A review by nicoleterego
The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi

adventurous challenging mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

Right off the bat, yes, it's a discount 'Six of Crows,' but I don't mind the similarities. In fact, I really want the book to work. The magic system is unique, the characters have potential, and I like the heist plot and the found family trope. However, it just lacks something.

There's too much telling and not enough showing. Severin frustrates me because he's supposed to be the leader of the group, but the book doesn't demonstrate it. In every POV he gets, he just thirsts over Laila and thinks about his worries for the team, revenge, etc., but I did not see him actually doing something about it.
If anything, his actions are always questionable (examples: not being able to recognize a trap twice, ignoring Tristan, rejecting Laila at the end when the book built up their romance repeatedly throughout the whole book; that was so annoying). There were also throw-away scenes like when he went to feed Goliat but ended up, once again, pining for Laila. We didn't even get to know what happened to Tristan's pet. I know it's just a pet, but it could've been nice if the characters eventually learned to like the spider just because of Tristan.


On the other hand, Laila, Enrique, Hypnos, and Sofia are okay; I like them as characters. I love their dynamic and quirks. I just wish we could've seen how they grew close to each other. I felt like the readers were thrown into their dynamic without any backstory on what they went through together to become a solid group. 
That's why even if Tristan died at the end, I didn't really feel much. I never got to see how the characters grew to love him and what I should be sad about regarding his death. The dead birds also confused me. I think it should've been a big revelation, but then I don't know him that much, so it didn't have the impact the author expected to have on the readers (or maybe that's just me). There was no setup to his betrayal. Sophia has the greatest potential, but I don't understand what the author wants to achieve with her love triangle with Enrique and Hypnos. Why did she revert back to her old self just because she saw them kiss? Like??? Her infatuation for Enrique shouldn't be the only reason for her to grow as a character. Also, am I the only one who thinks she has neurodivergent traits?


There was so much going on, yet nothing at all. Their plans are told and already in place instead of us being let in on the process of them finding their way to achieve something. That's why the stakes didn't feel real.

The magic system. I finished the book and I still can't understand how Forging works. 😭 LMAO. There are so many words thrown around that the author expects the readers to just understand. The names of the devices and substances just fly around without being explained. I couldn't connect with the world and the magic. It also didn't help that I just finished the Mistborn trilogy, and I kept comparing the way Brandon Sanderson wrote the magic system there.

On the bright side, I really love the Filipino representation. It's refreshing to see my own nationality being represented. Add to the fact that I love Enrique's character (him and Sophia were my faves). I like what the author wants to convey, what they dream of writing about, and I'm so on board with it.

Overall, an ambitious plot and great ideas but lacking proper execution. I hope the next book is better. 
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