Common Sense Media Review
By Barbara Saunders
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Teen girl quests for true identity in captivating fantasy.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 12+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 1 parent review
Based on 19 kid reviews
Kids say the book features a strong female lead and promotes positive messages about self-acceptance, though it is marked by intense violence and dark themes that may not be suitable for all readers. Many found the worldbuilding and character development exceptional, while others noted the graphic descriptions of torture and abuse might be triggering.
- strong female lead
- dark themes
- graphic violence
- exceptional worldbuilding
- positive messages
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
When THE GILDED ONES begins, 16-year-od Deka is preparing for the blood ceremony that will determine her future. If the blood is red, she will take her place as a member of her village. If it's gold, she'll be deemed "impure" and cast out, or possibly killed. Before the Ritual of Purity happens, the village is attacked by creatures called deathshrieks. In a skirmish with them, her blood runs gold. Faced with the possibility of execution, Deka accepts a strange woman's invitation to join an army of other impure girls, and leave her village for the capitol, where they will battle deathshrieks.
Is It Any Good?
Readers will recognize Deka's struggles and triumphs in this exciting fantasy about a brave teen girl fighting the patriarchy. The Gilded Ones, by first-time author Namina Forna, doesn't try to hide its feminist commentary about the fear of women's power, and the lengths a patriarchal society will go to quell it, from absurd rules to outright violence. Despite the righteous anger it contains, this book comforts more often than it shocks or riles. Deka is an innocent, filled with wonder as she puzzles together her history and finds her place in the world. She finds a mentor, friends, a sweetheart, a mind-blowing secret, and finally herself. Strengths of the text include gorgeous language and meticulous worldbuilding.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the theme of being an ally in The Gilded Ones. How do characters decide where their loyalties lie?
What is something that makes you feel different from other people?
Have you ever had to fight for something? What was it, and who did you fight?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Fantasy
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , Adventures
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Delacorte Press
- Publication date : February 9, 2021
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 12 - 18
- Number of pages : 418
- Available on : Paperback, Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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