The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna is the first book in the deathless trilogy. It's a young adult high fantasy series, set in a world where females rule. All the females have to go through a blood ceremony at the age of 16-17.

Deka, our sixteen years old girl is living in fear and anticipation whether she has pure blood or impure, and whether this will allow her to be a part of the village. But there are warriors and more girls just like Her, they are called alaki--near-immortals with rare gifts.

The story revolves around she getting trained for the battle with other girls and she has people protecting her all the time. Over the course, she finds out the secrets about her mother, and eventually rescue her and others from the emperor's den.

There's a lot more going on in this book, and all I can say it I absolutely enjoyed my time reading this. It's a book which if I speak more about will give out spoilers, so if you are someone who is looking for s high fantasy where their battle, adventure, strong women, love & friendship, this one's for you. I highly recommend you pick this up.

"Who better to fight a monster than another monster?"

Deka has been waiting for this day - the Ritual of Purity, when she and the other sixteen-year-old girls in the village of Irfut will be tested to see if their blood runs pure. Maybe afterwards, she'll be treated more like she belongs, instead of the exclusion she feels due to the dark Southern skin she inherited from her mother. But as she stands with her father in line, deathshrieks arrive. Gaunt creatures with clawed hands dragging by their knees, spiked spines, and black eyes, their cries damage and even kill. They are known to attack villages, stealing impure girls. Deka feels a tingling before they show themselves and attack, and when, desperate, she yells at the creatures to leave, they do so. This sets off alarms for the village elders, who have Deka killed, and she watches as her blood flows, golden.

She awakens, imprisoned, to accusations of being impure, a demon. The elders continue to have her killed, harvesting the gold blood spilled, until a woman arrives for Deka one day. White Hands, as Deka names her based on her gauntlets, offers her a chance. Deka is an alaki - worthless, unwanted, sentenced to death. But White Hands has been sent by the emperor to recruit alaki into an army to combat the deathshrieks at Otera's borders. They are amassing at their primal nesting ground, and the best army are those who can heal from almost any death. Each alaki has one method of death that will cause their final death, but any other method is simply an almost death, from which the alaki will heal during the one to two week long gilded sleep. The elders have proven during her imprisonment that Deka's true death is not beheading, burning, drowning, hanging, poisoning, stoning, disembowling, bloodletting, or even dismemberment. With nothing left for her in Irfut and the promise of absolution after 20 years of fighting, Deka agrees. That is how she finds herself at the Warthu Bera, training alongside other alaki and the uruni, their brothers-in-arms, learning about her powers, and discovering why her mother wore a necklace with the insignia of the okai, the emperor's spies.

I loved the friendships formed in this book (though I'll admit since I read it a little quickly I did sometimes confuse some of the secondary characters). Women in this world are required to wear a mask covering the face from forehead to nose, and are severely limited in opportunities. Everyone has to learn to support one another while they fight side by side. A couple of surprising plot twists in this (I was actually mulling over some possibilities while I was flossing last night and something similar to the actual plot popped into my head and I had to stop and think about it). Fast-paced and wrapped up nicely - I see it's projected to be a trilogy, though I could honestly just see it ending here. I would have to see the description for the sequel to say whether or not I would read it. This one could be interesting for fans of Sorcery of Thorns or Children of Blood and Bone. Also, what a gorgeous cover!

Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for the eARC. The Gilded Ones will be published February 9 2021.

Completely engrossing! Forna's world-building is fantastic. I also enjoyed the feminist themes, deep characterization, and unexpected twists; I gasped out loud several times while reading. There is intense content throughout (torture and a fair amount of violence) so not for those looking for a cozy read. But fantasy fans who enjoy an epic war between good and evil will like this one. I'm looking forward to the rest of the series.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3801691316
Honestly, I completely forgot she was a debut author until I finished this. Namina pens an intricate fantasy world and her writing immerses you from the very first page to the last. I adored how she crafted the characters and especially built the relationships of the characters. She purposely throws you off as to who you can trust and whom you cannot. She also leaves you with the most important lesson after you finish: that those who love you the most will always be your family. I absolutely cannot wait to see what she writes next and cannot wait for everyone to be able to pick this up tomorrow. If you love Ember in the Ashes, Poppy War, and Graceling you will absolutely adore this book.

Deka has spent her childhood in submission and obedience to the laws of her father and village. At sixteen, she is tested and found to be impure, a demon, with cursed gold blood. She is brutally and violently punished by her village elders, including her father. Only when a warrior for the Emperor, White Hands, arrives is Deka able to leave her village and go to the Emperor's training grounds for the alaki, women demons like Deka.

I was not prepared for the bloody violence, xenophobia, and dystopian horror of this novel, but I was enthralled from the beginning. The bonds of the bloodsisters and the uruni as well as the raw emotions and pain they share throughout their training and battle kept me turning the pages. There is romance but it is secondary to the overall plot. A recommended read for fans of action, suspense, fantasy, and world-building. Be prepared for brutal violence.

Thanks to NetGalley, Random House Children's Delacorte Press, and Namina Forna for an advanced eBook in exchange for my honest review.

This is an excellent YA fantasy debut read!
This West African-inspired world is rich and complex! In a society that is governed by an abusive patriarchal order, this book is about the women and girls fighting to take back their lives. It is about realizing one's oppression, slowly growing out of it and then fighting against it with grace and fury. I loved that Deka's journey to fighting the power was one that was back and forth. An oppressed mindset is not easy for her to break out of at first, which I think is a truth of reality. Tackling themes of misogyny, racism, trauma and abuse, this book explores the harrowing and perilous journey women fight to liberate themselves from the violent hold of those who deem them impure, demons and monsters.
At the heart of this story is the power of friendship and sisterhood. None of the fighting could have happened without the women and girls banding together to fight the man instead of fighting each other. Deka and her friends are a stunning and fierce cast of characters with a flurry of personalities to love and enjoy.
I really liked the system of magic and how it was tied to the religious mythology. It was fascinating seeing how perspectives of stories and power are altered, changed and reclaimed in an empire so vast like the one in this story.
And that TWIST! I really liked that twist!
The only critiques I have are in terms of pacing and romance. The pacing was everywhere. There were some wild jumps and other really slow moments that had me off balance. I also didn't love that most of the action happened off page. I think we could have used some more battle scenes, although what we lose in battle scenes we make up for in some gruesome violence in other areas. The romance fell a little flat for me. I did like Keita, but I felt like the relationship could have used more time to grow together.
Overall, it is a solid read! I think many fantasy readers will enjoy this story of resistance and resurgence of women!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. I really liked the world building and that we got to understand the different training techniques they had to use and the creatures in this world. I really liked the friendships between these characters. I will say some of the pacing felt weird and made me feel disconnected at times especially with the romance in this book. Even though that wasn't the focus of this book, because we needed to see Deka grow as a person, I would have liked to see their relationship a bit more because it felt like they got along and that went straight towards her loving him. I felt logistically some of the situations did not make that much sense, like the fact the girls never got their periods before 16 and I didn't understand the villain's reasoning for overthrowing the old powers. Some of this book got boring at parts as well, but the ending was really good and I liked how everyone ended up.

I absolutely loved The Gilded Ones. Like Legendborn by Tracy Deonn and Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko (two of my favorite 2020 reads), I could not tell that The Gilded Ones is Namina Forna's debut novel. The characters were so dynamic, the worldbuilding so intricate, and the plot so intriguing, that it seemed she must have been writing published works for years. I was enthralled from beginning to end, and I highly recommend this book!

The first two things that come to mind that were some of my favorite aspects specifically are the evolution Deka experiences in her character arc throughout the story, and the feminist messages that Forna explores through this fantasy world. Deka starts out believing one thing due to how she was raised in her society, but through her adventures Deka becomes a strong and independent person as well as a respected leader among her peers. This transformation was so rewarding to see, especially when Deka and her friends decide to own their identities as women and to be proud of who they are. I will definitely be rereading this book and I have already added the sequel to my TBR. I can't wait to see what happens to Deka next!

Buy, Borrow, or Bypass: I am definitely going to buy a copy of The Gilded Ones for my shelves. I loved the story so much, and I already know I want this book on hand for whenever I want to reread it. This is one you don't want to have missing from your YA collections, either! At the very least, this needs to be the next book you pick up from your local library because it is that good. :D

Tragedy, heartache, friendship, and a hint of romance. This book delivered on so many things that I was hoping for and was happy that the author did not shy away from the dark parts. Yes, this story is violent and bloody but it full of so much. World creation, characters, plot, and over all writing style was brilliant and I would recommend to many of my library’s readers.

Thanks to NetGalley for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I don't want to say that this book had a slow beginning, because I don't think that's an accurate statement. To get to the heart of the story, the beginning required a lot of background and context to help set the plot in motion. In the beginning of the story, we learn about Deka and the village she lives in. We learn that at sixteen there is a ritual to determine the pure from impure. If you are impure, you face The Death Mandate, where the Elders or Jatu do whatever it takes to bleed you until they find your final death. Until then, you keep dying can coming back to life.

When Deka finds out she is impure, she is given the choice to fight for the emperor's army against the deathshrieks or face the Death Mandate. Again, the story is a slow build from the time she learns she is impure, to her journey to Warthu Bera, and finally when she begins training. I don't think any of the beginning of the story should have been skipped, as it was necessary to make the second half of the story as good as it was.

As Deka trains with her fellow alaki and uruni, events happen that force her to acknowledge that even though she is an alaki, she is still very different from the rest of them. As Deka continues to explore her powers and what it means for helping the emperor's army, she is still frustrated that no one seems to be giving her the answers she is looking for in regards to her mother and her abilities. Ultimately, as Deka and the army continue to strike down deathshrieks, Deka has to decide if that gnawing feeling in the pit of her stomach about killing the deathshrieks is something worth listening to, and if so, why and what should she do.

I absolutely loved this book. I loved Britta, Adwadpa, Balcalius, and Keita. I loved the banter, support, and friendship that they built for themselves. I loved the themes of friendship, self-discovery, what family really means, and love. I didn't feel like any theme was overdone and I felt like it was a powerful message. Once it got going, this book kept me on my toes. I did not see where the story was going and thoroughly enjoyed how everything unraveled.

Synopsis: Sixteen-year-old Deka lives in fear and anticipation of the blood ceremony that will determine whether she will become a member of her village. 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 the ceremony, her blood runs gold, the color of impurity–and Deka knows she will face a consequence worse than death.

Then a mysterious woman comes to her with a choice: stay in the village and submit to her fate, or leave to fight for the emperor in an army of girls just like her. They are called alaki–near-immortals with rare gifts. And they are the only ones who can stop the empire's greatest threat.

Knowing the dangers that lie ahead yet yearning for acceptance, Deka decides to leave the only life she's ever known. But as she journeys to the capital to train for the biggest battle of her life, she will discover that the great walled city holds many surprises. Nothing and no one are quite what they seem to be–not even Deka herself.

My personal opinion: First of all, I was attracted to the beautiful cover. A black heroine? A book which could maybe stand the comparison the "Children of blood and bone"? I was thrilled.

Then, I read the foreword from the author Namina Forna, saying that she wanted to write a book for strong, empowered girls and women. Her words were so inspiring that my exactions for "The gilded ones" were really high.

I enjoyed reading the book, even though there were quite a few really violent scenes in it and I'd wish that it would not have been all the females suffering through the pain. Deka, the heroine of the story, is a classical underdog who has to fight her way up to the top. I really liked her development and the friendship between the girls. But I would have wished for a more complex world. After a very short training session and fast forward to a couple of weeks later, Deka is a professional fighter who uses her supernatural powers. From here on, I had the impression that one raid followed another. Suddenly then there was the end and all mad perfectly sense- maybe a bit to easy.

Overall, I enjoyed reading the book, even though I would wish to have felt more connected with Deka. I liked the part when she got Isa, but then the battles continued. Still, I am very fond of the fact that Deka is female and black which is a wonderful change to all the white and/or male heroes. Also, the message of the book touched me. My advice: Please read the foreword.

The Gilded Ones has been on my most anticipated releases list for what seems like forever. I was so distraught when the release date was pushed back last year, but I was finally able to pick up my ARC this year and it did not disappoint.

We meet Deka just before her blood purity ceremony is supposed to take place. All she wants is to be found pure so that her father’s family and the village will finally accept her. Though she was born and raised in the North, she has the dark skin of the Southern villages, which she inherited from her mother. Everyone around her has white skin and so, though she was raised here in her home, she has always been viewed as an outsider or someone who doesn’t belong. Her father and his family are all she has left and if she can prove she is of pure blood and a virtuous woman, everything will be right in the world. That plan goes straight to hell when Deathshrieks attack her village the day of the Blood Purity ceremony. When the male warriors and her father go to protect the village, Deka unleashes a power that she didn’t know she had and pays the ultimate price for it: death or so she thinks. In truth, Deka’s death is the beginning of her journey to discovering who she is, the truth about her past, and what it means for her future.

Let me start off by saying that this book throws you into the deep end from the beginning. I did not expect things to take such a graphic turn early on. From the moment that Deka experiences her first almost-death, it’s clear this book won’t be an easy read. The experiences that Deka and the other alaki go through at the hands of people who are supposed to protect them were a lot to take in. Things get pretty graphic and because we are in Deka’s head while this is all happening, I definitely suggest preparing yourself because Naima does not cut cards on how the brutal torture affects Deka. Things do slow down on this matter a bit after the initial introduction, so it’s not in your face the whole time, but it is something that’s brought up throughout the story at different intervals. I think that Naima did a great job addressing the trauma that these characters have gone through in relation to the physical and verbal abuse as well as torture they’ve experienced. None of the girls are magically freed from their experiences and they don’t just go away because they’ve been promised a new life or because their bodies have healed. In fact, one of the characters, Belcalis, gives my favorite quote of the book addressing this when she talks to Deka about her scars:

“Once I stopped being hurt, being violated, they faded. And that’s the worst part of it. The physical body-it heals. The scars fade. But the memories are forever. Even when you forget, they remain inside, taunting you, resurfacing when you least expect…I don’t want you to be sorry. I want you to keep the memory of my scars….[Deka says she’ll never forget]…Don’t you dare. They might need us now because we’re valuable, might pretend to accept us, to reward us- but never forget what they did to us first.”

Belcalis, The Gilded Ones, Chapter 25


Another big theme in this book to be aware of is the misogyny that takes place. The doctrine that women should be seen and not heard, must be “pure” and that they should confirm to certain beliefs and actions is a big part of the society that Deka grows up in. I will say that one of my earliest complaints was that the religious misogyny seemed to be so ingrained in Deka that at times it was extremely frustrating to read. She’s very concerned about becoming pure and keeping in line with the doctrine that she’s been taught even after the priests and men of her village tortured and abused her for being an alaki. I understood the reasoning because for years she’s been taught that she’s a monster and taught that “impure” women are undeserving, but still, I couldn’t wait for her to unlearn those lessons. Once she did though….wow. Deka came into her own and became the badass that the reader knew she could be. She trains both her mind and her body and begins to learn to question what she’s been taught. She becomes unafraid to be who she is and finally comes into her own in a very big way. It was an amazing journey to watch to be honest and I literally couldn’t stop myself from cheering her on.

There’s not much I can say without spoiling the book, but I love that this story takes you on a discovery journey. I spent the entire time trying to figure out the background and story behind who the Gilded Ones were, what the deal with the deathshrieks were, and the motives behind the individual players we meet on Deka’s journey. Did I end up coming up with a theory that was spot on? Yes. Did that make the story any less enjoyable? Absolutely not. Part of that was because knowing that my theories were right was extremely satisfying, but also because along the way we watch Deka and her alaki sisters form a sisterhood with one another. That sisterhood gives them the power and strength to do what needs to be done and bring my theories to fruition, so quite honestly, it was a win win situation. I would like to know more about the Gilded Ones because I feel like we only scratched the surface on them, their history and what happened to them, but I’m hoping that will be addressed in the sequel. It would also be great to explore more about Deka’s mother and Deka’s friends, as well as the other parts of the country.

I’m going to end this review here because honestly it feels like I’m going in circles and rambling, but overall what you need to know is that I really enjoyed this read and I think it’s definitely worth picking up when it’s released tomorrow, February 9th!

2.5 Stars

“And that’s the worst part of it. The physical body - it heals. The scars fade. But the memories are forever. Even when you forget, they remain inside, taunting you, resurfacing when you least expect.”

One of my highly anticipated reads of the year, The Gilded Ones piqued my interest from the moment I’ve seen the gorgeous cover. Have you seen the cover? It’s probably one of my most favorite covers of all-time!

A high fantasy novel with diverse characters that tackles the issues of racism, inequality, abuse, trauma, trafficking and other cruelty. Let me say this clearly - The Gilded Ones is set in a violent world and is very graphic that made my eyes bulged.

And while it tackles all kinds of cruelty, it also promotes women empowerment and feminism and was probably my favorite part of the story. Deka’s character development went through the roof but it wasn’t an easy road, she died for it - multiple times actually.

The premise and plot was intriguing but it lacked on delivery. I’ve mentioned that the world of The Gilded Ones was cruel and violent and indeed it was action packed but... there was no impact. The execution was lacking and I didn’t develop any sort of connection to the characters. I wasn’t a fan of the love interest as well as there was no building nor foundation to make me root for them.

I had hoped to like this but unfortunately won’t recommend it because of numerous reasons including inconsistency and lack of world building.

The Gilded Ones is the first in Namina Forna's Deathless series. A series about empowerment and determination, against all odds – and against those who would strike them down.

Deka has spent the last sixteen years waiting – and dreading – this day. The day her blood is tested, and the day she's accepted as a member of her village. Or not, as she will be worst than an outcast if her blood doesn't run red.

Deka's life changes forever on that day, as her blood runs gold. However, it doesn't end. It cannot end. Here she is granted a choice, fight for the emperor with girls like her, or stay here and face a slow, agonizing death. It's really no choice at all.

“Are we girls or are we demons?”

Wow. If you're looking for a novel that will make you feel every possible emotion out there, then you're going to want to pick up The Gilded Ones. Deka's journey is powerful and painful, as she learns to fight all the lessons that have been buried deep into her mind since the day she was born.

Her journey is a beautiful one, but it is also dark. She faces many challenges, and some of them are going to make this a difficult book to read for some. I know that personally, I couldn't read this book in one sitting (my preferred reading method, as I have no self-control). It's simply too heavy for that.

The Gilded Ones features a lot of graphic content, from the damage and pain that Deka takes, to the way society treats Deka and girls like her. It's raw and painful to read about, especially because it's so painfully easy to imagine being true.

Still, that element makes the conclusion, and Deka's change over the course of this novel, all the more impressive. All the more powerful. It's impossible not to cheer for her, and hope that there is something on the horizon. Not just for her, but for all the Gilded Ones.

“Never forget: the same gift they praise you for now they will kill you for later.”

The Gilded Ones is absolutely the heaviest YA novel I've read, and probably will read, this year. I also think it's one of the more important ones, as the impact cannot be avoided. I'm already looking forward to seeing how Deka's journey continues over the course of the next two novels, and can't wait for news on their release dates.

Dynamic and teeming with the energy of youth with something to prove. I was kind of taken aback with the violence here, but it's hard not to see it as a statement of trauma and experience from Forna.

This book follows Deka, who finds out that she is not pure after her blood runs gold. What she believed to be true about her identity turns out to be incorrect, and for the rest of the book, she is on a journey of self-discovery. She gets sent to this training camp for the kingdom with others like her in order to train to kill the Deathshrieks, which are wreaking havoc on the kingdom.
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I really liked the concept of the book. It was fun and engaging, and I wanted to keep reading to find out more about Deka. She was a great protagonist who was strong and well-liked, and she was kind to her friends but also harsh to her enemies. I liked how the author revealed pieces about Deka the more we read. I also really liked the action and suspense. It was not over the top, but just the right amount for what I would consider a YA book.
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CW: violence, sexual assault, death of a loved one, torture, execution.

I was so excited to read this debut! I mean first, the cover is absolutely gorgeous! It is nice to see the representation right from the start. I thought the story was so well developed. The first chapter with the scene during the blood ceremony was so engrossing and immediately drew me into Deka and where her story would go from there. I loved the supporting characters as well, namely Britta. I championed the fact that girls were the fierce ones in this story – unwanted girls turned into warriors and saviors. The empowerment in this book was palpable. I literally could not put the book down for the 2nd half. I thoroughly enjoyed it!

I was so sad to see The Gilded Ones be pushed back to 2021 last year because I’ve been excited for it ever since I heard the announcement. A warrior girl whose blood runs gold, who joins an army of similar girls? Yes please! But it’s ok, the book is coming out now.

The first third of The Gilded Ones was pretty much five star worthy for me. There was a tonne of action, some awfully violent and harrowing scenes (tw for torture and death), and the start of what promised to be a lovely female friendship.

The middle of the book is where the story started to drag for me. There were suddenly a tonne of characters that I didn’t really care for, a romance that was pretty much just instalove, and some strange time jumps too. None of these were major issues for me, but I was surprised at the turn the book took because of the impressively strong first part.

I think it would have been better for the author to have spent longer developing all the relationships in this book rather than continuing the action, at least in part. When these girls were in danger, I just didn’t particularly care, because we weren’t given enough time to get to know them anyway.

BUT, The Gilded Ones picks up again in the final part of the book. The action all comes together, and the strong world building that has been present throughout really starts to rear its head. The ending made me incredibly excited for the sequel, and I was also left wondering how the heck I am going to recap this book because so much was happening.

I do think the final showdown could have gone on for a bit longer, but otherwise I’m so happy with where this went (aside from the instalove… eck).

I can’t wait to read more about these girls in the sequel, as I think their relationships are the most interesting parts of the book, along with Deka herself. I think if Forna ends up focusing on the relationships more in the sequel and really starts to build them up, I’m going to love it.

Also, there’s an animal companion?? Why didn’t anyone tell me!!

Writing wise it definitely reads different than most YA fantasies I've read before. It starts off strong with eerie details of a purity ceremony where protagonist Deka is discovered to cursed blood. Those who have cursed blood are put to death. During her ceremony monsters called deathshrieks also attack causing chaos and death. Believing she brought this plague upon them, she is sentenced to death. However despite how many times they kill Deka she doesn't stay dead. She is then finally given a choice to leave and fight for the emperor in an army of girls just like her.

I thought this book did a great job portraying the PTSD Deka is feeling from her trauma. There are a lot of violent and gory scenes in this book that are described with just the right amount of detail. I also felt the closeness of the girls and knowing Namina is an AKA and Spelman grad I could see where she used her personal experiences to shape the sisterhood between the girls.

The world in this was just not very fleshed out for me to fully be immersed. I really couldn't picture the setting well. In an epic fantasy I love the little details about the food and terrain and I feel like this had the page count to describe those things. The way ethnicities are coded in this world reminded me of other books I've read this past year. For much of the middle we saw the girls training with their male partners however I didn't find the training scenes descriptive enough. And we moved from event to event at a rapid pace but at the same time it felt like we were trudging along. The tell more than show style writing just didn't work for me.

I received an arc from Delacorte Press in exchange for an honest review.
https://womenofcolorreadtoo.blogspot.com/2021/02/the-gilded-ones-by-namina-forna.html

This book did me in! First, the cover is gorgeous and I'm not sure what I was expecting but what I got was a deep, complex fantasy novel that blew me away. It's a West African inspired story - Deka lives in a patriarchal society where girls are only allowed to do things that help prepare them to become wives and not do anything that will entice men. They go through a ritual every 15 years where they are cut to reveal if their blood runs red - if it doesn't, then they are impure. Deka is getting ready to go through the ritual. That's all you really need to know.

From there, the story takes on several serious issues - misogyny, abuse, trauma, and so much more, but the plot of the story moves swiftly, but in such vivid detail that left me feeling some t'ings. It's graphic at times - but what a freaking ride! Excellent book - high recommended.