I read the first installment in this trilogy, The Gilded Ones back in April and it was an enjoyable read I didn't know I wanted! I was so excited to be able to get my hands on the second installment. (Synopsis in comments)

While I didn't enjoy this one quite as much as the first one, I did love being able to be back in this world and back to all my favorite characters; Deka, Britta, and Keita.
The story arc took a TURN! Honestly, I'm still processing this book and my ratings and thoughts could change a bit after marinating on it, however, overall a great continuation!

I will say there is A LOT going on in terms of plot and the twists. I dare say maybe too many? Regardless of the plot, the character growth is one that I found to be especially rewarding. We learn so much more about Deka, her powers, and what motivates her emotions and decisions.

I look forward to the conclusion of this story and find out how this world fares after the many twists and turns of the world, Deka's powers, and changing views on the world and people around her.

I just finished this yesterday and y'all what can I say. Namina Forna knows how to write an ending. WHEW that climax got me hype and now I'm like "damn I have to wait for book 3".

What I loved: The alaki, jatu, and Deka's friends. The relationship between Deka and Britta is *chef's kiss*. I love seeing how they rep for each other, how they support each other, are always there to fight for each other. It's chosen family AT IT'S BEST. It was nice to see the small moments between the friend group but I wanted more - these kids are experiencing so much pain and death and I wanted more happy moments.

I am not sure how I feel about the direction the book took but, and it was extremely slow in the beginning. But once the threads started to pull together, and Deka started to figure out the mysteries of The Gilded Ones and Idugu, I was invested.

Overall, a book about children having to fight for their rights, fight for the rights to live and have autonomy over their bodies, feels extremely relevant to what we are dealing with in our society now. And as much as it's hard to read at times, it reminded me that no one makes change alone. The friendships and love we build, the community, is what will make that change happen.

The Merciless Ones is the second novel in Namina Forna's Deathless series. I'm not going to lie – I was hoping that OwlCrate would make a matching exclusive version of this book since I got the first novel through them. But that's life, right?

Last we saw, Deka had successfully freed the goddesses, learning who she is. Yet this freedom does not mean the war is over - the opposite. Six months later, the war is still waging on, now with new determination as Deka and their allies learn the truth.

There are still more goddesses to be freed, girls and women to save, and corruption to battle. In other words, Deka's job is far from over. Only, an additional complication makes Deka's task all the more challenging.

Fans of The Gilded Ones will have to make time to read The Merciless Ones, as this is very much the sequel we deserve. Best of all, there's still at least one story left to this tale, meaning there's more to look forward to.

I've wondered how Deka's journey would continue since the last novel concluded. I have to say; my imagination did not do it justice! Once again, Namina Forna has created a powerful tale that seems to resonate within our bones. Or maybe that's my anger, as it is impossible not to feel some of that while seeing what Deka and the rest are up against.

A couple of things held me back from giving this a higher rating. Mainly the pacing, as that seemed to be a bit off. Deka's character development is another one. While it was a highlight in the last novel, it changed for this book. Change happens and is good. I get that. But I worry about what it will mean for the next book, especially regarding power levels.

Still, if those are my biggest complaints of The Merciless Ones, I'd say it was a pretty solid read. Once again, I find myself waiting here to see what happens next and wishing that time would flow more favorably for readers.

I enjoyed this but couldn't get as into it as the first book in the series. I think having some of the big questions from book one answered, I was less interested in the storyline and it also felt like it was slower than the first book. I still enjoyed it, just not my favorite read.

Thank you Net Galley for this Advanced Reader's Copy in return for an honest review.

The Merciless Ones was a highly anticipated sequel for me this year - I read The Gilded Ones in an afternoon and was so excited to follow Deka, Britta, and the others during their new journeys. This book, however, fell flat for me and I found myself having to force myself to read 10 pages at a time in order to complete it. I am confident that the background story will have a significant role in the third book, but going through the material was a drudge. This was again, disappointing because The Gilded Ones was a fast-paced, easy read.

Ok, so I liked this. Didn't love it. Enjoyed it more than the first, but idk if I liked it enough to finish the series when It comes out. I just didn't get sucked into this as much as I would have liked. It's good. Could have been better but nothing really wrong with it.

The Merciless Ones is the sequel to The Gilded Ones and what a sequel it is. In this riveting sequel, Deka has begun to unearth the lies and seek the truth about her world, the goddess, and what she must do to change the world that has been so against her and her sisters in arms. The group of Deka and her friends along with her pet continue to grow and change throughout this story as they learn the journey to freedom is one that is filled with hard choices, death, and blood. The sequel is more gory than the first, but that doesn't deter me. Deka continues to be the leader I cheer for and her friends are amazing group of intelligent and cunning young women. The support of the new family is something I love to see in literature and really helps one become invested in this story. This is a 4 star for me. I loved every moment and I can't wait until the next book. Many thanks to NetGalley, Random House Children's, & Delacorte Press for the opportunity review this wonderful book.

TL;DR REVIEW:

The Merciless Ones was a pretty good sequel to a pretty good first book. It’s not the best-written series so far, but it has enough to keep me reading and wait for the third.

For you if: You like West African-inspired fantasy.

FULL REVIEW:

The Merciless Ones is the sequel to The Gilded Ones, and the second of what will be three books in the series. Like TGO, I liked this fine — well enough that I’m curious about what will happen in book three and do plan to read it, but I wouldn’t say it’s a favorite.

The trilogy, for context, is about a girl named Deka who lives in a world where girls are tested at puberty for gold “demon blood.” Those who have it are usually killed (over and over again, as they’re near mortal) or else taken to the capital to train as warriors on the promise that years of servitude will grant them “clean blood.” That’s the basis for the first book. Book two picks up a few months after that one ends, and it explores Deka coming into her own as a leader (or perhaps more) and realizing that she hasn’t been asking the right questions after all — with, as it goes in fantasy novels, huge potential world-ending stakes.

This trilogy is imaginative and has lots of great ingredients, and like I said, I do want to know how it will end. It’s also trying to do good things around trauma and mental health, which I appreciate. I just think the writing is a bit clunky and at times surface-level, although perhaps what I’m picking up on is it skewing on the younger side of YA (but then again, there are middle-grade books that don’t feel like that, so).

I think if you really like YA fantasy, especially West African-inspired fantasy, you should totally pick this up. It's a good quick, palette-cleansing read. But if you’re trying to be more choosy with your fantasy, I don’t think you’d be missing anything mindblowing by skipping it.




CONTENT AND TRIGGER WARNINGS:
Panic attacks; Death and violence; Death of a parent; Sexual violence (alluded to in the past); Transphobia/homophobia

Thank you to Penguin teen Canada for the gifted eARC in exchange for a honest review. This being the second in the trilogy, there wasn't as much information to digest. Which was good because there was a lot happening! More revelations and more twists and turns. Be forewarned; like the first book, there is much violence and gore. I can't wait to read the final book in the trilogy.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read this arc for exchange for an honest review.

After enjoying the first book in the Gilded Ones series by Namina Forna, The world building in the first book took a little getting used to but by the end of that book, I was very invested in the growth that the main character and the discovery of the truth behind the Gilded Ones. Because of that, I was very excited to get the opportunity to read the 2nd book in the series.. The Merciless Ones provided a lot more information on how young women were lied to regarding their origins and powers. Deka continues to grow in her power and knowledge of how to protect her friends and learns more about what she needs to do to save other young women all over her world. The only problem I had was the story seemed to be a little rushed from one event to another. It didn't give the reader much time to absorb the information that was being provided before moving onto the next big event. Overall, I enjoyed the book and feel it is a good second volume for the Gilded Ones series.

Thank you to NetGalley for the free copy in exchange for an unbiased review! In the sequel to the gilded ones Deka is now on a quest to basically unearth more secrets of the gods. She starts to suspect that once again what she’s been told isn’t the truth. I love the relationships between the main group. There is something very satisfying watching deka and her friends and “pet” grow into their abilities and stand on their own. I like that Deka is intelligent and has the perception to see through the lies. The pacing is well done and it is fairly fast paced. This does stray a lot from the feminist nature of book one. Which I like the expansion of the world and I’m still rooting for Deka and her friends but it always makes me a big uneasy when a book strays so far from what I expected.

The Merciless Ones by Namina Forna

The sequel to one of my favorite books from last year. I was a little nervous to read this one because The Gilded Ones was so good.

Sometimes sequels can read like a copy and paste of the first one with some changes here and there. I feel like this one did a good job of keeping the flow of the first book while not reading predictable (for me at least).

It doesn't have that new car smell like the first one but in terms of book sequels, this was definitely in my top 5.

I will definitely be keeping an eye out and preodering the last in this trilogy.

#themercilessones #naminaforna #books #bookstagram #turtlesreads #sequel #nothingisasitseems

What if your entire existence was based on a lie? That is Deka's reality. Raised to believe in the Gilded Ones, the goddesses - the mothers, who, together, created her from themselves - Deka discovers that everything she knows, everything she believes, everything she is, is a lie. And not just any lie, but a lie crafted to deceive her into doing the will of another, one who has created a lie so complex and all-encompassing that it borders on being an alternate reality.

Deka was raised in a society that denigrates women, treats them as second-class citizens or worse, and which isolates those young women who bleed gold instead of red even further, teaching them that they are, by birth, evil, and training them to fight deathstrikes - but as Deka discovers in this second novel in the series, all of that is based on a deliberate lie, one intended to bring power to deities divided amongst themselves. Deceived by foes on all sides, Deka and her friends must find the truth of their world, and bring it into the open, for the good of all - an action that will shake their society to the core, and may destroy it entirely. A worthy sequel to the first novel, and that one I hope will be followed by more.

I remember really enjoying book one. If I could have had book two right after the first I think this review would be a lot different. I was invested in the world and the characters but a year later I have forgotten most of the story and lost interest in the plot. I still enjoyed it and found many parts exciting to read. I think the author has done a great job of creating this new world and wonderful characters but it was no longer something I was dying to read. I am not sure if I will give book three a try or not.

In this sequal to The Gilded Ones, Deka and her friends and allies fight for the Mothers. A new threat has arisen that will shake Deka's faith. (Side note: it explores the toxicity of binary thinking.)

I went into this book thinking it was a duology. There had better be another book in the series. Can't wait to read it!

So glad I re-read The Gilded Ones before jumping into The Merciless Ones, as these books have a lot going on plot-wise. Which I love! There's so much wonderful representation in the first book, and that continues and expands in the sequel. I never see any of the plt twists coming, and Deka is such a fascinating main character. Definitely an emotional rollercoaster here.

The Merciless Ones is the second in The Gilded Ones Trilogy. I did enjoy this one, but it didn't quite captivate me like The Guilded Ones did. For the first 60-65% or so I felt like it moved slow and it lost me a bit with what was going on (please note: I am not a big fantasy reader, so the more complex the story the harder it is for me).

What The Merciless Ones lack in pace it they make up for it with representation and dealing with societal issues. I felt these things were woven in so well - and added to the main plot perfectly.

Deka is on a mission to free the goddesses, and of course nothing is as simple as it seems. New discoveries are made along with twists and betrayals. Beware of trusting anyone but Deka. All your favorite characters return, but The Merciless Ones really focuses on Deka and her empowerment.

The Merciless Ones sets everything up nicely for the final and I will be waiting semi-patiently for it.

I love the way this story is unfolding. Enough of an ending to satisfy me but just enough foreshadowing to keep me looking forward to the next installment.

When I read The Gilded Ones, it was immediately a 5🌟 read because of its empowering, feminist plot that I couldn’t get enough of. So, The Merciless Ones was a must read because I couldn’t wait to see how Deka’s story continues.
In The Merciless Ones, Namina Forna has this ability to immerse you in a complex, fantastical world filled with the most amazing characters that you end up rooting for, shedding a few tears over, and smiling along with their banter. She also includes so many social issues, such as gender identity and sexuality, in a way that weaves into the plot naturally rather than being forced. These topics never distract, but rather add to the book overall.