A review by astrireads
The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna

adventurous dark mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

The Gilded Ones has a unique fantasy world with an exciting 'girl power' and 'female rage' vibe. The FMC discovers her powers in a society that judges girls by their blood. The story has a lot of promise, but the pacing fell short to me. For most of the book, she kept asking herself, 'Who am I?' or 'What am I?' without much actually happening. I felt like the story was stuck in a loop, especially since it takes about two-thirds of the book just to build up to real movement. While I understand this is the first book of a series, it felt like the journey was dragged out too long. 

The twist at the end, though, was fantastic. It’s the perfect setup for book two! If you’re up for a slow-burn fantasy with a fierce female lead, give this one a shot.