Today it's my turn on the #blogtour for #TheGildedOnes Thank you so much @tbrandbeyondtoursand @namina.forna for this copy in return for an honest review!
BOOK COVER
The MOST beautiful thing I had seen in a while!
BOOK SYNOPSIS
Synopsis:
Sixteen-year-old Deka lives in fear and anticipation of the blood ceremony that will determine whether she will become a member of her village. Already different from everyone else because of her unnatural intuition, Deka prays for red blood so she can finally feel like she belongs.
But on the day of the ceremony, her blood runs gold, the color of impurity–and Deka knows she will face a consequence worse than death. Then a mysterious woman comes to her with a choice: stay in the village and submit to her fate, or leave to fight for the emperor in an army of girls just like her. They are called alaki–near-immortals with rare gifts. And they are the only ones who can stop the empire’s greatest threat. Knowing the dangers that lie ahead yet yearning for acceptance, Deka decides to leave the only life she’s ever known. But as she journeys to the capital to train for the biggest battle of her life, she will discover that the great walled city holds many surprises. Nothing and no one are quite what they seem to be–not even Deka herself.
BOOK REVIEW
"𝓗𝓮’𝓼 𝓬𝓻𝔂𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓪𝓼 𝓱𝓮 𝓴𝓲𝓵𝓵𝓼 𝓶𝓮. 𝓗𝓮’𝓼 𝓬𝓻𝔂𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓪𝓼 𝓱𝓮 𝓭𝓸𝓸𝓶𝓼 𝓱𝓲𝓶𝓼𝓮𝓵𝓯."
𝓝𝓪𝓶𝓲𝓷𝓪 𝓕𝓸𝓻𝓷𝓪, 𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓖𝓲𝓵𝓭𝓮𝓭 𝓞𝓷𝓮𝓼
This story revolves around Deka, who has been marked as impure and is fighting her way through the harsh world for acceptance. She meets more of her kind, the alaki and prepares for her battle against the Deathshrieks, monsters that have terrorized Otera for centuries. She's special because she can command these monsters but there are some secrets around everything that is happening, which are going to change the way she looks at the world yet again.
One beauty of this story is that Namina gave justice to every character that came to play some part in it. Let it be Britta, who became the support system of Deka and pulled her out of hardships or Keita, who made Deka believe that love for an alaki was possible, it was just about finding the right partner. White Hands, however, is my most loved character in the story. The constant mystery that shrouded her, the way she felt human and yet so beyond the comprehension of anyone. I just fell in love with her!!
Deka and all other alaki went through too much nightmarish ordeals. For once I had been praying for this book to have a happy ending. And I was given that, much to my happiness. Deka found the acceptance she had been fighting for, found people who love her for her own. And the revelation towards end of the book is just what makes it more enjoyable. You'll keep advancing with theories of your own in mind and then everything you thought you knew is rendered false. I say intriguing to the core!!
DEKA YOU GO GIRL! Here's a moodboard for you, because you're simply the best!
The plot was stunning, kept me engaged through every chapter it contained. Namina is a genius for building a world that has the right mix of fantasy with reality. Overall I loved this book and very excited for the upcoming books in this series
Ratings : 4️⃣.8️⃣/5️⃣
AND TO SHOW MORE APPRECIATION:
QUOTES I LOVED:
BOOK LINKS: GET YOUR BOOKS FROM HERE!
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-gilded-ones-namina-forna/1134237391?ean=9781984848697
Book Depository: https://www.bookdepository.com/Gilded-Ones-Namina-Forna/9781984848697?ref=grid-view&qid=1610294361851&sr=1-2
IndieBound: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781984848697
TOUR SCHEDULE:
Many other amazing bloggers and bookstagrammers have taken part in the bookish tour for this amazing book as well! You can check their posts out on:
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Namina Forna is a young adult novelist based in Los Angeles, and the author of the upcoming epic fantasy YA novel The Gilded Ones. Originally from Sierra Leone, West Africa, she moved to the US when she was nine and has been traveling back and forth ever since. Namina has an MFA in film and TV production from USC School of Cinematic Arts and a BA from Spelman College. She works as a screenwriter in LA and loves telling stories with fierce female leads.
Author Links:
Website: https://naminaforna.com/home
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NaminaForna