The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna is an action-packed novel that kickstarts a series that follows the misogynistic and sexist ideals of the country of Otera that oppresses women and seeks to subdue anyone who threatens the power and authority of the men in this nation.
Synopsis
As sixteen-year-old Deka prepares for the blood ceremony with her father she’s overcome with a sense of unease and worry that she’ll be found impure and fall prey to the death mandate which states impure girls are demons and must be executed. Her worst fears come to life when during an attack she uncovers a secret power and is branded a demon after she is stabbed and her blood runs gold instead of red.
She’s abandoned by her father, friends, and community and the elders seek to execute her. That is until destiny strikes and a mysterious woman offers Deka the opportunity to become a warrior and serve the Emporer as an alaki an elite warrior that defends the kingdom from Deathshrieks their formidable enemy that has begun attacking many of the villages in the land and abducting young girls.
Seeing no other option she agrees and travels to the capital where she will train and assume her role as a warrior. But there’s more to Deka’s story than what meets the eye and soon she will uncover shocking truths about her power, her lineage, and her purpose that will change her destiny.
Content 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna focuses on a misogynistic society where men oppress women to maintain power. Forna explored this theme beautifully and was able to weave in elements surrounding the discrimination of marginalized individuals. How it’s easy for people to despise them, and go as far as committing genocide to eradicate them until there’s something they want from them. Then they must be exploited and used to serve their purposes.
We also explore the impact of religious trauma when used as a tool for oppression to indoctrinate and brainwash others into assimilating into the narrative they’ve designed for them. Taking away their autonomy and freedom.
We also see how female relationships can either heal or destroy. Deka’s friendships before joining the emperor’s army were built on competition and class. The primary focus of these girls was to marry and procreate leading them to compete against each other for marital matches. Deka never fit in because of her darker skin color since in the North pale skin was more common, and her low station in their caste system also set her apart from the others.
However, when Deka is in the emperor’s army of alaki these friendships are built on shared trauma, causing the girls to bond and develop a tight-knit sisterhood where they have each other’s backs and work together to fight the discrimination and misogyny they face.
As events unfold and truths are revealed we see how these characters can overcome these setbacks and move forward. Leading to the emotional and action-packed conclusion.
Writing Style🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Forna’s style is quite simple making it easy for the reader to understand and connect with the story. Additionally, she’s capable of using descriptive imagery to build a scene and illustrate the beauty of the world she’s created. While the overall tone of the novel was serious Forna was still able to maintain a level of optimism and adventure to balance out the heavier and darker elements of the story.
Forna’s prose was unadorned and basic yet that wasn’t necessarily an issue. I felt it was on point with the tone of the story and the age of the main character.
Readability 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
This book was easy to read and enjoy. In the beginning, the chapters are a bit longer since Forna is busy establishing the world and introducing the reader to the key conflict in which Deka’s life is threatened. Once we’re past the foundation building for this story the chapters become shorter and easier to digest.
As with all fantasy novels, there are of course some names that are difficult to pronounce but I highly recommend considering a tandem read and read along with an audiobook to not only properly pronounce the words but to fully immerse yourself in this story. Yet, if you decide to forgo this option I don’t consider the pronunciations to be that difficult to navigate on your own.
Also, when introduced to new words, ideals, or concepts exclusive to this fantasy world there’s always an explanation to aid the reader in properly understanding the meaning of these terms.
Plot Development 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
The structure and the pacing of this novel were excellent. It wasn’t too fast or slow. Forna allowed enough space to develop the world allowing the reader to understand this society and this world. You’re introduced to the various customs, cultures, and beliefs of citizens of this world. However, this book focuses primarily on the Nothern and Southern regions as these are the two settings we spend time in. We’re made aware of the Western and Eastern regions and I’m sure they’ll play a part in the series as it continues.
Also, I enjoyed how action-packed this story was and the twists and reveals were perfectly executed at just the right time to build intrigue and suspense. I loved that she was able to highlight and focus on the events that most mattered to the progression of the plot. This keeps the story fresh and prevents the reader from becoming bored.
Character Development 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Forna did an excellent time developing the characters in this story. For starters, our main character Deka felt spot on for how a naive sixteen-year-old girl would react to the events that unfolded around her. I understood her grief and shock and truly empathized with her situation. Yet, Forna didn’t leave her as a weak and defeated character which I appreciated. We quickly see her grow and become stronger overcoming her past and stepping into her power and owning her narrative.
When it comes to the side characters perhaps my favorite was Belicalis. She’d been through so much and we saw how that led her to being guarded and distrustful and when you learn her full story it makes sense why she’s the way she is. But, I love how she transformed and was able to let her guard down and let people in becoming part of the sisterhood.
Keita is another crucial character in this story as Deka’s uruni they develop a special bond that plays an important role in this story.
Finally, Britta was my second favorite from the first she was Deka’s ride-or-die, and the way she had her back and looked out for her was the epitome of what a true friend would do for the person she loved and cared for. She was the most caring and nurturing of the group and a much-needed asset to the sisterhood.
I truly enjoyed this novel and felt like it was an excellent kickoff to a Young Adult Fantasy series. I’m looking forward to reading the next installment The Merciless Ones soon!
