"If I cannot move heaven, I will raise hell."-Virgil
Hello friends, and let me welcome you to my review of my favorite fantasy novel of the year.... err of 2019? Whichever way you look at it, The Gilded Wolves is the type of read where after turning the final page your jaw hits the floor, and then days later, when you've semi-recovered, it's all you want to talk about with anyone you come in contact with. My husband is sick and tired of me bringing it up over and over, constantly trying to work through what I think will happen in the sequel and why Roshani thought she could earn my trust, make me fall in love with this gang of cool kids, and then rip my heart out like it was nothing.
"His father had not allowed him to call her mother, and in public she referred to him as "Monsieur Severin." But at night... when she snuck into his room to sing his lullabies, she always whispered one thing before she left: I am your Ummi. And I love you."
The amount of research that went into making this book feel believable, coupled with own voices storytelling, made this one of my favorite fantasy novels of the year... even though this one doesn’t come out until next month! I loved it so much that I’ve pre-ordered the hardcover for my personal collection, and I don't do that frequently. Many people have been comparing this to Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo, and I can see why considering this is another teenage fantasy heist novel and there is a bunch of kids who have been through some tragic stuff brought together, but in my opinion the similarities end there. This is a story that stands on its own two legs, with its own magic system, atmosphere, and unique qualities that make it compulsively readable.
"I don't want to be their equals. I don't want them to look us in the eye. I want them to look away, to blink harshly, like they've stared at the sun itself. I don't want them standing across from us. I want them kneeling."
The plot here is so complex; it begins with a bit of world building that segues nicely into some of the characters' history without giving away too much. Each of the characters have suffered some sort of ill fated prejudice, some of which are discriminations that are felt in the real world, and some which are "made up" but can also be attributed to real issues in a metaphorical sense. I won't go into detail due to spoilers, but one particular character's back story was both heart-wrenching and disturbing; it was a grotesquely beautiful and unique combination of emotions that invoke a wide array of feels. The author touches on some difficult, yet timely issues, and manages to portray them in a historical fantasy setting while keeping a very believable beat to the well paced plot.
"Lust is safer than love, but both can ruin you."
One of my favorite aspects of The Gilded Wolves was the fact that the romance was subtle, but deep. Sometimes I need a good lusty YA novel, but this was so much more. The portrayal here is sensual, poetic, and luxurious, and by the end I wanted to slap someone and was left with a deep craving to find out what would happen next. After having the pleasure of meeting Roshani at the Goodreads Power User Summit last year, I knew I wanted to pick up one of her books, and I'm so privileged to have led off with this one. If you enjoy YA fantasy that is rich in culture and well-researched history/mythology, you don't want to miss out on The Gilded Wolves.
"I think the greatest power is belief, for what is a god without it?"
Hello friends, and let me welcome you to my review of my favorite fantasy novel of the year.... err of 2019? Whichever way you look at it, The Gilded Wolves is the type of read where after turning the final page your jaw hits the floor, and then days later, when you've semi-recovered, it's all you want to talk about with anyone you come in contact with. My husband is sick and tired of me bringing it up over and over, constantly trying to work through what I think will happen in the sequel and why Roshani thought she could earn my trust, make me fall in love with this gang of cool kids, and then rip my heart out like it was nothing.
"His father had not allowed him to call her mother, and in public she referred to him as "Monsieur Severin." But at night... when she snuck into his room to sing his lullabies, she always whispered one thing before she left: I am your Ummi. And I love you."
The amount of research that went into making this book feel believable, coupled with own voices storytelling, made this one of my favorite fantasy novels of the year... even though this one doesn’t come out until next month! I loved it so much that I’ve pre-ordered the hardcover for my personal collection, and I don't do that frequently. Many people have been comparing this to Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo, and I can see why considering this is another teenage fantasy heist novel and there is a bunch of kids who have been through some tragic stuff brought together, but in my opinion the similarities end there. This is a story that stands on its own two legs, with its own magic system, atmosphere, and unique qualities that make it compulsively readable.
"I don't want to be their equals. I don't want them to look us in the eye. I want them to look away, to blink harshly, like they've stared at the sun itself. I don't want them standing across from us. I want them kneeling."
The plot here is so complex; it begins with a bit of world building that segues nicely into some of the characters' history without giving away too much. Each of the characters have suffered some sort of ill fated prejudice, some of which are discriminations that are felt in the real world, and some which are "made up" but can also be attributed to real issues in a metaphorical sense. I won't go into detail due to spoilers, but one particular character's back story was both heart-wrenching and disturbing; it was a grotesquely beautiful and unique combination of emotions that invoke a wide array of feels. The author touches on some difficult, yet timely issues, and manages to portray them in a historical fantasy setting while keeping a very believable beat to the well paced plot.
"Lust is safer than love, but both can ruin you."
One of my favorite aspects of The Gilded Wolves was the fact that the romance was subtle, but deep. Sometimes I need a good lusty YA novel, but this was so much more. The portrayal here is sensual, poetic, and luxurious, and by the end I wanted to slap someone and was left with a deep craving to find out what would happen next. After having the pleasure of meeting Roshani at the Goodreads Power User Summit last year, I knew I wanted to pick up one of her books, and I'm so privileged to have led off with this one. If you enjoy YA fantasy that is rich in culture and well-researched history/mythology, you don't want to miss out on The Gilded Wolves.
"I think the greatest power is belief, for what is a god without it?"