The Gilded Crown by Marianne Gordon is a fast-paced fantasy that totally pulled me in from the start! The story is set in a world where royal families rule with power and secrets, and it follows the journey of a young princess who’s trying to figure out how to claim her crown and survive all the drama that comes with it. There’s a lot of political intrigue, unexpected twists, and plenty of danger lurking around every corner.

What I really liked about this book is the main character. She’s tough, smart, and not afraid to go after what she wants, even though she has a lot of challenges ahead of her. The romance is there, but it doesn’t take over the plot, it’s more about the princess learning to navigate her new role and all the crazy decisions she has to make. The world-building is super rich, and you really get sucked into the politics, the alliances, and all the betrayals.

The pacing is quick, with lots of action and twists that kept me hooked. It’s not just about the fantasy world, though—there are a lot of emotional moments that make you connect with the characters, too. Plus, the ending has me wanting to read the next book, like, now!

I usually have an obsession with all things death related. This book wasn't bad but it just wasn't good either? It felt so incredibly slow and I found myself not really caring to continue. The best scenes were the ones with Death and everything else was just... Meh.

I was interested in the history of the world and the riddles but when it came down to the interactions with the Princess, it just felt so forced. It was cringy to read and I hated every interaction.

This could have been good, but it just didn't click with me

This book is a fantasy with romance elements it is not what I would consider a Romantasy. I enjoyed the characters and the world building. I do think that it could have been loads better with more romance. But overall, I did enjoy it and I am excited for book two. With LGBT themes this one does a great job bringing a new story to the world.

I waffled constantly between a 3 and a 4 when thinking about ratings as I was reading this, but I think I’ve settled on a 3.5 leaning towards a 3 (I guess that’s technically a 3.25? whatever), which is why my rating on Goodreads is as such.

I couldn’t help getting Belladonna by Adalyn Grace flashbacks as I was reading this, mostly due to the Death connections (as in, Death is a Character and not just a state of being), but those did work in this story’s favor, considering I really didn’t like Belladonna.

However, it wasn’t enough to wow me. And maybe that’s because I’m reading a Brando Sando still, but The Gilded Crown ended up being pretty middle-of-the-road for me. I liked the idea of our MC, Hellevir, having a connection with Death, especially considering it wasn’t romantic. The ability to raise the dead in any sense is a fun concept in my eyes.

But the actual romance itself? I was a little meh on. Yay for sapphic relationships! But I kinda didn’t like Sullivain much, at least not until after I found out she was the love interest. Then she sort of grew on me, but I liked her more as her own character than her interactions with Hellevir. Maybe that was the point, but I’m not entirely sure. Also, Hellevir is such a cool name. Big main character vibes.

(Side note: why do I keep reading sapphic books where the love interest is so annoying? That’s two in a row.)

The world, though, was my favorite part. It had that dark, twisty feel to it that I love in stories, and it reminded me a lot of One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig. It’s because of this setting, along with the good writing, that I think I will continue on with the series (just maybe in audiobook form this time). Or maybe I’ll wait for the next thing from Gordon. Not sure yet! All I know is I do enjoy their writing a lot, and I think I could find myself coming back to it.

This was my first read by this author. I enjoyed the writing and was intrigued by the synopsis and first half of the book. Things started to slow down and I don’t feel like the paced picked back up. I did like the characters aside for the relationship with Sullivain. I think there was more of a relationship with Hellevir and Death. I will still read the next one when it comes out because overall I did enjoy the story.

5 ⭐️

In this story we follow Hellevir, a girl who can travel between life and death as easily as blinking. But bargaining for the recently dead does not come without a great price taken from Hellevir herself. After she brings back Princess Sullivain, she finds herself tangled in court politics and a deal with a man inside of Death.

I really loved the scenes inside of Death and how it was described. It felt like you were really there with Hellevir. I feel like we got a really clear picture of the city of Rochidain and I hope we will get more in depth world building as we continue the series.

Hellevir is a very compassionate and naive character who we see learn that most people will take advantage of her kindness. This includes Sullivain, who is selfish and arrogant and angry. Despite her negative qualities, we see glimpses of who she is underneath how she has been taught to act by her grandmother. Hellevir finds herself caring very deeply for the Princess and I did too, though that might not be everyone’s experience. Though she finds herself tied to Sullivain in ways she can’t explain, Hellevir does not trust her.

Seeing how Hellevir interacted with the world, was so fun and I’m excited to see where she and her raven companion go next.

*Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for an arc in exchange for an honest review.*

I'm really conflicted by this book.

First, the audio is amazing and very much recommended.

Second....ugh, second, I dislike the love interest. There is zero chemistry. Less than zero, she's downright mean. It should be...someone else who really does seem to have chemistry with the FMC (trying not to spoil it).

I think this book would be a bit harder to read due to the cyclic plot. I think the author handled this really well but it is a lot of the same situation happening for one book. The writing is beautiful and the narrator was really natural for the prose. I mostly enjoyed it but I'm not sure I can pick up book #2 yet. I know where I want the book to go but I'm not sure how dark the story will skew so we will see.

I'm leaving a 3 because I don't think it's a 4 but it's at least a 3.5.

Thank you so much to Avon/Harper Voyager and the author for this title. I did receive this book as an ARC but am leaving my review voluntarily and honestly.

I love the mix of familiar tropes and also the unique twists on magic! Necromancy is always interesting to read about. And the protagonist's relationship with her mother hits home.

Marianne Gordon’s debut, The Gilded Crown, offers a fresh take on death magic, weaving a dark fantasy about Hellevir, a young woman with the power to raise the dead—at a personal cost. Since childhood, Hellevir has been able to pull souls back from Death’s grasp, but each resurrection comes with a price extracted by the enigmatic figure who rules the afterlife. When Princess Sullivain, sole heir to the throne, is assassinated, the Queen summons Hellevir, demanding her granddaughter be revived. Bound to Sullivain to prevent further assassination attempts and the risk of civil war, Hellevir faces a growing threat not only from the kingdom’s enemies but from Death himself, who always demands his due.

The magic system is a highlight, and Gordon’s exploration of death magic feels innovative and haunting. Hellevir’s interactions with Death and the toll of each resurrection add depth to the worldbuilding and weight to her choices. However, while the setup of a slow-burn romance between Hellevir and Sullivain had potential, the development felt a bit underexplored, making it harder to fully invest in their relationship. Because of this, I’d hesitate to call this a "romantasy," as the romance takes a backseat to the plot.

Overall, The Gilded Crown is an intriguing start for Gordon, showcasing her potential as a fantasy writer with a unique approach to magic and sacrifice. I look forward to seeing how her work develops in future books!

The vibes are immaculate. While the writing style is straightforward, it still portrays a very satifysing fairy tale vibe. The premise of a young woman who can enter Death and make bargains to bring people and creatures back to life is well formed and somewhat unique. In some ways, the story reminds me a bit of The Bear and the Nightingale in the way it sets up the childhood of Hellevir as unique, the religious tension and a somewhat naive and innocent main character being forced into political scheming.

I don't know why some reviews seemed to think this would be a romantasy, as the advertising doesn't really every say anything about romance. The characters are interested and while Sullevain is mostly unlikeable, its not for lack of characterization but rather serves an interesting foil to Hellevir. There is some romantic tension, that I think does drive some of Hellevir's motivations, but it is subplot at best. The pacing is somewhat uneven at times, but remains overall intriguing. I think I know where things are going with Death and the more mythology aspect of the action, but I'm interested to see if I end up being right.

Not for me. Had some really good world-building but I couldn't connect to the characters in a meaningful way.

For a debut, it's not bad but it's not exceptionally great either. 3,5 ⭐

It started with an intriguing premise, cited from the description: Since she was a little girl, Hellevir has been able to raise the dead. Every creature can be saved for a price, a price demanded by the shrouded figure who rules the afterlife, who takes a little more from Hellevir with each soul she resurrects.

Until she resurrected the heir of the kingdom, Princess Sullivain. You think with such a power she would have a better bargaining position. But no, the Queen blackmailed and threatened to hurt her family if she refused to be around just in case the princess was assassinated (again).

And the book becomes frustrated (at least for me). I'd love for Helevir to fight more, be more cunning, more so to survive within the kingdom. Stand up for herself. She did, tho and I love her for that. But in the end, love wins. She couldn't do anything. She would still do what the Queen asked for her no matter how ridiculous the number of princess' deaths that she had to ressurect.

Oh and I think she needed to be more considerate who to help. Like the way the princess acted made it not worthy (honestly).

What I like is her on adventure finding the clues to give the Death. She with her best friend raven. Her relationship with her father. This girl deserves better really. That ending is kinda hopeful.

Oh and in my mind her appearance is kinda horror the way she had to pay the price with her body and her soul. But I think the writing could be more atmospheric bcs sometimes I find it hard to visualise the people, esp in the kingdom. I do love the desc of Death's area and his demeanor, tho.

This is a suitable read in October. Horrorish fantasy with kingdom political intrict.

Thank you for the arc in exchange for honest review 🩷

I wasn't able to really get into or enjoy this book much, I thought that it was something completely different and not my usual read. It could have been my mood however I don't think that I will be continuing the series.

This was an amazing read. I enjoyed the gothic atmosphere and dark story. Hellevir's arc was very enjoyable. She really just wanted to live her life and genuinely help people. A classic tale of how that can go astray. The romance subplot was understated in a nice way. It was there but not the point of the story. I didn't particularly care for Sullivain but she came around. The portrayal of death was great. There was a neat concept of payment for bringing souls back which made sense but was nest to see none the less. Overall I enjoyed the pacing. It kept me engaged and wanting to know the next page. I cannot wait for the next book.

Hellevir can slip in and out of death to bring souls back. She learns it at a young age when it costs her little to save a fox caught in a trap and later on a much bigger cost. After saving the princess Physically, mentally, and emotionally she is battling the tolls of bringing someone back knowing that if she doesn’t she could have possibly saved someone and instead walked away. She is now indebted to the crown and forced to bring the princess back regardless of what it why she has passed. And it makes no difference to others the toll it is taking on her. She makes a deal with death to hunt for precious treasures to trade instead. But only after she solves the riddles she is given. After bringing back the princess again and again hurting herself and her family in the process she starts to realize the predominant religious group in the city might be coming for her. She needs to escape but while under the crowns employee she cannot.
This story was so interesting and I am very excited to go where it is going

I love romantasies, but there’s a dearth of sapphic novels in this genre that I like. I was happy to find this one - it reminds me of Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon and Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir. I love dark fantasy too, and this book struck me with the vibe of a dark, evocative fairy tale, atmospheric and stirring. Hellevir’s chemistry with Sullivain and Death both was a draw. The world building was great, too, and I think the author’s writing was strong, even if I at times wished for a more evenly-matched back and forth between Hellevir and Sullivain, who isn’t as likable as a character (but still provides a good foil). I’m a big fan of romances where one half isn’t exactly a great person, but think it requires a little more work to get readers invested in the relationship. That being said, I still enjoyed the angst and slow burn. This is a slower paced book, which can turn off some readers, but I personally enjoy a slower-moving plot. I also loved that there were both sapphic and achillean relationships represented.

#TheGildedCrown #NetGalley
If you enjoy fantasy And high romance in this book is for you. I would definitely recommend this to someone that enjoys fantasy. It is it is a A very Interesting and dark read.

I would categorize this novel under the growing umbrella of books I’ve read this year that I call quiet fantasy. Novels where, for the majority of the book, the plot events aren’t extremely intense. Or they are intense, but they’re spaced out in such a way that they don’t feel overwhelming. What often happens with quiet fantasy novels is that the end ramps up for that rollercoaster effect most other popular fantasy novels (I’m looking at you, BookTok) are putting you through the entire time.

This novel was beautifully written, and I particularly loved the relationships between Hellevir and the characters around her, because they were all incredibly flawed, and messy, and human. Her relationship to her family members, to Sullivain, to the Death-like character that waited for her on the other side. I couldn’t decide if I liked them, hated them, or was afraid of them—and I think that is actually a sign of great writing, that I couldn’t make a determination on each of these characters. In a few places, I felt like the author told more than showed, particularly in relation to how and why Hellevir chose to do what she did throughout the novel, but it took me out of the novel to feel this sense of distance between her and her mother, or even her and Sullivain, both of which were places where I should feel nothing but intimacy, whether positive or negative.

I found a few lulls in the middle of the book, but the last 10% of the novel was incredibly strong, and I was riveted to see where Hellevir’s loyalties would fall on the final page. The answer seems to be with herself, and I love that dearly. On the whole, I give this 3 ⭐

*Thank you again to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

I struggled completing this book and ended up DNFing at about 35%.. I believe it's the pacing, it was a little slow for me. I would like to try again another time. Thank you Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC.

Let me preface this review by saying: I read a lot of books. Most linger in my mind as vague recollections days, weeks, months after I read them, no matter whether I rated them five stars or one. When you read a lot, things tend to...blend. ESPECIALLY when you read a lot in the same genre like I do. Because of this, very, very few books sear themselves into my brain and refuse to let me go.

But, for a number of reasons, the Gilded Crown is one of those few.

I originally rated this 3 stars, but the longer I sat with it, the more I realized this is an amazing debut and an incredibly promising start to a trilogy. It just suffers from some misleading marketing. Do not go into The Gilded Crown thinking it's a sapphic YA romantasy. It's not that at all, despite the generic romantasy cover and the blurb on the back really overselling the love aspect of things. It's more in the vein of The Witch's Heart, One Dark Window, or For the Wolf. The writing is stunning, and Gordon absolutely nails the worldbuilding. But I think my favorite part of the book has to be Hellevir, our heroine who can commune with Death himself. I loved how Hellevir comes into her own throughout the novel, and I genuinely could not predict what her next use of her magic would be. I also love how Gordon centered Hellevir herself rather than the romance (which is a weak point if you're reading it as a romantasy, and a strength if you're reading it as a young woman trying to break free of everyone's expectations of her -- and grappling with the nature of power in the process).

If there was one weak point, besides the marketing, I would say it's the middle of the novel. For a number of reasons, the plot sort of stagnates in the middle, after a promising beginning and before an exciting ending. Still, I cannot stop thinking about Hellevir, the world Gordon's crafted, and where she may take the series next.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Harper Voyager, and Marianne Gordon for gifting me this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review! I am really looking forward to the next Raven's Trade novel!