OK so first, I need the third book IMMEDIATELY!! The action? Perfection. The pacing? Superb! I loved this even more than The Gilded Ones which is hard to admit because I LOVED The Gilded Ones. This is definitely going to be in my library come September. I was also a blubbering mess throughout this book, I got put through the emotional ringer.

This was a great read. everything changes yet again for Deka. the loyalty of her found family is outstanding. and the world building is immersive. Still a little predictable but still enjoyable.

Top 5 Reasons to read The Merciless Ones

When you have a major life event and are still gripped by the book you’re reading, you know you’re in deep. Namina Forna has my number. haha

Alright so let’s get to it!

Just give me a reason….

The Opening
Let me tell you, it’s rare that a second book starts off this strong. I’m trying hard to not give spoilers in case you haven’t read book one. However, it starts with uh…death? Yes, death and intensity and more that grabs you around the waist to throw you right in. You will be hooked from the first page.

Emotional Wreckage
….but in a good way. Rollercoaster of fun, yes - but also I was so invested and I admit I may have cried. Maybe more than once. I was all over the place emotions wise with this book. Nevertheless, every moment is worth this damage and even now I’m considering an immediate reread to better absorb what occurred.

Let’s do the TWIST
Hello plot twists and intrigue. You THINK you know the twists but Namina Forna is a master of misleading while side attacking on twists and betrayals. I will say this led to a bit of uh… cliffhanger. YES I KNOW. Stay with me though cuz it’s worth it. We can all scream together in outrage and awe. (Also, please someone read this and talk to me…. I need a book buddy… thank you)

Representation and Romance
If it isn’t already, The Merciless Ones should be on your radar for LGBTQ reads. The Gilded Ones led with wonderful representation and book two just grows even more on top of that foundation. Additionally, I’m a sucker for amazing romantic pairings and I love that we get that well flushed out in this book.

EPIC
Have you ever wanted a main character that can kick butt, take names, and keep going. Look no further. Deka is a powerhouse and it’s refreshing. She grows so much in this book and I’m BEYOND excited to see what happens in Book Three. She is the main character and leader I love to see in fantasy books. Especially in young adult books. Deka is dynamic and encourages the reader to be involved on every page.

To wrap it up, I do have to say one more thing, YES IT’S A CLIFFHANGER TO END ALL CLIFFHANGERS. However, it’s so worth it. If you enjoy fantasy, complex world building, and amazing characters - this is a series you shouldn’t miss.

Overall,

Overall rating: 4.5
Plot: 4.0
Character Development:5.0
Dialogue: 4.5
Writing: 4.0

Shout out to TBR and Beyond Tours for including me in this Book Tour! Here is the Schedule to check out other posts and views. (https://tbrandbeyondtours.com/2022/04/21/tour-schedule-the-merciless-ones-the-gilded-ones-2-by-namina-forna/ )

*I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own.”

Happy Reading!
Ash~

Holy shit. The first thing I looked up was if there was a book 3 because the way this book ended!!!! Holy crap!!!! The found family, the secrets, the fighting, the tender love, the friendships. This book was another 5 star for me. The way the author was able to deliver this sequel!!!! Deka , Brita, Ixa, all of our fave characters are back. The world building was phenomenal!

OMG. Was this one better than the first, yes! I loved the exploration of gender in this one. And the exploration of what feminism really is and what is really best for civilization. I loved the development in all the characters. I loved seeing Deka really grow throughout the whole story. This book had so many twists and turns! I seriously cannot wait for the next one!

My Rating: 2.75/5

This was a long sequel to The Gilded Ones. Things you need to look out for are the twists and the friendship dynamic. Please keep in mind there are too many graphic scenes in the story. Besides that, the ending was terrific, and I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

(Thanks to the publisher, Netgalley, and TBR and Beyond Tours for the eARC of the book!)

The author took me on a ride! This book is so interesting and well-written. Not often that I’m surprised by a plot! I loved every minute of it. I recommend this book for fans of N.K. Jemison and The Hunger Games. I only wish I had reread the first book of the series so I could seamlessly dive right in - but no matter, I will before I read The Merciless Ones again (it was that good!!) highly recommend!!!!!

I am screaming! In that good frustrated way of course. I was not ready for this book, I thought I was ready, but in fact I really truly wasn’t. We are places back in right where we left off from The Gilded Ones. Chaos, mayhem and all that jazz. Can’t get any worse right? WRONG!! Oh so very wrong. This book kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. The character development between book one and this book is phenomenal, the drama is on point, at times I was sitting there mouth hanging wide open with people looking at me like something was wrong. Can we say book hangover? Absolutely. Now the wait for the next installment (please don’t be too long).

I was really happy to get back into this world. It was so action packed and I got my socks knocked off with all of these revelations that happened. I loved elevated levels of magic that I wasn't expecting! I'm so anxious for book three and find out how the whole series would end. Namina did have me in my feelings and stressed out at times! I hope she doesn't make us wait too long for book 3!

I really love the first book in the series, The Gilded Ones, and this was a great follow up. There is a lot of ground to cover so it did have a bit of a slower pace but still a great sequel.

I was on a blog tour for this and this book is very different from the first book. Fans of the series will absolutely adore it!

Thank you so much to the publishers and Netgalley for the ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

Namina is a genius and no one can convince me otherwise. This series is masterfully written and I can't get over how good it is. The world building, character development, all of it is fantastic. This is another page turner and one I couldn't put down!

Completely separate from the book, but can we just talk about what a disappointment the cover is? The cover for The Gilded Ones was fire, but this? I mean, it’s not bad, but it’s nowhere near as great. This was one of my most anticipated sequels of the year, and it didn’t disappoint. Since this is the second book in a trilogy, this review will contain spoilers for the first book.

Deka has taken her place as the Nuru, the chosen one of the Gilded Ones, the four goddesses who have promised to overthrow the misogynistic priests and bring peace to Otera. But if this is a step toward peace in Otera, then why does everything feel wrong to Deka? Her divine powers set her farther and farther away from her friends, women and girls across Otera are being killed in response to the revolution she started, and the Firstborn seem outright dismissive of anyone who isn’t alaki. Even worse, a dark force is at work to oppose the goddesses, and it seems like only Deka and her friends can stop it. But nothing is as it seems, and Deka will be faced with one impossible decision after another.

“You have to start believing in yourself, Deka, in your own mind. Your own soundness. If not, others will take advantage of you, turn your uncertainty into a weapon. Learn to trust in yourself. That is one of the primary marks of a great leader. A general.”


Despite all her divine gifts, Deka’s really quite young and not very experienced as a leader. From the very first pages of the book, which starts six months after Deka freed the mothers, Deka is constantly reminded of all her failures. Women – even ones who aren’t bloodsisters – are being hurt and killed and an army is being formed by the jatu. Hemaira, the capital, remains firmly under jatu control, despite everything Deka and the alaki throw at it. Even though the battle has hardly begun, Deka is already tired and dreaming of a time when she can just be herself somewhere far away with her friends. Her memories of the torture she suffered still plague her, and her position as Nuru separates her from her friends. The chance to go on a mission with all of them, one that will hopefully reveal how to conquer Hemaira, is almost a relief. But little does Deka realize how this journey will test everything she thinks she knows.

“There is a saying, Deka: when gods dance, humanity trembles. And a lot of dancing is happening these days. Thankfully, as the Nuru, you have a say in the direction of the dance.”


There’s a lot of action in this book, but there’s also a lot of Deka’s internal growth. There’s no question she’s having a rough time with her position, whether that’s within her friend group or with the alaki or the Gilded Ones. This is a story of betrayal and trust, connections to friends and kin, and resilience. The amount of growth that Deka goes through in a relatively short period of time is rough on her (and me, the reader, as well!). There’s something about this author’s writing that just draws me in and fully immerses me in a character’s head, and it makes the joys and the heartbreaks especially poignant.

Of course, plenty of characters from the first book are included. I was absolutely delighted to see Ixa again, and to see how he grows with Deka (sometimes literally!). Britta and Deka’s friendship remains another of my favorite parts of the book, and White Hands is slowly growing on me as a character. And then there’s Keita and Deka. I think the biggest missteps in this book are in the romantic subplots. They’re very minimal and underdeveloped, even Deka’s relationship with Keita. There’s so many other things going on that the characters barely get a chance to breathe, so while there were a few sweet moments, they were few and far between. There was also a tendency to pair off everyone with what seemed like insufficient development to me. Related to all that action, the pacing felt off. I can’t decide if it was too fast or too slow, which I’m guessing is a problem in and of itself. Some plot points are a bit predictable, but as I enjoyed them anyway, I don’t feel like I can complain too much about them.

Overall, this was a very much anticipated book for me, and it definitely lived up to the first! I am beyond impatient for the last book in the trilogy!

I received an advance review copy of this book from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children’s for an eARC copy in exchange for a review!

I loved this sequel to The Gilded Ones. I really enjoyed it and continuing to see the world of Otera grow. I think I enjoyed this story more, I really enjoyed the role of the gods and their influence on both Otera and Deka and her friends. How the plot was written and unfolded was well done and left me with plenty of jaw drops, gasps, and omg moments. I also loved the characters. I loved seeing Deka’s found family with her friends especially her relationships with Britta and Keita. Their journey through this book was filled with so much emotion and grief, a lot of from the first one, and to see them, especially Deka, deal and grow with them. And I really loved Deka’s growth in this book and can’t wait to see it continue in the next one.

Overall I really enjoyed this book and would recommend that you read this series!

Read if you’re looking for…
•Found family
•Women led/feminist story
•Black MC
•Questionable Gods

My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½⭐️ (4.5 stars)

In The Merciless Ones, Forna takes Otera, a world already filled to the brim with a vast, rich, and diverse culture, and expands it even further! Through the sequel to The Gilded Ones, Deka’s world is further explored, more locations visited, more residents introduced, and even more of its history brought to light.

This book wastes no time, immediately dropping the reader back into the throws of conflict between the alaki and the high priests. The narration does a very skilled job of re-familiarizing the reader with all that has come to pass in the previous novel while also introducing everything new since it’s story left off. I did find the beginning quick exposition-heavy, but not necessarily in a bad way, since the world itself was so intriguing. Forna certainly knows how to describe some of the most imaginative environments I’ve ever read about.

The Merciless Ones is chock-full of action, adventure, and intrigue, and jumps from one intense scene to the next as Deka and her friends make their way across Otera and to the Grand Temple of Hemaira. There were a few moments that did feel a bit abrupt, and well, a little too convenient for the characters. Some literal divine intervention, if you will. But that’s not uncommon in a “chosen one” plotline, and since this novel fully deals with divinity, it’s to be expected.

But, what I liked best about this novel was its depth. Following in its predecessor’s footsteps, The Merciless Ones continues to tackle gender politics and patriarchy while adding gender and sexuality diversity, identity, and religion to the roster. I loved the expanded discussion of how Otera’s patriarchal society affects those not previously mentioned, including queer, trans, and non-binary individuals.

The diversity of the cast was also explored here, and gratefully so. Despite this novel including such a wide variety of characters, Forna does a good job of rounding them, making them feel like real individuals with their own unique backgrounds and experiences. It was nice to be afforded more time to delve into some of these side characters’ storylines more completely in The Merciless Ones.

And rep was fantastic! Not just one or two queer characters to fill a quota, but many, fully actualized individuals from across the spectrum were presented here. All with their own histories, motivations, and challenges to overcome. I truly feel like I connected with more characters in this novel than almost any other book I’ve ever read with such a large ensemble cast.

Honestly, shout-out to the found family dynamics and friendships throughout this novel too. They were ideal. Deka and Britta’s friendship in particular was just utterly fantastic. Really, I can’t recommend this book enough. If you enjoyed The Gilded Ones, you have definitely got to read this sequel, it does not disappoint!

Thank you to TBR and Beyond Tours and the publisher, Delacorte Press/Random House Children’s Books, for providing me with an e-ARC of this book via NetGalley. All thoughts are my own.

The Merciless Ones is a brilliantly written second act. The lush and lyrical writing keeps you enthralled for the entirety of its 432 pages. The journey that Deka and her friends start in the Gilded Ones increasingly more difficult when they discover that what they thought they knew may not be the truth. Their quest for the truth explores gender identity and sexuality without becoming overbearing and keeping the reader actively involved in the story. It's a great read and I look forward to reading book three.

This one was a great book but not as good as the initial installments. Some of the tropes seemed to take away from the story and the book overall seemed like a filler to get us to the next book. Some of the important reveals were presented well and the pacing was excellent.

It's so incredibly rare that I find the second book in a series to be better than the first, let alone this much better. Both the plot and the narrative style seem much improved and the characters more engaging than The Gilded Ones. I'm eager to continue along Deka's journey with her and see how this unfolds.

The Merciless Ones is the second part in a series by Namina Forna. Previously I’ve read and enjoyed The Gilded Ones and I really was looking forward to this part, but will this one be just as good?

Six months ago, Deka freed the goddesses and has found that she is the Naru. Now there are wars waging across the kingdom, and Deka is considerd a monsters. But when the real battle begins, Deka must lead the charge and is tasked with freeing the rest of the goddesses. During her mission she comes across a strange symbol which seems to block her powers. Deka knows this is just the beginning, but what else will come? What will Deka discover in the battle?

In The Merciless Ones mysteries will be uncovered. Because the truths Deka thought she knew, don’t always seem what they are. Therefore this book is just full of plot twists and mystery.

Namina Forna has a nice writing style, but her books can be a bit femine at some times. This is something you must like, because other wise it can be a deal breaker. For me this wasn’t a problem, however I felt like it could have been a bit less at some parts.

In this book Deka is worked out even further, and as truths are revealed she grows as a person. However the rest of the her fighting group I found a bit naive in this book. When Deka says or discovers something, the rest just believes or follows her. Therefore I think that the relation between characters could have been better worked out.

This book with the lots of plot twist has managed to surprise me again, however some things could have been worked out better. Therefore I give 4 stars to The Merciless Ones, and because of the cliffhanger I can’t wait for the sequel.

I really enjoyed this sequel. Where The Gilded Ones appealed to action-driven readers, The Merciless Ones went deeper into the characters and development of Deka and her friends. Ixa, as always, threatened to just steal the whole show in every scene she popped up in. Overall, between the plotline and the balance of action to character work these two books complement each other beautifully.