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The Gilded Ones Paperback – January 11, 2022
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"A dark feminist tale spun with blood and gold. Must read!" –Dhonielle Clayton, New York Times bestselling author of The Belles
Sixteen-year-old Deka lives in fear and anticipation of the blood ceremony that will determine whether she will become a member of her village. Already different from everyone else because of her unnatural intuition, Deka prays for red blood so she can finally feel like she belongs.
But on the day of the ceremony, her blood runs gold, the color of impurity–and Deka knows she will face a consequence worse than death.
Then a mysterious woman comes to her with a choice: stay in the village and submit to her fate, or leave to fight for the emperor in an army of girls just like her. They are called alaki–near-immortals with rare gifts. And they are the only ones who can stop the empire's greatest threat.
Knowing the dangers that lie ahead yet yearning for acceptance, Deka decides to leave the only life she's ever known. But as she journeys to the capital to train for the biggest battle of her life, she will discover that the great walled city holds many surprises. Nothing and no one are quite what they seem to be–not even Deka herself.
The start of a bold and immersive fantasy series for fans of Children of Blood and Bone and Black Panther.
- Reading age12 - 17 years
- Print length432 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- Grade level7 - 9
- Lexile measure780L
- Dimensions5.5 x 0.91 x 8.25 inches
- PublisherEmber
- Publication dateJanuary 11, 2022
- ISBN-101984848712
- ISBN-13978-1984848710
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From the Publisher
THE GILDED ONES | THE MERCILESS ONES | |
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Price | $10.99$10.99 | $12.06$12.06 |
Read more from Namina Forna! | Book One | Book Two |
Editorial Reviews
Review
“Fans of Children of Blood and Bone, Mulan, and the Dora Milaje from Black Panther are going to adore this one.” —BuzzFeed
“The girls are powerful, the danger is real, and the characters are engaging and diverse. Forna has accomplished something really special here, equal parts subversive and fun.” —Tor
"Perfect for those who fell in love with Black Panther and will leave all holding their breath until the very end."—Ebony
“Namina Forna introduces readers to an intricate, West African-inspired fantasy world.”—POPSUGAR
“Total book candy for fans of Tomi Ayedemi's Children of Blood and Bone.” —PureWow
"A dark feminist tale spun with blood and gold, The Gilded Ones lifts the veil of violent patriarchy and burns the idea of purity to the ground. Must read!" —Dhonielle Clayton, New York Times Bestselling author of The Belles
“Haunting, brutal, and oh-so-relevant. This book will suck you into a world where girls bleed gold, magic fills the air, and the real monsters hide behind words instead of claws.” —Roseanne A. Brown, New York Times bestselling author of A Song of Wraiths and Ruin
“An enthralling debut. The Gilded Ones redefines sisterhood and is sure to leave readers both inspired and ultimately hopeful." —Stephanie Garber, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Caraval
“The Gilded Ones is a fierce, unflinching fantasy that marks Forna as a debut to watch.” —Kiersten White, New York Times bestselling author of And I Darken
"Phenomenal and extraordinary! Forna's breathtaking use of language depicts a thrilling journey through an epic world, rife with danger and deception, as an obedient girl survives the patriarchy and becomes a warrior. Unquestionably, the best fantasy of 2021." —Kim Johnson, author of This is My America
“An epic new fantasy with heart-stopping stakes and a fierce, persevering hero, The Gilded Ones is a dazzling and powerful debut.” —Elizabeth Lim, bestselling author of Spin the Dawn
“A poignant examination of patriarchal oppression that ensnares its reader and doesn’t let go. With a compelling main character and fresh magic system, it takes you on a journey of self-discovery through a fantastically built world with a burning mystery at its heart.” —Kalyn Josephson, author of The Storm Crow
“While elements of action and social justice are strong, there is also mystery . . . readers will find themselves awestruck with satisfying revelation, leaving both a clean ending and desire for more.”
—Booklist, starred review
“Female-led YA fantasy is an overcrowded genre, but Namina Forna brings a fresh perspective in her stormingly good debut . . . Action combines with an intense feminist story of sisterhood, where strength is found in female friendships and alliances.” —The Guardian
“Brutal, brilliant, and ultimately hopeful, The Gilded Ones takes readers on
a stunning sci-fi fantasy ride.” —Nerdist
“Formidable heroines and a thoughtful feminist mythology distinguish debut author Forna’s West Africa–inspired fantasy trilogy launch. Abundant action drives the pace, while a nuanced plot advocates social change by illustrating the myriad ways in which society cages and commodifies women.” —Publishers Weekly
“All of the alaki girls have realistic and moving trauma as a result of actions wreaked on them both as human women and alaki, and strong female friendships stand at the forefront of this novel that will have readers thinking about it long after the last page.” —The Bulletin
About the Author
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
1
Today is the Ritual of Purity.
The thought nervously circles in my head as I hurry toward the barn, gathering my cloak to ward off the cold. It’s early morning, and the sun hasn’t yet begun its climb above the snow-dusted trees encircling our small farmhouse. Shadows gather in the darkness, crowding the weak pool of light cast by my lamp. An ominous tingling builds under my skin. It’s almost as if there’s something there, at the edge of my vision. . . .
It’s just nerves, I tell myself. I’ve felt the tingling many times before and never once seen anything strange.
The barn door is open when I arrive, a lantern hung at the post. Father is already inside, spreading hay. He’s a frail figure in the darkness, his tall body sunken into itself. Just three months ago, he was hearty and robust, his blond hair untouched by gray. Then the red pox came, sickening him and Mother. Now he’s stooped and faded, with the rheumy eyes and wispy hair of someone decades older.
“You’re already awake,” he says softly, gray eyes flitting over me.
“I couldn’t sleep any longer,” I reply, grabbing a milk pail and heading toward Norla, our largest cow.
I’m supposed to be resting in isolation, like all the other girls preparing for the Ritual, but there’s too much work to do around the farm and not enough hands. There hasn’t been since Mother died three months ago. The thought brings tears to my eyes, and I blink them away.
Father forks more hay into the stalls. “ ‘Blessings to he who waketh to witness the glory of the Infinite Father,’ ” he grunts, quoting from the Infinite Wisdoms. “So, are you prepared for today?”
I nod. “Yes, I am.”
Later this afternoon, Elder Durkas will test me and all the other sixteen-year-old girls during the Ritual of Purity. Once we’re proven pure, we’ll officially belong here in the village. I’ll finally be a woman--eligible to marry, have a family of my own.
The thought sends another wave of anxiety across my mind.
I glance at Father from the corner of my eye. His body is tense; his movements are labored. He’s worried too. “I had a thought, Father,” I begin. “What if . . . what if . . .” I stop there, the unfinished question lingering heavily in the air. An unspeakable dread, unfurling in the gloom of the barn.
Father gives me what he thinks is a reassuring smile, but the edges of his mouth are tight. “What if what?” he asks. “You can tell me, Deka.”
“What if my blood doesn’t run pure?” I whisper, the horrible words rushing out of me. “What if I’m taken away by the priests--banished?”
I have nightmares about it, terrors that merge with my other dreams, the ones where I’m in a dark ocean, Mother’s voice calling out to me.
“Is that what you’re worried about?”
I nod.
Even though it’s rare, everyone knows of someone’s sister or relative who was found to be impure. The last time it happened in Irfut was decades ago--to one of Father’s cousins. The villagers still whisper about the day she was dragged away by the priests, never to be seen again. Father’s family has been shadowed by it ever since.
That’s why they’re always acting so holy--always the first in temple, my aunts masked so even their mouths are hidden from view. The Infinite Wisdoms caution, “Only the impure, blaspheming, and unchaste woman remains revealed under the eyes of Oyomo,” but this warning refers to the top half of the face: forehead to the tip of the nose. My aunts, however, even have little squares of sheer cloth covering their eyes.
When Father returned from his army post with Mother at his side, the entire family disowned him immediately. It was too risky, accepting a woman of unknown purity, and a foreigner at that, into the family.
Then I came along--a child dark enough to be a full Southerner but with Father’s gray eyes, cleft chin, and softly curled hair to say otherwise.
I’ve been in Irfut my entire life, born and raised, and I’m still treated like a stranger--still stared and pointed at, still excluded. I wouldn’t even be allowed in the temple if some of Father’s relatives had their way. My face may be the spitting image of his, but that’s not enough. I need to be proven for the village to accept me, for Father’s family to accept us. Once my blood runs pure, I’ll finally belong.
Father walks over, smiles reassuringly at me. “Do you know what being pure means, Deka?” he asks.
I reply with a passage from the Infinite Wisdoms. “ ‘Blessed are the meek and subservient, the humble and true daughters of man, for they are unsullied in the face of the Infinite Father.’ ”
Every girl knows it by heart. We recite it whenever we enter a temple--a constant reminder that women were created to be helpmeets to men, subservient to their desires and commands.
“Are you humble and all the other things, Deka?” Father asks.
I nod. “I think so,” I say.
Uncertainty flickers in his eyes, but he smiles and kisses my forehead. “Then all will be well.”
He returns to his hay. I take my seat before Norla, that worry still niggling at me. After all, there are other ways I resemble Mother that Father does not know about--ways that would make the villagers despise me even more if they ever found out.
I have to make sure I keep them secret. The villagers must never find out.
Never.
It’s still early morning when I reach the village square. There’s a slight chill in the air, and the roofs of nearby houses are crusted with icicles. Even then, the sun is unseasonably bright, its rays glinting off the high, arching columns of the Temple of Oyomo. Those columns are meant to be a prayer, a meditation on the progress of Oyomo’s sun across the sky every day. High priests use them to choose which two days of the year to conduct the spring and winter Rituals. The very sight of them sends another surge of anxiety through me.
“Deka! Deka!” A familiar gawkish figure waves excitedly at me from across the road.
Elfriede hurries over, her cloak pulled so tightly around her, all I can see are her bright green eyes. She and I both always try to cover our faces when we come into the village square--me because of my coloring and Elfriede because of the dull red birthmark covering the left side of her face. Girls are allowed to remain revealed until they go through the Ritual, but there’s no point attracting attention, especially on a day like this.
This morning, Irfut’s tiny cobblestone square is thronged with hundreds of visitors, more arriving by the cartful every minute. They’re from all across Otera: haughty Southerners with dark brown skin and tightly curled hair; easygoing Westerners, long black hair in topknots, tattoos all over golden skin; brash Northerners, pink-skinned, blond hair gleaming in the cold; and quiet Easterners in every shade from deep brown to eggshell, silky straight black hair flowing in glistening rivers down their backs.
Even though Irfut is remote, it’s known for its pretty girls, and men come from far distances to look at the eligible ones before they take the mask. Lots of girls will find husbands today--if they haven’t already.
“Isn’t it exciting, Deka?” Elfriede giggles.
She gestures at the square, which is now festively decorated for the occasion. The doors of all the houses with eligible girls have been painted gleaming red, banners and flags fly cheerfully from windows, and brightly colored lanterns adorn every entrance. There are even masked stilt dancers and fire breathers, and they thread through the crowd, competing against the merchants selling bags of roasted nuts, smoked chicken legs, and candied apples.
Excitement courses through me at the sight. “It is,” I reply with a grin, but Elfriede is already dragging me along.
“Hurry, hurry!” she urges, barreling past the crowds of visitors, many of whom stop to scowl disapprovingly at our lack of male guardians.
In most villages, women can’t leave their homes without a man to escort them. Irfut, however, is small, and men are in scarce supply. Most of the eligible ones have joined the army, as Father did when he was younger. A few have even survived the training to become jatu, the emperor’s elite guard. I spot a contingent of them lingering at the edges of the square, watchful in their gleaming red armor.
There are at least twelve today, far more than the usual two or three the emperor sends for the winter Ritual. Perhaps it’s true what people have been whispering: that more deathshrieks have been breaking through the border this year.
The monsters have been laying siege to Otera’s southern border for centuries, but in the past few years, they’ve gotten much more aggressive. They usually attack near Ritual day, destroying villages and trying to steal away impure girls. Rumor is, impurity makes girls much more delicious. . . .
Thankfully, Irfut is in one of the most remote areas of the North, surrounded by snow-capped mountains and impenetrable forests. Deathshrieks will never find their way here.
Elfriede doesn’t notice my introspection; she’s too busy grinning at the jatu. “Aren’t they just so handsome in their reds? I heard they’re new recruits, doing a tour of the provinces. How wonderful of the emperor to send them here for the Ritual!”
“I suppose . . . ,” I murmur.
Elfriede’s stomach grumbles. “Hurry, Deka,” she urges, dragging me along. “The line at the bakery will be unmanageable soon.
She pulls me so strongly, I stumble, smacking into a large, solid form. “My apologies,” I say with a gasp, glancing up.
One of the visiting men is staring down at me, a thin, wolfish smirk on his lips. “What’s this, another sweet morsel?” He grins, stepping closer.
I hurriedly step back. How could I be so stupid? Men from outside villages aren’t used to seeing unaccompanied women and can make awful assumptions. “I’m sorry, I must go,” I whisper, but he grabs me before I can retreat, his fingers greedily reaching for the button fastening the top of my cloak.
“Don’t be that way, little morsel. Be a nice girl, take off the cloak so we can see what we’ve come--” Large hands wrench him away before he can finish his words.
When I turn, Ionas, the oldest son of Elder Olam, the village head, is glaring down at the man, no trace of his usual easy smile on his face. “If you want a brothel, there’s one down the road, in your town,” he warns, blue eyes flashing. “Perhaps you should return there.
The difference in their size is enough to make the man hesitate. Though Ionas is one of the handsomest boys in the village--all blond hair and dimples--he’s also one of the largest, massive as a bull and just as intimidating.
The man spits at the ground, annoyed. “Don’t be so pissy, boy. I was only having a bit of fun. That one isn’t even a Northerner, for Oyomo’s sake.”
Every muscle in my body strings taut at this unwelcome reminder. No matter how quiet I am, how inoffensive I remain, my brown skin will always mark me as a Southerner, a member of the hated tribes that long ago conquered the North and forced it to join the One Kingdom, now known as Otera. Only the Ritual of Purity can ensure my place.
Please let me be pure, please let me be pure. I send a quick prayer to Oyomo.
I pull my cloak tighter, wishing I could disappear into the ground, but Ionas steps even closer to the man, a belligerent look in his eyes. “Deka was born and raised here, same as the rest of us,” he growls. “You’ll not touch her again.”
I gape at Ionas, shocked by this unexpected defense. The man huffs. “Like I said, I was only having a bit of fun.” He turns to his friends. “C’mon, then, let’s go get a drink.”
The group retreats, grumbling under their breath.
Once they’re gone, Ionas turns to me and Elfriede. “You all right?” he asks, a worried expression on his face.
“Fine. A bit startled is all,” I manage to say.
“But not hurt.” His eyes are on me now, and it’s all I can do not to squirm under their sincerity.
“No.” I shake my head.
He nods. “My apologies for what just happened. Men can be animals, especially around girls as pretty as you.”
Girls as pretty as you . . .
The words are so heady, it takes me a few moments to realize he’s speaking again. “Where are you off to?” he asks.
“The baker,” Elfriede replies, since I’m still tongue-tied. She nods at the small, cozy building just across the street from us.
“I’ll watch you from here,” he says. “Make sure you’re safe.”
Again his eyes remain on me.
My cheeks grow hotter.
“My thanks,” I say, hurrying over to the bakery as Elfriede giggles.
True to his words, Ionas continues staring at me the entire way.
The bakery is already packed, just as Elfriede said it would be. Women crowd every corner of the tiny store, their masks gleaming in the low light as they buy delicate pink purity cakes and sun-shaped infinity loaves to celebrate the occasion. Usually, masks are plain things, made out of the thinnest bits of wood or parchment and painted with prayer symbols for good luck. On feast days like this, however, women wear their most extravagant ones, the ones modeled after the sun, moon, and stars and adorned with geometric precision in gold or silver. Oyomo is not only the god of the sun but also the god of mathematics. Most women’s masks feature the divine symmetry to please His eye.
After today, I’ll begin wearing a mask as well, a sturdy white half mask made out of heavy parchment and thin slivers of wood that will cover my face from forehead to nose. It’s not much, but it’s the best Father could afford. Maybe Ionas will ask to court me once I wear it.
I immediately dismiss the ridiculous thought.
No matter what I wear, I’ll never be as pretty as the other girls in the village, with their willowy figures, silken blond hair, and pink cheeks. My own frame is much more sturdy, my skin a deep brown, and the only thing I have to my advantage is my soft black hair, which curls in clouds around my face.
Mother once told me that girls who look like me are considered pretty in the southern provinces, but she’s the only one who’s ever thought that. All everybody else ever sees is how different I look from them. I’ll be lucky if I get a husband from one of the nearby villages, but I have to try. If anything should ever happen to Father, his relatives would find any reason they could to abandon me.
Product details
- Publisher : Ember; Reprint edition (January 11, 2022)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 432 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1984848712
- ISBN-13 : 978-1984848710
- Reading age : 12 - 17 years
- Lexile measure : 780L
- Grade level : 7 - 9
- Item Weight : 11.2 ounces
- Dimensions : 5.5 x 0.91 x 8.25 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #61,937 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #285 in Teen & Young Adult Dark Fantasy
- #293 in Teen & Young Adult Sword & Sorcery Fantasy
- #470 in Teen & Young Adult Epic Fantasy
- Customer Reviews:
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About the author
Namina Forna is a young adult novelist based in Los Angeles, and the author of the epic fantasy YA novel The Gilded Ones. Originally from Sierra Leone, West Africa, she moved to the US when she was nine and has been traveling back and forth ever since. Namina loves building fantastical worlds and telling stories with fierce female leads.
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I really loved Namina’s writing. She has a very descriptive yet simple style that makes you feel immersed in the world and the story as you read it. As for the characters we get to meet, I just have one word for our main character: badass (pardon my french🙋🏽♀️😂). Deka is a strong and brave character, and she and the other girls we get to meet are true survivors.
All through the book I was just wondering what would happen, what the resolution of the main conflict in the story would be (which isn’t the norm for me in YA). But all through the book, multiple possibilities were open and I just couldn’t truly guess the final resolution. And I have to say, I loved every second of guessing what would happen.
I would only have one tiny comment in the romantic interest in the book and how the romance played out. Don’t get me wrong, I loved the relationship and the sweetness level is off the charts❤️❤️. I just wanted a little bit more showing and less telling. Nonentheless, we do get some extremely sweet interactions and moments💕.
As a whole, this is an awesome beginning to the series and I can’t wait for the next book to come out.
I wholeheartedly recommend this book💕💕💕.
It’s clear what Namina Forna intended for this novel. She wanted to create an ode to teenage girls and tell a story of camaraderie, empathy, and women’s liberation. So often, society disrespects and devalues teenage girls much like how the human and alaki girls are treated in the novel. But Forna has created a space in which girls are not only valued but powerful, and they use their power to liberate the kingdom. If I were to put a song to this novel it would easily be “Run the World (Girls)” by Beyonce. That’s what The Gilded Ones gives me. In the beginning of the book, I was kind of skeptical of this message of liberation that was forming because Deka and the alaki army were being used as tools in the emperor’s army to kill the deathshrieks. While their participation in the army did allow them to hone and utilize their power, they were still coerced into this situation because their only options were fight for the emperor or die. While Deka and the others felt somewhat empowered by their strength and abilities, I didn’t think it was true empowerment nor liberation because they were still fighting at the behest of the emperor, who wields complete control over their lives. Sidebar: this sort of gets into the problems with white feminism in that white women think that if women are allowed entrance into male spaces then that is liberation and equality, but that is not the case because men are still doing the gatekeeping and they can control and manipulate the circumstances of women’s participation. It was interesting to Forna tackle feminist issues in a YA novel and I really appreciated how she developed those ideas. The novel does develop gradually however, that by the end of the novel I was more convinced that the alaki were on a true path of liberation (but I have more thoughts about the ending that make me suspicious because I think that there are some ulterior motives going on…).
I really like how Namina Forna developed the story. The plot just kept building and it kept me in suspense. The momentum didn’t let up, there was always new information that we were learning, and it didn’t feel like the story plateaued in between these moments unlike a certain YA fantasy that I read last year… I also appreciated how carefully Forna developed Deka’s character. She showed the journey of Deka gradually unlearning the doctrines and norms that she was taught. Now, at the end I did feel like she turned a certain leaf suddenly and that didn’t feel realistic, but overall Deka’s character developed nicely. She had to gradually unlearn the patriarchal religious dogma she learned, and she had to realize the extent to which women and girls are suppressed. A lot of restrictions were placed on women and girls relegating them to second-class citizens. Deka slowly realizes this, and this motivates her to change it. She didn’t immediately just change her thinking. I also liked that writing in the novel! This really doesn’t feel like a debut novel, but I learned that Namina Forna is a screenwriter, so she has a way with words for a living. With her being her a screenwriter, I expect that this will be optioned for TV, and it's not then they need to make that happen, expeditiously!
This novel is pretty graphic for a YA novel which I’m cool with but if that’s triggering then I would beware. The gore can be pretty explicit, but I like when authors push the boundaries of YA, no kiddy bopper shit. I think my favorite character is White Hands. She’s mysterious, aloof, and morally ambiguous but she’s intriguing because you never know what her next move is. The award for most improved goes to Belcalis because she grew on me the most. The more we learned about her the more I understood her, and I really empathized with her. Britta gets the award for the most annoying. I know she was doing her best to protect Deka and be a good friend to her but sometimes she was kind of annoying and I just wanted her to be quiet, but I still respect her. I can’t wait to see how Namina Forna expands the world in the next book and how the rest of the characters develop. I also have a feeling that she might do multiple POVs in book two but idk, it’s just a feeling.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. It was fun to read and it kept me intrigued! I'll be patiently awaiting the next book!
4 stars
The narrative centers on Deka, a young girl living in the patriarchal society of Otera, where a blood ceremony is used to determine the purity of its girls. When Deka's blood runs gold - the color of impurity - her life takes a dramatic turn, thrusting her into a brutal world that forces her to question everything she knows about her identity and purpose.
Forna deserves much acclaim for crafting a richly imagined world steeped in African mythology and layered with intricate societal dynamics. The vivid descriptions breathe life into Otera, making it a character in its own right. Deka, with her resilience, bravery, and the continuous internal battle between her perceived impurity and her growing sense of self, is an exemplary protagonist. The ensemble of strong female characters Forna crafts around Deka is a breath of fresh air, providing the genre with much-needed diversity and strength.
"The Gilded Ones" sets itself apart through its exploration of darker themes such as systematic oppression, the toxic nature of patriarchal societies, and the strength that can be found in female solidarity. It handles these themes with a careful, sensitive hand, offering readers thought-provoking insights without detracting from the overall narrative.
While the book's world-building is exquisite, it sometimes eclipses character development, resulting in some secondary characters feeling a bit underdeveloped. Also, the pacing could have been better balanced to give readers time to connect more deeply with the characters and their individual journeys.
Moreover, while the plot twist towards the end provides an exhilarating climax, it can feel somewhat rushed, leaving readers wanting a bit more depth and explanation. However, given that this is the first book in a series, one can hope that these gaps will be filled in the upcoming installments.
In conclusion, "The Gilded Ones" by Namina Forna is a book of courage, friendship, and self-discovery set against a backdrop of a meticulously constructed fantasy world. Its unique blend of African mythology, feminine strength, and societal critique makes it a valuable addition to the YA fantasy genre. Despite minor shortcomings, this book successfully lays the groundwork for what promises to be an exciting series.
If you're a fan of vivid world-building, strong female leads, and aren't afraid to delve into some darker themes, this novel will be a worthy addition to your reading list. It's a testament to Forna's storytelling prowess, leaving readers eagerly awaiting the next chapter in Deka's journey.
Top reviews from other countries
3,5
O meu maior problema com esse livro foi o tom YA. A história em si é ótima, uma fantasia muito diferente do que a gente já viu por aí e até muito pesada, mas as vezes o tom YA era DEMAIS, até mesmo em situações que não cabia esse tom YA, sabe?. Os pensamentos e ações da personagem me irritavam!!!! Só que não tem como a culpar por isso porque ela é LITERALMENTE só uma adolescente, são ações e pensamentos que você espera de um adolescente.
Outra coisa que me irritou foi o romance que surgiu do nada e eu fiquei?!?!?!
Mas apesar dos pontos negativos, o mundo criado nesse livro é MUITO interessante e tem muita coisa que pode desenvolver disso ainda, e por isso eu estou curiosa para continuar essa série (trilogia, duologia?!)
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3,5
My biggest problem with this book was the YA tone. The story itself is great, a fantasy very different from what we've seen around and even very heavy, but sometimes the YA tone was TOO MUCH, even in situations where this YA tone didn't fit, you know?
The main character's thoughts and actions irritated me!!!! But you just can't blame her for that because she's LITERALLY a teenager, those are actions and thoughts you expect from a teenager. But it pissed me off.
Another thing that annoyed me was the romance that came out of nowhere and I was?!?!?! Where did that come from?
But despite the downsides, the world created in this book is VERY interesting and there's a lot that can be developed from that yet, and that's why I'm curious to continue this series (trilogy, duology?!)
Everything else about the book that I normally mention in a review—the characters, the world-building, the pace—were fantastic. I inhaled the page. Despite the fast pace with which we see Deka’s growth once she gets to the Warthu Bera, I still feel like we’re not missing anything. I see her gradual change and feel the growing camaraderie with her fellow alaki. The level of friendship and trust that develops between the girls doesn’t feel out of place and I think a lot of it has to do with the author’s powerful writing. Even the romance, which is usually my favorite aspect of the book, comes second to the friendship. On the romance department, actually, I feel like we could have used a few scenes more in the beginning, but again, this was by far the most important element of the book.
The Gilded Ones is easily one of my favorite reads of the year. It’s diverse, it’s empowering and it’s an interesting story with all the right elements of a good fantasy. I really want to thank the author for writing this gem. It came in exactly the right moment.
Quel plaisir de lire ce livre !!! Quel plaisir de se reconnaître dans des personnages de couleur !!!
C’est comme si à chaque page, je prenais une grande bouffée d’air frais...
Namina Forna fait un formidable travail pour montrer la beauté des femmes noires et métisses, et la force des femmes que le monde tente de nous cacher :’)
N’hésitez pas à offrir ce livre à toutes les ados que vous connaissez (peu importe leur couleur de peau ;) ) - c’est important qu’elles prennent conscience de leur pouvoir!
J’ai hâte de lire la suite, et qui sait, de voir une adaptation en grand écran ?
This is a beautiful, fierce, triumphant YA fantasy novel about a fictional world in which women are only servants to men and women with special abilities are reviled as "demons" and killed. These girls are brought together and trained as soldiers until they form a kickass army and find true sisterhood. It reminded me a bit of Children of Blood and Bone, but was in no way a knockoff. It has the same great elements, but stands completely on its own.
The story explores themes of patriarchy and its effects on women, loyalty and betrayal, trauma, and identity. I couldn't stop reading it, feeling giddy when all that suffering Deka and the other girls had gone through turned to triumph. A word of warning: there is a LOT of violence, abuse, and blood, mostly against girls, some of it really gory. If you're sensitive to that kind of thing, proceed with caution.
I can't wait for the next one and am actually upset it's not set up to come out until 2022. Highly recommend!