When it comes to fairy tale retellings, I know that I am in a good place picking up Marissa Meyer’s books. Gilded is a return to fairy tale retellings for Meyer and I AM HERE FOR IT. I felt like this was such a good book to really sink my teeth into. As I read, I felt transported into the retelling of Rumpelstiltskin – with some very clear Germanic elements.

Serilda has been either blessed or cursed by the Storytelling God – depending upon how you look at it. You see, her eyes featuring a spinning wheel on them. When Serilda opens her mouth, she weaves these fantastic tales. Those in her village don’t know whether to believe her or to assume she’s lying. At this point, only the children listen to her stories. No one else really wants anything to do with her. Serilda lives with her father — her mother having disappeared when she was two. One night Serilda is late getting home from work at the school. Through a series of events, she helps two moss maidens escape the Erlking who conducts hunts.

Unfortunately, helping the moss maidens places Serilda under the Erlking’s notice. He kidnaps Serilda with the expectation that she will spin straw into gold. Serilda is unable to do this — it is one of the tales she weaves. However, she is helped out one night by a young poltergeist, simply called Gild. There is an undeniable attraction between Serilda and Gild, but Gild has got some secrets and a mystery about him. Also — Serilda’s luck against the Erlking who is absolutely a terrible, bad guy is about to run out.


I really enjoyed Gilded. It felt like a good return to Meyer’s roots. While it didn’t captivate me quite as much as Cinder per se, it was still attention grabbing. I really enjoyed the sense of setting that Meyer infused the story with. The inspirations were so clear. I also liked the chemistry between Serilda and Gild. However, I did also really feel the length of this book at different moments where it felt overlong. This is more of a me problem than a this book problem. I absolutely would say give this one a shot if you are a long time fan of Meyer.

Meyer's Lunar Chronicles are some of my absolute favorite books to exist, so when I saw she was publishing another fairytale retelling I was ecstatic. Unfortunately, once I started reading, my expectations were dashed tremendously. I only made it about 30% into the book before I began skimming past most of the description and only reading the dialogue. The pacing is incredibly slow and this book is so long that it feels unnecessary. The romance is as insta-lovey as you'd expect from a fairytale retelling but the direction it goes in is one I'm not enthusiastic to read about. And then to top it off, the book ends in a pseudo-cliffhanger and you realize it's the beginning of a duology or series. I wasn't impressed enough to be continuing, but I will give Meyer props for making this book slightly more mature. Her writing style has improved over the years, and it is delightful to read her more classical styling.

I really enjoyed this book, and I would recommend to anyone looking for good YA Fantasy. I can't wait for the next book to come out!

This had pretty consistently been a five star read. The entire story was entertaining and enjoyable that I kept thinking about it even when I wasn’t reading it.

Then it got to the final act and Meyer decided to do something that I completely hated and made me really upset. I can’t say what because it’s a massive spoiler.

I’m hoping the next book will somehow fix what I ended up hating about this book. If it does, I’ll likely come back and alter this review and rating.

But at the moment, I am not happy.

I am absolutely DEVASTATED that I have to wait gods-knows how long to find out what happens!!! Marissa Meyer deftly wove a clever retelling of a classic fairy tale, mixing in other folklore as well. It was dark and bleak, like original fairytales were in the Grimm era and I am here for it.

I received this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Another great retelling from Marissa Meyer!

Gilded is retelling of Rumpelstiltskin but more terrifying than any story I ever heard growing up. Serilda is a miller’s daughter whose favorite pastime is telling stories. These story caught the eye of the evil Erlking and his undead followers during The Great Hunt. The Erlking locks Serilda up and tells her that she has to spin straw into gold by daybreak or she will die.

Luckily a poltergeist named Gilde came to her rescue and was able to spin the straw into gold. Serilda thought that would be sufficient for the Erlking but the Erlking has other things in mind.

So begins a tale of Serilda, Gilde and the Erlking along with lots of phantom monsters and dangerous hell hounds to boot.

I thought this was a great beginning to a new series. I really like Gilde but was not a big fan of Serilda. She was just so self absorbed and I just couldn’t get behind her as a character. I am totally rooting for Gilde to find answers and freedom.

The descriptions of the different animals, ghouls and goblins was great. You could almost picture them.

Can’t wait to continue on with the series in 2022

Thank you @fiercereads and @marissameyer for sending me this ebook to review! This is a creative Rumplestilskin retelling with dark magic, an evil Alder King, and a dash of romance!

I liked the first third of this book a lot and thought this was going to be an easy 4-star read but around the halfway point the story goes into unfamiliar territory and lost a lot of steam. For me, it took another third for it to pick back up again and it wasn't until the 98% mark that I realized this must be part of a larger series because there was no way things were going to wrap up in time. So I was a little disappointed we weren't going to get most of the answers we needed.

Although I really loved the wild hunt, the Alder King, and everything about the veil between life and death in this book, a turn of events at the end of the book made me roll my eyes so overall I didn't enjoy the second half as much as I wanted.

Rating: ⭐️3.25⭐️

Trigger warnings: death of a parent, violence, gore, parental abuse, abortion, fertility.

Ok, I loved this book! Vivid storytelling, an interesting and relatable main character who is smart, funny, creative and able to use sarcasm like a whip. I don't need to rehash what this book is about. . . Just read it for the pure pleasure of a well-written, engaging, witty, heart wrenching adventure.

I went in thinking this was a stand-alone, as did a bunch of other people, and felt that anxiety towards the end when a book doesn't seem like it's going to wrap up properly. But the ending leaves no doubt that there will be a sequel. So imagine my surprise when I discover people were upset by this? To the point of knocking off stars in reviews! I can't believe it. Why be one and done when you can have double the story? I mean, the book is like 500 pages as it is. Clearly, there is much more to come. How could you not want more after an ending like that?! THAT ENDING! But, hey, I get it. Okay, not really.

While this book is technically a Rumpelstiltskin retelling, Meyer also sprinkled Germanic folklore throughout to create a denser, broader tale with longevity. You've got ghosts, creatures, the Wild Hunt, a mysterious curse, superstitious towns, forest spirits, gods, and goddesses. It's a full package. The story also explores significantly darker topics and themes than her other work, which left me pleasantly surprised. There is still a whimsical feeling that good will prevail, but it constantly battles with the reality that there is no escape. The pacing reminds me of Naomi Novik's style, or maybe that's just because she also wrote a Rumpelstiltskin retelling? There is a slow and steady build-up. Things happen and then they don't. Serilda is only summoned by the Erlking once a month, so some moments throughout the story feel like filler. However, the investigation into the history of the Erkling's castle, aka the sub-plot, was interesting enough to keep me coming back. There are a few twists that I didn't see coming that had me on the edge of my seat with a goofy grin. I can't get over the ending, and I hate that I can't say anything because of spoilers. The only thing that happens a little too quickly, in my opinion, is the love interest. I am not a fan of insta-love, and this book toed the line with that.

Marissa Meyer is often referred to as the Queen of Fairytale Retellings, and after reading Gilded, I am inclined to agree with the title. I highly recommend this book for fans of: retellings, folklore, dark and mysterious characters/forests/castles, ghosts, superstitions, alluring villains, slow-burn plots, and cliffhangers.

This was such a great retelling. I love that it is the female characters that are coming to save the day. I am still thinking about this book and counting down until the sequel

Love love loved this!!! Its going to be a long and hard wait for book two!! Highly recommend its such a unique retelling of Rumpelstiltskin can't wait to see where it goes.

Gilded is a classic fairy tale but so much more. Marissa Meyer takes a basic story and crafts it into an dark, gothic story of intrigue, sacrifice, and mystery. The miller's daughter, known for spinning lies, gets more than she bargains for when she lies to the Erlking. "Gilded" is a non-stop read which will leave you wanting more.

Serilda is no ordinary girl. After her father helps a god, he makes a wish to marry and start a family with a beautiful woman in town. Serilda is the product of this union, and her unique eyes make others suspect that she brings bad luck in her wake. But Serilda loves stories; the more outlandish the better. When Serilda encounters the Erlking, she lies, telling him she can spin straw into gold in an attempt to escape a terrible fate. However, she finds herself trapped in the middle of one of her tales when the Erlking kidnaps her and forces her beyond the veil to spin straw into gold. When an unusual boy, named Gild, decides to help her for a price, Serilda believes she may just be able to escape her fate. But fate is fickle and it isn’t done with Serilda.

Full disclosure, I am a big fan of Marissa Meyer, particularly The Lunar Chronicles, so I was excited to read Gilded, her latest fairy tale retelling. While reading, I very much enjoyed the first and final quarter of the novel. The first quarter set up an interesting premise with a lot of promise. The final quarter of the novel was exciting and provided a climax that satisfactorily concluded the first half of this duology. However, the middle of the book was surprisingly slow. It wasn’t until finishing the novel that I figured out that part of the reason why I slogged through the middle was because of the repetitive structure: The Erlking finds Serilda every full moon and she has to figure out how to deceive him. Meyer’s writing, as always, was great, but it just didn’t feel as though the plot moved forward during these pages.

Meyer’s ability to create well-layered characters is on display in Gilded. Serilda is independent, fearsome, and intelligent, proving on multiple occasions that she is smart, self-actualized, and doesn’t need anyone to save her. Though other characters do come to her aid at multiple points throughout the novel, Serilda is also willing to accept her fate and potentially give her life. Serilda’s magic also interweaves her into the fairytale nature of the story, and though I guessed her talent early in the novel, Serilda is still coming into her power and discovering herself, making the flexibility of the magic system seem natural within the story.

Serilda also has a love interest in the novel: Gild. While sweet in some ways, this was a case of instalove that didn’t completely work. Upon their first meeting, the two immediately started making eyes at each other, and frankly, when they’re both fighting for their lives, it seemed a bit fast. As I noted, in some ways I came to care for this pairing, but it was a flawed aspect to this novel.

Overall, I did enjoy Meyer’s retelling of Rumpelstiltskin mixed with German folklore. There were real consequences in this novel, which also sets up some interesting threads for the second half of this duology. As a reader, I’ll always tune in for Meyer’s work, and I eagerly await Serilda’s next adventure.

Marissa Meyer is the queen of fairytale retellings! Her Cinder series was absolutely incredible, so of course, I had to start on Gilded immediately when it arrived! It did NOT disappoint! Marissa Meyer has such an interesting way of coming at a classic tale that we all know very well from our childhoods, but twisting them in fantastic ways that make you both excited for the unknown but also expecting a certain scene or plot to occur. Gilded is a Rumpelstiltskin retelling that alters who really is the villain and who is the victim. It takes place in a luscious fantasy world, with a medieval village setting, filled with horrifying magical creatures. This story was a lot darker than Meyer's previous fairytale stories, Heartless included. I was definitely taken aback by some of the more horrible scenes towards the end. If you're looking for a dark, creepy, somewhat gory fairytale, more akin to a Grimm's tale with way more depth, this is definitely the book you need to pick up this winter!

Thank you Netgalley for providing me with a free ARC in return for an honest review.

Serilda is touched by the fairy of stories and lies. Her eyes look like golden wheel spokes and lead most people to distrust her. But the kids in the village love serilda and the magical, and often scary stories she makes up and tells. One night, though, Serilda happens upon the Hunt, meeting and then hiding a couple of forest fairies from the Erlking. When asked if she's seen the girls, Serilda lies and days the reason she's out in the middle of the night in the snow is she's looking for straw to spin into gold. The story haunts her as the Erlking would like her to work that magic for him. But Serilda is a story spinner. Luckily, while held prisoner in a cell with a spinning wheel and some straw, she meets a young cursed man who can help her out.

A nice fairy tale retelling, but not as great as Heartless.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. This book was not in the genre that I usually read but a retelling of the Rumpelstiltskin tale had me curious. I made a good decision in reading this book, it had everything! Storytelling, curses.. it is a darker version of the story and it seems to set up for another book but it was enjoyable.

I’m such a huge Marissa Meyer fan but I don’t know what it is about this book that I cannot get into. I got about 25% in and just am not hooked yet. I think I will have to mark this as a DNF unfortunately

*Okay, first I want to thank the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this book. Marissa Meyer is one of my favorite YA authors. I loveeeeed The Lunar Chronicles and the Wires and Nerve graphic novel shoot off series. So, I was super excited to receive an ARC of hers. I didn’t realize it was over 500 pages when I requested it, so it took me a while to get through it ( I’m a slow reader these days: job/kids). I really enjoyed the story, world building, and folklore. The characters were really well done as well. I loved how it was a retelling of rumpelstiltskin but the author completely turned it on it’s head. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again.. I’m a sucker for a good retelling! And this was a good retelling! *
*The only gripe I have is the closed door sex scene and teenage angst. I get that it’s YA, but some of the content is definitely adult , so I don’t get why the sex scene was closed door. Like all the gore, blood, and murder that is described is okay but the sex is not? Okay. *

******Spoiler******

The main character gets pregnant and has to deal with the consequences of that (which is pretty adult) , but the act (the sex scene) is blacked out . 🧐. Okay. Lol.

*********End Spoiler*******

That’s YA for you I guess. Overall, I really enjoyed it. Will definitely recommend it and can’t wait to read the next one!! ❤️

I wasn’t crazy about this and I’m not sure why. The story and characters never really kept me hooked.

This is another instance of using stories within stories, which made me oh so happy. Serilda is an amazing story telling, weaving beautiful and haunting tales to entertain the village children. When she encounters the Erlking and his hunt, the subject of most of her stories, no one believes her. The Erlking returns for her every full moon to take her to his castle to spin straw into gold. The only problem? She was definitely lying about her ability to do so.

There was so so much to love about this story. I absolutely adored the characters… like, all of them (rare). Serilda is full of heart and creativity. She is fierce in her efforts to protect her loved ones and I wish there was even more of her story telling because that’s when she becomes truly captivating. Gild, the mysterious apparition who comes to Serilda’s aid added a bit of humor, though I am hoping we will see more of an exploration of his character in the next book. They did have a bit of instant love, which I am not a huge fan of, but their circumstances are unique and it works well for the story.

There are a handful of side characters and Meyer did a fantastic job of bringing them all to life. The group of children were adorable. The moss maidens, Shrub Grandmother, the innkeeper and her daughter… the world and characters were so beautifully built. I wish we had gotten more content from the Erlking. I love a good villain! Hopefully we will get much more of him in the next book.

The pacing was great. The story pulls you in and doesn’t let you go. I was a bit intimidated by its over 500 pages, but managed to finish it in a couple of days. I truly was looking for any spare moment to get back into the story. The story evokes a wide array of emotions – there were moments that made me laugh, and swoon, and some that broke my heart.

I am anxiously awaiting the sequel to this lovely story.