical beings/gods behind that). And then throw in a dash of Salem Witch trial like plot line. FMC makes me frustrated, making such ridiculous decisions, and of course she learns too late on how to "manipulate" the system that controlled her.
It's a two out of five at best for me. Thank you Netgalley, Avon and Harper Voyager | Harper Voyager, and the author for allowing me to read this ARC for a review.
The Gilded Crown is a book that I wish was better. It has the potential to do well and be better than average. The FMC realizes that she has a relationship with Death, and able to bring once living things back to life. She learns that there is a price that needs to be paid for each life. Of course she is young and d*mb, and in a way to prove to herself that she can do amazing things, she brings back the life of the princess. From there, the queendom uses and abuses the FMC. There's a weird and forced romantic relationship that builds between the princess and FMC. The magical part is confusing and not well described, though I would love to read more about it (backstory of the empire's origin and magical beings/gods behind that). And then throw in a dash of Salem Witch trial like plot line. FMC makes me frustrated, making such ridiculous decisions, and of course she learns too late on how to "manipulate" the system that controlled her.
It's a two out of five at best for me. Thank you Netgalley, Avon and Harper Voyager | Harper Voyager, and the author for allowing me to read this ARC for a review.
allofmyfriendsarebooks's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25