Thank you, NetGalley, for allowing me to read an arc of the delightfully charming, The Gilded Girl by debut author Alyssa Colman. The magical elements of the story made me feel like I looked through a stain-glass window despite the dreary yet historically accurate circumstances happening outside of Miss Posterity's Academy. I loved the way Colman honestly depicted the harsh times of New York' City's history with references to the stout differences between wealth and poverty, including hints at a rising strike with the young Newsies. Emma and Izzy's voices were distinct enough to tell the difference between them yet both also played off each other quite nicely. Every new surprise that came with the children growing closer to their kindling ceremony held my interest and made it hard for me to put the book down. With nods to The Little Princess, I believe The Gilded Girl will charm any reader and warm his/her heart from start to finish, and I cannot wait to buy this for my elementary library.

What a delightful tale! Even if you're not familiar with A Little Princess, you'll still enjoy this gorgeously-written, fast-paced story of Emma and Izzy, who are hoping to kindle their magic before it snuffs out. The author has created a fully-realized magical world, with clever details, the perfect villain, loyal friends, and social commentaries that are timely today. Plus, BEST. OPENING. LINE. EVER!

Grateful to read an e-arc of this beautiful novel!

The Kindling ceremony is a right of passage fir every 12 year old that is if you are of any worth. The Gilded Girl takes place in a world where magic is not hidden, many people use it to improve the life of those around them. From New York to San Francisco the wonderful workings of magic can be seen. There is just one catch, every person who possesses this power is rich and prosperous. If you are born poor and lowly you are forced to snuff out your magic never allowing it to show through any spark or flame after your 12th year and not kindling during the December Winds.
Emma finds herself in a precarious position. At the start of this book she is the daughter of a world renowned magical architecture, her papa is rich and well known and this alone gains her access into the prestigious Miss Posterity’s Academy for Practical Magic. The school guarantees that she will learn the magic needed to complete the kindling ceremony in order to retain her magic and live a life full of all the benefits that come with magical abilities. Unfortunately, unforeseen circumstances cause Emma’s life to be turned upside down causing her to go from being a pupil at the school to being a servant. Through this journey and her friendship with Izzy, a lowly servant girl, Emma learns the true value of a person and their ability to do magic is not based on their monetary value. This book was fascinating, full of twists, adventure and wonder.

This glorious book!

Take one of my favorite stories in the history of stories - A Little Princess - and retell it with magic, and you have THE GILDED GIRL.

And it is so very magical. Doorknockers that bloom. Flaming fireplace lizards to heat buildings. Children who burst into flames when the winter winds blow just right, letting them know it's time for them to kindle their magic.

Emma and Izzy are delightfully realized protagonists, and Miss Posterity is a perfect villain. The setting - turn of the century Manhattan, itself magical - is so beautifully described and lush. The sprinkling of historical details (the Pinkertons, muckrakers, to name a few) are an absolute treat. And the moments of Emma's near-rescue are every bit as nail-biting and heartbreaking as they were in the original classic.

I'm ever so grateful to FSG/Macmillan for the eARC of this book. I'll be pre-ordering my copy, as this is a treasure of a story that I'll want to share with the children in my life for years to come.

The Gilded Girl was everything I hoped for and more from debut author Alyssa Colman. She seamlessly weaves together historical details and a delightful magical system to create a world popping with color and life. Nods to the source material, A Little Princess, provide cozy comfort in a story that also feels incredibly fresh. This book left my heart as warm and full as the magic inside Emma and Izzy as they make their plans, preparing for the night the kindling winds begin to blow.

This book is such fun. A Little Princess is one of my favorite books and I love stories about magic so I was extremely excited about it. The story did not disappoint. Colman does an excellent job of making the characters stand out from the earlier tale. Emma is slightly spoiled and naïve compared to the clever Sarah Crewe. Izzy is pretty snarky compared to the subservient Becky. On the whole this book will appeal to both fans of A Little Princess and newcomers hungry for a bit of magic.

A retelling of "A Little Princess" set in magical alternative turn-of-the-century New York City boarding school. I really enjoyed the magical world with its household mythical creatures and magical traditions. It's a good example of a fantasy story exploring social issues, in this case whether or not wealth determines worth. I do wish, however, that the "A Little Princess" retelling was acknowledged more in the marketing or back matter, but perhaps it will in the final release.

Charming and heartfelt fantasy story that combines elements of <i>A Little Princess</i> with magic and progressive politics. Given the conclusion of the novel I assume this will not be a series, but I would happily seek out more works by this author. Also, I totally want my own house dragon now!