This was my first time reading a book written by Roshani Chokshi, and I just have to say that I was absolutely unprepared for her wonderfully vivid imagery and exquisite prose. Her writing never felt too chunky or too dense. Instead, it was consistently immersive, evocative, and gripping. In all seriousness and no exaggerations, I just want to wrap all of her pretty words around me like a warm, comforting blanket (which I desperately need after reading that ending).

Aside from incredibly atmospheric storytelling, this YA urban fantasy offers much-needed nuances regarding colonialism, historical revisionism, cultural erasure, and the double-edged sword of being biracial. As a Filipino reader, most of these discourses really hit close to home, and I cannot thank the author enough times for writing something so important and needed. Moreover, the characters’ struggles with their cultural identities, particularly Enrique, are portrayed with utmost sensitivity and rawness. Evidently, The Gilded Wolves is a carefully constructed homage and beautifully written love letter to all marginalized readers.

Honestly, I cannot believe it took me this long to pick up a book written by Roshani Chokshi. I am now a full-fledged fan. I loved this so much! With wonderfully combined fantastical and historical elements, a lovable cast of diverse characters, and impeccably gorgeous prose, The Gilded Wolves is a well-rounded heist story that shouldn’t be missed! This book is definitely a perfect read for fans of high-stakes adventures, character-driven plots, and found families.

The Gilded Wolves is a fantastical, mystical treasure hunt – like a magical Da Vinci Code full of conspiracy and puzzles, but also romance and culture, with an infinitely interesting cast of characters who all bring something enchanting and unusual to the table. The art of forging is an extremely interesting and clever type of “magic” that allows the manipulation of objects and also minds … each individual has a very unique set of skills described so beautifully and graphically, that the reader’s mind is filled with intensely vivid conjurings of these peculiar talents.

The time is 1889, the place is Paris. A literal treasure trove of long pent up secrets is beginning to emerge and hotelier Séverin – a professional in the art of the heist – is determined to find what rightfully belongs to him. The Order is requesting Séverin’s help to find a very specific artifact and he may finally once and for all, be righted of his true inheritance if he succeeds.

With the help of his “brother” Tristan, lover of all things nature, and the young, beautiful historian Enrique, they team up with socially awkward gadget genius Zofia, and Laila, a mysterious dancer, and baker extraordinaire. Along with House Nyx patriarch Hypnos, arrogant and pretentious but clouded in loneliness, they set of on a hunt throughout the glimmering streets of Paris, and must pool every bit of wit, skill and knowledge they possess in between them, following clues and stepping most directly, right into danger.

The story is so chock full of history, I cannot help but admire Chokshi’s impressive research and her ability to weave such exquisite fantasy through cultural and factual events. It’s a delight to read and and an even more dazzling heist adventure.

I read this book in its entirety in one day because it was impossible to put down. Chokshi takes what is already a rich history and makes it even more vibrant, while also critiquing the colonialism and racism which structured European society during the late 1800s. Anyone who considers this "just another Six of Crows" are truly and genuinely missing out on so much.

It’s set in the 1800s in Paris, with MAGIC and artifacts, and the most adorable and flamboyant cast ever. I just…[clenches fist] love them so much ugh.

There are so many reviewing praising The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi that it must be amazing. CG Drews’ quote from her review (above) shows she loves it, and I love the characters she creates. The Gilded Wolves also entered the New York Times bestseller list at number four. The first seven percent I read was excellent, just not excellent for me now.

There’s just too much going on in my life to venture into a new world. I’ve realized that well-developed fantasy novels and I need to take a break. At least until I finish my MBA. Fortunately, the amazing Milena answered my call for help. While this wasn’t planned, her review is what I suspect I would have said about The Gilded Wolves if I had finished it before my head exploded confusing me.

“Set in a darkly glamorous Paris, the book follows a charismatic but cursed heir of a massive fortune as he plots to steal one of three ancient and powerful artifacts of fate. He and his crew will navigate the elite gatherings of secret occult societies, traveling through Paris’ catacombs where they must confront their worst secrets as well as a destiny they never imagined.”

Yeah, so a fantasy novel set in medieval Paris with lots of characters. Adding a writing style that Milena described as “it too flowery and too whimsical”, and it’s a book I’ll need to come back to. Milena said she loved that the Babel myth was the center of all the myths and cultures were woven together. She loved the origins story of some of the characters. I admit I saw the potential.

I wouldn’t discount The Gilded Wolves based on my sparse assessment. Read it yourself and let me know your thoughts.

I read to 50% before skipping to 80% and finishing and this rating breaks my heart because I was pretty much obsessed with Roshani’s other books.

I like the idea of this book. I was sold by Roshani’s name and that gorgeous cover and I went into this story blindly. I should have known something was up when I was able to set it down and not even look at it for days. I mean, not only did it take me 3 weeks {and that’s with skipping part of it}, I was truly convinced that I was in a slump because I couldn’t connect...and that’s where the problem lies.

When it all boils down to it, I just didn’t care. I didn’t care about the heist or any of the characters. To be honest, I couldn’t keep the many characters straight as their inner monologues felt the same. The world building and magic was intriguing, but came across as pretentious at the same time.

I’m giving this two stars because there were tidbits here and there that kept me reading: a phrase or a description that would spark me into eagerness. The ending left a set up that definitely caught my attention and I’ll probably be reading the next book, but I won’t be clamoring for it.

**Huge thanks to Wednesday Books for providing the arc free of charge**

Oh. My. Goodness. I loved The Gilded Wolves.

Just read the prologue. You will be hooked.

I finished the entire book in one sitting & purchased a copy after reading. The world building is glorious and delightfully complex. Some readers might find the historical fantasy difficult to follow but hang in there, this story is worth the extra effort.

The characters are where this book truly shines. The main cast is large but each character is unique and I found myself caring about each character. Severin! Laila! Zofia! Enrique! Tristan! The diversity among these characters and their experiences is what we need more of in all fantasy, not just YA.

I can't wait for book two.

Thanks to Netgalley for my copy.

This book is an action-packed adventure, in a lush, deadly world.

Chokshi creates characters with interesting dynamics and compelling backstories, who all shine on the page. Severin and Laila's dynamic in particular was strongly rendered.

The plot moves at a lightning fast pace, through Gilded Age Paris. The magic system is interesting, and Chokshi makes a compelling commentary on stolen magic and the colonialism inherent to this time period. Every caper feels fun, with the appropriate stakes.

At times, the book could stand to slow its pace. And at times, the plot twists became a bit convoluted (especially in the third act). But I'm more than willing to forgive this, because it doesn't seem to bog the book down.

This is a book that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last line! I can't wait for the sequel and to see what Chokshi imagines next.

4 1/2 stars. Set in 1889 Paris at the opening of the Exposition Universelle, a group of unconventional characters sets about pulling off a grand heist, with impossible odds, in an attempt to reclaim one man's inheritance and revive his family's house. Severin Montagnet-Alarie is the last descendant of the House of Vanth, one of four Order factions in France. Severin has been cheated of his inheritance, and has spent years working out a scheme to reclaim his birthright and bring House Vanth back to it's rightful place of power.

His crew includes Tristan (his younger brother, a skilled forger, much sought after for his landscape designs), Laila (true to her alter ego L'Engime, quite mysterious, but a master at uncovering secrets, and baker extraordinaire), Zofia (socially awkward, quite literal, and a brilliant forger and scientist), Enrique (historian, researcher, biracial, bisexual, and attempting to subvert Spanish colonialism in his native Philippines), and finally Hypnos, (added member of the group, something of a friend/rival from Severin's previous life, and current head of House Nyx).

I was quite entranced with this book. I read it in one day, and hated every time I had to set it down. I raced through the book, eager to find out what happened at the end of the heist. The Gilded Wolves had everything I love in it - a rich, thoroughly detailed world (and one based in a historical setting? Even better), memorable characters, and a compelling story line and plot. I love complicated heist stories, complete with dangerous endeavors, puzzles, and intrigue. As others have noted, parts of the story reminded me of Six of Crows, from the detailed planning and plotting, to the heist elements of the book, and the quirky crews, but The Gilded Wolves is less violent on the surface. It if often more brutal overall, since it is based on historical events - colonialism, racism, slavery, etc. It forces you to examine the darkness that lurks underneath the gilded surface of a "revolutionized" Paris.

Overall, a book I'd highly recommend at my library. I'm only sorry that the rest of the series isn't published, because I can't wait to see what happens next.

I almost gave up on The Gilded Wolves, but things improved as I kept reading. The story reminded me of both The Da Vinci Code and Ocean's Eleven, but written for a younger audience. The aspects of the story that included symbolism and mathematical equations sometimes felt a little far-fetched, but they were intricate and difficult enough to be believable. The characters had to actually work for their answers, and solutions didn't fall into their laps. However, I didn't always understand why Forged objects worked (or how), but I ignored the part of my brain that wanted a clearer understanding of the information being presented.

Speaking of information, The Gilded Wolves really overloaded my brain at the beginning, and then periodically throughout the book. I want an author to show me how their world works, because a lot of new information can be overwhelming and difficult to process. I would rather feel like I'm a part of the story, which is hard to do when I'm having trouble understanding how the world works. Additionally, some of the chapters in this book started with archival records from the Order of Babel, and the information only added to my confusion (random names and dates that dealt with Babel fragments and Forging).

There were also a lot of inconsistencies that I wasn't a fan of. For example, the rings are supposedly melded to the skin and impossible to remove (unless by force), which is why the first chapter happens the way it does. However, towards the end of the book, everyone is taking their rings off like it isn't an issue at all. I thought they had to literally be cut from the skin? If you've read this, did I miss something along the way? Really, everything about the house rings was confusing.

I did like watching everyone work together, and learning about all of their individual quirks. Hypnos was charming and instantly a favorite! It was clear he was lonely and looking for friendship, but the group was distrustful of anyone within the Order. Also, now that I think about it, he said the Order monitored his every movement outside of his house (and even wore a recording device for their benefit), but after a certain point he never seemed to have one on. Did the Order suddenly not care about his whereabouts?

As for the ending, I didn't like it. I felt betrayed by the author, and didn't appreciate how she handled something regarding one of the characters. There's also a cliffhanger, but it wasn't one that left me wanting more. I was annoyed with Severin and his decisions, confused about why he's able to attend the big meeting that's coming up, and angry at the way he's treating his friends. I understand that he's in pain, but he's picking at the wound instead of letting it heal. It went against what I thought I knew about Severin. In all honesty, I feel like I know very little about the characters, except for what they achieved during this book.

Books like this are always hard for me to review, because on the one hand I liked it enough to finish the story, but there were still a lot of things that rubbed me the wrong way. I enjoyed watching everyone worked together to crack codes and riddles, but I didn't always like how they handled their personal relationships and goals. If The Gilded Wolves sounds like something you'd enjoy, go for it. I thought the overall story was incredibly imaginative and fun to experience.

Originally posted at Do You Dog-ear? on January 26, 2019.

Oh, my. The Gilded Wolves is already one of my favorite reads of 2019 and it's only January!

Do you love: a dazzling historical fantasy set in 1889 Paris? Team banter with a crew of misfits you'll love? Puzzles to solve and treasure hunts? HEISTS!? A complex & immersive story told through multiple POVs? Wonderful world building and non-stop adventure? Then you need The Gilded Wolves in your life RIGHT. NOW.

I can definitely see the similarities to Six of Crows but trust me its a lot different than Six of Crows. I went into The Gilded Wolves with extremely high expectations because Roshani Chokshi wrote one of my favorite dualogies and boy was I not disappointed. You won't be either.

A glittering and gorgeous historical fantasy that suffers from a growing problem in genre fiction: it's classified as young adult when it reads as an adult novel. I love young adult and adult reads, but fantasy written by women is considered more marketable as YA (Mya Nunnally's piece for Book Riot on this problem breaks this down better than I ever could https://bookriot.com/2019/01/21/sexist-problem-in-fantasy/). I enjoyed The Gilded Wolves a and will certainly be reading the sequel, but it's always a little jarring to me when I pick up something that's ostensibly YA and then the characters are all functionally adults behaving as adults.

The Gilded Wolves reminded me of Six of Crows with a mix of 19th Century France set against the wonderful backdrop of Paris. The plot was well-devised and the story made me speechless with awe. The descriptions were lavish, and I felt an immediate connection with the characters. Sevérin, Leia, Tristan, Zofia and Enrique are the sort of people I would love to hang out with.

The heist in locating the Babel Fragments and the world-building based on the Bible was something interesting and I can't wait to return to this world in the sequel!

I thoroughly enjoyed The Gilded Wolves! Adventure, action, mystery and suspense. I will definitely be recommending this to my customers

It seems almost unfair to compare this book with Six of Crows, since the latter was such a wonderful book, but it's really hard to avoid it. They are both heist stories with fantasy settings (although this book is more of alternate history instead of a fantasy world), aimed at young adults. The entire time I was reading this book I kept thinking of Six of Crows. Frankly, for me, the best part of reading this book was being reminded of how much I loved Siz of Crows. Oh, that and the gorgeous cover.

I have a lot of problems with this book. First of all, what is the meaning of the title? And, more importantly, why is everything so confusing? It really feels like this was supposed to be the second book, as the author drops you in the middle of everything, cycling you between mutltiple POVs, with inadequate world-building or explanation of everyone's backstories. To me, the only POV character that had a distinct and interesting voice was Zofia. I am giving this book 2 stars instead of 1 just because of Zofia. I would have been happier if the POV had just gone back and forth between her and ... um, maybe Laila? I don't know. It just felt like a mess to me--a first draft of a novel. I did not buy a lot of what what going on in the plot, and the way the characters spoke to each other seemed inauthentic and too modern.

*I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks for the free book.*

"History is a myth shaped by the tongues of conquerors." (Author's Note)

If you liked "Six of Crows", you will like this exciting, lush and well-paced novel. The year is 1889 and the Exposition Universelle is taking place in Paris. Colonialisation is peaking, industrial advancements and power struggles shape the political landscape. Powerful houses deal with Forged artefacts: Séverin and his 'motley crew' aquire (= steal) these magical objects from the famous Order of Babel. Séverin's team consists of Lailah, an Indian dancer with magical abilities, Zofia, a Polish engineer with an affinity for math, Tristan, his adopted brother, Énrique, an ambitious Filipino historian. When Séverin is tricked into working for the Order, his team and himself have to make use of everything they have in order to survive. Can they outsmart the order and Hypnos, charming patriarch of the House Nyx?

This was a highly entertaining and fun read. I quite like the diverse and (in most cases) complex characters, the story is really good and issues of colonialisation and racism made the read even more interesting. (The author is of Indian and Filipino heritage, so she knows what she's talking about.) I also quite liked the bisexual character although I was a bit annoyed (as always) by the love triangles...but yeah.

I also learned a lot: did you know that in the early 20th century, Filipino tribal men where put into a sort of "human zoo" for Americans to gawk at? (Check this out: https://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/10/141027-human-zoo-book-philippines-headhunters-coney-island/)

Highly recommend if you like heist novels and want to see the darker side of Paris. 5 Stars because it was so entertaining as well as well written. ;-)

"In India, the dead were cremated. Legend went that those who weren't properly buried became bhuts, or ghosts. Though she knew she couldn't read anything living, she didn't want to take her chances with the dead."

I have to admit, I sped through this book way too quickly. It took me a while to read it because my reading time was limited, but when I did sit down with it, I *inhaled* it. I have the audio in my Audible wish list and I think I'm going to have to listen to it before I can really give a thorough review.

That said, I was totally sucked into this book. The characters are so distinct and all have their imperfections but you just fall in love. The setting and world-building are also excellent. Some of the forging details went over my head a bit, but that was because I was reading it so quickly. Also, I had an ebook, so I wasn't able to easily flip back and forth to check on details and information, so sometimes I had a question but just kept plowing through.

I look forward to the sequel, because I am quite curious how the characters are going to resolve some of the events and discord that appeared at the end of the book.

Amazing writing, spectacular worldbuilding, and a truly magical read that was hard to put down. The characters were great and I expect to find more great things from this author.

I really liked this book but at the same time it did not leave me much of an impression. I loved the characters and the relationships between all of them, the diversity there was, and also that sort of treasure hunt with puzzles to solve and lots of alchemy and history and banter. It's true it gave me some Six of Crows vibes which is a book I love so all in all that made me greatly enjoyed the book. But sadly I had trouble understanding everything that was happening along with the all the forging system, maybe it's my own fault and I need to reread the book more carefully, but it ended up with me being confused most of the time. I was kind of disinterested at the last part but the last two chapters kept me in and promised a great plot for the rest of the series.

I was fortunate enough to receive this ARC and it was one of my favorite books I’ve read this year so far! There is something about a band of misfits that join together to scheme and plot their way to victory and it calls to my soul. I love the friendships that bond together and the mix of such different personalities as they do what each of them does best to become an unstoppable force, and this book has all of that and more. It was action packed, and kept me guessing what could possibly happen next. I kept telling myself, just one more chapter, and next thing I knew it would be 3 am and I still couldn’t stop! It was worth every bit of missed sleep though because this book was such a fun and entertaining read. I have heard such great things about Roshani Chokshi and this only proved to me that I really need to read her other books because wow, this was some great writing! Consider me a fan!

Set during La Belle Epoque era in Paris, France this book takes you back in time but to a different type of Paris than you read about in the history books. This Paris is full of magic and royal bloodlines and schemes and deception. In this alternate world people are said to manifest a certain type of magical powers by the age of thirteen but not all manifest the ability to Forge. If you are able to Forge, it is either with the mind or with matter. And of course with power there is always a society set out to control such magic and in this case they go by the Order of Babel. The French faction of the Order was originally made up of four houses that swore to safeguard the location of their Babel fragment (that which controls all magical abilities). Over time greed and corruption lead to the fall of one house and the end of another when they died without an heir. The only problem is that there is an heir and he wants his return to claim his family name and the House of Vanth once again. But its not as easy as you would think. There is a lot more involved than lost legacies, and one scheme will open up a world of chaos in which we can only hope everyone will survive.

The Characters were my favorite part of this book. There is a hefty gang of them so lets start with the leader of this diverse crew, Severin. Severin is a biracial character who has been shunned since “failing” a test to prove that he is the heir to the House of Vanth. And because of this failure House Vanth fell because there was no one else to carry on the bloodline. Since then, he has become a force to be reckoned with. Severin has pulled together and unlikely crew of misfits that can each help in their own unique way and with them all he is fiercely protective and will do whatever it takes to keep them all safe. Mostly his brother in everything but blood, who he has sworn to always protect since they were small children going from one foster family to the next, trying to survive. Now that he is older though he has his own hotel business and secret “acquisition” business on the side where he for lack of a better term has been stealing magical artifacts back from the corrupt Houses in hopes that one day he will be able to prove that he is the rightful heir and with that position he could effectively protect all those he cares about with ease.

Next we have Laila, who is an indian dancer but passionate about baking. She has had a really rough past as well, and coming to this crew has found the companionship and safety that she needs. Laila has a special power due to events of her past, and through this power she has the ability to touch objects and “read” them. While reading them she sees certain things about the objects, like what the object has “seen” or who it belongs to, or how it has been used. With this ability she has become an integral part of Severin’s crew and she has found a place and a purpose.But she also has a mission of her own, to find a specific book that can help her find out who she is before its too late, because she has a secret and time is running out.

Tristan is Severin’s brother in everything other than blood. They have grown up with each other being transferred from one foster family to the next, all ending in tragedy. Its because of this that Tristan looks to Severin for safety and a home. Tristan is a botanist who has the ability to Forge materials. He is very fond of his pet tarantula named Goliath even though the rest of the crew could do without the spider. He is also the one that is called to do most of the gardening work for the remaining two Houses because he has a strong ability to Forge with plants. He is definitely the cinnamon roll of the crew. I liked the sweet and sensitive parts of his character, you can tell that he is part of the glue that holds them all together.

Enrique is our biracial Filipino and Spanish bisexual historian. He has a lot going on, obviously! Although he doesn’t have the ability to Forge he has made it his goal to become knowledgeable in all things. He isn’t just your average book worm, spending all his time researching and reading has given him the upper hand in a world where not having magic can put you at a disadvantage. Not only that, but because of his heritage he is also persecuted for being a minority as well. This book focuses on the time in France when there was a lot of colonization going on and Enrique refuses to be put down because of the color of his skin. He is extremely intelligent and because of his smarts he has made himself irreplaceable in the crew.

Then there’s our quirky Zofia. She was one of my favorite characters. She is Polish and Jewish with a bit of social anxiety thrown in the mix. She is also an amazing mathematician. She finds comfort in numbers. When her anxiety flares up in certain situations, she likes to count in order to relax. She can easily spot patterns and remember equations and likes when things are all in order. Zofia like the rest of the crew had a hard past and cares a lot for her little sister who she tries to send money and clothes to support her in any way that she can. I love that Zofia’s character has a boldness that can only come with a very practical way of thinking. She is blunt and says it like it is, no sugar coating or beating around the bush. While sometimes she doesn’t understand the joke, she still tries. And with time she comes to find that its okay to just be herself and that people love her for that.

And lastly, we have Hypnos. Being the heir in charge of one of the remaining Houses, he comes off at first as a snob. His character isn’t well liked at first not only from the reader’s POV but as we get to know his history we see that being a black leader among a group of people who are trying to purify the bloodlines in rule, he is somewhat of an outsider. His mother was a servant and so even though his blood runs true he is still seen as less than by the Order of Babel. But along the way we find that he really doesn’t have evil intentions at heart and he becomes a character that you want to stand behind.

There is a common theme that we see in this diverse group of characters and that theme is that they all want to overcome the prejudice and higher powers that are keeping them down. Whether it be gaining back your family House and title, saving your family from colonization, finding a safe place to call home, proving that your heritage isn’t all you are. They all band together to create an unstoppable force to be reckoned with. With each of them bringing their own individual talents to the group, there really isn’t anything they can’t accomplish without each other. I love the bonds that were formed throughout the book and the love that so clearly they have for each other. Its books like this that create such a beautiful definition of friendship and family that speaks to how with the support of those we love we can accomplish great things. Books where you learn to love the characters so much make the reading a personal experience in the end. You can’t help but feel for each of them and hope that their plans are successful so that they can go on to become what they have been reaching for all along.

4 Stars

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I really enjoyed this book and can't wait to read the next book in the series. The writing is well done, the world-building is good and the story is interesting. It contains compelling, well-formed characters that a reader can get invested in.

The story is set in 1889 in an alternative-world Paris. In this world, certain people are endowed with special abilities that allow them to exert power over items or people's minds. These abilities are controlled by only a few houses that are members of a secret society called the Order of Babel. Séverin Montagnet-Alarie is the main character. He is a wealthy hotel owner and leader of a small band of misfits that steal forged artifacts. Séverin believes the Order cheated him out of his claim as heir of House Vanth and wrongfully declared their line legally dead. He intends to find leverage to force the Order to re-do the test so he can claim his inheritance and restore his line.

When Hypnos, the heir of House Nyx, offers Séverin the chance to restore his lost inheritance in exchange for stealing a possibly dangerous object belonging to the Order, it's an offer too good to pass up. His friends offer their help and they devise a risky plan to steal the object.

This book is a lot of fun to read. I had a hard time putting it down. The main character Séverin is a very accomplished and capable guy's guy that people are drawn to. He could have come across as a jerk, but instead is extremely likeable. He isn't afraid to show his friends how much he cares about them or how much their loyalty means to him. Even though there are several minor characters, the author does a good job of fleshing out their backgrounds and explaining what motivates them to follow Séverin.

Because this is a YA book, however, the bad guys do bad things but aren't really super evil. There is plenty of action, but no excessive violence and no graphic sex scenes. I give the author kudos for including characters with diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds, as well as gay/bi characters.

I highly recommend you read this book!

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.