This is a stunning debut novel! I love the way the author’s use of vivid imagery and scene creation. She brought us on a journey as the characters navigated a world filled with toxic masculinity and violence. Themes of love, partnership and survival were prevalent throughout. I look forward to reading the next book in the series!

Thank you Netgalley and Random House Children for this delightful eARC!

In the small village of Ifrut, a girl by the name of Deka is close to finding out the color of her blood, deeming her pure with red blood, or impure with gold blood. However, with a twist of fate, she finds herself cornered with two choices, both with their own consequences. Her choices lead her to face a brewing war, and on a journey to the one place, she never thought she would see.


First off, the characters were exceptionally written. Deka embraces who she is and all her flaws. She learns that there are some things you can't control, and others you cannot. Kieta and Dekas's relationship is absolutely adorable. It was honestly a very captivating relationship, however, the development seems to happen a little quickly. At first glimpse, you think of Kieta as a very uptight person, but he's not. All of a sudden, Kieta starts to open up and it confused me. At times I wonder if there is a reason Britta is very trusting and optimistic, even if it wasn't mentioned in the book. I find myself wanting a friendship like her and Dekas. Belcalis’ character was written beautifully. She has a reason for lashing out at the world and her character development was amazing.


As for the book, it was very surprising. There is so much diversity in it and I loved that. Not only that but this is one of the first times I’ve seen a matriarchal society mentioned in this genre. There is LGBTQ rep and sexual assault mentioned, and while there isn't much of it, its importance is still highlighted. I really wish there had been more world-building since there was barely any background information, making it hard to get acquainted with the many different characters and species. The plot started slow, and then picked up its pace, and was once again slow, making it slightly hard to keep up with. It was a little overwhelming. However, the plot twist at the end was genuinely interesting and makes you think about how there's always more than one side to a story. I fully believe the next installment will be even better than the first and I cannot wait for it!

I am part of the Hear Our Voices book tour for this!!! Thank you to Delacorte Press and Hear Our Voices Tours (and Net Galley) for providing me with an eARC of this book.

Oh, quick warning:There is a description of sexual abuse on about a page, maybe a page and a half (it relates to Belcalis). I cannot find the chapter at this moment, but I will add it when I find it again. Also, there are insults to the women thrown at them and some scenes can be pretty brutal at times.

I loved the world of Otera and the rich culture of each of the regions and how individual they are yet come together to become one kingdom. It seems rich and glorious, I love it. I am hoping we can see more of the other regions besides the capital and get to know more about them.

The characters were a bit hit or miss for me. Everyone had a backstory and grew throughout the novel, but I feel like we could learn a little more about their personalities and who the Akali and Jatu are outside of warriors. Deka has a strong voice (both literally and figuratively, if you know, you know) that only grows as we continue to read on. I will say, it is not my favorite character voice because at times, she can contradict herself and it feels a bit weird. I loved seeing her growth and I became sold on her character a bit more. I think my favorite character was probably Belcalis. It takes longer for her to open up and she cares about the other girls, even if she does not show it. I was not fully sold on Kieta's character and honestly, I still am not. The relationships in this book move fast, almost like insta-love and insta-friendship. I went through this story not trusting most people because I found it hard to get to know the characters outside of any motives they have/had. Also, there is a hint of a few romances but I believe only one is confirmed on page.

This plot is very promising and builds on so much more than what the summaries could possibly give you. There are so many plotlines that are explored and they are pretty fun. While I did expect most things by the ending, there was one element that totally caught me off guard and I enjoyed what it brought to the ending and the overall story. I still have so many questions left about the story and I do not want to wait another year for the next installment. Something I really did not enjoy, was the pacing of this book. It moves really fast. Like movie fast. This book felt like a movie and it would make an incredible movie or tv show. You know how I mentioned insta love and insta friendships earlier? The plot feels rushed. There are quite a few places where instead of ending the scene or skipping that sequence completely (MILD SPOILER the boat travel scene!!!!! SPOILER), we could learn more about our characters, Otera, the cultures, and more.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I would say it is worth the hype. This book was an addictive read, and I had so many theories throughout and after the ending along with so many questions!! There is room for improvement, but for a debut, I can see a lot of growth and so much more to come from Forna. I cannot wait to see how Otera handles what happened at the end in the next book of the Deathless series.

From the moment I read the synopsis for this book, I was immediately hooked. The whole premise of your blood making you different was so interesting to me. I think the author did a fantastic job with this book and with Deka's journey from the start of it. She's such a strong main character and I loved her story. I'm also just so excited to see where all of the characters grow in the rest of the series.

I would like to thank Hear Our Voices Blog Tours for including me in the lineup for this tour for a really exciting book. I received the ARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts expressed are my personal opinion.

Score: 5/5

"We have a choice right now. Are we girls or are we demon? Are we going to die or are we going to survive?"

The Gilded Ones is one of those books that I was dying to get my hands on, I just knew I would have an incredible time with it. So I'm so happy to say that it did deliver!

My favorite thing about this book is the found family trope where Deka finds solace with the other "impure" girls and they become this whole badass feminist sister squad. I feel this sends a strong message of us girls banding together, supporting each other, and leaning against each other. And that is amazing!

I love the variety of girls we've seen written in the book, girls of all sorts of colors, sizes, and shapes but all united through their shared grit. It's so refreshing to see a book highlight girls not for their delicate or sharp features and looks, but rather on who they are as a person.


Do I recommend? Literal page turner you guys so YES.

“ And you will help us , Deka”, Beda says. “ You will help us rebuild this world “. The Gilded Ones by @namina.forna

Deka who lives solemnly with her father pleading to gods everyday to make her blood run pure and red during the Purity Ritual of Women in the city Irfut , turn stunned with her running Gold and Commanding the biggest threat of Othera “ The Deathshrieks” , who is then made an useful alaki to defend the emperor , which is filled with secrets of her past and her mother and the answers to the questions of who truly she is.

“ Once and for all, this is the best narration one can come across in recent times, the book travels around different places , the diversity in characters which the author captured in book is impeccable. Although at times the books feels a little slow with a lot of routines , yet it makes it an unputdownable one.

The book being a fantasy read still makes us wonder about the present times of women and if thats a kind of cleansing the world needs from patriarchal society. This is such an amazing read and would recommend someone who likes fantasy , war, and hint of women empowerment in books.

“The truth is, girls have to wear smiling masks, contort themselves into all kinds of knots to please others, and then, when deathshrieks come, girls die.” -Namina Forna, The Gilded Ones

Thank you to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Gilded Ones is a debut fantasy novel about female warriors in a battle for survival. In an intensely patriarchal society, all girls are given a "purity" test when they come of age. If they bleed red, they begin to wear a mask and can be courted for marriage. If their blood is gold, however, they are deemed impure, demons, monsters. This is normally a death sentence, until the empire needs monsters like them to win a battle against something even worse.

I absolutely loved this book. The fantasy world is vivid and the plot is action-packed. The world-building incorporates a number of issues, from racism to religion. It makes a statement about patriarchal societies, and women realizing the consequences of their oppression, that can translate to a lack of rights and freedoms in our own world, as well. I believe certain elements were inspired by the author’s home country of Sierra Leone, and I would be interested to learn more about the cultural inspirations behind this story.

I loved the diverse cast of strong and complex female characters. The relationships in the book are also powerful. It has strong themes of female friendships and women supporting each other. I also enjoyed that the main romance plot was kind of in the background, but still seemed based on a genuine respect and connection between the two characters.

I think the beginning has better pacing than ending, and is a bit better organized. There is quite a lot of information and action packed into the last part of the book, and certain revelations could have been explained better. I would also warn potential readers about the violence and triggering content in this book, as it can be quite graphic at times.

While this book is perfect for fans of young adult fantasy, I think it has elements that will appeal across genres. The commentary on race and female empowerment was so refreshing, as was the diverse representation of the characters. The author’s note mentions a desire for young readers to be able to see themselves within the pages, and I think she accomplished that beautifully. I can’t wait to see where Namina Forna will take this series next.

I received this ARC for review from Netgalley and Random House Children’s/Delacorte Press.


This book was on my anticipated release list and it did not disappoint. This novel has found family, rising from a struggle, and badass women. This book hurt and healed my heart and I can’t wait for the second novel.

There was so much hype surrounding this book for so long that I was afraid to begin reading it for fear that it wouldn’t live up to my excitement. I added The Gilded Ones to my TBR in 2020 when it was originally going to be released, and though I was upset that the release date was (understandably) pushed back, I was ecstatic when I received an ARC from Netgalley. Spoiler alert: it did not disappoint.
The Gilded Ones follows our main character Deka, who is deemed impure when her blood runs gold instead of red during a ritual ceremony in her home village. When she is rescued from captivity and torture by an unknown woman, she is taken to begin training with an army of alaki - girls whose blood runs gold. This army of impure outcasts is both feared and necessary for the survival of the rest of the empire, as they are the only ones who can stand against its biggest threat.
This book was so much heavier than I expected it to be. It delved into deep issues in detail, including racism, misogyny, and many other kinds of inequality and descrimination. It also centered around trauma, as the alaki are near deathless, and this fact is put to the test many times with very graphic, horrifying almost-deaths. Deka goes through nine different almost deaths in graphic detail at the beginning of the novel, while her body magically heals itself after each one, and the level of detail in the injuries and deaths caught me off guard at first. It made the whole book feel gritty and raw, and I appreciated the descriptive writing that actually made me cringe.
There was a wonderful amount of representation in the world, and our story centers on a very diverse group of characters. There is also casual queer representation within the alaki group of women. I was thrilled at this inclusion. Before it was mentioned, I found it highly unlikely and suspicious that there were no lesbian couples since the cast we follow is a very large group of girls. When it was finally acknowledged, I breathed a sigh of relief. I would like to see more inclusions of the LGBTQ+ community in the sequel(s).
I really enjoyed the development of each of the characters. I feel like I got to know a lot of about each of the characters, including quite a few of the side characters, without large information dumps, which can get overwhelming. I’d get a few tidbits here and there that would leave me wanting to know more, and throughout the book a whole picture formed. Britta was one of my favorite characters, though I feel that she acted out of character at one point and I didn’t quite track with it. My all-time favorite was Ixa, of course. I’m a sucker for a loyal pet, especially a magical one, and I love Ixa’s attitude. I was a little disappointed with Keita’s character development. I really appreciated his loyalty to Deka, but other than that, I don’t feel like I know much about his personality. I can only hope we learn more about him in subsequent books.
I had some issues with continuity throughout the book. There were a handful of places where we would jump forward weeks or months, and it was difficult to keep track of time. This happened mostly during the beginning third of the book. At other times, there wasn’t enough of an explanation as to how a character arrived at the conclusion during a discussion, and I found myself going back to reread the last few paragraphs several times before I gave up and just accepted that I wouldn’t be able to follow the logic that got us to that point. Though the overall story arc was fairly predictable, I feel like it was executed in a way that I didn’t mind already guessing what was going to happen, and there were enough twists that I didn’t expect to keep me on my toes.
I thoroughly enjoyed The Gilded Ones. Overall, the writing was decent, the characters were lovable and relatable, and the storyline was extremely exciting. Though I think this could be complete as a standalone, I look forward to seeing where it goes in the sequel(s).

“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 her ceremony, her blood runs gold, the color of impurity — and Deka knows she will face a consequence worse than death. When a mysterious woman comes to her with a choice, Deka decides to leave the only life she’s ever know to train for the biggest battle of her life.”
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I first read about The Gilded Ones in August and since then I’ve been ready to dive in head first to share it with my students. The biggest issue I had was the pacing. Some parts were very slow and others way too fast. We also didn’t get to experience hardly any of Deka’s training which was one of the biggest aspects that I was looking forward to. I needed more details so that I could experience Deka developing, not just read about it. Although I will share this book with my students, I won’t spend too much time talking about it before placing it on my shelf. I’m genuinely interested in seeing how my middle grade readers enjoy it. Thank you NetGalley, Delacorte, and Namina Forna for access to the eARC in return for an honest review.
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Favorite Quote:
“They taught us alaki to suffer, but they also taught us to survive — to conquer. And we will use those lessons. It’s time to take up our swords once more.”

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Overall: ⭐️⭐️(2.5)/5

I have recommended this book to everyone and anyone I could for the past couple of months. Not only does it have a stunning cover -- the story within mirrors the beauty. I cannot wait to get my hands on Deathless, #2.

Namina Forna is going to be a force to be reckoned with in the YA community! This book had everything a fantasy lover could ask for. A strong sisterhood, wild plot twists, an intricate magic system, even an animal companion! I fell in love with Namina's smooth writing style and the way she brought the characters to life on the page. I am so interested in learning more about this world she created and I am soo looking forward to book 2!

*Thank you to netgalley and Delacorte Press for giving me an arc in exchange for and honest opinion*

This is a story about a girl surrounded by monsters.

This book was beautiful! I loved the story, and the brutality of the world. The protagonist is everything I want a protagonist to be & as a bonus, she has a fancy pet! My biggest complaint was the relational development- I felt like I was told a relationship was really important, but didn’t feel the chemistry. The friendships though, are A+++

Thank you so much @netgalley & @randomhousechildrens for this e-Arc. The Gilded Ones is available now!

There is a very good chance this may be my favorite book of the year! I think this fantasy novel is next to perfect. I cannot recommend it enough! I have encouraged readers to jump on the waiting list at their local library or head straight to the bookstore to buy their own copy. I know that I will be re-reading this one. It's that good!

This is a book about a girl who grew up in a place where girls are supposed to have pure blood otherwise they're considered an abomination and are killed. Our main character, Deka, turns out to be one of the non-pure blooded people and hence her journey starts.

The best thing this book was able to do was deal with misogynistic and racist undertones in a very raw manner. This magic world has many things from the world we live in right now, and the way the book deals with racism and misogyny is just amazing.

The magic system is also really good. It is detailed, but not too over the top. It easy to understand, but also complex. I'm really looking forward to the next books to see what else the author is going to do with this world.

This book really is built on the idea of found family. It features some strong female friendships, and beautiful opposite sex friendships. The romance in this book is so slowburn, it is an enemies to best friends to lovers kind of situation which is just one of the best things to ever exist.

I can't find even a single flaw in this book. It's a five star read for me.

BOOK REPORT for The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna

Cover Story: Montell Jordan
BFF Charm: Yay
Swoonworthy Scale: 4
Talky Talk: Epic
Bonus Factors: Worldbuilding, Feminism
Relationship Status: We Who Are Readers Salute You!

Content Warning: This book contains scenes of extreme violence.

Cover Story: Montell Jordan

HELLO, GORGEOUS. From the rich colors to the power and poise emanating from Deka's face, this artwork is stunning, like to the level that I started humming, "can't take my eyes off of you..." the first time I saw it. Sure, some of the details don't exactly match the book (I don't think her hair is that long? And the gold on her face is actually just on her arms and hands?) but shut up, who cares, IT'S ART.

The Deal

Having grown up in a small village in northern Otera, where everyone is white, Deka has always felt like an outcast due to her dark skin. She prays every day to Oyomo that she can become the model of a virtuous woman, and with the upcoming Ritual of Purity, she'll have a chance to prove once and for all that the color of her skin doesn't make her sinful. Unfortunately, monsterous creatures known as deathshrieks crash the Ritual party, and in trying to save her father, Deka accidentally taps into a hidden power which exposes her as an alaki, a half demon who bleeds gold, or "cursed," blood. The local priests are obviously NOT down with that, and they try their damnedest to kill Deka, but she simply can't die. Well, not permanently.

After a few rounds of death, Deka is whisked away by a mysterious woman and offered the chance to fight for redemption--if she joins the army of alaki and kills deathshrieks for 20 years, she will be granted purity, i.e. the chance to rejoin humanity. What a bargain! Deka has no choice but to agree, and as training begins, she quickly learns that being a half-demon really puts the "bad" in badass. But unlocking her power also releases a growing number of questions about Otera's culture, her heritage, and her place in the world, and Deka will have to fight beyond the battlefield to find the truth.

BFF Charm: Yay

Not that she needs any help from me in the brute force department, but I wish I could face punch every single person who made Deka feel worthless. It was maddening to see how strong and compassionate and brave she is when she couldn't see it for herself due to years of being shamed and repressed by Otera's patriarchal society. (Ah, there's the urge to face punch again.) Thankfully, that frustration just made me savor her journey even more, as she finally begins to view her abilities as a gift rather than a curse. I still found myself occasionally shaking the book in lieu of shaking her (gently!) by the shoulders, because she's so hard on herself, but for the most part, I just felt lucky to be in Deka's corner to witness her discovery of her value as a warrior but, more importantly, as a human.*

*Or half-human. Whatever. Y'all know what I mean.

Swoonworthy Scale: 4

At the training camp, every alaki is paired with a uruni, a brother in arms, and when Deka is partnered with Keita, it's the opposite of a meet cute. He's a fearsome soldier who seems to detest everything about Deka, and before you think there's some enemistry brewing--there's not, mostly because Deka dislikes herself even more than Keita does. But over time, both of them begin to comprehend just how amazing Deka can be, and their romance blossoms sweetly, though TBH it can't hold a candle to the heat from the raids and insane fighting. My pulse was already racing at a pretty fast clip from the intense action, so the love story struck me as unnecessary and even a little bit boring. (I never say that so y'all know the carnage is bonkers.)

Talky Talk: Epic

Namina Forna did NOT come to play, and she wastes no time in hurtling us into a rich, complex world teeming with surprises and danger around every corner. While she throws a lot at you to establish this universe, it never feels overwhelming thanks to pitch perfect pacing and the fact that much of this is new to Deka as well. All of the twisty reveals, not to mention the ominous threat of the deathshrieks, result in a hella exciting read, even though tonally it can be a little uneven. For example, it's a biiiit of a shift to go from a beheading in battle to the introduction of an adorable magical creature, and I wished that Forna had gone full-on hard R rather than blending in some Disney. When you realize that the alaki can die several times before their "true" death, you know you're in for some gruesome shit, and no amount of cute critters can lessen that kind of horror.

Bonus Factor: Worldbuilding

From the religion of the Infinite Wisdoms to the legend of the Gilded Ones (four ancient demons who once ruled the universe), Forna weaves such a fascinating, colorful tapestry as the backdrop to Deka's story. This is the kind of world begging for a film adaptation (which apparently Forna is already writing!) so that you can savor every detail on the big screen. I legit cannot wait to see those CGI deathshrieks because whoa.

Bonus Factor: Feminism

In her letter to the reader, Forna (who grew up in Sierra Leone) writes, "At its heart, the book is an examination of patriarchy." Women in Otera are subservient to men, and they can't attend school, learn a trade, or go anywhere without a male guardian. (And when they are in public, they have to cover their faces with masks.) As much as this culture will fill you with rage, it's no match for the absolute JOY you will feel as Deka rolls up her sleeves and goes Rosie the Riveter on those asshole men. The Gilded Ones is incredibly empowering, and you don't need gold blood to embrace Forna's bold, uplifting message of equality.

Relationship Status: We Who Are Readers Salute You!

Any time the alaki army is given orders by their commanders, they respond with, "We who are dead salute you!" And while I'm no half-demon or half-immortal, I am inspired to salute this book for its blazing storytelling and the light it shines on racism and misogny. It has my respect and my gratitude, and I hope that it finds its way to anyone who thinks they are undeserving of love, because Deka is eager to prove them wrong. (And trust me, you don't want to disagree with her.)

I can't say enough good things about this book! To start, I loved reading about Deka and her close group of friends, which is not something you often get to see in YA< where girls are often pitted against each other to gain the approval and attention of others. My students would love this book, and I have recommended it to them. Then there's the absolutely gorgeous writing style and the fast-paced story. I can't wait to see where this goes!

TW: trauma, abuse, rape, graphic violence

<i>We all have a choice right now. Are we girls or are we demons? Are we going to die or are we going to survive? </i>

You've probably seen this novel everywhere. But what is it about? What lies within the glorious golden and turquoise covers? In one sentence, it's about the ill-effects of a highly, religious patriarchal society that forces girls, on their 15th year, to undergo a 'purity' ritual and determine their value as future wives - and it goes all wrong (or right?) for Deka, the titular protagonist.

How do I begin to describe the amazing-ness that is this novel? Strong albeit realistically imperfect main character, check. Heart-breaking coming-of-age story, check. A comprehensive social commentary underlying an action-filled, head-turning and dramatic narrative? check, check, check. Namina Forna's writing style is one that is east to follow, but do not think that this takes away from the depth of the main character, Deka, characterization, nor does it deter from the gravitas of the multitude of real-life religious and racial parallels. This is a book that grabs you by the collar and yanks you into the story - the lush West-African inspired setting of Otera, the archaic and anger-inducing rituals of the Infinite Father, and the reaffirming power of friendship. The pacing was *chef's kiss*, starting out slow before picking up as Deka joins the ranks of the alaki (the 'cursed' ones for training).

Update! I'm ecstatic to learn that this book has also made the New York Best Seller's List.

Thank you Namina Forna, PenguinRandomHouse and Net Galley for a #gifted copy of the eARC in return for an honest review.

Oh man, did I love this book! I won't lie, I requested this one based solely on the Gorgeous cover, I'm so glad I did. Not long after I got my hands on it, I started seeing it talked about everywhere, so I got a little nervous in the way that you do when a book is so hyped. I should not have worried at all. As soon as I started I knew this was going to exceed expectations. Even this early in the year I can confidently say this will be one of my favorite YA fantasies of the year. The setting, characters, and "monsters' are exquisitely described; this book is ripe for adaptation (a tv series would be amazing) though I envisioned everything so well, I may be disappointed if it weren't to align with my vision :). I am already eager to get my hands on the sequel!
One small note: I am a middle school educator and would likely only recommend this to my more mature 8th graders. This seems better aimed toward an older teen audience and adults. There is quite a lot of violence and gore for a YA novel, not an uncomfortable amount, but enough I would not hand this off to younger teens without a good amount of discussion before and during reading.
Thanks to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for an eARC of this beautiful debut in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This was such a fantastic book! I cannot wait for more from this author. I loved Children of Blood and Bone, and they were right to say that those who love that book will love this one. The fantasy is epic. The African history is so immersive. I loved every second of it, and I already own my own physical copy.