This was a captivating read and the worldbuilding, character POVs, and overall storyline were exquisitely done. I disliked the ending though--the themThis was a captivating read and the worldbuilding, character POVs, and overall storyline were exquisitely done. I disliked the ending though--the thematic messaging seemed to get a bit fumbled. And the weird side-romances didn't feel super necessary and seemed out of character for one of them. But overall, I'm already excited for the sequel. ...more
Welcome to the glittering world of Paris: where magic seethes in the underbelly of the dark and twisted streets. In this 1890Actual Rating: 4.5 Stars.
Welcome to the glittering world of Paris: where magic seethes in the underbelly of the dark and twisted streets. In this 1890s historical setting, Chokshi weaves a magical treasure hunt that features friends and foes, puzzles and tricks, and of course, the tantalizing hint of romance and heartbreak. Underneath it all is a biting commentary of colonialism and what it means to have pride in stolen art.
In this book, Séverin finds an opportunity to regain his position as the true leader of one of 4 powerful, magical houses. He must find an ancient artifact and recruits his motley crew of teens to help uncover a trail of puzzles to find an object that shouldn't exist. We find an eclectic, but deeply lovable, cast of characters in the enigmatic Laila who's on the brink of death if she doesn't find out how to fix her curse, in Enrique, who always has his head buried in a book and his thoughts on revolution, in Zofia, an autistic character who only wants to tinker with her experiments, and in Tristan, who has a beloved pet spider that loves to go missing. Together they band together to find the missing object and return Séverin to his rightful spot as heir to House Vanth. But of course, plans go awry, betrayals are made, and they're left with a team in shatters and an object wholly out of their hands.
As an early fan of Chokshi’s, it's incredible to see just how much her writing has grown. Her earlier novels contained a lot of purple prose and overly extended descriptions, but here, she's truly nailed her voice. It was serious and emotional, with just the right amount of angst, but also had quips that left me chuckling at the book (with quite a few raised eyebrows from my family). She did an incredible job crafting a unique world with a magic system that felt all-too natural. Fantasy novels often struggle with info-dumping, but there was none to be found here. Her luscious writing eases us into a gritty world where magic is Forged, art is treasured, and power is hunted.
The characters were all well-crafted. In a story that juggles so many POVs, it can be difficult for each character to be unique. Voices often run together. But Chokshi does a fantastic job of keeping each POV surprisingly distinct. Even down to word choice and sentence structure, each POV felt breathtakingly unique. While I did want more from certain characters at times (I would have loved more of Tristan's POV!), overall, she does an excellent job of keeping each of them distinct. The simmering tension between them felt all-too delicious and kept me flipping through pages far past my bedtime, although I have no true regrets.
Chokshi has repeatedly said this book was her homage to those who trashily watched National Treasure, and the influence is clear. Filled with puzzles that will leave you scratching your head at times, some of the answers felt a bit like a reach, but I was continuously blown away by just how smartly they were put together. A few might be predictable, but most are estoeric enough that they will leave you amazed at the brilliance of the characters and how their minds come together to decode each mystery.
But perhaps the greatest strength of this story is its discussion on colonialism. Each character grapples with the colonial legacy of Europe in a different way, and it was so enriching to be able to see these different perspectives. Set in 1898 Paris and an Exhibition that featured Black girls behind cages, Chokshi constantly comments on theft, belonging, and what it means to truly own something. YA can sometimes tip-toe across the atrocious legacy of the European nations have had on art, but this book refuses to turn away from such discourse. Given a magical society that makes its living off of stolen artifacts, this story was a wholly political commentary. It’s not often we get such smart, nuanced commentary on something as insidious as colonialism and its intersection with art.
Overall, The Gilded Wolves is a sumptuous tale of puzzles and even more complex characters. If you're looking for your next addicting and utterly engrossing read, this one's it. May your bed time beware....more
A fascinating historical fantasy that mixes the rich era of Versailles and the Revolution with hard-earned magic. The setting was rich and luscious anA fascinating historical fantasy that mixes the rich era of Versailles and the Revolution with hard-earned magic. The setting was rich and luscious and I loved the way the stakes ramped up during the story. The narrator was a bit difficult to understand at first (she needed to ennunciate more), but regardless, she did a good job with the audiobook. Really enjoyed this one!...more
By the end of this series, and I'm so sad it's over. <3 These characters and this world have definitely grown on me! I can't wait for what Garber has By the end of this series, and I'm so sad it's over. <3 These characters and this world have definitely grown on me! I can't wait for what Garber has next--her writing is stunning....more
Not quite as good as good as Six of Crows, but this still has Leigh Bardugo's magic to it. I'm not the biggest fan of that ending, but so, so excited Not quite as good as good as Six of Crows, but this still has Leigh Bardugo's magic to it. I'm not the biggest fan of that ending, but so, so excited for the next book!...more
Such a compelling story! I loved the unique formatting and the distinct voices. Dennard is such a master world-builder, and getting to see so many addSuch a compelling story! I loved the unique formatting and the distinct voices. Dennard is such a master world-builder, and getting to see so many additional layers in the Witchlands world was fascinating. ...more
Absolutely one of my favorite fantasies of the year--as soon as I finished, I flipped back to page one and devoured it all oveActual Rating: 4.5 Stars
Absolutely one of my favorite fantasies of the year--as soon as I finished, I flipped back to page one and devoured it all over again (which I've quite frankly never done before with a book!). The writing is deeply gorgeous, the world-building immersive and so perfectly thought out, and the characters? ooof. Tavin can have my heart. And Fie's anger burns in such a real way. <3 ...more
This book is definitely slower paced and raises a million questions that are almost never answered, but I enjoyed it so much nonetheless. I loved puttThis book is definitely slower paced and raises a million questions that are almost never answered, but I enjoyed it so much nonetheless. I loved putting together the mystery and how wonderfully fleshed out the characters are. Definitely excited for the next book!...more
I had the pleasure of reading an early draft of this book, and HOLY. WOW. You'll be sucked into this wonderful world from page one, and fall in love wI had the pleasure of reading an early draft of this book, and HOLY. WOW. You'll be sucked into this wonderful world from page one, and fall in love with this amazing crew of characters. You'll laugh one page, and cry the next. I love how intricately Katie explores family and Chinese culture, and how rich the mythology this book is. As a die-hard Rick Riordan fan, I don't comp books to him lightly, but seriously: if you grew up reading Rick Riordan books, you'll want to read this book IMMEDIATELY.
A blurb from my 11-year-old sibling: "Wow, this sounds awesome!!!!!" (with that many exclamation points). I think that's proof enough that you need this book. ...more
With so much hype for this book, I was so worried this book wouldn't live up to my expectations.
But holy W O W is this absolutely incredible. The worWith so much hype for this book, I was so worried this book wouldn't live up to my expectations.
But holy W O W is this absolutely incredible. The world, the characters that Adeyemi has created...I'm blown away. And the morally grey situations they wrestle with? Took my breath away. I don't know if I've ever been so utterly convinced of both sides of a conflict before reading this book.
So amazed right now. This book, and Tomi herself, are such a gift. ...more
I really struggled with the beginning of this book--the voice and story felt flat. I liked it by the end, but this definitely Actual Rating: 3.5 Stars
I really struggled with the beginning of this book--the voice and story felt flat. I liked it by the end, but this definitely wasn't as compelling as the first. It was a good story, but some of the writing felt off and the story elements at times felt predictable. The characters also lacked agency at several key points in the story, which felt strange, given that this is a quest story. I loved getting to see characters pop up from the previous book, though!...more
I feel like this was a case of me not being in the right mindset while reading this book. Definitely going to pick up the sequActual Rating: 3.5 Stars
I feel like this was a case of me not being in the right mindset while reading this book. Definitely going to pick up the sequel though- can't wait to see what happens next!...more
Loading...
