A review by ineffablebob
The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi

adventurous emotional mysterious slow-paced

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

4.25

The Gilded Wolves is a young adult historical urban fantasy, set in late 19th century France, where certain people have magical powers granted by fragments of the Biblical Tower of Babel. Powerful, secretive houses guard the locations of the Babel fragments and control much of the magic. The story follows five young people who have been shut out of those houses, who use their powers as thieves while searching for ways to deal with their own personal issues. There's good characterization of the five viewpoint characters, each of whom has their own history and problems to deal with, ranging from autistic tendencies to childhood trauma to racial bigotry. Most of the plot progression takes place during a series of heists, with interludes to figure out what to steal next. I thought it was well executed, but you need to enjoy the heist plotting and be OK with some rather unsubtle romantic angst to enjoy this one.