The Gilded Ones

This book surprised me a lot. It is not simply about women and girls fighting the patriarchy but about these powerful beings who demolish it whilst dripping in golden blood. There are quite a lot of traumatizing parts to it and the trauma is never forgotten. I found the Gilded ones very interesting and look forward to reading more about this mythology in future books. The thing that struck out to me was how feminism can be taught to young men and boys and change their way of thinking whilst older generations typically are not able to be educated as such which felt like a very realistic and well made point. I genuinely found myself drawn to Deka's transformation from a shy unsure girl to a powerful and fierce Nuru. Looking forward to any sequels that follow and Deka's continued journey.

Amazing, humbling and an awakening.

Namina Forna weaves a world that parallels our own in so many ways but also one that is layered in magic.

From the start Deka is a girl after my own heart and one whom I would be proud to call my daughter, sister or friend. She and her friends, Britta, Belcalis, Adwapa, Asha, Katya and of course Keita (amongst others) show the meaning of true friendship and unconditional love. I grew to love them as though they were my own friends.

I asked the Author Namina for any questions she would like to ask of her readers and she returned with these:

“Oh my goodness, that’s amazing! I would ask that you look at the culture of the world and how women are treated and see if there’s any parallels to ours. Also, the obedience to the Infinite wisdoms, what are the parallels for our world? And what do the masks represent?”

I won’t spoil your reading by giving you my thoughts on these, but as you read, maybe keep these questions in mind and see what answers you draw from your reading experience. I’d be interested to hear them.

I cannot wait for the next instalment 💛

This was everything it promised to be. An epic fantasy with wonderous world-building and character development and a plot that had me on the edge of my seat. Deka is everything I want from a main character, she's strong, brave and the journey of self discovery that she goes on is inspiring. I loved reading about her arc from a farm girl, to a warrior who could take down armies. The side characters are likeable with enough depth so they don't feel two dimensional. The descriptors throughout brought this world to life, I could see the images of this story in my mind as clear as day. Although the plot lagged a little around to 60% mark, it quickly picked back up again and was action packed from there until the end. Also, quickly, the plot twist was mind blowing! Normally, I'm able to predict things like this but this one came at me out of no where, it completely threw me through a whirlwind and I cannot wait to see where Forna takes it in the next instalment.

The Gilded Ones is the incredibly powerful debut novel from Namina Forna. In a male-dominated world, where women are forced to wear masks to cover their dignity, and must go through a bleeding ceremony in order to prove their purity, Deka is anxiously awaiting her turn to prove that her blood runs red and pure. But when the time of her ceremony comes and her blood runs gold, she becomes an outcast, disowned by her family, friends and community, destined for the Death Mandate. That is until a mysterious stranger whom Deka labels “White Hands” materialises, promising redemption, absolution and even purity, in return for taking up arms to fight for the emperor in a fierce battle against the hideous deathshrieks.

From a scared and vulnerable girl, cowering in a cellar, being used and bled for her cursed gold blood, Deka is taken to the city, to a training ground for her kind and transformed into a fierce warrier, uncovering “unnatural” skills and talents far beyond what is expected of her. As she fights physical, emotional, and mental battles to control her skills and use them wisely, she begins to uncover her true heritage and picks up an unusually protective shape-shifting pet along the way. With her Uruni, Keita, and her blood sisters behind her, brought together by their traumatic experiences, will she uncover the truth about whom she is, and why she has these unnatural powers in time to defeat the powerful enemy enslaving and abusing her kind?

Themes of feminism, sisterhood, belonging, and survival are built into Deka’s gruesome journey from girl to warrior. Namina has created a powerful heroine in Deka, who embodies the strength, power, and leadership she needs to overcome her disastrous circumstances and the harrowing abuse she suffers from the moment she is found to be “impure”. I was absolutely enthralled by Namina’s writing and Deka’s journey from the moment her blood ran gold until the moment where the pieces of her heritage fell into place and she took control of her own choices and destiny. I was totally invested in Deka’s character development and growth, and that of the alaki sisterhood. I am waiting with baited breath to read where Namina takes the Deathless series next.

This is one of the few covers a year that entirely sells the book, before a single word is read.

However, how many of those stories live up to their covers? Few. This story didn’t only live up to its cover, it succeeded it, and I enjoyed every waking moment.

Because girls with gold blood, often don’t die.

In a world where the colour your blood runs pertains to your purity, patriarchal leaders dim the light of those whose blood runs gold. Demons they say, impure. And so they kill them, sell them or leave them to rot.

Except girls whose blood run gold aren’t easily killed. They are powerful and it’s that power that threatens the very men who treat them so horrifically .

One day one of these girls is freed, allowing her to join the fight against monsters that threaten all’s existence.

Get ready for some bad ass warrior ladies, be ready for your stomach to momentarily reside in your throat, to cry, scream, throw your cup of tea because this book is bloody brilliant.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this awesome tale.

Sixteen-year-old Deka fears for her life in anticipation of the blood ceremony that will declare her human or an abomination. On the day of her ceremony, her blood runs gold, and the village turns on her. Until a mysterious woman arrives with an offer: submit to the Emperor by joining his army of gold-blooded girls, known as Alaki, or stay imprisoned in her hometown. Deka proceeds to journey to the capital, joining other girls like her, girls who bleed gold and can’t seem to die—making them perfect fighters against the vicious Deathshrieks that can take down even the most seasoned warriors. As she prepares to become a soldier, Deka discovers that something is different about her power, and she must find the truth before anyone else does.

Well, I must admit, The Gilded Ones was a surprisingly brilliant read. I went into this book with a relatively neutral mindset, very enticed by its cover, and found myself enjoying this one.

The Gilded Ones is a high fantasy novel that deals with racism, xenophobia, misogyny and abuse. The world that Deka resides in is extremely patriarchal that makes young girls go through a ceremony where if she bleeds gold, she is deemed impure. This will most likely end in death or slavery. Gold-blooded girls are almost impossible to kill, their ability to heal at lighting speed makes them demons, according to the village priests. Deka goes from being the village demon to a soldier in training at one of the Emperor’s greatest training halls. The other girls hail from towns from all corner of their world, going from strangers to sisters-in-arms in just weeks.

The lore of The Gilded Ones is where I think it shines the most. Deka and the other girls are descendants of monsters which makes them extremely resilient to most damage. The origins of the death shrieks are so fascinating. The land of Otera is vast and diverse. I was conflicted on what I wanted more: continue to read Deka’s story, or wanting to read about the past. Because there’s a lot of information I think could’ve pushed to the present that would not have dragged the book down, but enhance the current world more. The worldbuilding was well-done, very descriptive, and I can imagine any sequel will build and improve upon what we see.

A high fantasy novel of this kind would not be what it is without its characters. And Namina Forna delivers! Deka starts off someone entirely innocent, due to her upbringing, and she grows up very quickly after discovering the truth. She is terrified of herself and soon realises it’s not her fault the world decided she was a demon, so why should she be afraid? The only issue I noticed was that her powers were introduced and developed very quickly. I feel like some progression could’ve been dragged over to the sequel to make it more balanced, rather than immediately push her into the role of a Chosen One. It doesn’t help that the training scenes are skipped over in favour of a time jump. The central casts are all girls who, like Deka, have been made leave home and become warriors. All of them have their own story and stand firm in their own right. Their personalities stood out, loud and distinct, not one faded into the background. And their quips are hilarious and on point.

For most of the novel, the storytelling is pretty great. The pacing and flow are pretty consistent. I’m not sure how to best describe this, and I’ll do this without mentioning any plot detail. But some moments lost momentum because we’re made to recall something that had happened previously. Something pivotal would occur in the story, and then Deka would remind us of something that happened before because it now holds relevance to the story. This didn’t impact my enjoyment while reading, nor does it affect my rating. I just noticed it happening a few times in the novel.

Overall, I was thoroughly surprised by The Gilded Ones. Much of my expectations were met, and I had a lot of fun learning about the world of Otera: one I would like to see more of the world in any upcoming sequels. The story ends in a complete way; if you had told me this was a standalone novel, I would’ve believed you. The events of the first book are tidied up quite nicely, enough that you could be satisfied to leave there if you wish, but I’ll be anticipating what happens in Deka’s story next. This series has the potential to be something extraordinary.

Wonderful book. An exciting read for both Ya and adult. Really able to submerge into the story. Exciting and imaginative story. Will certainly be recommending this book for the library book club i run. Thank you for the advance copy

Did I read this book or did I dream it? The Gilded Ones is bold and powerful and utterly gripping. The world that Namina Forna has created is so deeply compelling and this story is an epic in every sense of the world. It's a book that just doesn't let you go. I'm still thinking about it. Still turning things over in my mind, piecing everything together, contemplating this world and its fascinating cast of characters. I'm going to be pushing this book into the hands of everyone I know. It has completely blown my mind.

I have been eagerly anticipating this book for over a year and I was so excited to pick it up as soon as I could. I have been struggling with fantasy books for a while but this really took me out of that fantasy slump.
The world that Namina Forma created is so magical and you truly get invested in it. I read this book in less than 24 hours because I couldn't put it down. The final 80% of the novel I read all in one chunk which I haven't done in a while. The way the story was written made it easy to understand, even for those who aren't used to reading YA fantasy.
I loved Deka as a character and I think she was really interesting to follow. The side characters were also very well developed though I would have love more focus on some of the guys who were soliders, other than Keita.
I loved the powerful, feminist vibes this book gave me. It truly made me feel incredibly empowered and I can only imagine the impact this would have on a younger teenager. I wish this was one of the YA fantasies I was reading when I was younger, as it is diverse and empowering.
Overall, I loved this book. I was completely satisfied with how it went and I think this is a solid fantasy debut. It almost felt like a standalone fantasy with how everything wrapped up so I am intrigued to see where the rest of the series goes.

WOW. WOW.

(Thank you so much to Namina Forna and Netgallery for an Advanced Reader Copy of this book.)

Firstly, this book is not for readers sensitive to blood, gore, violence, torture etc. There is quite a bit throughout the book, including a central theme of war.

The gist: After a tragedy at her patriarchal village, Deka is recruited into an army of powerful warriors to fight for an emperor wanting to rid the land of monsters. There she bonds with the other women taken from their different backgrounds as they head into a bloody world of fighting and accepting their awakened gifts and identity.

A strong highlight of this book is the friendships and strong bonds between the girls; there's a beautiful attentiveness to the girls becoming warriors and also growing closer and allowing themselves to be truly accepted and loved by each other. There's a real sense of family and community between the main characters; the girls are filled with a ferocious hunger to change the world for the better and they really win you over from early on, making the rest of the book gripping and nerve-wracking for the reader as they're thrust into more danger.

Namina Forna writes with a wonderful balance of dialogue and description too, creating a pace that's both enjoyable and filled with easy to follow world-building and enough mystery to keep you hooked for the answers.

My only personal gripe with The Gilded Ones is the romance; I imagine some readers will enjoy Deka's interactions with the love interest and others will be 'meh'. The book was filled with such power and strength that the romance felt a bit flat and unnecessary. I think it'll depend on each reader however because I didn't dislike their bond at all, I just didn't feel much towards it after the emotional intensity in the girls' journeys.

It has taken me a few weeks to write a review for this because all I had in my head was “WOW!”. So much to take in I didn’t know where to start.

This is a pretty graphic book, depicting war, torture and violence. Although a fantasy novel, so much resonates with today and the treatment of women around the world. The women who have to cover their faces and have no rights, the tortured women, and the women who become the hunters and treat their own kind worse than the men.

Deka has gold blood. This is the worst possible outcome for a girl. She faces persecution and torture. She is destined to die or fight for the Emperor with other girls like her. On her journey she finds friendship and love. She learns about her strengths and superpowers and how, as a girl she can protect the boys she works with.

A powerful and boldly written novel which makes a stand for all women in the world who have suffered and are still suffering at the hands of men and women who hold power.

I could not put this down. A very graphic read which would make a great adult book club read too.

4.5 stars!

I wasn’t sure what to exactly expect from this book, but wow was this incredible.

‘The Gilded Ones’ follows the story of girls who have to go through a ritual to find out if they are pure or not. Deka finds out she isn’t pure and continues to be torture until eventually she is sent to a camp with other girls like her (Alaki) to destroy the enemies in their country.

It it a high fantasy novel with violence, romance, friendship and action. (Please check trigger warnings before hand as their is a lot of talk and description of violence and some sensitive topics). I loved the fact that the book dealt with many problems within society, with racism, xenophobia, inequality and misogyny, Very important topics within society.

This book also includes a POC amazing main character and a f/f relationship which is lovely to see!

There are only a couple of negatives of this book. It can be quite confusing when learning about the world but once you grasp that it is okay! Also the beginning, particularly starting at the camp, can be quite slow and repetitive but the rest of the book makes up for that.

I really loved this book and can’t wait to see what comes next. Thank you so much to Netgalley, publishers and the author for this free copy in exchange for an honest review)

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with this book.

This was such an enjoyable read!
First of all, I must say The Gilded Ones wasn’t as dark as I expected (even if the characters went through terrible situations) and it might be because of the main character’s voice. She was really sweet. But it didn’t bother me at all and I was rooting for Deka from the beginning till the end.
The rest of the cast was great and my only complain is that I would have loved to learn more about them (hopefully in the sequel).
The world and the creatures inhabiting it were fascinating and/or frightening (some of them I could not really picture in my head though). Ixa 😍
There was a romance but just a little bit so, thankfully, it didn’t overshadow the plot. And what a plot. Honestly, you don’t get bored while reading thanks to the big reveals, action scenes and lighter moments: everything was well-balanced.
So I definitely recommend this fantasy.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Usborne Publishing for a free Advanced Review Copy of this book.

Namina Forna is a new author to me, so I wasn't sure what to expect. The book cover and description appealed to me. What can I say? ... I'm so pleased that I gave this book and writer a go. Namina Forna is now on my list of auto-buy authors.

In one word: Brilliant.

I loved this book from start to finish. The world-building, description, and character development were all done wonderfully. The Gilded Ones is one of the best books I've read this year, and I'll be looking out for more books by this amazing author.

Though this is a fantasy YA read, it is both graphic and to the point. The storyline reflects the plight of so many women around the world today. This book brings a strong and much-needed reminder of just how much things still need to change. If you love a story of love, courage, and hope, then you'll love this awesome coming-of-age, African-inspired novel. Even if YA isn't your usual genre, I would recommend that you give this book a chance. I cannot rate it highly enough.

The Gilded Ones gets a resounding 5 stars from me.

***

NOTE ON RATINGS: I consider a 3-star rating a positive review. Picky about which books I give 5 stars to, I reserve this highest rating for the stories I find stunning and which moved me.

5 STARS: IT WAS AMAZING! I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN! — Highly Recommended.
4 STARS: I WOULD PULL AN ALL-NIGHTER — Go read this book.
3 STARS: IT WAS GOOD! — An okay read. Didn’t love it. Didn’t hate it.
2 STARS: I MAY HAVE LIKED A FEW THINGS —Lacking in some areas: writing, characterisation, and/or problematic plot lines.
1 STAR: NOT MY CUP OF TEA —Lots of issues with this book.

In a world where a woman's purpose is solely to serve the men around her, and where girls are tested for 'purity' by the colour of their blood, sixteen-year-old Deka doesn't need an official pronouncement to tell her she doesn't belong. But when 'deathshriek' monsters attack her village and she finds she can command them to leave, she begins to realise she is a lot more different than she previously thought.

Marked as demonic by her village priests and subjected to cruel, gory punishments for nothing more than being 'other', Deka's tale demonstrates the harsh effects of a patriarchal, exclusive society with no room for divergence or diversity.

Then she is taken to a training ground filled with girls like her, preparing to fight the deathshrieks in a bid to win back their freedom, such as it is. There she meets a band of friends – a beautiful found family I found myself rooting for – and a male partner, Keita, sworn to fight at her side.

I adored the group of friends, what they each represented, and the way they supported each other despite their differences. I appreciated the partnership between Deka and Keita, too – their budding romance did not interfere with the fast-paced action of the plot, and restored my faith in equality by leading by example.

More than anything, I enjoyed the tale's twisty nature. As soon as I thought I had grasped what was going on, some new truth was revealed that turned everything on its head. I would recommend this book to those who love YA fantasy, badass female heroines and fictional representations of societal issues.

This book had very good story concept. It dealt with so many issues through fiction. The characters were so well written. The girl friendship of the book just sold the book for me. Definitely a book to look out for next year.

This is a book about oppression. It's about how the oppressed buy into the theories of the oppressors to such an extent that they believe they deserve to be treated the way they are. In this book the oppressed are women who believe that they have to be 'pure', and don't question the fact that it is men who decide what 'pure' is. In this case case the 'impure' young woman is in fact the most powerful being who's existed for centuries - but it takes most of the book to convince her that she, and her kind, do not deserve the vilification and treatment they receive because of who they are. Even sadder is that it takes such powerful women to break the bonds of the oppression. It's told in the form of a fantasy, but the sad thing is that this sort of oppression exists very much in the real world as well.

I found this story to be a chill, enjoyable and quick read. The world building was exactly what I needed out of this book. It wasn't overly complicated or info-dumpy. Instead it was sprinkled throughout the plot at relevant moments.

I'd recommend this to fantasy lovers who aren't keen on heavy/in your face romance or constantly tense/high action books.

The romance that is included is so wholesome, but it isn't only the romantic relationship that's wholesome, the friendships are as well. There weren't any girl fights for the sake of the male gaze or crab in barrel syndrome, just a group of girls making the best of a horrible situation and supporting each other through it all.

I can't wait for book 2!

I really enjoyed this book, it was quite entertainening.
The character were interesting (with the main flaw being that the main characte ended a bit like an overpowered Mary Sue, but I can live with that), the world building was great and I really liked the story. There is also the seed for a potential F/F romance, and I really hope it will appears in future volumes, because I'm rooting for those 2 young woman.

This is the first instalment in the Deathless series.

Deka has spent the first sixteen years of her life attempting to master the docility and obedience expected from a pure girl and can only hope it will be enough - enough to allow her to pass the purity ceremony, enough to allow her blood to run the expected red instead of the cursed gold of impure girls, and enough to save her father from his certain death if she were to be found wanting in any way. The ceremony arrives but Deka never makes it to the stage before she is savagely sliced open by one of her kin and her blood spilled for all around to see. It runs red then gold and, from that moment, Deka is doomed.

Quite honestly, this book sounded interesting but was first on my radar for that gorgeous cover alone. I am so glad what lay behind it lived up to everything I was anticipating. Hell yeah for unique and female-centred fantasy creations!

Deka's story was one marred with tragedy, which made this a very emotional piece. The reader was never provided with much time to grieve for Deka's losses nor feel the pain for the wrongs inflicted upon her, however, before a new setting was travelled to, a new enemy faced upon the battle field, or a new discovery laboriously unearthed. These entire 400 bloody and brutal pages flew by at break-neck speed and yet, somehow, Forna never sacrificed the creation of this world or the construction of her characters to deliver such a fast-paced story-line.

One of my favourite aspects was the female friendships this centred upon. Deka and her bloodsisters were an impenetrable group of allies and a savage force to be reckoned with. Their shared message about inclusivity and inner-strength proved, yet again, to make this a poignant story. I finished this already longing for book two in my hands and can't wait for their adventures to continue, the power they so rightfully deserved to be delivered, and to journey along with them as they grasp it for their own. The Patriarchy has had its day and now its time for the demon girls, and their golden blood, to shine.

The cover of this brilliant book got me excited to read it before I started. It’s the next in a line of recent female hero adventures but with much, much more. LGBT+ representation, persons of all colours and backgrounds. The characters are really relatable and I really enjoyed the twists and turns in the plot.

This is a story of young women who regenerate from most injuries and even death coming together to fight a common enemy and become ‘pure’ only to find out that all of that is a patriarchal construct and the religion is designed to suppress women and irradiate their kind. I loved the weaving of this story and the message that we can all (men or women) fight for what is right. Loved it!

I requested this book on a whim, i hadn't heard anything about it but thought i would take the chance. I'm very pleased i did as i found this to be a great story. This was a very quick read for me and I think would appeal to all that enjoy YA fantasy.

When I read a YA fantasy, I have certain expectations and some of that is that I will see familiar tropes, storylines and features to the story. The Gilded Ones bucked the trends and delivered on what felt to be a particularly unique story.

Deka the main character, was a young woman who was oppressed and as her inital true nature was revealed, her kind was reviled, a demon of these lands. There were so many more reveals to come but the idea of a race that was tortured and persecuted made for a compelling story.

The Gilded Ones was a story mainly about women and it was a story steeped in misogyny. Otera was a land that favoured male roles and oppressed women and girls. There were themes that were difficult to read and witness but there were hopeful and empowering elements woven through this story. There were also some great twists to the story as characters were revealed. I appreciate a storyline that makes you question what you initally thought.

This was a complex world but the world-building was layered in a way that didn’t confuse and brought you along the journey at a pace that worked. I will definitely be continuing with this series and I am impressed by Namina Forna’s debut.

Thank you to Usbourne Publishing for the early review copy.

I feel like I need to review this in two parts: the story and the message.

Story-wise, this was a solid book. I wouldn't necessarily say it's the best I've read, but it was strong, especially for a debut novel. The story was a somewhat predictable but didn't feel like a rehash of the same tropes and traps found in YA fantasy. I don't know if it's Forna's skill as storyteller or background in TV/film production, but the setting and descriptions sparked such vivid images the whole time I was reading it. I wish there'd been more character development (maybe some of that will be fleshed out a bit more in the final manuscript), but the story was so compelling it actually didn't bother me too much.

I felt like the whole feminist messaging was a bit clumsily done. I really just chose this because of its cover, so I didn't really go into it with knowing much about the book or with any expectations. (I think maybe if I'd read the summary beforehand, I might've had a better idea of what I was getting myself into and managed my expectations better? But then again, maybe not.) Anyway, authors can write whatever they want however they want, but I kinda miss the use of subtlety in art. Forna mentioned how her experiences growing up in Sierra Leone and studies in feminism and religion were foundational in writing this book which is her prerogative; I just wish she'd given her readers the benefit of the doubt and trusted them to connect the dots instead of spelling out every single thing for them. Like, the whole "down with the patriarchy!" was a little heavy-handed and the oppressive religion she'd created and its real life parallels were kind of in your face.

According to Goodreads (which I know isn't always accurate,) this is the first of three in the series. I'm a little wary if that's the case because I don't really see how this can extend into a sequel, let alone a trilogy. That being said, I will read any subsequent books set in Otera just because I'm kind of curious where the story would go from here.

This is an absolute 5 star read. It is not my usual choice, but I had heard so much that I had to read it. It is definitely one of those that you can't put down. Wonderful characters and a plot that hooks you in, right from the beginning. A fantastic read for the 14+ age group.

You know it always a bit scared to received a book that is so hyped before it released, you hope to like it, but you don't really know what to exepect.

We are in a patriarcal society where women are supposed to stayed at home, take care of the men and be sweet and silence. Every girls at the age of sixteen has a test wich revealed if they are pure or if they are demons. And as you may guess our MC Deka is seemily not pure. Following this test her livre is quite different and her choice is death or fight. I have to say the world building of this book is not easy to read when you are a women in a country with a lot of freedoms, it is hard to see the women be beaten, silenced and used in so many bad way. Deka stay strong, she is a positive person and she was a great MC.

For the plot, I had a great time, some good twists and suprises and the pacing was entertaining and strong. This book was really what I like in YA fantasy : strong MC, great mythology and world-building and fun plot.

So if you hesitated because of the hyped this book is great and I am curious si read the next ones.

"They might need us now because we’re valuable, might pretend to accept us, to reward us—but never forget what they did to us first. If they did it once, Deka, they’ll surely do it again, no matter the flowery promises they give."

This was such a beautiful book, inside and out. Namina Forna has created an intriguing world with a detailed magic system, an intricate history, and amazing characters that are simply mind blowing and unforgettable.

Deka of Irfut has my heart forever and it's hers to do with as she so pleases. Deka is an admirable heroine, and is everything I want in a YA Fantasy heroine, and then some. Reading about her exploits and watching her come into her power is so heartwarming and inspiring.

The characters in this book were great - the good, the bad, and the morally grey. It's hard not to root for the alaki and they make it so worth it. It's a band of outcasts - girls who are told they would never amount to anything, becoming the kingdom's last hope against deathshrieks. These girls have been through a lot and there was a lot of graphic description of torture and the different horrors they've faced.

"And that’s the worst part of it. The physical body—it heals. The scars fade. But the memories are forever. Even when you forget, they remain inside, taunting you, resurfacing when you least expect."

For a YA Fantasy, this book had so many twists and turns and reveals. The ending was so satisfying and I love how things wrapped up - I can't wait for book two, because I can't wait to see what happens next after THAT ending.

"They taught us alaki to suffer, but they also taught us to survive—to conquer. And we will use those lessons. It’s time to take up our swords once more"

The feminist nature of this book was really something. I love how the author structured it and then dismantled it. It was integral to the world building and the plot, and everything was so well done. This is a masterpiece of a book.

"The way I see it, we all have a choice right now. Are we girls, or are we demons? Are we going to die, or are we going to survive?"

I have so many highlights of favorite quotes from this book I could share for days. It gripped me from start to finish, and I can't wait for everyone to experience the beauty that is "The Gilded Ones"

I received a DRC from the publishers via Netgalley in exchange for my impartial review. This review was written voluntarily.

The magic is awesome, the creatures are awesome, the girl-uh-things are awesome! This is a female empowerment book and I liked that. There is some talk about torture and rape, which are mostly just mentioned but it’s enough to want to kill some bastards and feel super bad for these people.

I’m looking forward to the next book. Okay, no I’m not. Let’s just leave it like it is in case something extremely bad happens to my peeps 😳 Well, more extremely bad. Just read it and you’ll know what I’m talking about!!

THIS. BOOK.

Was freaking incredible.

I was already excited about this because the cover is flipping stunning. It was supposed to be released last year so I was ready for it to rock my life but the release date was delayed.

That was fine by me, I was lucky enough to get an eARC via Netgalley and omfg. I cannot stress how much I loved this book.

I started this at 5pm, right after work, and finished it at 10pm in amazement.

Namina is that B*TCH. She did not come to play.

Alright, so we’re in this mythical world where at 16, all girls have to go through this ‘ceremony’ in order to deem them pure. You’re only pure if your blood runs red, if it runs gold, you are an unnatural demon.

Deka, our main character’s, blood runs gold on the day of the ceremony, and here starts the most intriguing and captivating story of survival, magic and female badassery.

I’m in love with Deka, I’m in love with this book! I adore the fact that the romance was not the main part of this story, and how sisterhood reigns.

I just can’t even begin to describe how this book doesn’t shy away from the dark parts, it’s grim in some ways and the magic is phenomenal.

I have a crush on “the mysterious woman” and that’s all I’m going to say about that.

I’ve been struggling with this type of world building, epic fantasy throughout the lockdown (no concentration span) but The Gilded Ones is so immersive and fully realised, it does exactly what you want a YA fantasy to do: effortlessly sweeps you away.
It is violent, brutal and I would be wary of younger teenagers reading it due to the sexual and physical abuse suffered by Belcaris. But I believe in the message of the book and trust the author,
The uses and subversion of archetypal themes and imagery is incredibly clever, particularly the Death and Rebirth motif, as far as I’m aware not commonly used in relation to women and young girls.
I’m really looking forward to the sequel and looking forward to recommending the book in store.

In a religiously fanatic society where women are hidden (they wear masks) and their purpose is to serve men, 16 year old girls go through the Ritual of Purity. When already ostracized because of her brown skin Deka's blood runs gold instead of red, she is dubbed impure therefore a threat. She is given the choice to either die or become an Alaki, one of the practically unkillable female warriors with unusual gifts who fight the empire's greatest enemy.

An extraordinary mythology and wonderful world-building, with descendants of demons, deathshrieks and various fantastical creatures. Thanks to the author's obvious creativeness, her descriptions that fill you full of awe with their plentiful details, you feel as if you have actually entered the world. This engaging narrative sucks you in from the very beginning, full of thought-provoking and powerful words. The author conveys the feeling of foreboding needed with such mastery.

An all encompassing POV that conveys Deka's pain, concerns, fear, all her conflicting emotions and makes you feel for her, cheer for her, ultimately love her. The antithesis of what Deka has been taught all her life with what becoming a warrior is making her realize is depicted so well.
Full of well developed instantly memorable characters. Their intricacies and depth so beautiful, especially White Hands, who is probably the most interesting person in Deka's life.

This is a patriarchal society where women's oppression is deeply embedded in their way of life. We see the ugly faces of misogyny and prejudice. This book praises and elevates the power of women. This is an unapologetic feminist fantasy that clearly promotes equality.

Isn't it amazing when a book you are enjoying is going one way, then a seemingly innocent little 'wrench' is thrown into the mix and boom! everything you thought you knew is upended leading you to unbelievable shocks and reveals?

And isn't it fantastic when you have high hopes for a book and it exceeds expectations? I adored this book and it sets the bar for 2021 quite high.

While there were a few things that I didn't LOVE about The Gilded Ones, there were a few pacing issues, and some character development that I felt was a little rushed, it is still a powerful allegory about patriarchal power, and the way it turns women into monsters. In this case, literally. Young girls are forced to undergo rites of passage to deem whether or not they are pure enough, worthy enough to be acceptable as wives. In this society, women are to silent, and even to be masked, belonging to the men in their lives, even if it is their own grandsons.
Forna has created a world in which female power has literally been rewritten as monstrous, and condemned either to death, or to fight to support the very system that deems them unworthy.
From the exquisite cover art, I had expected some Black Girl Magic, but I was happy to see an empowerment of the entire female gender. Slight spoiler, however, I was intrigued to see that the darkest skinned young women from a place farthest away from the centre of power, were the wildest, strangest, fastest, and least shackled by expectations. And the first to embrace queerness amongst the characters.
In years to come, I hope to see this book in essays on feminism alongside Bitch Planet, and The Monstrous Feminine, and I hope for it to be embraced by those reading Natasha Ngan, Tracy Bangheart, or Victoria Aveyard.
Some trigger warnings for mentions of sexual assault which happens off the page.
An ambitious and thought provoking debut. I can't wait to see where Forna will take her characters, and her readers

Oooh. This had really strong worldbuilding and very vivid imagery, and I really enjoyed the naming of cultures/places etc, I thought it was all really well developed, and I definitely would have been all over this as a teen!

DRC provided by Usborne Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Representation: Black protagonist, Black queer deuteragonist, Black and Brown tertiary characters.

Content Warning; racism, misogyny, death, torture, abuse, rape mention, child rape mention, child abuse mention, homophobia, body horror.

The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna is a feminist fantasy novel, a magical tale of empowerment, set to dismantle the oppressing patriarchy reigning in the fictional realm of Otera.

Deka waited for a long time for the Ritual of Purity that would have finally and indisputably made her a part of her village, but when the monstrous deathshrieks attack her village and she is revealed as an alaki, an almost immortal entity, descendant of the Gilded Ones, that society considers to be demons, everyone in the village turns on her, even her father. She is imprisoned and subjected to the Death Mandate imposed by the Infinite Widsoms. A mysterious woman saves her and gives her two options: conquer or die.

The writing style turned this book into a quite fast read despite the not-so-speedy plot line, which is the only part of the story I did not like. All unresolved plot points were sorted out in the last fifty pages or so and that made me almost lose interest. I expected at least some crumbs for the mysterious parts of the book, but I found only new questions forming in mind. I considered, though, the story as more character-driven than anything else and that is what made me keep on reading. I was so charmed by them.

I found Britta to be my favourite. She was the sweetest. I loved her character so much, and the sisterly love between Deka and her: SO beautiful. My cynical soul kept thinking Namina will take an akita and thrust it in my heart by making Britta betray Deka, but I was relieved when that did not happen. I really liked all the most prominent alaki, but Britta with her joyfulness and unwavering loyalty ruled over all. I also had an imaginably soft spot for Ixa and I am looking forward to what fan artists will create for him and everyone else.

Is it too early to say that I want a film adaptation of this book? It's probably never going to live up to my imagination but what a novel.

I've been waiting to read this novel since last year and from the first page, I was hooked. I finished it in two days. Us, Africans living in Africa, are always hungry for more representation in Fantasy epics and I love what this book stands for. I'm not one to drop spoilers because this books NEEDS to be devoured organically.

What I will say is that, readers need to get ready to open their minds like they never done before. Your mind will be stretched and you will thank it. The Gilded Ones is a book I can't wait to get the physical copy of. Whoosh!

God, I love this book. I love it. LOVE.

Deka is a sixteen year old girl from a small village who stands out because of the colour of her skin. The skin her mother also had, skin from the South. The Northerners never accepted either of them as their own.

A year after her mother's death, it's Deka's turn to undergo an old ceremony to prove once and for all that she belongs.

When the ceremony goes wrong, and she's found impure, Deka is forced to die over and over again until a strange woman, an emissary from the Emperor, gives her a choice. And that choice could shape their world as they know it.

They say never judge a book by its cover, but a lot of people still do anyway. And that's okay. This one is gorgeous and definitely lives up to it, so you won't regret buying it.

I already said that I love this book. It's hard for me to point out things that I don't like because...there aren't any!

Actually there is one thing, relating to Deka's origins that I can't properly phrase while avoiding spoilers so I won't mention it. It's not that big of a deal, I just would've preferred it to be less "miraculous".

The Gilded Ones is a pretty fast read. It's exciting and hard to put down. It doesn't feel like a 400+ page book at all. I like this.

What I also like is that it's not hard to get into. There's this amazing world with new creatures and characters and not once have I felt confused or overwhelmed.

All the characters are really, really nice. And the girls are SO SUPPORTIVE of each other, there's no stereotypical mean girl (well, there is a minor one in the beginning but she's really not important in the grand scheme of things) and they stick together like true sisters no matter what.

Deka is definitely one of my favourite main characters ever, she's amazing and doesn't make stupid decisions. She's strong and a true leader, but she's also soft and caring.

That brings us to Keita. THEY'RE SO CUTE TOGETHER. The lines may be cheesy, but IT WORKS. These two make cheesy work. Their relationship develops from them being forced to work together to being willing to give their lives for each other and it's the sweetest thing.

The book deals with some heavier topics and I did cry several times while reading. It's sad but, FOR ME, it's not too detailed. It's just the right amount of detail so you know what clearly happened but not so much that it makes you want to put the book down and never pick it up again. But just in case, be prepared that some stuff mentioned may be triggering to you.

Something else we have in this book is good rep. There's characters of all shapes and sizes and skintones. There's one f/f couple too.

Now let's wrap this up.

While reading I had so many unanswered questions and the answers came gradually and some in the form of plot twists. Eventually though, we got them all so the book can even be read as a standalone as most things get resolved. I'm pleased with the ending and I'm looking forward to reading the next book.

P.S. The author's note and the acknowledgements at the end are rad.

*Huge thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*

Thank you for the free e-copy in exchange for a review. I have since acquired my own physical copy and will be reading and reviewing that in the near future. Thank you for the copy it was much appreciated and I still can't wait to read this book.

Namina Forna has created a masterpiece. A truly visionary storyteller. The Gilded Ones is outmatched, incomparable, unlike another story in the fantasy genre. The plot grips, the writing swells, it's everything a book should be and more.

I can't wait to re-read this epic adventure over and over again.

What a brilliant debut!
This fantasy novel was so great. The world building was brilliant and the author slowly revealed more of the world, which was great as it allowed me to piece it together.
In the fantasy world here, girls are bled when they reach a certain age to determine if they are pure or not. If they bleed gold, they are seen to be demons and are sentenced to the death mandate.

The story begins when Deka is 16 and she is about to undergo her purity ceremony, but she is impure and her blood is gold. This event changes the course of her life and she is swept off to the capital to train as a soldier and warrior, who will fight the death shrieks who are ravaging the nation. Through her training she makes strong bonds of sisterhood with her fellow trainees.

This story was great. It had so much depth and the concept was brilliant. Deka was a wonderful character and I felt we learned so much about her in the book. I loved all her friends too, and the bonds they made. At its heart, this novel is a story of oppression and how hard it is for women to rise against misogyny and sexism in life. To be independent and free, these women have to fight and are viewed as demons. I loved this element of the story and definitely recommend this book.

A super enjoyable read! I loved the way the story built and built and built. However there were moments were I felt the writing was perhaps a little slow or predictable? It is a YA so I tend to expect that with at least some of the books. But the predicablility did not take anything away from the story for me.

I enjoyed the not so subtle dig at patriarchy and how feminist this book was. I am excited for the later books as i think they can only get better from here!

A stunning fantasy with great character development!

The bonds between Deka, Britta, and the other alaki explore how difficult it can be to trust others when you have been ostracised but how those bonds can be so important. The girls have suffered greatly, but pull together to help each other through their new lives. The dynamics between males and females are interestingly discussed.

The world building felt familiar enough to relate to, but with new elements to keep me intrigued. Forna's fauna (sorry) are interesting and she blends traditional fantasy creatures with her own twists nicely.

An enjoyable read, and I hope to experience more of Forna's writing in the future.

Epic, gripping, fantasy show chasing the best of being a woman, I really enjoyed this. In a world, where girls are tested at 16 whether they bleed red or gold - the latter depicting demon ancestry and thus must be killed. Deka is sentenced to death, except after 9 attempts she still cant be killed, although she feels the pain of each death. A mysterious woman saves her, only to conscript her to an elite warrior force, trained to use their supernatural gifts to protect the emperor.
A cross between hunger games and Divergent, Deka's journey highlights the challenges of persecution, while finding your your power and harnessing your friendships to overcame all hardships and literally save the world. Loved the magical world and society that has been created and found the book completely addictive.

The Gilded Ones has one of the most stunning covers of the year, and after reading it, I think it's going to be one of the biggest YA fantasy's of the year! It's a very fast paced, action heavy fantasy with some really excellent worldbuilding and a fascinating patriarchal society built on a religion. I do think the pace was at times detrimental, but this was still a very fun read and it was great to see some grimdark fantasy move to YA!

The Gilded Ones opens brutally: Deka is going through a rite of passage that will prove whether she is a pure woman, or if she is a demon. When her blood runs gold, she is proven to be demon and tortured by those she once called friends, until, rescue comes from the most unlikely of places: the emperor, who wishes her to fight for his army. What follows is a bloody and brutal journey as Deka is trained to fight deathshrieks, unnatural creatures who are viciously murdering hoards of people across the emperor. But not everything is quite as it seems, and the more Deka trains and her demon powers grow, the less convinced she is that she's even a demon.

The worldbuilding is one of the best things about this book. Forna has built this West African inspired society, a place where religion had built a society based on the suffering of women for the will of men. The religion and history of the nation, the history of The Gilded Ones, demons who terrorised the nation before they were imprisoned and women forced to go through the violent rite of passage to prove they are not demon, are all detailed excellently. There is such a sense of history that really put fear behind the power of men. The way Forna writes about the way women have been trained to fear themselves, to fear their power, and to make themselves small for the sake of men, was absolutely brilliant and the parallels to our world were so clearly rendered.

I also thought the plot was absolutely fantastic. The way the mystery of the deathshrieks, the alaki and the Gilded Ones play out was so interesting. I absolutely sped through the book whenever I picked it up because the mystery really drives you forward, it's so fast paced. There are lots of unexpected twists to the story that I really enjoyed because I was always kept on my toes!

In saying that, the speed of the book is also often it's downfall. There are so many times, particularly the more emotional behaviours, decisions, feelings etc, that just happen far too fast and it really dragged me out of the story. From how quickly Deka seemed to get over the horrific torture she goes through, to the romance that kinda hits you out of nowhere with almost no time on page of the two characters together, it's just very jarring in what is an otherwise pretty excellent YA. There's also a couple of rather annoying plotholes that I couldn't stop thinking about - where did the awful sense of fear and control at the barracks disappear to after the first scene? I mean, for example, Deka is even allowed to keep a pet?! In the place where they flay you if you don't kill enough deathshrieks?! It doesn't really make a lot of sense.

<SPOILER in next line>

The plot between White Hands and the emperor also really annoyed me. How the fuck does White Hands have so much power if the emperor knows exactly who she is? Why would he trust her? It makes no sense.

<end SPOILER>

But despite these issues, I think teens are going to absolutely love this book. It has such an impactful and interesting plot that you can get over the few issues with it. It was a very enjoyable read and I'll definitely pick up the sequel when released!

The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna is described as a " bold and immersive West African inspired fantasy" and in my experience it lived up to that label, and then some.
The book is the story of sixteen year old Deka, a young woman coming of age in a patriarchal society where a woman's worth is tied to her purity, as defined in a mysterious religious ceremony where the girls are bled. Those who bleed gold instead of the expected red are deemed impure and sentenced to immediate death. Deka is eager for her ceremony as once she is declared pure , she will be eligible to marry and she already has a prospective husband in mind. On the day of the ceremony, Deka is shocked to find that her blood is golden, but even more disturbed to find that apparently she cannot be killed, since the village elders try numerous times in increasingly disturbing ways. When a mysterious woman arrives in the village and not only seems to know the truth about what Deka is, but is willing to give her a second chance, she jumps at the opportunity. As an Alalki, a near immortal with special abilities, she is perfect for the Emperor's latest pet project, a personal army of part demon warriors to fight on his behalf against the monstrous Deathshrieks who have been raiding the border villages.
This is a powerful feminist fantasy, which will give readers a lot to think about, especially in terms of how entrenched the patriarchy and misogyny are , not just in this fantasy kingdom but also in the real world. I appreciated that the characters learned and grew over the course of the book, showing that change is possible. The story is sufficiently complex to keep the reader engaged, even if the pace of the story slows at times. The world building is excellent, the author really has put a lot of effort in crafting something that feels like it could be true, especially impressive given that this is clearly a fantasy tale. I believe this is the first in an intended series and I am keen to see how the characters continue to grow and progress , and how the world is expanded in the future books.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

I could not wait to start this after seeing a few reviews about the book before Christmas. Just the cover alone makes you want to read it but after reading the description, I knew that this would be right up my street.

The Gilded Ones is a story of tragedy, loss, loyalty, belonging, discovering who you are and empowering women. As you progress through the story, you very quickly uncover the multiple layers that lie beneath and how deep it truly goes. This isn't just another fantasy story about girls with powers, there is so much more to it and I love how Forna addressed some big issues like inequality amongst the sexes and more in a way that is really accessible and illustrative. She clearly shows that in any world, be it fantasy or real, women have been suppressed for far too long and should be allowed their rightful place in society and beyond. The atrocities that some of the girls in this book must endure goes beyond imagining and clearly showcases the fear that men had. The lack of understanding they had of the role and power of women resulted in a world bent on suppressing and punishing women for being what they are. And the scary thing is that there are many similarities with our world today.

MY favourite part of the story is the characters. They are so strong and you could nearly picture your own friends playing their roles. From Deka with her strength of character and infinite layers of mystery, to Britta with her endless love and loyalty to Deka, to the enigmatic White Hands, to the dark and troubled Belcalis. They were all really distinctive and each played their own unique part in this epic story. Their friendships felt really authentic and true and you could so clearly picture them becoming sisters. The level of emotion that flows throughout the book is so raw and real and it makes you connect with the characters even more. I did find Deka's relationship with Keita a little bit forced however.

I also loved that nearly all of the characters from a wide range of backgrounds and ethnicities. It gave a much needed spotlight that didn't focus on the many white heroines and heroes already out there. Deka was the perfect person to play a strong Black female character and really own the spotlight.

I found the ending was really quick and would have liked it to go on a little longer. I guess it's clever because I definitely want to the read the next book (assuming there is a next one!), but I still felt that it was over before it really began.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the book and flew through it! It is such a fresh and unique fantasy story and I can only assume we will be seeing it on the big screens soon. It is beautifully visual and totally immerses you in the world of Deka and the other alaki. A big thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this pre-publication and I can't wait to see what comes next!

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange of a honest review!

Rating: 4,5/5

This book truly said F*CK THE PATRIARCHY and I'm all here for it.
When I started reading this book, I knew it was going to be a ride. The worldbuilding at the beginning, how women are treated, how submission and self-deprecation are so rooted in Deka's thoughts for the sake of "religion" (which means *men's* interpretation of religion)... It was painful to read, I won't lie. But it's not there for free – the whole point of the story is to be an "examination of patriarchy", like the author herself says in her note. And she does so beautifully.

In this society, there's the Ritual of Purity: if a girl bleeds red when she reaches fifteen, she's able to live in that society, get married and have a humble life (being submisse to their husbands, because they're not allowed anything else). If the girl bleeds golden, however, she's immediately marked as impure, a demon, a transgression – called *alaki* – and is immediately killed. Deka has been preparing herself for the Ritual, and when it finally arrives, her nightmare comes to life: she bleeds golden. Since her village's elders couldn't find her final death (alakis only have one final death, and many other almost-deaths), she's submitted to constant torture and exploration of her golden blood. Until a mysterious woman arrives and tells her she has a choice: she can stay there, locked and being used, or she can join a new army of alakis that the Emperor is building to fight against deathshrieks – creatures that have been terrorizing the country for Oyomo knows how long. And, well, it's not really a choice at all, is it?

I loved our female cast of characters. Deka is my baby, and she must be protected at all costs. Belcalis, Britta, Adwapa, Asha, Gazal, White Hands – they're all fierce and cunning and willing to lay their lives in exchange of a better future for themselves and for every other women. I loved them so much, and their friendship is what made this book so awesome to me.
The worldbuilding was fantastic, and the writing style was so easy to catch on. Reading again from a first person's POV was such a thrill. I missed feeling so deeply connected to a character like I felt with Deka.

There are a few minor issues, that bugged me a bit: their training was a bit fast, and we didn't see much of their relationship with their urunis (brothers in arms, the male recruits who were to fight alongside the alaki), so their partnership was created too fast. Sometimes it felt like scenes were cut from the final version, and some things could be better developed if they had more time on page.
However, these issues didn't take away the glow of this book to me. I could easily see this as a standalone novel, although I'm curious to see what other conflicts will surge with this ending. This book was definitely worth the read, and I'm so glad I picked it up.

We who are dead salute you!

The Gilded Ones was such an adventure. It really explores lots of concepts within life throughout the story. I love the strong female characters in this book. It’s always great to read about strong women & their friendships with one another.

It was interesting to see how different people are treated across the lands in this book. I love that the training ground is such a mix of people from all different backgrounds and experiences.

I like how white hands is a bit of a questionable character and you do spend a while thinking, is she really on Deka’s side? I love when an author keeps you guessing! Really enjoyed the reveal.

It’s a very unique story and I like the creatures and world building in this book. I could definitely picture the places she went.

I can’t wait to see where Keita and Deka’s relationship goes in future stories. And what is to follow after the ending of the Gilded Ones!

Thank you to @usborneya, @namina.forna & @Netgalley for my digital ARC of ‘The Gilded Ones’.

READ THIS IF… you like young adult books, fantastical worlds where teenagers fight against terrifying creatures, and books with a strong feminist message.

THE STORY… In a world where girls have to undergo a dramatic blood ceremony, when Deka’s blood runs gold she is declared to be a demon. She is an alaki - a creature who can repeatedly come back to life until her ‘final death’ is discovered, and her ability to command the terrifying creatures known as deathshrieks sets her apart even from the other cursed girls. Despite repeated attempts, the village elders cannot kill her. Her only chance of escape comes as an offer from a mysterious woman: join the alaki army to fight against the deathshrieks.

I… wish I could have read this when I was a teenager! As it stands, I still enjoyed it enough as an ‘adult’ that it has shot up to the top of my ‘favourite reads of 2021’ list. This is Divergent with 10 times the stakes, Black Panther if the women had more of a central role, The Handmaid’s Tale if it was about teenagers with superpowers. I could give a hundred comparisons but none of them would quite do justice to how brilliant this book is.

Deka and her friends face racism, misogyny, torture, and more - but this isn’t a story with gratuitous violence, nor one that is overwhelmingly negative. Female friendship is the foundation of this story, with characters including Britta and Belcalis being just as compelling as the protagonist.

I felt like this story was reading my mind, as I would begin to think ‘ooh I wish they’d dive deeper into this issue’, and then it would immediately come up! Despite this, I was still shocked at many of the twists, and truly couldn’t predict how this was going to end.

CONTENT WARNINGS: Please be aware that this book features graphic violence, as well as mentions of rape and sexual abuse.

NOW… Immediately after finishing this I added the currently unnamed second and third instalments of this trilogy as ‘Want To Read’ on Goodreads, and I’m on the edge of my seat to see what comes next. READ THIS - you won’t regret it!

I loved this story. I'm a big fan of Deka's character development, not only how she became a stronger more outspoken character but how she got past her internalised misogyny and realised that the way of thinking that she has been taught is flawed.

The friendship development was good as was the romance. However, I do wish that more of the romantic development was done onscreen instead of the author telling us about the development after the fact, but aside from that what was shown was enjoyable.

The world-building also could've been handled a bit better, instead of mostly being dumped in the early part of the story through Deka's thoughts but it was interesting none the less.

The pacing was good and the story itself was pretty interesting. I do wish we got a bit more back story on the mythology but I can understand why there wasn't much information, given what the characters were led to believe.

All of the talk about this book says that it's going to be THE fantasy debut of the year. I can see exactly why people think that.

This is a fantastic book. The world building is great, the characters are wonderful. I love the friendships that developed between the girls and some of the boys, and I hate almost all the adults, but I'm pretty sure we were meant to!

I did absolutely hate the fact that people were openly keeping secrets from Deka - genuinely, "I'll tell you later" keeping things from her. That's something I always hate, and even though I kind of understand why they were keeping secrets here, I still don't feel it was worth it.

But that's only a tiny part of this amazing, lush, wonderful story. I can't wait to see where Namina takes this series next, but I suspect this first book was only the tip of the iceberg.

It's an beautiful and enthralling tale and it revolves around the main protagonist 'Deka' who is an Alaki. Tigger warning includes rape , sexual abuse etc. I really felt that I was indulging in this magnificient tale. It's an ownvoices book so it contains many unfamilarized words which are new but thanks to the glossary you will be able to read the book with ease. Haunting, brutal, and 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. There were few themes that were difficult to read and witness but were hopeful and empowering at so times. There were also some great twists to the story which I really loved and appreciated. Overall I loved this book and recommended to the all especially the fans of Children of Blood and Bone.

I hadn't read high fantasy in a while so I decided to finally read The Gilded Ones and it was the best decision I could make.

The Gilded Ones is everything I love in fantasy. The first thing you see is a map, so you know you're in for an epic story, the worldbuilding is great, you learn about this empire, Otera, and all its different regions, with all its different customs. It's not an Eurocentered empire so all the characters are different and diverse. There's magic, there are fantastic creatures, there are epic battles, there are beautiful friendships. I loved it so much.

The story begins in this awful patriarchal society where women are taught to be submissive, weak, and small. Their only purpose is to serve men and do what they're told. But as the story goes on the characters discover that they're a lot more than that, that they can be strong, and bold, and fierce. They create this sisterhood, helping and protecting and loving one another. The found family trope is one of my favourite tropes, and Forna wrote it so well.

The ending is so promising and I am so very excited for the next book.

Deka is 15, living in a patriarchal society where she’ll have to prove her purity. Turns out - she’s not pure, which means her societal worth is low, and her future is dreary. Luckily, she gets drafted into a specialist army of women, and the story goes on from there...

Gorgeous world-building, well developed characters and a really interesting plot, The Gilded Ones is a brilliant debut from Namina Forna which I would really recommend to anyone who likes fantasy YA. Well worth the hype.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher!

4.5 stars

C/W: Misogyny, violence, religious manipulation, references to underaged rape

Namina Forna's "The Gilded Ones" is on many's "most anticipated reads" list for a reason. "The Gilded Ones" provides impeccable commentary on patriarchy, religious manipulation, politics and has some of my most favourite tropes reimagined to weave a new universe.

I loved the world-building and lore. Everything is so tightly packed and well-paced that "The Gilded Ones" read wonderfully as a stand-alone.

While I wish the conversations around gender and sexuality were less binary, I do think that there is a character that everyone can see themselves in.

"The Gilded Ones" is a read that does not disappoint and I can't wait to read the next two books in the trilogy.

The concept of The Gilded Ones intrigued me from the start: a fierce, feminist fantasy? Sign me up!

The Gilded Ones follows the story of Deka, a young girl who has just discovered she has the powers of a demon. Her journey is one of self-discovery as she moves to the Warthu Bera to train in the Emperor’s special Alaki army.

I really enjoyed watching Deka develop throughout this book. She begins as an incredibly self-conscious, fearful girl who has been beaten down by the patriarchy. As the plot progresses, she becomes more resilient, powerful, and determined to discover the truth about the world she lives in.

Namina Forna has done an excellent job at creating a painfully patriarchal world which refuses to even let women show their faces once they have gone through the Ritual of Purity. Despite being set in a fantasy world, the parallels to our own world are striking. It is clear Forna is using Deka’s story to show young girls that they are more powerful than they realise — and I love it.

The one thing letting The Gilded Ones down is the vagueness of some of its detail. While I got a great feel for the overarching theme of the novel, the specifics remained in the distance. Deka moves to the Warthu Bera, a training ground for alaki, to become a soldier in the Emperor’s army. However, the book really lacks the action that makes it all come to life.

I adored the theme of this book. Forna has created something with enough familiarity that the reader sinks into it easily, yet with enough uniqueness to keep it interesting and exciting. The writing is good in terms of getting a sense of the characters, but not so much when it comes to the nitty gritty. Despite the alaki being trained as soldiers, we get very little real action to demonstrate their daily lives. Instead, chapters are more like snapshots of the scenes that push the story forward, rather than develop its richness.

Having said this, the concept and theme do make up for what the writing lacks. The novel explores femininity and feminism in generally quite an inclusive way. I particularly loved the theme of friendship running throughout. Where stereotypical writing would create conflict through petty arguments, Forna breaks the barrier by showing girls supporting each other, regardless of their backgrounds, skin colour or sexuality. In this way, The Gilded Ones truly is a blueprint for how girls (and women) should lift each other up. In fact, the friendships between the alaki and their uruni — boy soldiers trained to protect them — are just as wonderful.

The Gilded Ones was a great debut. Namina Forna is passionate about her themes and her characters, and that really shows. I look forward to the potential of a sequel, and hope it brings with it the level of writing to support this beautiful series.

This was a gritty, vivid, West African-inspired high fantasy debut that lives up to its absolutely GORGEOUS cover.

'The Gilded Ones' has a lot of refreshing elements that were fun to see - I've read quite a lot of YA high fantasy over the years and this didn't feel like anything I'd come across before. By far my favourite thing about 'The Gilded Ones' is the sisterhood and found family themes that ground it. I absolutely adored that the friendship is treasured just as much if not more than the romance. This is not just an interpretation but stated outright by the protagonist Deka herself. Not something you see in a lot of YA (or any?) books and it was heartwarming - I almost teared up a few times!

In a book with so many strong female characters, I really appreciated that all of them felt distinct, and bonus points for no girl-on-girl hate or trope-y mean girl figure. The older women are also quite varied, complex and significant - I feel like one of the 'good' mentor-role characters definitely has something up her sleeve and I'm definitely keeping an eye on her in the sequel... I also really liked this small scene where they're talking about sex lives and how neither having sex nor virginity are ridiculed or promoted over the other. Small but quite nice to read, and illustrates the diversity of characters in this book.

All talk of 'new' stuff aside, there are definitely some YA hallmarks in this. The love interest was so obvious, and while I initially found it cliché, ultimately it was really quite sweet. There was also THE CLASSIC 'let out the breath she didn't know she was holding'-type line in this and I cackled when I saw it! I kinda love spotting them, sort of like YA Easter eggs.

The first half of the book felt a lot longer than the second - it was good, I liked Deka and the other girls, yet while it was interesting I didn't feel compelled to read the book over doing other things. And then! We hit the 50%-ish mark! Suddenly I'm 10x more invested and the mystery behind the monsters attacking the empire became far more intriguing. I had my theories and it didn't turn out quite as I'd expected, so that was fun. At times it could get a little info-dumpy, but somehow I'm still confused about parts of the backstory. (Hoping that the sequel will clear that up for me.) I also think that my spike in emotional investment is because I'm an absolute sucker for magical creature-human bonding. It was done so adorably here and a beautiful ray of light amidst quite a lot of darkness in Deka's life/past.

Overall, I really enjoyed this distinctive and feminist new fantasy with messages of endurance, hope and self-love - check it out if you haven't already!