The Gilded Ones (Deathless #1) by Namina Forna
Published: February 9th 2021 by Delacorte
Review:
Myth: 4.5/5
I was on like page two of this book when I said to my significant other, 16 year old girl going through a religious ceremony to determine her “purity,” check, unrecognized power that likely goes against everything that the religious system stands for, check. We’re off to a STRONG start. And the story didn’t slow down from there.
I can’t rave enough about the character descriptions. The initial description of the White Hand’s eyes, perfection. The interaction and development between Deka and Belcalis, flawless, brought tears to my eyes.
The female empowerment in this story is also off the charts. The sacrifice, planning and power of the characters to do what needed to be done, to make a better Otera for everyone.
Magic: 4/5
Beautifully paced in the discovery, training and growth of Deka’s power. She is discovering along the way with us and we get the next hint at just the right time. As the first book in the series there is a lot of world building happening so there were a lot of bits dropped at the end that I’m sure will be further explored in subsequent stories.
Overall: 4.5/5
Can you tell I loved it? Deka wasn’t my usual favorite brash heroine, but she was wonderful all the same. She was always doing the best with the information that she had at the time. She was also incredibly mature for a YA character in that she could reflect easily on others motivations and feelings.
Other books in the series:
