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Fanna's Reviews > The Gilded Wolves
The Gilded Wolves (The Gilded Wolves, #1)
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Fanna's review
bookshelves: 2019-releases, absolute-favourites, biracial-mixed-mc, black-mc, books-with-diversity, colonialism-imperialism-war, diaspora, historical-fantasy, indian-author, indian-mc, jewish-mc, lgbtqia, m-f-romance, queer-mc, racism-colorism-classism, read-a-finished-version, romance-that-goes-dhak-dhak, romantic-undertone, set-in-europe, south-asian-author, south-asian-diaspora, south-asian-mc, south-east-asian-author, south-east-asian-mc, young-adult-fiction
Jul 04, 2020
bookshelves: 2019-releases, absolute-favourites, biracial-mixed-mc, black-mc, books-with-diversity, colonialism-imperialism-war, diaspora, historical-fantasy, indian-author, indian-mc, jewish-mc, lgbtqia, m-f-romance, queer-mc, racism-colorism-classism, read-a-finished-version, romance-that-goes-dhak-dhak, romantic-undertone, set-in-europe, south-asian-author, south-asian-diaspora, south-asian-mc, south-east-asian-author, south-east-asian-mc, young-adult-fiction
Read 2 times. Last read July 24, 2020 to July 29, 2020.
December 01, 2020: The Gilded Wolves fills your blood with rushing adrenaline and slows down the sand trickling down in an hourglass at the same time. It's a rhythm set by entities different in existence, identity, and passion, but connected through a commonality of purpose, a desire for respect, and a need to love. A tale so beautifully intriguing that the intertwined zeal to elucidate political power-plays, to unravel secrets, and to fight a systemic past of colonialism and oppression becomes highly addictive.
A story told through a captivating pattern of phrases like hanging swords, banter like a hilarious quip, evocation like a flood of emotions, and dialogues like sweetened flowers growing on a shining star. The intelligence of puzzles created to surprise and the delight of a prose worth savouring, builds a memorable experience of reading this gem.
Painted against a backdrop of the city of light, Paris, during a year when the stunning wonder—Eiffel Tower—was inaugurated, 1889, this historical fantasy dips its toes in a pool of sharks disguised as secret societies and dives into a fascinatingly complex magic system where individual abilities differ, depending on the plausibility of manifesting mind or matter.
Standing tall on a ground of the found family trope, the squad takes the spotlight as single essence and as individual forces of strength: Severin, the French-Algerian boy who is determined to take back his inheritance and is the head of the group at most times; Laila, the Tamil (South-Indian) girl who loves to dance and bake, and carries a past that's most heart-wrenching; Enrique, Spanish-Filipino and queer, his love for history and puzzles is enticing; Zofia, a Jewish Polish girl who is autistic-coded and excellent at science; Tristain, the foster brother of Severin, whose passion for all things nature is adorable; Hypnos, a Black French aristocrat and fabulous queer who relies on wine like this world on sun.
The Gilded Wolves rise on a city known for its glamour and beauty but equally highlighted for the underlying truth of a place flourishing through the efforts of marginalised people, stolen lands, and looted artefacts. A sublime mix of history, mathematics, arts, science, and culture is inhaled through the encrypted puzzles, tech-meets-magic props used during heists, conversations that subtly point out inappropriate stereotypes, and the idea of a magic system powered and controlled by an Order of Babel through mystical fragments—thereby pronouncing a clear, unfavourable dynamic.
In addition to the major aspects being emotive, the story also influences through underlying themes of racism, sexism, antisemitism, and the underlined trauma of witnessing one's culture being lost in the name of exotic objects and laughable practices. Like an icing on one of Laila's delicious cakes, The Gilded Wolves also delivers a romantic alignment that grows from comfortable acquaintances to friends with racing heartbeats to finding solace and love in each other's arms to not confessing with clarity to more, more, and more—leaving younot ready for the sequel,
The Silvered Serpents
.
July 30, 2020: How can I not make a quote art and not click some after finishing this book?
July 29, 2020: I've finished my re-read of The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi and, once again, I've fallen in love with one of the first diverse books I gave my heart to. Now I feel like writing a love letter to this story that basically started my passion for seeking more diverse books!
July 25, 2020: After a year and a half of reading this gem for the first time and falling in love with everything about it, and actually shifting my perspective towards more diverse books, I'm rereading it for the first time! I'm here for the majnun dialogue.
☾ read this review on my blog ☽
A story told through a captivating pattern of phrases like hanging swords, banter like a hilarious quip, evocation like a flood of emotions, and dialogues like sweetened flowers growing on a shining star. The intelligence of puzzles created to surprise and the delight of a prose worth savouring, builds a memorable experience of reading this gem.
Painted against a backdrop of the city of light, Paris, during a year when the stunning wonder—Eiffel Tower—was inaugurated, 1889, this historical fantasy dips its toes in a pool of sharks disguised as secret societies and dives into a fascinatingly complex magic system where individual abilities differ, depending on the plausibility of manifesting mind or matter.
Standing tall on a ground of the found family trope, the squad takes the spotlight as single essence and as individual forces of strength: Severin, the French-Algerian boy who is determined to take back his inheritance and is the head of the group at most times; Laila, the Tamil (South-Indian) girl who loves to dance and bake, and carries a past that's most heart-wrenching; Enrique, Spanish-Filipino and queer, his love for history and puzzles is enticing; Zofia, a Jewish Polish girl who is autistic-coded and excellent at science; Tristain, the foster brother of Severin, whose passion for all things nature is adorable; Hypnos, a Black French aristocrat and fabulous queer who relies on wine like this world on sun.
The Gilded Wolves rise on a city known for its glamour and beauty but equally highlighted for the underlying truth of a place flourishing through the efforts of marginalised people, stolen lands, and looted artefacts. A sublime mix of history, mathematics, arts, science, and culture is inhaled through the encrypted puzzles, tech-meets-magic props used during heists, conversations that subtly point out inappropriate stereotypes, and the idea of a magic system powered and controlled by an Order of Babel through mystical fragments—thereby pronouncing a clear, unfavourable dynamic.
In addition to the major aspects being emotive, the story also influences through underlying themes of racism, sexism, antisemitism, and the underlined trauma of witnessing one's culture being lost in the name of exotic objects and laughable practices. Like an icing on one of Laila's delicious cakes, The Gilded Wolves also delivers a romantic alignment that grows from comfortable acquaintances to friends with racing heartbeats to finding solace and love in each other's arms to not confessing with clarity to more, more, and more—leaving you
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July 30, 2020: How can I not make a quote art and not click some after finishing this book?
July 29, 2020: I've finished my re-read of The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi and, once again, I've fallen in love with one of the first diverse books I gave my heart to. Now I feel like writing a love letter to this story that basically started my passion for seeking more diverse books!
July 25, 2020: After a year and a half of reading this gem for the first time and falling in love with everything about it, and actually shifting my perspective towards more diverse books, I'm rereading it for the first time! I'm here for the majnun dialogue.
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Reading Progress
December 17, 2018
–
Started Reading
(ebook Edition)
December 17, 2018
– Shelved
(ebook Edition)
December 24, 2018
–
Finished Reading
(ebook Edition)
July 4, 2020
– Shelved
July 24, 2020
–
Started Reading
July 27, 2020
–
1.8%
"[Crescent moons for House Nyx. Thorns for House Kore.]
Nyx is the Greek goddess of night so a moon is the perfect connection, and Kore is another name for Persephone who is the goddess of vegetation and queen of the underworld—if you think about it, thorns do fit both titles."
page
7
Nyx is the Greek goddess of night so a moon is the perfect connection, and Kore is another name for Persephone who is the goddess of vegetation and queen of the underworld—if you think about it, thorns do fit both titles."
July 27, 2020
–
3.61%
"the first chapter is from Severin's pov and if you need to sum up his character, simply know the chapter starts with him, in a party, gracefully looking at a floating chandelier from where a glass of champagne sails into his hand and it ends with his hand stuck in a bear's mouth."
page
14
July 27, 2020
–
4.9%
"the cutest and the most intelligent member of the squad is Zofia and I agree with my friend, Nandini @novelsnebulas, when she said we need more people on Team Zofia."
page
19
July 27, 2020
–
5.15%
"Zofia: Why do I need a rag?
Laila: Because there's gunpowder on your face.
Zofia: And?
Laila: ...and that is mildly alarming, my dear. Clean up.
Laila is the mom of the squad and I love her for that."
page
20
Laila: Because there's gunpowder on your face.
Zofia: And?
Laila: ...and that is mildly alarming, my dear. Clean up.
Laila is the mom of the squad and I love her for that."
July 27, 2020
–
5.93%
"[Despite its name, the gardens were no paradise, but a labyrinth of sins. Seven, to be exact.]
Who is the most creative in this squad? Tristan."
page
23
Who is the most creative in this squad? Tristan."
July 27, 2020
–
6.44%
"[Why don't you come inside? I'll make you something to eat.]
Laila not just being a mom, Laila is being an Indian mom."
page
25
Laila not just being a mom, Laila is being an Indian mom."
July 27, 2020
–
7.73%
"They stole histories, swallowed cultures whole, smuggled evidence of illustrious antiquity onto large ships and spirited them into indifferent lands.
Who isn't afraid to speak the truth? This book."
page
30
Who isn't afraid to speak the truth? This book."
July 27, 2020
–
8.76%
"I feel Enrique regarding Severin's decision-making as dangerous or delightful is like a warning to all the readers for what lies ahead."
page
34
July 27, 2020
–
12.37%
"Zofia feeling a little jealous when Enrique decodes the eye shape and Enrique being smug about it by saying she's impressed but Zofia outright rejects the idea of admitting that so he says 'I dazzle you with my intelligence' and Zofia instantly turns to Laila and asks her to make him stop and Enrique takes the cue...
yeah, I can see why so many of you love Enrique."
page
48
yeah, I can see why so many of you love Enrique."
July 28, 2020
–
13.92%
"It seemed the world couldn't help but want to be near her...every beam of light, pair of eyes, atom of air. Maybe that's why sometimes he couldn't breathe around her. "
page
54
July 28, 2020
–
17.78%
"my favourite from the squad is here and there's something so perfect in the smugness and the smartness because come on, the way he forged that invitation...YES I AM TALKING ABOUT HYPNOS"
page
69
July 28, 2020
–
19.59%
"Hypnos wanting to make friends: I'm fabulous at parties, have excellent taste in menswear, etc. 🕺🏿
Hypnos still wanting to make friends: If you don't take me in your group, I will break every bone in your bodies. 🗡️"
page
76
Hypnos still wanting to make friends: If you don't take me in your group, I will break every bone in your bodies. 🗡️"
July 28, 2020
–
20.62%
"I protect you.
One promise.
One promise, and he couldn't even keep it.
Um, 300 pages left but I'm already very emotional. 💔"
page
80
One promise.
One promise, and he couldn't even keep it.
Um, 300 pages left but I'm already very emotional. 💔"
July 28, 2020
–
22.42%
"Tristan throwing a little temper tantrum when he has to work at night for [something spoiler-y] because his pet spider has a strict feeding schedule and likes crickets exactly at midnight proves he's the softest cinnamon roll who is also a proud arachnophile. 🕷️"
page
87
July 28, 2020
–
27.84%
"Jaadugars. Pondicherry. Yes, I get so happy when desi dialect is used and Indian cities are mentioned. Also, Laila's story is heartbreaking. 😭"
page
108
July 28, 2020
–
38.66%
"Enrique and Zofia make such an intelligent team; the very few brain cells I have are in awe."
page
150
July 29, 2020
–
100.0%
"how could I even think I would take a break after every few chapters and annotate and send reading updates on here like OF COURSE I BINGE-READ THIS IN ONE EVENING."
page
388
July 29, 2020
–
Finished Reading
