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annagwritesandreads 's review for:
The Gilded Ones
by Namina Forna
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
General Description: Deka's village requires all 16 year olds to go through a ceremony to ensure the girls have red blood. If their blood is gold, they are a demon that cannot be easily killed. Deka has gold blood. After 9 different attempts to kill Deka, with no result, a mysterious woman comes to her village and gives her a choice: continue to try to be killed or fight for the empire. Will Deka be able to defend the empire that has essentially imprisoned her and those like her? How will Deka handle working with the empire? what troubles are people like Deka needed for that she may not be aware of?
ALLLL the goods:
- SUCH a unique and well described world. even listening via audiobook did not hinder any of my understanding of the world.
- The female friendship explored in this book was actually really beautiful and I was not expecting it.
- I appreciated how YA the romance was and it did not detract from the focus on the fantasy storyline, but also did not feel like a full on romantasy, which I thought was appropriate in a YA sphere.
- The pacing was absolutely fantastic, I did not want to stop listening to it
- Even though this is a series, I felt enough resolution at the end of the book that if there was not another book, I would feel pretty resolved.
Overall, if you like YA fantasy and can handle a bit of gore, you should read this immediately.
ALLLL the goods:
- SUCH a unique and well described world. even listening via audiobook did not hinder any of my understanding of the world.
- The female friendship explored in this book was actually really beautiful and I was not expecting it.
- I appreciated how YA the romance was and it did not detract from the focus on the fantasy storyline, but also did not feel like a full on romantasy, which I thought was appropriate in a YA sphere.
- The pacing was absolutely fantastic, I did not want to stop listening to it
- Even though this is a series, I felt enough resolution at the end of the book that if there was not another book, I would feel pretty resolved.
Overall, if you like YA fantasy and can handle a bit of gore, you should read this immediately.