The Gilded Wolves
Ratings79
Average rating3.7
Not impressed. I just couldn't rid off the feeling, that I was reading some weird retelling of Six of Crows.
It's probably a 3.5 but I'm rounding up to 4.
Roshani Chokshi is a beloved author and I always felt bad for not being able to get through three of her previous books. It was especially sad because all of them were based on Indian mythology, but her very lyrical purple prose was very hard for me to understand. After The Gilded Wolves was announced, it remained on my radar only because of its comparisons to SoC and the heist element and I wasn't really sure if I wanted to read it. But we chose it as our Stars and Sorcery Book Club February BOTM and I'm so happy that this book was much easier to read.
The setting is Paris 1889, on the verge of the opening of Exposition Universelle and I think the author did a good job of bringing the city to life. We experience it in all its sparkly glory, the excitement about the World's Fair, the exotic cabarets, the glittering parties and beautiful clothes etc. But underneath it all is the ugly truth - the effects of colonialism, racism and anti-Semitism; one of whose horrifying manifestation was the “Negro village” at the fair (which was apparently visited by 28 million people). When the author's note says “History is a myth shaped by the tongues of conquerors”, I realized how evident it is in the history books we read and how the reality is so different when we read it from the perspective of a marginalized (in this case colonized) person. I liked that the author was able to show us all sides of Paris at the time and not just the glossy version. To this historical world, she adds the biblical story of the Tower of Babel, the Order of Babel which controls the tower fragments and a lot of the power in the world behind the scenes, and the magical ability of Forging. Even though I didn't completely understand the magic system or it's rules and limitations, the objects that the characters forged were quite fascinating to read about. I hope it'll be explained much more in the upcoming books.
I really appreciated that the author decided to let go of some of her metaphorical writing style, otherwise I would have never finished this book. The descriptions of the city, the forged objects, the clothes and the amazing gardens are lush and beautiful. The pacing is a little uneven at times and mostly slow, but I wasn't bored at all and finished it in just two sittings. While the planning for the heist can be slow and sometimes not explained properly, the heist scenes itself were very action packed and suspenseful and I really enjoyed them. The author also used a lot of Egyptian mythology, various historical puzzles, some mathematical hurdles to overcome and I really commend her ability to integrate all of them seamlessly into the story. I also liked that the author only hinted at possible romances in this one and I'm looking forward to how they will develop in the next book.
There are a lot of themes that are explored in this book which show the importance of highlighting marginalized voices when stories are told. We see that while colonizers revel in their might by putting on display all the wealth, artifacts and people they have stolen from far away lands, the affected people are traumatized by their profound loss of history and culture for generations to come. Their cultures become exotic objects, used for entertainment, without any context of their historical significance. We also a lot of commentary about the issues that biracial characters face - on one hand, not being accepted in one community because of being white passing and hence losing out on a significant part of their heritage; on the other hand, having to play into the stereotypes of their heritage, so that they can be visible and invisible at the same time among the elite. While the author also discusses sexism and anti-Semitism, I felt very affected by the colonialism discourse and I'm very grateful to the author for showing us the uglier side of history.
The characters are obviously what drew me to this story, and I'm so sad because I felt quite underwhelmed by them. Severin is the French-Algerian aristocrat who badly wants his birthright restored and all his planning is with that goal in mind. He is the defacto leader of the group, smart and cunning and slightly selfish, and while I understood his motives and appreciated him for giving work/home to the other members of the gang, I never felt his connection with most of them. Tristan is the one he is most protective of and I felt that I never got to know him better. Tristan loves his plants and his tarantula Goliath, is very skilled at Forging and seems like a soft hearted boy, but I never got a sense of what he wanted.
Leila is an Indian immigrant and I could relate to her the most for obvious reasons. Her backstory is very painful but she is extremely strong and skilled and knows exactly what she wants. Even though she hates her talent which has such spiritual meaning to her being used as entertainment, she is ready to use all her capabilities to achieve her goals and protect her friends. She is also the defacto mother of the group, always making sure everyone is fed and holding them all together even when circumstances are dire. Zofia is the most adorable character and I loved reading her POV. She is a Jewish girl from Poland and has to face the worst form of antisemitism. However, she is a Forging genius who finds comfort in her lab and in numbers but feels very vulnerable in social situations. I can't wait to see where the author takes her story next.
Enrique is a Spanish-Filipino historian and another favorite of mine. I have a soft spot for history nerds in general and his fascination with history and languages and puzzles really impressed me. He also wants to do a lot for his country which has been oppressed by the Spaniards but finds it difficult to be a part of the community and contribute because of his white passing looks. I really felt his pain and despair and his will to still find a way to help despite the obstacles. On the other hand, Hypnos is a black french aristocrat who is a loner and just wants to a part of this friend group. To move in the aristocratic circles seamlessly, he also has to behave unconcerned about his Haitian slave heritage and that really pains him. Both Enrique and Hypnos are bi/pan but while Enrique comes across as hesitant about expressing his desires, Hypnos is much more flamboyant and I loved their hilarious conversations and developing dynamic.
To wrap it up, I have to say that if you want to enjoy this book, please go into it with an open mind and leave your love/bias for Six of Crows out of the picture. This book is really impressive in terms of its themes and representation and it will definitely affect any reader. I just couldn't totally connect with the characters, which meant that the revelations at the end didn't feel very effective. But I'm also excited to read the next book, which it looks like will take place in Russia. Give this book a chance and I promise, you will find something in it that will totally wow you and leave you with a lot to ponder.
Initial Thoughts: I really enjoyed how this book unfolded and how the team worked together. I also loved how the book went into how the team solved the different puzzles. It made me feel like I was part of the team solving everything with them. Plus, I loved the setting of Paris!
i enjoyed this book and the characters were really well written. it throws you in at the deep end and i was completely lost. i had to reread the first 2.5 chapters to have any semblance of what was going on, and parts of the more actiony scenes i found hard to follow which was a shame. but this was a great read which kept me on my toes the whole time! looking forward to seeing what comes next
Who needs love when you can have fantasy heist novels?
It's been like two or three months since I've read this, but I think about this series constantly so I'm changing the rating from 4 stars to 5.
This book was awesome! Highly recommended. I'm sure I could find stuff I didn't like about it, but by the end I just didn't want to. The main character is kind of ...stupid... but not in a terribly annoying way and I was still rooting for him by the end. The characters feel kind of like they fell out of a manga since they're kind of over the top, but I like all of the main characters and I think it worked really well with the colossal amount of drama that supports the excellently paced plot. There were definitely some clever (and terribly sad) twists to the plot - though I have to admit the story was similar enough to Foundryside that I wasn't super surprised at the big boss battle. The magic is kind of hand-wavy a la just do whatever you want, but the story doesn't need technical magic to succeed. 10/10 would read this telenovela again.
Unfortunately, my opinion of this is tainted by the poor quality of the audiobook and most of my review is based on that.
They have two different narrators (one male, one female) and neither are in the right profession. The male reads this like it's a textbook, even when doing ridiculous accents. The female was a bit better, with actual inflection and a better attempt at accents, but still Not Good. The different ethnic accents were a poor choice on the director and/or actor's part and it was difficult and painful trying to get through this.
As far as the story, I was unimpressed. It reminded me a bit of Bardugo's Six of Crows duology in plot/idea but with a much poorer execution [edit: looking at other reviews, I'm far from the only one though I didn't read any reviews before starting]. If I had read this first, I might be more impressed, but the whole multi-ethnic spy ring with magic is now not a new idea.
Overall, it was fine, but not worth the hype it got and definitely didn't make me want to seek out the author's other work.
I am thoroughly sleep deprived but its worth it for something this good. I can???t really function right now and may hit a ???ive read a wonderful book what i do with myself now??? slump. Or i may just sleep for a week or two.
The characters walked into my life on the first page and theyre going to stick with me. I feel like going on a hiest with them.
I love them dearly and miss them, this book is one for the best of the year list, i know it.
The whole book took me on a whirlwind it felt like a rollercoaster i really loved but finished too quick.
I might have cried a good few times, dare i say its a good sign with this book. 2020 could not come soon enough.
zofia is a whole entire nerd , enrique is just plain wonderful, lailia ?? Where do i begin, S??verin is so sneaky and just !!?? I could start talking about them all but never stop.
They found a place in my heart, Roshani Chokshi truly has a way with words. I couldn???t be happier(and devestated - you know why.)
I needed some time to get into the story. Mainly because the writing was a bit complicated. When I understood the story and characters I got really invested and loved it.
Neen, ik geef het op. Ik krijg totaal geen vat op het verhaal en de personages. De wereld is zo verwarrend, precies alsof ik een deel mis. In theorie lijkt dit boek geweldig, maar de werkelijke uitvoering valt dik tegen. De wereld wordt zo schimmig uitgelegd, dat ik eigenlijk de helft van de tijd aan het fronsen was omdat ik totaal niet begreep wat er gebeurde. Het was echt precies alsof ik in een deel 2 van een serie bezig was, in plaats van een eerste deel.En dan de personages, die vloeiden gewoon allemaal in elkaar over. Elk hoofdstuk wordt uit een ander perspectief tussen 4 personages verteld, maar voor mij klonken die allemaal hetzelfde. Als hun naam niet de titel van het hoofdstuk was, dan zou ik niet geweten hebben wie ik aan het lezen was.Tussendoor besloot ik snel even een luchtig boek ([b:Dating Games 41884303 Dating Games T.K. Leigh https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1549823863s/41884303.jpg 65379045]) te lezen, in de hoop terug moed te vinden voor de rest van dit boek, maar helaas. Deze wordt dus dan maar aan de kant gelegd.Niet uitgelezen, dus geen sterretjes.
I almost DNF'd this one. I liked the characters and I think the premise seems interesting but it just wasn't carried out all that well. I sort of had to push myself to finish it.
This book intrigued me because I'm always up for a good heist story.
Severin's whole life has been spent trying to acquire enough wealth to take back what is rightfully his. His inheritance, His House. If Severin and his team can pull of one last major heist, the Order of Babel will perform the bloodline test and his House will be restored.
I enjoyed most of this book. The middle lagged a bit. The characters were my favorite part. I especially liked Laila. I just didn't have that “I can't wait to read more” feeling with this book. I will probably read the next one just to see what happens, but I can't say I'm in much of a hurry for it.
I received a copy from Net Galley.
It's Paris in 1889, and the Exposition Universelle is just around the corner. Séverin Montagnet-Alarie manages a wildly popular hotel by day, and by night “acquires” treasures that once belonged to his now-extinct family House. Everything is going smoothly until one such acquisition traps Séverin in a contract to steal something with potentially world-ending repercussions. He would be lost without the help of his trusty team: Enrique, a historian longing to belong; Zofia, a brilliant scientist who can make sense of math but not people; Laila, a dancer and cook with a magical secret; and Tristan, Séverin's foster brother with an extraordinary gift for plant magic. Will this be the one acquisition that is too much even for these experts?
The Gilded Wolves is an enchanting historical fantasy novel with a host of fantastic characters. I loved experiencing the viewpoints of Séverin, Enrique, Laila, and Zofia, and felt as though I were becoming friends with them as the story progressed. The action and suspense made this book hard to put down, and the explosive ending left me not-so-patiently waiting for the sequel!
for the most part this book felt like a messier version of six of crows and other heist-y books. the characters felt super stereotypical esp the main guy severin and the heist was pretty confusing to follow. but i think a lot of the character interactions and the ending were actually really intriguing and i kinda am invested enough to keep reading! pleasantly surprised lol
OMG!
She managed to keep me hooked quite well through the whole book. And ending in a cliff-hanger! Nice :-)
Now I'm really scared the continuation doesn't keep up with the promises :-(
I don't like that someone died nor that someone else humiliated another person because they felt guilty. :-(
~Follow all my reviews over at The Bent Bookworm!~ Wolves were everywhere. In politics, on thrones, in beds. They cut their teeth on history and grew fat on war.My heart was both incredibly full and totally shattered when I finished this book. I immediately raced off to see when Book 2 is due out, and gasp there's not even a DATE yet! How shall I survive? melodramatic screamCharactersThe Gilded Wolves is the story of friends. The most unlikely group of misfits who, despite their myriad differences, fit together and work together and love each other – even if they won't come out and say it in so many words. I love this squad so much! Jury is out on whether it will be on par with my current favorite squads (a tie between the Lunar Chronicles gang and the Night Court circle). There is a TON of diversity as far as nationality, color, and sexuality. The diversity actually feels natural, too, not just “thrown in” for good measure the way it does in so many books published recently. I think part of this is because the author herself is of a mixed heritage and it gives her a unique viewpoint from which to write.“You know how moths look at a fire and think, ‘Oooh! shiny!' and then die in a burst of flames and regret?”“Vaguely.”“Right. Just checking to be sure.”I loved Severin and Tristan, the brothers-not-really (they're not, right? not actually?). Loved them so, so much. I really wish a little more of their back story had been explained, because while there are little tiny pieces of Severin's story told through flashbacks (usually only a couple of paragraphs long), it really just wasn't enough! Must. Have. More.He wished he didn't know what he had lost. Maybe then every day wouldn't feel like this. As if he had once known how to fly, but the skies had shaken him loose and left him with nothing but the memory of wings.Severin, the leader of this merry (or not) band, is a complex character. I'm a complete sucker for anti-heroes, so I was predisposed to like him, buuuuut at the end he is super super shitty to Laila. I understand WHY – he's hurting, and either to keep himself from hurting or as an attempt to ease the pain he lashes out at her. Not to mention freezing everyone else out as well, but especially her. That was...completely uncalled for. Laila, being who she is, sees beyond his heartless words and actions to the pain underneath. Their relationship is far from resolved in this book, but I hope – I really hope – that Laila remains true to herself, regardless of her feelings for Severin. It could turn into a toxic relationship very quickly unless Severin actually allows himself to heal.Laila, the magnificent baking queen with a mask of glitter and sensuality. She is amazing and so, so strong. Despite being very young she kind of gives off the mama bear vibe and I adored it. Her relationship with Severin is unique in YA in that they actually have history, it's not insta-love or even lust. As I said above...it's not resolved, at all, and I'm very interested to see how it goes in the following books.^I feel like this would be Zofia's face on the regular.Then we have...my darling Zofia. Who is about the most awkward human being on the face of the planet, and I adore her for it. I feel like maybe she is on the spectrum, due to the way she immerses herself in projects and reacts to people? Also the ways she takes things literally. I love it so much.“What on EARTH are you doing?”“I am imitating patterns of flirtation.”“Wait. You're flirting. With...ME?”“Maybe I have the methodology wrong.”Oh, Zofia. She's also a math whiz, and counts to keep herself calm. Also Zofia + Enrique would be awesome.Oh yes, Enrique. I really feel that Enrique didn't get enough screen time in this story and I'm hopeful that he gets more in the future books. He seems to have so many layers to him, and he just wants everyone to be happy and get along. Oh, and he's a historian! Mad props.Tristan, sweet, spider-loving Tristan (yes really). He reminded me of a little brother that everyone wants to protect and love on, which is essentially what he is to this entire group but especially to Severin. I loved his constant experiments and just his general vibe. Now I have to shut up because SPOILERS but dear god my heart!I cannot WAIT to see what happens to this awesome squad in the next book! Also kind of terrified because like I already said...MY HEART.Setting/WorldbuildingParis is dual-faced in this book – on one side, glittering and sparkly (hello, Laila), and on the other dark, dangerous, and hateful (oh, is that you, Severin?). In the shadowy places in between is everyone just trying to survive and find their place in a world that would cut them down and leave them bleeding on the street. The magic system was, to me, the weakest part of the story. I still don't quite understand how forging works? Or how the ability is passed on or down or whatever? It was fascinating but I really need it spelled out in more detail.Plot“Nothing but a symbol? People die for symbols. People have hope because of symbols. They're not just lines. They're histories, cultures, traditions, given shape.”The heist! I actually usually don't like books involving heists, they give me a very Oceans 11 vibe and I get so nervous I literally can't sit still. However, this one had so many puzzles and clues and different places to go I just HAD to keep reading. It was awesome. Even if I still don't quite understand the magic behind the forged artifacts, it was enough for me that they were THE most valuable and coveted items on the planet and people would kill for them. How the squad got to them and the allies they had to make along the way was just...aaah! I WAS THERE FOR IT.Overall, 4.5/5 stars. Half a star off for my confusion over the magic system. All the stars for the squad. This is truly a YA book, with young characters who act young (but not too young), and with sex being more innuendo than action. I loved it. Book 2 please hurry!Blog Twitter Bloglovin Instagram
3.25 ★
finally finished this. i've developed a complicated relationship with this book, i liked the world building and the characters (mostly), but i also grew tired of so many things. i started losing interest at around 20%, and i was pushing myself to finish this. it's a fine read, but i just couldn't get into it. i think my biggest problem was with tristan's character; i REALLY liked him but he was completely wasted in this plot, so much potential thrown away for what? half of the book? why was he even there, really? we didn't even get more depth, he was there to be discarded basically.
another thing that pissed me off were the romantic relationships they present us... séverin and laila are just. eh. i genuinely thought the romance was going to be between laila and zofia cause somehow their relationship is so much more defined and with many more moments of depth. whatever's going on with enrique's love life also bothers me, i'm supposed to believe he likes this or that person because of one or two specific moments? sorry, but you cannot expect me to believe any of these people have any romantic feelings towards each other (except laila and zofia, really i'm not kidding). and unfortunately that pulled me off from the story more times than i wish it did.
some moments, mostly action or heist scenes, including the book's in-world “magic” were confusing and i couldn't fully visualize them or understand how it was supposed to work, but maybe it was because i missed something or wasn't 100% interested in to register everything needed to understand
If this author isn't a fan of Leverage, I will eat a whole ass hat.
Loved the world building, loved the characters, loved the whole thing. But also... ow.
I liked the concept and plot of this book, but I think I made a mistake listening to the audiobook. There were two narrators, a man and a woman. The woman's narration was awesome. The man's however... the way he talked it was like you could hear the punctuation at the end of every sentence. Like there was a weird emphasis on the last word, unless he was speaking in the French accent, then it wasn't noticeable. I did find myself zoning out while listening, so I know I missed a few details, but overall, not bad. Just... meh.
