The Gilded Wolves

I absolutely love heists, whether they're in books or movies. They are my favourite kind of story, and The Gilded Wolves did not disappoint. I listened to half of the audiobook and then switched to a physical copy since it was hard to keep up with all the names and maths (my little maths heart loved all the maths though).

The thing I loved most was the group of characters. They're all vastly different. And it was so wholesome seeing their interactions and how their different strengths and weaknesses fit into the whole task. The magic system did confuse me a little. If someone asked me to explain it to them, I probably wouldn't be able to. It was very intriguing though, so I'm really hoping there will be more explanations in the next books.

Thank you NetGalley for the free audio in exchange for an honest review.

Let me begin by saying I absolutely adore this book. I love the way the real world and the magical world was woven together, the fact that each character was so beautifully crafted and how real the dialogue felt.

The prose in this book is beautiful yet also easy to read and so beautifully narrated! Each character is so unique, too. I especially love that Zofia is a neurodivergent-coded character. Her presence makes my heart so happy, especially because it's rare to see a woman with autistic traits in general, but the way her friends treat her is so beautiful too. She's not ostracised, but loved. I'm so, so, so happy to see this rep.

In regards to rep, this is a beautifully diverse cast of characters. Each of them brings so much to the table, but not just their identities: Tristan has a tarantula he loves, Laila is a pastry chef, Hypnos loves shiny things (and, same, my friend, same). They are all just so beautiful and lovable and I cannot wait to get my hands on the next book.

The story was beautifully told too, and I think the heist is only the least of it. Because the story post heist? Wow. I am obsessed.

DESPERATE to get my hands on the next two!

I've been wanting to read this series for ages and I'm happy to have the chance to listen to the audio book.
The narrators are well spoken and are good with pronunciations but the male speaks a little slowly at parts which makes me want him to speak a bit faster at parts.
The storyline reminds me of SOC which I enjoyed but felt it was a little young in the writing. Definitely want to read or listen to the rest of the books.

Really enjoyed this audiobook.
Both narrators were fabulous and really brought the story to life.
Adored the book, off to find the other 2 in the series!

“That’s it, I’m done with YA fantasy.”
- sentence uttered by me, many times over the last few years.

I just can’t take it anymore. No other genre can hold a candle to the number of disappointments YA has brought me. The awesome premises, bogged down by underdeveloped characters, predictable plots and angsty teenage romance… Why do I even keep trying?!?
Then, every once in a while, one of those rare gems comes around, that restores my faith in the entire genre. Tiny gold nuggets that make sifting thought the mud all worthwhile. I think of Six of Crows or Strange the Dreamer, and can now add one more novel to that list: The Gilded Wolves.

The Gilded Wolves is set against the dazzling background of 19th century Paris and follows, what is essentially a heist of an ancient forged artifact of great significance. A seemingly mismatched group of friends and total strangers, each with their own specialty must learn work together to accomplish this feat.
- Severain, the protective leader of the group and heir to a powerful house of which the forged artifact in question was stolen.
- Laila, the charismatic Indian girl with a troubled past, who has the ability to “read” objects by touch, and tell their history by doing so. Also bakes a mean batch of cookies.
- Tristan, absolute sweetheart botanist who has a gift for plants and nature and is obsessed with his pet-tarantula. (view spoiler).
- Zofia, the engineer, who is probably somewhere on the autism-spectrum, based on her behavior. She loves math, chemistry and has the rare gift of “mind-forging”. She is never “labeled” as autistic in the novel, which I really appreciated: the characters just accept her for who she is, without making a big deal out of it. She is also wickedly funny at times.
- Enrique, the biracial historian with a deep interest for especially the cultural side of his profession. He can be a little shy, and probably has the least distinct personality of the group, but brings a lot of depth to the story in his quietness.
- And Hypnos, heir to an aristocrat, queer and probably the biggest drama-queen in history. Although this is a very “dangerous” character to write (for risk of being “the-token-gay-comical-relief”), Chokshi just managed to pull it off perfectly. Hypnos felt well-developed and genuinely funny, and ended up being one of my favorite characters in the end.

Characters are a very important part of a novel for me, and more often than not the difference between a favorite or an “okay” read. Reading about the cast of The Gilded Wolves felt like traveling with friends to me, a feeling I honestly haven’t had with any YA ever since finishing Six of Crows.
Chokshi is an artist with words, and with her beautiful prose, she brings to life not only the characters, but also the lush world she built. Where Ketterdam was bleak and dark, the world of The Gilded Wolves is vibrant and full of life, and it’s a joy to immerse yourself in it for hours on end. The magic system, based on forging is best left explored for yourself, but suffice to say: color me intrigued. I loved what we learned in this novel and really hope we expand further on it in the next.

In the end, The Gilded Wolves is not a perfect book (because, guess what: I don’t believe those exist), but came damn close to a perfect reading experience for me personally, especially with the added immersion of the audio-experience. Highly, highly recommend, not just for fans of YA, but also for those of you who (like me) at times lose faith in the genre: this might just bring it back!

A found family goes on a heist that doesn't resemble Six of Crows' heist at all.

Okay, so this book was amazing. The accents were a bit questionable (but I'm not exactly an expert on accents, so don't take my word on that) but everything else was just wow. I love these characters so much, I don't really know what to do with myself now that the book is over (yay for two more books in the series that are already out). Also, what a cliff hanger! The next book is going to be so dramatic, I can't wait!

Roshani Chokshi deserves all the cookies in the world for creating this world, but mostly for creating Zofia and Enrique (as individual characters that is).

The Gilded Wolves is set in 1890s Paris when Séverin wants to find his true inheritance, following the Babel story.

"Who could say for certain what occurred in Séverin s head."

Historical Fantasy Mystery is what I like to call it that makes it a little complicated but with codes, mathematics, Greek, Biblical and eastern mythology, what should you expect?!
Yes, one more thing, there are four main narrators, 4 different points of view!

Séverin, heir to the dead House Vanth, run down a Horus Eye to catch a Babel fragment, use his own blood, and family roots to gain his right. In this way, he needs allies, a group, his band!

Laila a beutiful indian dancer with a sinister past. Her Majnoon is Séverin.

Tristan Séverin's brother is in arms if not blood. Lover of Nature.

Enrique a Spanish-Filipino historian banished from his home. Wicked, funny and bisexual.

Hypnos a dark-skinned heir of House Nyx. So humous and queer.

Zofia a genius Polish-Jewish girl who hardly understand human and feeling but is very good with numbers.

This is a 4.5-star read, so it's great and I'm going to read the next The Silvered Serpents, but I have my complaints:

The characters are well developed and each of them has their secrets and past, but why do I still feel I don't know what they are going to do, or can't describe them, except their profession?!

The story was about 12 hours, interesting and entertaining to read/listen to, but we were on only one path, maybe this was only a prologue to know the characters and world for the next great books.

The audiobook was okay, two narrators performed well, only the eastern accent was a little hard for me to concentrate on!

Leave up my complaints, this is a good start to continue a charming series!

My huge thanks to Hodder & Stoughton via NetGalley for giving me a chance of listening to The Gilded Wolves (The Gilded Wolves, Book 1) by Roshani Chokshi, Narrated by Laurie Catherine Winkel and P.J. Ochlan, I have given my honest review.

The Gilded Wolves is the PERFECT historical fiction heist/fantasy story and I will screech about it forever.

Séverin is a wealthy hotel-owner in the dazzling Paris of the 19th century - but there is something that he keeps hidden, a destiny and an inheritance that was taken away from him and that he is desperate to reclaim.
When he is approached by someone who tells him they might just make this dream happen for him, Séverin puts together a team for the dangerous heist. Scholar Enrique, a dancer Laila with a terrible and deadly secret, a genius Zofia, Séverin's own brother and master botanist Tristan, and an heir (and the member everyone is wary of), Hypnos. As they work towards their end goal, slowly and with many unexpected plot twists, you can't help falling in love with these characters and their blooming friendships/relationships.

The Gilded Wolves is a book full of beautiful and vibrant characters, each with their own agenda and dream, fighting tooth and nail to reach them and finding home with each other. I absolutely adored this book with a found family at its center and I will gladly recommend it to everyone - a must read for anyone reading a diverse historical fantasy book with amazing rep and characters to die for! (But do prepare tissues, cause it hits pretty damn hard too!)

I loved this audiobook. There's so much to process right now story wise.
I'm glad I didn't read this in print earlier, because the audiobook experience was great!
The narrator is amazing.
I will definitely looking forward to more books narrated by this narrator!

This book was beautiful and I loved every second of it. So excited to read the next one. I thoroughly enjoyed the audio version and the narrator was superb.

thank you netgalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review. i really enjoyed this book, and it has been a while since i have loved a book as much as i loved this one. i enjoyed everything about it, from the characters, to the plot, and how everything unfolded leading up to that ending. once i started reading, i did not want to stop, and i devoured it as quickly as i could. i also really liked the narrator for this audiobook. taking all of this into consideration, i am going to give it 5/5 stars, because i loved every second and i cant think of a single way to criticise this book.

This was so so good! It gave me all of the Six of Crows vibes with the heist, incredible group of characters that all bring something unique to the team, magic system, and all the mystery!

STORY: The pacing was well done and flowed nicely. The world building was good but I could have used more, I did enjoy the magic system although it was slightly confusing, but it was all the character developments, interactions, and plot that made it for me!

AUDIO: I was a bit apprehensive when I found out there were two narrators, but I really liked it! It worked so well with the changing povs, and each narrator did a great job of keeping me hooked on the story.

I highly recommend if you’re a fan of Six of Crows, heists, and an incredible group of characters.

This book was everything you need in a YA fantasy. Found family trope? Yes. There was not one character in the group that I didn’t adore to pieces. Their personalities, stories and relationships made this adventure even more magical.

The world building and history is impeccable and I devoured this book.

The audiobook readers made this even more enchanting. I literally could not stop listening.

This was such an interesting and incredible read, there was such depth and intrigue. I found myself completely entranced by the story.

I really loved this book, the dynamic between the characters and the found family was everything I could have needed. I loved the characters so dearly and I am excited to read anything else written by Roshani Chokshi. The narrator is also extremely enjoyable!

Gilded Wolves is such a rich parallel history with magic and mayhem and i fell entirely in love with the feeling and complexity that the world already felt like it had in just a single book, even within a few chapters. The characters mixed well and had a mysterious quality i adored.

The narrators voice was lyrical and fitted the narrative with a velvety smoothness

I really loved this book, the dynamic between the characters and the found family element just warmed my heart entirely !!! I loved the characters so dearly and I am excited to read anything else written by this author !!

I absolutely had no plans of starting this series until next year and then BAM I was approved for this ALC and now I am hooked.

Many thanks to Netgalley, Hodder & Stoughton, and the author, for the ALC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The world of Gilded wolves is set in Paris and starts off with a mini heist leading into the wider plot. Séverin Montagnet-Alarie is a thief. He is the heir of the House Vanth that was declared dead when he was disinherited by the other factions of the orders of Babel. Séverin is in the hunt for Horace eye that will lead him to the Babel fragment, which then he will use to resurrect his house and claim his rightful place as the patriarch. His motley crew of wolves include Laila, Tristan, Enrique, Zofia and Hypnos, the family that will steal your heart and who you have no choice but to fall in love with.

Gilded wolves as an audiobook can be quite dense at times, with multiple POV's, references to Biblical and Greek mythologies, Chinese cleromancy, mathematics, logical puzzles, so and so forth. It's quite brilliant as an after thought, how his story is brought together. But nevertheless, once I got deeper into the story, I could not stop listening.

I can obviously see how this trilogy reminds people of Six of crows. The cold demeanor of Severin, the will-they won't-they sizzling chemistry of Severin and Laila, the loyalty, the friendship, the love, the heist, the need to belong, and the thirst for adventure all reinforce the similarities. However, Gilded Wolves goes farther into that by diving into impacts of colonialism, what it means to live as a biracial, Asian, Jewish, queer or neurodivergent person in a world represented only by straight white people. Hence, the story is so much more complex than just heists and found families and diverse representation. It delves deeper into how being 'different' in the world that wants you to conform, creates struggle both out in the world as well as within you. I will say the success of book 1 in any series is when the reader runs to find book 2, which is exactly what I did! which means this deserves 5 full stars!!

My Rating: 4.5/5

I had no plans of starting this series. After hearing from many readers about this book, I was curious to see what’s in it.
Listening to audiobooks always feels new to me, especially with two narrators. Listening to this book on audio, though, was divine.

I can’t express how much I enjoyed reading about our ragtag group. They made a great team. Whenever they’d start solving a puzzle I’d pour myself into the book to see how the pieces fit. I don’t know how did they do it but their extrapolations were splendid. They kept my brain busy even after a long day.

I can’t wait to be back in this world again. Im extremely grateful to the publisher for the ALC of this book!!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with this eArc!

I loved the narrator and this book was a joy to read. I’m so happy to see an autistic female main character, I rarely see myself reflected in media, and this was really refreshing :))

This book is set in Paris in the 19th century and like many a good tale involves a hunt for an ancient artifact. Like others I was initially drawn to the book by the fantastic cover (not the one shown here). I requested an audio version from Netgalley. I was delighted that I did. I thought that this was a great story line, and worked very well as an audiobook for tweens, with lots of great twists and turns, and my daughter tells me also that she thought it was a thoroughly enthralling listen.

It’s Paris 1889, during Exposition Universelle - a worlds fair that features grand operas, displays of locomotives, the largest diamond in the world at the time …. and a black village.

Severin Montagnet Alarie is a thief and the son of a French father and North African mothers. He’s also the heir to the dead House Vanith; if only the order of the babel would accept him and grant him his inheritance. Severins pursuit of what is rightfully his leads him on a hunt for the “Horus Eye” - an item which is said to reveal the location of the babel fragment.

But … he will need to help of his allies.

Tristan
Laila
Zofia
Hypnos
Enrique

Follow this fabulous group of people on the journey of a lifetime, a action packed story.. you won’t be able to put this down

TW: Racism, antisemitism and abuse.

4.75 stars rounded up

<b>Plot</b>: After being coerced by the powerful Order of Babel to 'acquire' an artifact for them, Severin (a wealthy man whose rightful inheritance was stolen from him) gathers a group of unique individuals to help him with his task - his brother in all but blood, a dancer with a serious secret, an engineer with strong abilities and a troubled past, and a historian who was banished. This takes place in Paris in 1889 in a version of the world where a type of ability called forging exists.

<b>Review</b>: This book really blew my mind - I wasn't expecting to enjoy it as much as I did, and I was literally on the edge of my seat some of the time. The switched POVs really helped (we get a number of perspectives from the different members of the crew) and I believe gave the book a different feel. My only potential poing of constructive criticism is that it felt a bit long at places, however there was never a point where I felt bored or tuned out. The different representation in this book was great too - people from different cultures and ethnic backgrounds, an autistic character (as an autistic woman myself it is great to see someone who displays neurodiversity in a way books often shy away from), as well as LGBT representation. Each character felt distinct and though it took me a minute to get used to the large cast, it didn't take too long before I was invested in every single one and their story. Overall an absolutely brilliant read and I am so happy to have received this book!

Potential triggers for <spoiler> child abuse, torture and death </spoiler>

<b>Narrators</b>: The narrators of the audiobook did a brilliant job of portraying the different emotions and the personalities of different characters as we went through the story. Our male narrator took the segments in the POV of male characters and our female narrator did the reverse, and yet all the characters had a similar 'voice' throughout. There are many accents which had to be done for this audiobook, primarily French, which I think is incredibly difficult but was executed I think quite well. I truly have to congratulate them on making me feel like I knew where each charater was in the room in the way they spoke - a combination of good story and good narrating!

<b>Highly recommend</b> and I cannot wait for the next installment in the series to be translated into audiobook format as I have started the series in audiobook and would value continuing it in the same format!

<i>I have been provided with this audiobook complimentary via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, which I leave voluntarily</i>.

This is a beautifully character-driven novel, and it was meant to be an audiobook. Each nuance and hidden meaning in dialogue was delivered so carefully and expertly, and there was a lot of nuance on every page as the characters each have distinct goals, fears, and even charged relationships with one another. I was tentative at first when the narrators used accents for the characters, afraid this would make the book cartoonish, but it did the exact opposite. It enhanced the fact that our cast of characters come from diverse backgrounds and helped draw me into the story even more.

This is a rich narrative - like eating a dark chocolate truffle. The prose, the world-building and the characters. Oh the characters they stole my breath away in the best of ways. I loved them them all. Excited to read book 2, but willing to wait for the audiobook, because truly, this was the best way to take in this story.