Bone-crushing, heart-stopping, breath-takingly brilliant
Oh, what can I say about The Gilded Wolves that the world already does not know! The magic used is Forging – chota saans – a small breath – breathing life into a thing so that it becomes a vibrant, mobile, magical being for some time.
The story goes thus: 4 houses, one fallen, one erased, the House of Vanth, and 2 alive, House of Kore with its matriarchal head and House of Nyx with Hypnos as patriarchal head. Severin wants his House of Vanth back. He is obsessed with stealing back artifacts belonging to his erased house and creating problems for the Order of Babel which regulates the houses. Along with his gang Laila, Enrique, Tristan, Zofia, Severin is the master planner and aquisitionist until Hypnos coerces Severin into locating the Babel Fragments in return for his Inheritance.
The characters were unique in their culture and their past, their talents galore and mind blowing, their loyalty to each other immense, their camaraderie had my heart blossoming with warmth, the dialogues crisp and humorous added to their complexity. The tinge of attraction was sensuously woven and hinted at.
Every subplot was well thought of, every puzzle had its diagram, the visuality of it added more to the amazing wonder which resulted in awe and got me wondering about the mind of this extraordinary author.
The story was a slow burn fantasy gradually building up speed and brought with it my shadows of niggles. I wanted certain parts to move faster especially when the scene demanded that tension. The worldbuilding was immense and complex, so that took a few chapters to get everything plotted in my brain.
Roshani Chokshi has Forged her book, breathing life into her writing so that each word is a living vivid echo of the soul both hers and the characters who come alive under the power of her pen.
A lyrical prose with descriptions far beyond the known which speaks to the soul, echoing the knowledge of the past into the lures of the present. One needs to read it to experience the ancient music and folk-tales weaved into the backstory of her characters. Diversity being the norm, Forging being the method, science being the base, it was simply beautiful to see the amalgamation of chemistry with magic.
If you listen carefully and read it with your heart, you would see the song notes swaying in the gentle breeze as you turn each page… Beauty of a timeless prose!!
Few snippets
Loved the Laila-Majnun play of words. They are the ancient lovers of India like Romeo and Juliet.
The jadugar is the ancient magician with deep powers who can make a child whole or put a soul back into the broken body and sew it back.
Bharatnatyam is the ancient dance of Southern India which has its history as the dance of the Gods. It is sacred and has its own beats.
I downloaded a digital copy of the book, and this is my journey into its pages, straight from the heart!!
All my reviews can be found here
Have you read the book? If not, why haven’t you?
ROSHANI CHOKSHI is the New York Times bestselling author of The Star-Touched Queen, A Crown of Wishes, Aru Shah and the End of Time, and The Gilded Wolves.
It’s 1889. The city is on the cusp of industry and power, and the Exposition Universelle has breathed new life into the streets and dredged up ancient secrets. Here, no one keeps tabs on dark truths better than treasure-hunter and wealthy hotelier Séverin Montagnet-Alarie. When the elite, ever-powerful Order of Babel coerces him to help them on a mission, Séverin is offered a treasure that he never imagined: his true inheritance.
To hunt down the ancient artifact the Order seeks, Séverin calls upon a band of unlikely experts: An engineer with a debt to pay. A historian banished from his home. A dancer with a sinister past. And a brother in arms if not blood.
Together, they will join Séverin as he explores the dark, glittering heart of Paris. What they find might change the course of history–but only if they can stay alive.
Publication Date: 15th January 2019
Publisher: Wednesday Books
53 Responses
This one is on my TBR this month. Great review! Love your photo with the mask.
Thank you.. I hope you love the book too 😍❤️😘
Fab review, I REALLY want to read this one!
It is really, really beautiful… I loved it 😍❤️
Excellent review, very helpful without spoilers. No, I haven’t read it only because I have a healthy TBR list!
Hahaha.. I have too… But I had to read this. I loved it 😍
Great review. How do you read so frequently and quickly shalini?
Hahaha I am not well so reading is all I do.. I don’t see TV or listen to music.. I am kinda boring 😂😂
Yeah but still. Hats off to you!
Aww 😍😍❤️❤️💖💖
Lovely, sharing now.
Awww Rosie… Thank you… Sorry I am unable to read much as headache and flu are kinda bringing me down😔
I am not much into fantasy, but between this alluring cover and your wonderful review, Shalini, I might just take this one on.
It was really nice Marialyce… I loved the flowing description.. The written prose put me in awe… Simply mesmerizing
Sounds amazing, Shalini! ♥️ Glad you enjoyed. Have a wonderful week.
Thank you so much Mischenko.. I loved it 😍
Oh my God, Shalini!!! I’m already excited for this book because all I keep on hearing are good things about it and definitely the Filipino rep! But I didn’t know that I could be more excited for this one before I’ve read your review. I can’t wait to really pick this up soon! Awesome review, girl!!
Oh wow thank you so much… Loved your enthusiasm… Lots of people said they couldn’t understand the magic rules in it… Hence I tried explaining in the end 😍😍💖💖
I also feel that way in some Fantasy book sometimes. Like everything was so complicated but when I kept on reading, I found out that the author had created a wonderful world with vivid descriptions that it’s sometimes hard to understand. So glad you enjoyed The Gilded Wolves! 🙂
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I love your review 😀 I loved how she wove the Forging and the Order of Babel mythology into the historical setting. While the romance between Severin and Laila wasn’t completely for me, I still liked them as characters. But my faves were Zofia and Enrique 😀 I also love your picture!
Aww… I didn’t mind the romance.. I liked the backstory of each… Laila’s especially I have heard while growing up.. So it resonated with me. Zofia was great. I loved her brain… 💖😍
Me too, Zofia was my top favorite next to Enrique. I did too, I was just hoping to get the feels more with Laila and Severin lol
This book, its cover and your review – all brilliant!! I’m going to see if I can find. I want to own this one I think.
It is well worth owning the physical book Mackey… This was just sublime… The writing was superfluous…
I want to read this book!
I hope you get to read it and I hope you love it too 😍💖
In my quiet months I’m going for it! X
Hahaha do you have quiet months?
Yes from March! Promise! It’s staying that way lol
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Ahh I just started this today, and I’m so excited! There’s been so much hype around this one ahah. I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed it! ❤
I liked it… The writing flowed.. World building and characters were complex
This sounds pretty good. But, in my slump, slow burn is not for me… I don’t have the patience for it right now.. 😞
Oh this was something different… It was mellifluous… I hope I am using the right adjective
Adding to list
Mitchell… I have not seen you in the past 2 days.. Sorry I must have missed your post.. I am down with flu hence reading is difficult 😍
But did you like it my friend?😂 I have the eARC for this so I really need to start crackin’
I’m sorry you’re feeling poorly. I’m sending you get well hugs.🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗
😂😂😂 I think a wee bit… But I suppose it can’t be made out from my review… I ought to have written more… 😂 😂 😂
I am better today.. But coughing and sniffing.. 🤕
Bwahaha!😆😂 I love enthusiastic reviews! I hope you feel better soon.❤️
Fingers crossed 🤞… Hehehe 😂 😂
Okay, you definitely lost me somewhere so really appreciated clarification. You always do such a great job, Shalini.
It is a different book Gin… Diverse characters with different cultures. The magic rules are different but boat loads of pure unadulterated fun!!
Wow. Sounds lyrical, magical, intriguing and hypnotic. Extremely creative world-building too!
You’ve got to read it cozy babe… You would love it😍😍
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Nice review Shalini. I read a review of this one on Brainfluff and requested it at that time. It is a bit out of my comfort zone, but it sounded very interesting, so I am giving it a shot. Your review has me waffling a bit, but I am still going for it.
Carla, it is a bit of a different read… But the writing has this timelessness to it.. Hope you like it.. Read it when you have time and when you are relaxed…
So pretty much any day while I am down in Florida then. 😆😆😆
Very nice review. I’ve got this and mean to get to it…eventually. The cover is just gorgeous!
I agree… Fabulous cover
I’m glad you enjoyed this book. It’s one I want to read. The cover is gorgeous and always catches my eye.
It is a fabulous book. The writing is simply lovely. Hope you get to read it soon