The Gilded Ones is a YA West African-inspired fantasy series set in an ancient kingdom, where one young women steps into her power.
The books follow sixteen-year-old Deka, who lives in a patriarchal kingdom called Otera. In this society, a woman's worth is tied to her purity, and she must bleed red to prove it. But when Deka bleeds gold – the colour of impurity, of a demon – her life is doomed. Her only escape from sure death is following the mysterious woman who tells Deka she is actually an Alaki, a near-immortal with exceptional gifts. Soon Deka will discover that much greater things await, like freeing goddesses held captive, stopping a dark force growing in her kingdom, and saving Otera altogether. The books are so fast-paced, thrilling and powerful, it will be difficult to stop reading!
The series is perfect if you love intricate magic systems, considerations on society and stories of strong warrior women. Fans of the Legacy of Orisha books and Black Panther will love this series.
All the Gilded Ones books in order:
Book 1: The Gilded Ones (2021)
Book 2: The Merciless Ones (2022)
Book 3: The Eternal Ones (2024)
The Eternal Ones is the final book in the YA fantasy Deathless series by Namina Forna which follows Deka as she discovers more about the world and who...
I really enjoyed this second instalment from Namina Forna, after falling in love with the characters and story line in The Gilded Ones. I felt that so...
I absolutely loved reading this book, and I was almost disappointed to finish it, knowing that I could never read it for the first time again. I found...