Amy Imogene Reads's Reviews > The Gilded Wolves

At times overly complicated and rooted in myth, colonial history, and the duplicity of the Belle Epoque (Beautiful Age) of 1889 Paris, The Gilded Wolves glitters with promise and heartfelt characters. Strap yourself in, I've got a LOT to say about this one!

Writing:★★★★★
Straightforwardness: ★ 1/2
Characters:★★★★ 1/2
World-building: ★★★★★
Pacing: ★★★★

Chokshi's world-building in The Gilded Wolves is on another LEVEL. There is no learning curve, no info-dump, no soft entrance into the plot. You either get with the story or you get off the train, and Chokshi is not afraid of confusing the reader in her quest. I was completely lost and in the process of getting my bearings for the first few chapters and yeah, for a hot minute it was frustrating, but I was so interested in the magical visuals and the characters that I kept going until it clicked. It does click, I promise.

The Gilded Wolves involves a rag-tag group of characters who have assembled into a found family in turn-of-the-century magical Paris. In short, the world is essentially at the height of colonialism—just like our world's history of the time period—with the addition of these worldly magical "amplifiers" called the Babel Fragments. There is a Babel Fragment that provides the source of all magic for a certain geographic range. We're in Paris, so The Gilded Wolves' primary focus is on Europe's Babel Fragment.

The magic in this novel is so intriguing. It centers around the concept of "Forging," which is the act of manipulating magic either physically or via the mind. People can manipulate the elements in various ways, etc. One of the characters can grow any plant he wants (gold plants, mirror plants, Alice in Wonderland-level plants, etc.), another can read the memories off of objects, and another can manipulate any chemical substance. In the absence of technology, seeing the glittering magic of a Forged Paris was so original.

Severin, Laila, Enrique, Zofia, and Tristan all live in Severin's hotel, L'Eden. They steal things frequently, and have a history of conducting heists. Their dynamics were so precious. I immediately connected with almost all of their emotional arcs—Enrique was bland for me, but that is most likely a personal note. These characters find themselves trying to find one big item, tied to the Babel Fragment, to do some big things. I'm avoiding some spoilers, but suffice to say the plot thickens, heists occur, glittering parties ensue, romantic tension is on POINT, lies surface, and character arcs are revealed at a perfect pace. There's also the glorious introduction of Hypnos, the aristocrat counterpart to Severin who adds to the already incredible sexual and racial diversity of this cast.

One of the novel's most poignant moments is the author's focus on the effects of colonialism and its racial prejudices—i.e. the rotting underbelly of a "modern" civilization like Paris condoning the cultural erasure of its colonial regimes. There is commentary on race, the West's disregard for other cultures, and other complex colonialist themes.

Also, I loved reading a YA fantasy novel that included a character who appeared to be on the spectrum. Whether this was the author's intention or not, I really appreciated it.

I recommend The Gilded Wolves to those who don't mind complicated introductions to fantasy, and anyone who appreciates a diverse cast of characters (in all senses of the word).

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