A review by goodthingsread
The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna

adventurous emotional sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I have to admit that I really enjoyed this novel. Even though it holds on tightly to some well established YA fantasy tropes, it also has its own unique edge to how it presents those tropes. I appreciated the twists and the growth of the main character; even though at some times she could feel a little dense, as many YA heroines do, there were valid reasons for that. Reasonable justification for characterization is all that I need, and Deka growing up in the restrictive, homogenous and religious environment that she did allowed for her to reasonably not see what was right in front of her.

The romance felt a little tacked on and restrained, which honestly feels like the phrasing I use for the YA novels that I love best, so that should be a compliment. I appreciated, too, that Keita has drunk his Respect Women juice. I hate when the YA novel ends with a twist and cliffhanger and the love interest is revealed to be evil or presented as dubious with a big TBD stamped on his forehead. Instead, this novel ends without a cliffhanger at all. The setup for a further story is there -- one I am very interested in -- but you get the satisfaction of Deka's accomplishment and can revel in that for a moment before moving on to what's next. I don't see that as often in series, especially not YA ones, so that choice was a breath of fresh air.
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