Reviews with content warning for Domestic abuse - Gild

Reviews tagging Domestic abuse

extinctpanda's review against another edition

This book was literally just so disgusting. The world building essentially amounted to violence against women.

Spoiler

it literally opens with an orgy where the king is fucking his harem, where the women are called saddles. I think that pretty much sums it up

Content Warnings

ksherbz's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Content Warnings

watsontheslytherin's review

Go to review page

adventurous dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Content Warnings

ginnymay's review against another edition

Go to review page

0.5

This book gets one half star for its pretty cool plot twist

Spoiler

that Auren has the golden touch, not Midas

but other than that this book was pretty heinous. Lowlights include rampant abuse/misogyny with no redeeming characters who stick around, sudden Fae showing up at 30 pages from the ending after never having been mentioned once in the narrative before, poorly explained or unexplained magic systems (Like the “ribbons” on her back?? Are they tentacles? Skin? Fabric? What?), but worst of all is Auren’s idiocy and uselessness. (

Spoiler

Riding a horse in the open and giving money to peasants when you are literally the most identifiable and wanted commodity in the kingdoms??? She’s dumb to do it and the guards were more dumb to let her. Then later Auren doesn’t spare Rissa from being assaulted but when the attacker comes for Auren suddenly she’s gonna use her magic to spare herself???? What the FUCK??

). So upsetting.

Content Warnings

nursemeghanreads's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Content Warnings

noellelovesbooks's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated

4.25

Content Warnings: Sexual scenes, captivity, emotional-physical-verbal abuse, human trafficking, alcohol abuse, sexism, sexual harassment, sexual assault, blood/gore, violence, murder, rape, grooming, kidnapping, and sex trafficking. Mention of infertility and loss of parents.

I’ve heard so many great things about this series from friends and strangers alike. As the fourth book was just released, a bookish friend threatened to end our friendship upon learning I hadn’t read it, and I’d just finished a book that didn’t meet my expectations—I decided there wasn’t a more perfect time to start diving into this series and world.

As the way of many adult fantasies, this book has some heavy, very adult, topics within its pages. Though many talk about this series as romantic, this first book is definitely not that. I’m told at some point there will be an element of romance but currently, it’s an adult fantasy with some mystery, court politics, and political manipulation at play.

The narrative of this book is primarily through the eyes of Auren, a gold-touched trophy of King Midas. Their relationship seems to be a mix of transference/nightingale syndrome, grooming, and some Stockholm syndrome.

Rescued, at the tender age of 15, by Midas [who’s 7 years older than her, which wouldn’t be bad if she was idk at least 20 but 15 and 22…just no], Auren has always seen him as her knight in shining armor. She has been with him for 10 years, with no friendships or attachments other than him, and she loves him unconditionally. Kept within a cage—does it expand throughout the entire castle? Yes, but that’s not the point—Auren fails to see that she’s only a prop for Midas, a special tool he uses when he wishes.

I’m thrilled that, although a bit of a spoiler, many have already assured me that Midas will not be the actual love interest in this series. The way he treats her like a special pet, or trophy, taken out at his whim to impress others made me just really want to punch him right in his smug face.

Though naive, when it comes to Midas and court politics, I’m excited to see Auren’s journey of finding her own strength and starting to change the direction of her life. Auren has had a difficult life and just wants to have friendship and love…and I hope that as the series continues we’re able to see both of those things for her.

Content Warnings