A review by forgottencupoftea
Gild by Raven Kennedy
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This was good but not as good as it could be? but! I'm writing this after reading all four of the books already out and! the series gets better with the next books! I thought that, overall, this first book more or less acts as one long prologue.
I liked it. It was very gripping, the beginning was a bit slow even though we very much start in medias res. I will say the subjects/themes this book sometimes deals with (mostly women, their rights and the way they're treated) are not for the faint of heart. So please, do check trigger warnings before reading. (I'll try to include a list at the end here)
I loved the complexity, the dichotomy even, of Auren's character. How she's enthralled by Midas, yet also has those deep moments of clarity. She's a very interesting protagonist and a well rounded character. I particularly liked the scene in whichshe realises that there can be power in sex / playing into men's fantasies by watching Rissa .
As a downside, I'm not sure the graphic-ness and violence of certain scenes was entirely necessary. Certain scenes and dialogues made me, figuratively, gag. I understand wanting (needing even?) to shock but the level of details was sometimes harrowing.I'm mostly thinking about the last couple of chapters/scenes, the ones involving the pirate captain.
I liked it. It was very gripping, the beginning was a bit slow even though we very much start in medias res. I will say the subjects/themes this book sometimes deals with (mostly women, their rights and the way they're treated) are not for the faint of heart. So please, do check trigger warnings before reading. (I'll try to include a list at the end here)
I loved the complexity, the dichotomy even, of Auren's character. How she's enthralled by Midas, yet also has those deep moments of clarity. She's a very interesting protagonist and a well rounded character. I particularly liked the scene in which
As a downside, I'm not sure the graphic-ness and violence of certain scenes was entirely necessary. Certain scenes and dialogues made me, figuratively, gag. I understand wanting (needing even?) to shock but the level of details was sometimes harrowing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Rape, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Kidnapping, Sexism, Misogyny, and Violence