I didn't love it as much as I loved The Gilded Ones (this is a theme for my sequels this year), but it was still fantastic!!

I really, really liked the direction Forna takes this one—I ended The Gilded Ones on an iffy note, and my suspicions were confirmed.

Happy Friday y'all! Man, I am so excited that it's finally Friday because your girl is the most ready for a weekend! But, before we get into the weekend, let's talk about The Merciless Ones. Thank you so much to TBR and Beyond Tours for having me as a part of their tour for The Merciless Ones. I absolutely loved The Gilded Ones when I read it back in 2020, so I was the most excited to read this one and get back into Deka's world. If y'all haven't read the Folded Ones yet, make sure you go grab that one so you can read The Merciless Ones ASAP!
The Merciless Ones 4/5 Stars
Summary from Goodreads:
Fans of The Gilded Ones and Children of Blood and Bone will love the second book in an epic fantasy series about a girl who is the key to saving the empire–or its greatest threat.
It’s been six months since Deka has freed the goddesses and discovered who she really is. There are now wars waging across the kingdom. Otereans now think jatu are traitors to the nation. Deka is called a monster.
But the real battle has only just begun and Deka must lead the charge. Deka is tasked with freeing the rest of the goddesses. Only as she begins to free them, she begins to see a strange symbol everywhere in places of worship and worn on armor. There’s something unnatural about that symbol; just looking at it makes Deka lose her senses. Even worse, it seems to repel her powers. She can’t command or communicate with the new deathshrieks. In fact, she can’t even understand them when they speak.
Deka knows freeing the goddesses is just the beginning. She can tell whatever dark force out is powerful and there is something sinister out there threatening the kingdom connected to that symbol–something merciless–that her army will need to stop before humanity crumbles. But Deka’s powers are only getting stronger…and her strongest weapon could be herself.
Content Warning: scenes of violence, including some graphic violence and description of sexual assault
I really, really enjoyed The Merciless One! Like I said earlier, I loved The Gilded Ones when I read it, so I had been anxiously awaiting The Merciless Ones and I definitely was not disappointed. I didn't realize that this was a trilogy, and oftentimes, we get stuck with a middle book that feels like it's just filler, but with The Merciless Ones, I feel like we got a lot of important content (plus a lot of fun interactions between Deka and her friends as well as between her and Keita too). There were so many things that happened during this book that I was not expecting at all! And everything felt like it was paced so well- I was always so engaged and drawn into everything that was happening. Was it all really fast? Yes, but I loved that- it felt like I was right there watching it happen and that increased the tension and made everything feel even more urgent. With that big reveal at the end, I cannot wait for book three! Make sure y'all go out and buy The Merciless Ones today! Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indigo | IndieBound

While I enjoyed the first book in the series. I couldn't wait for the sequel this one fell flat. To me is seems to be suffering second book syndrome. However I did like were book 2 was carrying the story and am looking forward to seeing how the series ends with book three.

I really enjoyed the first book when I read it last year and was really excited to get this ARC and read it. But this book took far longer to grab my attention than the first book did. The opening was very slow-paced and the characters seemed to be shells of what I remember them being at the end of the first book. I think perhaps the time jump could be part of the reason for that. I felt like I didn't know the characters anymore, as there was a lot of off-page character development during that time jump. Or in some ways for Deka, some character relapse. She is far less sure of herself at the start of this book than I remember her being at the end of the previous.

The pacing in this book felt slower than the first book, kind of. There was an overdose of foreshadowing that the reveals felt a little underwhelming. The character relationships also felt different. I don't know if this was on purpose because of the changes Deka went through, but characters who were close in the previous book didn't feel as close in this book. And the friendships were one of my favorite things about the first book, and the friendships felt lacking in this book.

There was a lot more world-building in this book, but it came out a little like an info-dump at times. This book suffers from the dreaded "second book syndrome" for sure. With how this book ended, I do have hope and some curious excitement for the third book.

Book two brings us more adventure, revelations, and a lot of secrets. Deka’s tribe has grown closer; they work well together, as they’ve been at it for a year now. Lyrically written, we follow the cast as they work to bring the mothers fully back. But along the way, Deka is learning more about herself and what she can do.

I have a few criticisms of this one. Deka’s character hasn’t really seen much growth. She’s still impulsive, and that impulsivity is not only selfish at times, but it puts others in danger. Forna is a fan of putting off revealing things by Deka covering things up, or by wanting to discuss things later or revisiting a thought. It was fine in the first book, but it happens a lot in book 2. I feel it isn’t necessary, and it’s another example of Deka not experiencing much growth.

However, as we’re nearing the end of the book, we finally see some character growth. Deka starts to rely on her team and trusts them to do the tough stuff. It came in at the last minute, but it’s good to see and gives me hope for the next book.

The land is so lushly descriptive that I felt like I saw things alongside Deka. If I had to guess, I would say that Deka has PTSD. She has been through so much, and it’s obvious she’s still playing out a lot of her past today. But that might not be a thing in this world, but it’s something I felt while reading time and again.

I was tickled with the character Gazal because not only is Gazal a badass, but I imagine the author knows of Ghazal and has named the character after them. I appreciate nods like that and the lengths the character Gazal has gone. It is strength personified. Forna tackles some important issues in this book that are incredibly relevant.

This is a captivating read. There are so many layers to the storyline, and I can’t imagine where we will go from here. Is it too soon to ask when we can get book 3? Thank you, Random House, for sending this along.

I loved the first book, and I loved this one as well. It was definitely a bit slower, which may bother some other readers, but I expected it as a “middle” book in the series. Still, I absolutely enjoyed every second reading this. The characters have such strong relationships that the reader finds themselves invested throughout the entire journey no matter what happens. The story is unique, and I love the inspiration behind it. I’m VERY excited to see what happens in the third and final novel!

What a book! I really enjoyed the concept behind the first book (spoilers for the first book) - the whole sexism in the world. Women being oppressed by men, but in reality there's a whole rebelion being built up behind the scenes.

This took a different route, going deeper. It focuses more on the sexisim, but also gender identity, sexuality, racism, etc. It is quite a diverse and inclusive cast of characters.

However that said, I felt a little bit lost right from the start. I have forgotten what has happened in the first book, and what certains terms meant in this world, and there was no explanation of anything. We're kind of just thrown into this world, some time later from where the first book ended, and have to go with the flow and figure out what is what. There's no way you can read this as a standalone. The plot was also jumpy, it felt like more showing than telling/explaining. Almost cinematographic, especially the fight scenes. A bit predictable with the plot line, and the romantic side of this book felt flat for me.

I do like how this book ended, and where the story is going, so can't wait for the newest adventure and conclusion.

While The Gilded Ones ended on a hopeful note, The Merciless Ones starts off with the corpses of four young women mounted on pikes.

It’s set 6 months after the goddesses were freed by Deka and focuses on the backlash by the jatu, who now seem to be more powerful than ever after get their hands on some arcane objects. Deka, as the Nuru, the child of the four goddesses fights against these priests while dealing with her own PTSD. She is joined by her bloodsisters, and as they stick together they realise there is something more sinister at play. As they grow in strength they understand that gods can also be created through the power of human belief.

In that sense there is a lot to love about the sequel. The idea that gods can be created or at least powered through prayer or belief is a powerful one to say the least. It’s also incredibly relevant in the world that Namina Forna has created in the book, as well as the world we live in today where we know we’ll need to radically change how we live and what we believe in if we want the planet to survive or to ensure that we have rights over the self.

The book also challenges the sexist belief that just because women are in charge it’s a utopia. It’s absolutely more about the way we wield power than who wields power that matters; not just your gender. It is also an important lesson on how we make ideals of our gods and heroes, and ignore all the wrong that they have done or are continuing to do so.

It’s also great to see how there were so many jatu and alaki. It really adds a really great dimension to the book, not just in terms of the plot, but a commentary on how so many of us are so different, that it’s actually most of us.

I liked that Deka grew as a character and constantly tried to be the right sort of hero and role model, but that she was human and needed help. I love her relationship with Keita and I think Namina Forna put in some really positive themes in their relationship, like how he spok to her about how she couldn’t shut him out in situations. That being said, most of her friends blurred into one and didn’t stand out to me. Britta, of course, is always by her side, but I didn’t particularly care for the thing with Li, and Britta as a whole was just a bit annoying to me.

My favourite characters in this book were easily White Hands, Elfriede and Anok. I think with White Hands that easy for everyone to understand; she’s badass, but the way Namina Forna depicted her in this was amazing. Like massive respect for Forna. I suppose it’s harder to explain why I like Elfriede. I like her as a character, but not as a person. But I also respect that she did what she could to survive. She collaborated with the existing system to become the first in her role, but even as she died, the priests still couldn’t stand her.

“This is another distraction,” she explains. “Another impossible aspiration to distract women from the misery of their lives. To make them dream, if only for a glittering moment, that they can be more. Clever. Insidious, but clever.”
I think this quote is emblematic of the greater problem of the book. While it’s a great quote that explains Elfriede’s role in this new society, and is well written, I think it’s moments like these that make the book more suited for slightly younger readers. An older reader may not need something like this spelled out for them.

I was also not a fan of how everything turns out perfectly okay for most people at the end. I think one particular character should have stayed dead. There was also this sense that Deka comes into her new powers too quickly. One of the reasons why the first book is interesting is because we see her working towards them; while in this book everything related to her abilities is like second nature to her. I didn’t care for all the happily ever after love stories, they just bored me!

While I didn’t love this book as much as the first one, I’m 100% going to be reading the third book because the world Namina Forna created is fantastic!

Forceful. Feminism. Magic. Queer + Trans Rep. Mental Health. Disability Rep. Side Romance. What more could you ask for?

Songs that I heard in my head while reading this:
Gold Blood by Oh, Hush, Dear Avalyn
Bad Blood by Taylor Swift
Uprising by Muse
Bring me Back to Life by Evanescence

This book shook me. Not often do I think the second book is better than the first, but maybe here it might be. Personally, the slower pace of The Merciless ones was more my speed (your gal likes a slow burn), and I enjoyed how more of the queer characters had more of a voice in this story. Namina Forna has a way of writing violence that makes it beautiful and a pleasure to read. The story made me want to headbang, and I hope that the playlist I created will allow people to feel the intensity of this story and its power. This story is bloodier and more brutal than the first, and I WANTED MORE. If you have not read the Gilded ones, please check that out before picking this one up; both are fantastic and should be on your must-read lists.

Please check out my playlist on my blog: https://purposelyunperfect.com/the-merciless-ones-the-gilded-ones-2-review/

Thank you to Netgalley, Delacorte Press, Namina Forna, and TBR & Beyond Tours for the advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

This book was even better than the first one, it has intriguing characters that are very relatable and that you root for, so I spent all my time reading this book at the edge of my seat waiting to see what would happen and very intrigued, since the moment I read the first book I became hooked with the story because while it takes inspiration from other ya books it is very unique and the writing of Namina Forna is beautiful as always.

4 stars

I always like to start series-based reviews with a warning that I should heed more often personally: If you haven't read the first book in this series, do that and then return to this one. Signed Kettle to Pots!

Like many readers who will be drawn to this book, I could NOT WAIT to see what Deka and company would get up to after absolutely loving the first book in this series. While I did find the pacing to be a bit slower, there's a good reason for this: many revelations. Readers join Deka in learning a lot of new information, tying up some loose ends, and especially getting an excellent setup for the third book. Talk about not being able to wait. Ugh!

The characters continue to be well drawn and developed, and I particularly enjoyed some of the (I'll keep this vague on purpose) opportunities for atonement. I'm hoping for a bit faster pacing in the next book, though I expect that by nature of placement in the series, that'll happen naturally.

Folks of YA fantasy - and those who find this subgenre a hit or miss situation (raises hand here) - will continue to find this series accessible and engaging in this second book. I am dying for the next one, though, and hope the wait is not long!

4.5 stars

Whoo, these books are so good! I love these alaki girls and their battle to free all girls and women from their oppressive rulers. The mythology is so well written, with great world building and interesting characters. I enjoyed learning more about the gods and following Deka as she discovers who she is and what she's meant to do.

Though romance isn't the main point of the story, I was happy to see more of Deka and Keita. They fit together so well and have some sweet moments. There are also a few other couples we see and I'm totally on board with all the cuteness of crushes and new love. Another thing I really liked was Deka and Britta's friendship. They truly love each other and that sisterly bond is something I want to see in more books.

The only part that I didn't care for was Deka making these rash decisions without thinking things through and getting others hurt. I thought she'd be more mature since she's grown to be an excellent leader, but at the end of the day she's still young and learning. Hopefully in the final book, she'll listen to her friends more and be more careful with everyone's safety.

This was action packed, fun, and emotional and I can't wait for the next book!

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All opinions are my own. Thank you to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for the copy.

Thank you to TBR & Beyond Tours, the publisher, and Netgalley for providing me with a free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions contained within are my own.

When I signed up to do this book tour, I offered to share 15 reactions I had while reading The Merciless Ones. I figured, if it affected me even half as much as The Gilded Ones, this would be no problem. I was most definitely right! Now let’s see if I can articulate my reactions into words that will make you want to read this book because I need y’all to read this book!

#1. “This is just as beautifully cinematic as the first book.”

Namina Forna has a way of writing that feels like you’re watching a particularly exciting action flick. This reads like a movie feels when you’re completely enraptured by what’s on screen!

#2. “Oh, Deka…” *in varying tones of voice*

Deka is such a beautifully complex character. There were moments when I had tears in my eyes because of the pain she was going through. There were moments I wanted to talk her out of the guilt spiral she seems to constantly find herself in. Book one of this series gave us a broken girl who is trying to do what is right and I appreciate the fact that she isn’t “magically fixed” because of what she accomplishes in The Gilded Ones.

#3. “The trauma is real in this series.”

This thought isn’t to say that other books don’t portray trauma “correctly” because there is no one correct way to experience and process trauma. It’s more that it felt especially raw and visceral the way that Namina Forna writes it. She doesn’t shy away from the messy parts of trying to work through something particularly painful and life-changing. We get to see it in all it’s gory details.

#4. “I feel like I’m having a panic attack!”

Speaking of which, Deka constantly has to deal with anxiety and panic attacks in this book. They are frequent and detailed, so that might be something to take into consideration when you think about picking up this book. The author does a fantastic job of portraying them, I think, so I could see them as being potentially triggering. Of course, I’ve never actually suffered a full blown panic attack, so please take what I’m saying with a grain of salt.

#5. “This writing is absolutely incredible.”

Most of my thoughts so far focus on how much Namina Forna’s writing has affected me. It completely sucks you into the story in a way that makes it easy to fly through the pages without realizing how much time has gone by. I found myself wrapped up in the world she has created once again. It felt like slipping into a familiar pair of shoes that I haven’t worn in awhile but still love.

#6. “I do not like Melanis… but she’s certainly interesting.”

There are a few new characters introduced in this book and they are just as nuanced and intriguing as our old cast of characters. Did I like them all? No. Were they all fascinating in their own ways? Definitely! I’m still partial to the original crew, but I always appreciate a sequel that can introduce new people into the story and make them just compelling as old favorites.

#7. “WTF is going on?!”

There are a lot of twists and turns in this story and I loved it! As soon as I thought I had something figured out, another component would be thrown into the mix that changed everything. I felt much like Deka does throughout the story, trying hard to catch up to what was going on. Far from being frustrating, I feel like it firmly rooted me in the story, it made me invested in figuring out the end goal. And it certainly made the ending that much more jaw-dropping.

#8. “Ixa is best boy ❤”

I love a good animal companion in a book and Ixa is becoming a firm favorite. He’s just so cute and strong and fierce and I would die for him 🥺

#9. “Keita’s alright too I guess.”

One thing about this sequel that just didn’t hit the same as the first was the romance. Keita was a good foil to Deka but the romance felt… flat? Like every once in awhile they would do something cuddly and cute to remind you “Hey, we’re in a relationship!” and it felt a little tacked on. Like an afterthought. I did enjoy how supportive Keita is of Deka as she’s going through everything, though. Perhaps it’s just that I was too invested in what was going on with the war. More fighting, less kissing!

#10. “There is a lot more action in this.”

Speaking of fighting, The Merciless Ones definitely steps it up when it comes to action! This makes sense as they are actively at war with the powers-that-be and I think the author did a fantastic job ramping it up. The action scenes were tense and fraught. Again, it felt like how I feel watching a particularly well-crafted fight scene in a movie. Intense and epic! Namina Forna really shines when it comes to making her readers worry for the safety of their favorites, haha.

#11. “Ohh, we have transgender characters???”

I honestly can’t remember if this was mentioned in the first book, but there are at least one, if not two, trans characters mentioned in this one. One is clearly stated as being transgender while the other is… a bit more ambiguous. Mostly because of the gods messing with their children. Still, it was nice to see that representation. Hopefully we’ll get even more in the last book of the trilogy!

#12. “Yes, give me all the representation!”

Beyond the transgender rep, there are also openly gay and lesbian characters. And not just one couple, either. There were quite a few, which I definitely appreciate in my fantasy, but especially in my young adult fantasy. There was also disability rep in one of the side characters who has a mobility aid. He isn’t in the story much, but I’m hoping he pops up again in the next book.

#13. “Well that seems… convenient.”

Though I overall thoroughly enjoyed this story, there were moments that had me thinking this a few times. Little bits of deus ex machina sprinkled into the tale. They didn’t detract from the story overall, but they did pull me out of it a teensy bit. Thankfully, it only happens once or twice.

#14. “Wow… I’m already done?”

As I mentioned above, I found myself completely wrapped up in the writing and story of The Merciless Ones. So much so that, when I reached the end, I was a bit surprised it was already over! I flew through this book and enjoyed almost every second of the experience. What a ride!

#15. “That is quite the ending!”

This author certainly knows how to end a story! She leaves you feeling satisfied and, at the same time, eager to get your hands on the last installment in this trilogy. I need to know what happens next and I just know it’s going to be just as amazing as the first two books.

There we have it. 15 thoughts I had while reading that I hope will make you want to read this incredible sequel as well!

A sequel that is as brutal and stunning as the first book. Same as the first book, it does not shy away from violence of this world. It is so wonderfully crafted, and very, very good.

I really enjoyed the world building, friendships, and mystery of the Gilded Ones so I’ve been looking forward to more of them in the sequel and the Merciless Ones did not disappoint! Forna does an amazing job of giving away just enough to keep you guessing and glued to the page, while letting you feel like you’re unraveling the mysteries. If you’re looking for a unique world with strong friendships and badass female characters, I definitely recommend this series!

Wow wow wow!! I loved The Gilded Ones, so I was very excited to read The Merciless Ones, and I was not disappointed at all, in fact, I loved it even more than book 1! The growth Deka has gone through and that at the beginning of this she's now a leader, is amazing Her relationships with her friends and Keita really bring the story together. The journey we go on in this book and the twists and turns we take throughout kept me glued to the page! The secrets and truths we learn are so amazing!! I was gasping aloud as I was reading and my eyes couldn't read fast enough for all the info my brain wanted!! Definitely one of my favorite books of the year and I am going to be waiting very impatiently for book 3!!!

Love this second installment of the series! The author did a great job at creating strong, diverse characters. I wasn’t sure where the plot was going, but thoroughly enjoyed the ending!

I have to say I ended up with this book by mistake, I just wanted to Read the intro on it, somehow I clicked on it, I'm sure it a good book, just not my style, Tank you

Big thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC of this novel. 5/5 stars.

As I finished the book and immediately yelled, OH MY GOD...I think that captures the essence of this well. I loved the Gilded Ones...Loved, loved, LOVED it so much. This? This sequel? BLEW IT OUT OF THE WATER. I could not put it down. Now, it did take me a while to get into it, but that's mostly because I haven't reread the Gilded Ones...so I didn't really remember some of it...or most of it. A lot of refreshing does happen in the first 1/4 of the book though, which was really helpful.

Deka is such a refreshing protagonist, and I love how this book detailed her mental health journey and PTSD and grief and so many other things. I also loved how the root of the story is Deka determining who she is rather than who she has been told she is.

the plot twists in this? Dare I say....golden? (Get it, the Alaki have gold blood). Keita and Deka's relationship is refreshing to see in YA too, as it's built on connection and there's not a lot -- if at all -- anything physical between them. I love all of Deka's sisters in blood.

But seriously, the plot in this. I couldn't put it down. I didn't see MANY of the plot twists coming, and I'm excited to see where the rest of this series goes. I also think how Deka discovers new powers was amazing. This book is also FILLED with critiques on the socialization and perception of gender -- even more so than the first one. It also introduces trans and NB characters.

Overall? Amazing.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
The Merciless Ones is a solid sequel to last year’s The Gilded Ones. It builds relatively well on its predecessor, developing the concepts introduced and continuing to follow Deka as she leads the fight against oppression.
Namina Forna’s writing has a way of hooking you immediately from page one, starting with a visceral image that perfectly captures the moment Deka is in. While it does have a somewhat slower start, it soon picks up again and remains relatively consistent throughout. The plot twists aren’t always the most surprising, but it maintains excitement nonetheless.
And while the main focus in the first book was racial and gender-based oppression and that does carry over into this one, I loved seeing more expansive representation in a positive light to counteract that, particularly in terms of sexuality and gender identity.
This was a good second installment, and I’m excited for what’s to come in the final book. If you enjoyed the first book, you’ll like this one too.