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A review by ametakinetos
The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi
3.0
My feelings on this book are deeply mixed.
On the one hand, it was cluttered. The worldbuilding and exposition felt rough at best, getting to the point where my only reaction to any revelations or instances of ex machina via fantasy methods was a "Sure, I guess." The heist and puzzle-solving components seemed straight out of a National Treasure movie, with no real chance of the reader figuring out anything. Additionally, the strong undercurrent of anticolonialism and such and such felt cheap. Sentiments were explored in characters' personal thoughts but not executed in the plot or really adding anything to the story.
And yet, on the other hand - I love these characters. I love how fully their different motivations and strengths are fleshed out. I love the complexity that is given to each of them, even though Laila and Séverin take center stage. I am a total sucker for a good found family, and this book absolutely has that. The plot was terribly predictable, but it was more fun to see the dialogue and inner turmoil that would happen along the way than to guess at the action.
I don't know if I recommend this to anyone else. I wouldn't say it's good, necessarily.
Yeah, I'm still going to read the next book.
On the one hand, it was cluttered. The worldbuilding and exposition felt rough at best, getting to the point where my only reaction to any revelations or instances of ex machina via fantasy methods was a "Sure, I guess." The heist and puzzle-solving components seemed straight out of a National Treasure movie, with no real chance of the reader figuring out anything. Additionally, the strong undercurrent of anticolonialism and such and such felt cheap. Sentiments were explored in characters' personal thoughts but not executed in the plot or really adding anything to the story.
And yet, on the other hand - I love these characters. I love how fully their different motivations and strengths are fleshed out. I love the complexity that is given to each of them, even though Laila and Séverin take center stage. I am a total sucker for a good found family, and this book absolutely has that. The plot was terribly predictable, but it was more fun to see the dialogue and inner turmoil that would happen along the way than to guess at the action.
I don't know if I recommend this to anyone else. I wouldn't say it's good, necessarily.
Yeah, I'm still going to read the next book.