Pages: 400
Published: 15th January 2019
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Content warning: Racism
It’s 1889. The city is on the cusp of industry and power, and the Exposition Universelle has breathed new life into the streets and dredged up ancient secrets. Here, no one keeps tabs on dark truths better than treasure-hunter and wealthy hotelier Séverin Montagnet-Alarie. When the elite, ever-powerful Order of Babel coerces him to help them on a mission, Séverin is offered a treasure that he never imagined: his true inheritance.
To hunt down the ancient artifact the Order seeks, Séverin calls upon a band of unlikely experts: An engineer with a debt to pay. A historian banished from his home. A dancer with a sinister past. And a brother in arms if not blood.
Together, they will join Séverin as he explores the dark, glittering heart of Paris. What they find might change the course of history–but only if they can stay alive.
Elaborate. That would be the first word I would use to describe this book. From the artfully filigreed cover to a plotline woven with immense intricacy, there are ideas aplenty in The Gilded Wolves, and it amounts to a captivating fantasy with detailed world-building and an interesting array of characters.
I found a huge amount to admire in the quality of the writing and the considerable thought that clearly went into the book. It was an innovative concept and the action rarely relents, but there were also moments that focus on logic and lateral thinking, which added some extra effectiveness to the storytelling.
In fact, the sheer number of ideas that occur throughout act as both a positive and a negative. Many of them were excellent and original, embellishing the world that the author creates and the unique abilities of each character. However, there are also occasions where it became over-complicated and even chaotic, like a culinary dish that has a few ingredients too many.
That was the main drawback for me in what was a strong, character-driven novel, the first in a trilogy. It takes place in Paris in the late 19th century, where the city is controlled by four ruling houses, of which only two – Nyx and Kore – remain. The main character, Séverin, is heir to another, but his claim has not been acknowledged.
Instead, Séverin runs L’Eden, a lavish hotel. There, he and his four associates plot to restore him to his rightful place as the patriarch of House Vanth, using their combined strengths to undertake a series of missions, which mostly involve acquiring mysterious and significant artefacts.
The story begins in the middle of an acquisition, which immediately gives a feel for how the rest of the book plays out. But as it progresses, the stakes grow steadily higher as Hypnos, the flamboyant patriarch of House Nyx, enlists Séverin and his comrades for an acquisition that becomes fraught with danger.
Séverin is a complex character with an interesting backstory. He is said to have had seven fathers, each of them personified by one of the Seven Deadly Sins; a clever use of metaphors. I thought he was fairly likeable, although in my opinion several of the other main characters had a more defined personality.
The relationship and history between Séverin and Laila is a recurring theme, and for me became a little too repetitive. However, I did find Laila very intriguing with her love of baking and alter ego as the fittingly named theatrical performer L’Énigme.
Enrique is the historian, and is likeable despite having a tendency to be melodramatic. My absolute favourite character is Zofia. Her aloofness, lack of social skills, and matter-of-fact nature made me instantly connect with her and even relate to her to some degree. She is compelling and I am fascinated see what lies in wait for her in the rest of the trilogy.
The dynamic between each of the main characters was one of the best things about this book. It brings out a lot of humour which the author conveys really well. The only one who I felt was underdeveloped was Tristan, and as a result his storyline failed to grip me as much as it should have.
Another great thing about the characters was their diversity. Enrique is bisexual and of Filipino descent; Zofia is said to be autistic, and they are only two examples!
I really enjoyed the Paris setting. It carried a sense of grandeur and made the story more atmospheric. Indeed, the writing on the whole was strong and descriptive, teaching me a few words for my vocabulary along the way! The ending was a bit drawn out, yet it finished with a cliffhanger which raises questions for the second book.
Overall, I enjoyed entering the world of The Gilded Wolves and look forward to returning there when the next book is released. It is awash with details and ideas and antagonists, while the repartee between the characters is fun to read. This one was just a bit over-complicated in places, so going forward, less could turn out to be more.
Roshani Chokshi first enjoyed success with The Crown Of Wishes in 2016, before she turned her hand to young adult novels in 2018 with Aru Shah and the End of Time. The next book in this series, The Silvered Serpents , is due to be released in 2020.
One thing I noticed about Roshani Chokshi’s style is that she would often write long paragraphs describing a particular scene and situation, and then sum it all up with one short sentence. Here is a (rather long) example:
When her parents were still alive, they said that fear grew in places unlit by knowledge. Perhaps if she had more knowledge, then she would not know fear. She could become a scientist or a professor … someone who spent her life rooting out the dark unknown with the light of knowledge. She could be like her parents. Like her sister. She could walk down a street or through a crowd. She wouldn’t know that tight, breath-pulling sensation of drowning, all because someone had asked about her day and she didn’t know how to answer.
Knowledge would make her brave.
I really enjoyed this book, and the various different elements that went into it. The characters were a particular highlight. If some of the ideas had been reined in a little, and Tristan more well developed, it would have been even better.
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐.5
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