Gilded has all the makings of a really interesting and unique Rumpelstiltskin retelling... but the glue that holds all the pieces together is just super shit. I also think that with the dark themes expressed that the book deserved to be a bit more serious.
The issues I had with the book is that everything that happened in the town? Didn't care about. The characters weren't strong enough for me to care about them. Especially the children.
The villain is a great villain but you hardly see much of him and when he does show up he doesn't really do much or go outside his normal disposition of the 'King' of the original tale... until the very end. I really think there should have been a second in command villain or another antagonist working for the king to give the book more 'umph'.
The scenes with Gild and our heroine were the strongest. However, I found the temperament of Gild to be immature and lacking. I almost think that he should have been written a bit more darker or more sensual, or I don't know, have a better build up of romance with her? It was crap and I could hardly believe when they hooked up.
Some of the magic / lore created for this book is convoluted and the world building relied too much on the 'tale' that it was cast aside or hidden for reveal in book two.
I expected more and I was upset that it fell apart on so many levels.
The issues I had with the book is that everything that happened in the town? Didn't care about. The characters weren't strong enough for me to care about them. Especially the children.
The villain is a great villain but you hardly see much of him and when he does show up he doesn't really do much or go outside his normal disposition of the 'King' of the original tale... until the very end. I really think there should have been a second in command villain or another antagonist working for the king to give the book more 'umph'.
The scenes with Gild and our heroine were the strongest. However, I found the temperament of Gild to be immature and lacking. I almost think that he should have been written a bit more darker or more sensual, or I don't know, have a better build up of romance with her? It was crap and I could hardly believe when they hooked up.
Some of the magic / lore created for this book is convoluted and the world building relied too much on the 'tale' that it was cast aside or hidden for reveal in book two.
I expected more and I was upset that it fell apart on so many levels.