The Gilded Wolves

Buddy read with Laura, Naomi, and Bhavya!

I love this story and the characters so much! Can’t wait to get to the next one! ( )

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I couldn’t put this book down! It was itching me to get the book in my hands every time I put it away for some time. I needed to move on with the story. If you haven’t read it already, please do so!

It’s 1889 Paris. The city is about to host Exposition Universelle, an event that breathes new life into the streets of the French capital. People from all over the world are gathered in the city of light to witness first handed all the new inventions and magical items that are going to be put on display. Along side with the new and revolutionary, ancient secrets are coming into light and artifacts are being hunted down.

Treasure hunter and wealthy hotelier Severin Montagnet Alarie and his trusted companions are in pursue of such ancient artifacts. He has made an oath to himself, to find and acquire all the artifacts that once belonged to his family. He and his friends are working on well prepared and planned such acquisitions, because, wealthy as he might be, he doesn’t want ti draw attention to himself by openly looking after these artifacts.

After the last acquisition he is contacted by the ever powerful Order of Babel. He is offered with an agreement. Help the Order with their mission and in return get his true inheritance. This is an offer he cannot easily decline, but also his team mates will get something out of it as well, so it should be a win win situation for all. That’s if they manage to stay alive…

So, here is a new favorite squad I was so glad to meet! Severin is the leader of the group, the heir to House Vanth, which no longer exists, after Severin was refused his heritage. He is half French and half Algerian, so he knows about being different. Tristan is his brother in arms, his best friend, one he knows very well and for a long time. Together they have been through some rough time. He is also an engineer. Then comes Laila who is a gorgeous Indian girl with a skill in baking and an astonishing power in her palms. The other girl of the squad is Zofia, a Jewish Polish extremely intelligent person with very little experience in interpersonal relationships. Enrique is the last to fill a spot in this squad. He is also biracial, half Spanish and half Filipino and he really want to fit in with his Filipino part. He is a brilliant historian who has a great sense of humor and a troubled heart. By the end of the book he is torn between two different persons of different sex.

When the squad meets the Order of Babel, one more person comes to add to the squad. Hypnos is the patriarch of House Nyx, a black aristocrat who loves fashion as well as boys. He has a wonderful sense of humor too and he seems to consider Severin a friend. He really wants to be part of the squad and he soon becomes acquainted with everyone.

The plot is full of magic and adventure. A number of puzzles was used throughout the story that made it all the more interesting to read. The puzzles were used to show the characters’ way of thinking as well as their ability to work as a team. There was also magic in different forms and different aspects and it felt so good to read something so different and so familiar at the same time. And that ending! This surely explained one part of the story, but it left questions on others. Thankfully the second bo ( )

Actual Rating: 3.5 Stars

This was okay? The plot was interesting but it felt like the author just wanted to jam too much information into one book. We had world building that covered world history, several character's back stories, a magic system that was maybe more alchemy (I'm still a little confused on the magic vs. science detail of Forging.) I don't know, it just all felt like a lot and it started feeling like a chore to get through. Maybe I just wasn't in the right mindset to read it. ( )

It is my first Roshani Chokshi's book, but for sure, not the last one. Now that I have read one of her works, I understand why people adore her books.
Her writing is lyrical, the world-building is fascinating. As for her characters are very compelling.
I love heist, and I was sure that I would like this book; it is action-packed and full of suspense parts. It will be hard to wait for a year for the next part of the series.
I read while following the audiobook through my Scribd app. I can understand why people didn't like the narrators as the voices felt computerized, but I know that I feel better reading the audiobook with the fantasy genre. I believe that with this audio, you need to follow the book.
The characters are fascinating, and I like the back-story of each one of them. I am looking forward to finding out more in the next parts of the series.
I am happy that this book was on the Owlcrarte subscription book box. ( )

A good fantasy novel for me is one that not only has strong characters with great chemistry, it also has a unique approach to the fantasy element. Whether the fantasy element is magic, creatures, or other special powers, the author’s approach must satisfy some semblance of possibility and offer something new about it. In The Gilded Wolves, Roshani Chokshi offers all this and more.

Any novel is only as good as its characters. In this, The Gilded Wolves succeeds. Séverin’s little troupe not only has a fantastic set of talents, but they have that important chemistry that makes their interactions so enjoyable. In particular, the ongoing simmer between Laila and Séverin is enough to keep the plot at smoldering levels. However, Ms. Chokshi does not stop there. She develops each member of the group to hold the plot together on his or her own. With a group with as varied a set of backgrounds and personalities, every point of view is a pleasure.

More importantly, I adore the magical element of the story. Ms. Chokshi’s use of biblical artifacts as the cornerstone for all magic in her world is unusual, unexpected, and very creative. In particular, the fact that magic has its origins in very real objects and is, in some aspect, very tangible, makes the entire story more plausible. Anything that gives me hope that magic actually exists is a winner in my mind.

The Gilded Wolves is everything I love about a fantasy story, but it doesn’t stop there. With its slow-burning romance, scientific approach to magic, and family drama, there is enough within its pages to entice a variety of readers. Fin-de-siècle Paris and The Gilded Wolves is escapist fiction at its finest. ( )