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amiascah 's review for:
The Gilded Ones
by Namina Forna
challenging
dark
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:
Yes
This was such a good read, I can't believe I waited so long to get my hands on it and dive in. Though I do love that it's a completed series now so I don't have to wait for the next ones to come out.
'The Gilded Ones' is book one in Namina Forna's 'Deathless' series. It follows Deka, a sixteen year old preparing for her ritual of purity to determine that she is a pure and innocent girl and can continue to be a member of society and one day get married. Unfortunately on the day of her ritual her village is attacked and she is cut spilling her blood which runs the bright gold of the impure, of a demon. She is taken by her village elders and killed nine times as they search for her true death and harvest her golden blood.
Until one day a woman arrives saying on behalf of the Emperor all cursed demon girls are being taken and summoned to the south to be trained as warriors. There Deka meets other girls just like her all with the same cursed blood, all with the ability to survive most mortal wounds, and other hidden talents.
spoilers
I can't explain why but I love a book with an overly sexist society, no matter which way it goes, either sex being persecuted simply for being born what they were has me intrigued. Probably the first book I fell in love with like that was 'Homeland' by R.A. Salvatore, which is a women dominate society and the Anne Bishops 'Black Jewel's' series which has so many gender roles and rules. 'The Gilded Ones' sucked me in with the heavily oppressive religion, the infinite wisdom, which stifles anything a women might want to think or feel or want till all they are left with is being a wife, mother, homemaker. Through out the book as we learn more and more about the four ancient gilded ones, the originals who were all females and used to hold all the power until their sons the Jatu rose up and trapped them, overthrew their rule and then set up their new one which kept women quiet and low and weak.
Another thing I love about the book is not seeing all the twists and turns, this one kept me guessing, yes there was some obvious stuff really in your face, most of the dealings with her mother namely. Though I was surprised that they had her just die after sneaking away with her fake death in order to try to reach White Hands, why didnt she become a deathshriek? But I am glad that we didnt get a sappy reunion. There was too many characters as it was, I had trouble keeping all the recruits strait, their urini. Despite that I felt that there wasn't any flat or two dimension characters, they all had distinct personalities and maybe if I wasn't speeding through needing to know what happens next I would have better remembered who was paired with who.
Deka had some really great moments, first with the betrayal of the scant few she felt she could trust which included her father. Plus she's still meek and believing all the propaganda that the infinite wisdom tires to tell them about women. I didnt really care for all the mask stuff, at the beginning she kinda drove me insane for how much she mentions it and describes everyones masks and how sad she is going to be not to get to wear one. Then when training starts and they go for that run with the boys for the first time and she gives that classic sports movie/before the battle pep talk, the we will not be defeated speech. It really shows how she's changing, she hasn't completely given up on all the teachings she was indoctrinated in since brith. Which was another thing that was odd, after reading all the truths about her and her mother, it made me start to question how her mother decided to raise her, why not tell her that's how she has to act but to clue her in to anything that's real to let her know that one day things will be different, that you don't have to believe all the bullshit. We know that there are southern tribes that don't follow these teachings at all. Why not raise her there or just not let her completely buy into the cover story?
Overall I felt like this was just such a powerful story, with amazing characters, it didnt get bogged down with too many action scenes, the grotesque and shocking details were handled with care and not just used to sensationalize, the characters felt real, the pace picked up when they made it to the training area, and it was just so easy to read. That last one people might not see as a positive but I quite enjoy books like that.
I will definitely be continuing on with the series.
'The Gilded Ones' is book one in Namina Forna's 'Deathless' series. It follows Deka, a sixteen year old preparing for her ritual of purity to determine that she is a pure and innocent girl and can continue to be a member of society and one day get married. Unfortunately on the day of her ritual her village is attacked and she is cut spilling her blood which runs the bright gold of the impure, of a demon. She is taken by her village elders and killed nine times as they search for her true death and harvest her golden blood.
Until one day a woman arrives saying on behalf of the Emperor all cursed demon girls are being taken and summoned to the south to be trained as warriors. There Deka meets other girls just like her all with the same cursed blood, all with the ability to survive most mortal wounds, and other hidden talents.
spoilers
I can't explain why but I love a book with an overly sexist society, no matter which way it goes, either sex being persecuted simply for being born what they were has me intrigued. Probably the first book I fell in love with like that was 'Homeland' by R.A. Salvatore, which is a women dominate society and the Anne Bishops 'Black Jewel's' series which has so many gender roles and rules. 'The Gilded Ones' sucked me in with the heavily oppressive religion, the infinite wisdom, which stifles anything a women might want to think or feel or want till all they are left with is being a wife, mother, homemaker. Through out the book as we learn more and more about the four ancient gilded ones, the originals who were all females and used to hold all the power until their sons the Jatu rose up and trapped them, overthrew their rule and then set up their new one which kept women quiet and low and weak.
Another thing I love about the book is not seeing all the twists and turns, this one kept me guessing, yes there was some obvious stuff really in your face, most of the dealings with her mother namely. Though I was surprised that they had her just die after sneaking away with her fake death in order to try to reach White Hands, why didnt she become a deathshriek? But I am glad that we didnt get a sappy reunion. There was too many characters as it was, I had trouble keeping all the recruits strait, their urini. Despite that I felt that there wasn't any flat or two dimension characters, they all had distinct personalities and maybe if I wasn't speeding through needing to know what happens next I would have better remembered who was paired with who.
Deka had some really great moments, first with the betrayal of the scant few she felt she could trust which included her father. Plus she's still meek and believing all the propaganda that the infinite wisdom tires to tell them about women. I didnt really care for all the mask stuff, at the beginning she kinda drove me insane for how much she mentions it and describes everyones masks and how sad she is going to be not to get to wear one. Then when training starts and they go for that run with the boys for the first time and she gives that classic sports movie/before the battle pep talk, the we will not be defeated speech. It really shows how she's changing, she hasn't completely given up on all the teachings she was indoctrinated in since brith. Which was another thing that was odd, after reading all the truths about her and her mother, it made me start to question how her mother decided to raise her, why not tell her that's how she has to act but to clue her in to anything that's real to let her know that one day things will be different, that you don't have to believe all the bullshit. We know that there are southern tribes that don't follow these teachings at all. Why not raise her there or just not let her completely buy into the cover story?
Overall I felt like this was just such a powerful story, with amazing characters, it didnt get bogged down with too many action scenes, the grotesque and shocking details were handled with care and not just used to sensationalize, the characters felt real, the pace picked up when they made it to the training area, and it was just so easy to read. That last one people might not see as a positive but I quite enjoy books like that.
I will definitely be continuing on with the series.