Summary:
Paris, 1889: The world is on the cusp of industry and power, and the Exposition Universelle has breathed new life into the streets and dredged up ancient secrets. In this city, no one keeps tabs on secrets better than treasure-hunter and wealthy hotelier, Séverin Montagnet-Alarie. But when the all-powerful society, the Order of Babel, seeks him out for help, Séverin is offered a treasure that he never imagined: his true inheritance.
To find the ancient artifact the Order seeks, Séverin will need help from a band of experts: An engineer with a debt to pay. A historian who can’t yet go home. A dancer with a sinister past. And a brother in all but blood, who might care too much.
Together, they’ll have to use their wits and knowledge to hunt the artifact through the dark and glittering heart of Paris. What they find might change the world, but only if they can stay alive.
Thoughts:
Well, I have a few mixed feelings on this one and the first feeling is that I’m disappointed that I was a bit disappointed by this book because I had such high hopes for it. But, as always, our expectations can color our enjoyment of things and maybe that was the case here. Let me first say that I’m a fan of Roshani Chokshi’s writing–I love both The Star-Touched Queen and A Crown of Wishes–but they’re both different from The Gilded Wolves and maybe therein lies my disappointment. But! This wasn’t a bad book by any means! It just left me feeling very average where I wish it had left me feeling more of, well, anything in the end.
There were three reasons I was very excited for this book. The first is because of the author, which I’ve already mentioned. The second was because it features a group, a gang, a found family–one of my favorite things in fiction! And third, it’s a heist story, and man I love a good heist. (I’ve probably watched Ocean’s Eleven about thirty times.) But, sadly, almost none of the things I was excited about really worked for me here.
I’m a reader who gravitates toward characters more than anything–if I can’t care about the characters then I’m just not invested in the story. The characters here are okay, some are fleshed out more than others, but it took me a really long time to come around to some of them, which is just a shame. I wish they had been a little more fleshed out. Now, don’t get me wrong, we get pretty good descriptions of who they are, but I wish we’d gotten to spend more time in their heads really learning what they’re all about rather then being told what they’re about–if that makes sense. By the end of the story I was starting to empathize more with some of them, especially Séverin and Laila. But it took SO LONG. Because I had such a hard time feeling along side of them I had a really hard time with their camaraderie through most of the story as well.
I will say that the heist was pretty fun. I did enjoy seeing the plan all come together and, of course, when things inevitably went wrong (because there’s always something that goes wrong during a heist), how everyone adapted plans. I wish more time had been spent on the heist stuff though, I suppose, because that was the best part of the story for me.
The other thing that really didn’t work for me, especially near the beginning, was that there was way too much exposition. It felt like too much stuff was being thrown my way all at once. I wish the information would have come more organically through the storytelling and less all at once in an infodump sort of manner. I appreciated getting to see more of the character’s backgrounds later in the novel (such as Tristan and Séverin growing up), and I wish that more of the exposition had been conveyed in that way.
But, again, that’s not to say that this was a bad book in any way. Overall I did still have a mostly positive experience with this one. I liked the world that it’s set in and I think I’ll have a lot better feel for the characters in the next part of the story since now I’ve spent some time with them. Perhaps I was foiled a bit by my high expectations. 3.5 stars.
Way Too Fantasy 
Expectations are real and they really can influence the way you react to a book! Sorry this was disappointing.
Yeah! I really do think I will like the next installment better. 🙂
I’m a bit afraid for reading this because of my own expectations haha 😂
(Www.evelynreads.com)
I’d say still go for it, a lot of people have been loving this one!
True!
Sorry you were disappointed…I do love that cover though!
The cover is gorgeous!
Expectations can really break a reading experience, can’t they? If I am being honest, I am really glad I was fortunate enough to read an arc before the hype started because I am sure my experience wouldn’t have been as positive for my if I had high expectations.
I agree with you 1000% about the exposition! The reader is just kind of thrown into the deep end and has to wade through a lot of worldbuilding all at once, which I struggled a lot with. Fortunately for me, I connected with the characters a lot faster than you did, so I wound up being happier overall.
I am sorry you were disappointed, and I hope your next read is more your speed!
Thanks! I think all the exposition at the beginning really threw me because it’s really not like this author at all. I really do think I’ll have a much better time with the next book in the series. 🙂
I had such mixed feelings about this one too. It wasn’t bad but it wasn’t great (or even good) either, you know? I was really here nor there about everything from characters to story to setting, to be honest. And considering how much I loved her Star Touched Queen novels, this was pretty disappointing in comparison.
Yeah, I know exactly what you mean. I didn’t hate it or anything and it has a lot of potential but I just think the writing was so different from what she’s done in the past. All that exposition was a killer for me. Still, the next in the series may be better.
Expectations are really hard sometimes. Sorry you were disappointed by this one, I actually thoroughly enjoyed The Gilded Wolves. Great review
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed this one!
I’m so sorry this didn’t live up to your expectations! I think I need to lower mine😅
I mean, it may be me? I think I’m one of the few people that didn’t totally love it.
Aw, that’s so annoying! It happens though. Sorry you didn’t love it, but I’m glad it was still a little enjoyable for you at least. I’m looking forward to reading it. Loved your review. 😉
Thanks! I am pretty sure I will like the next one in the series much more so I’m still glad I read it!
This one has been getting so much hype! I’m intrigued by it but I will try to have my expectations set pretty low. 🙂
A lot of others still really loved it so, as always, your mileage may vary. 🙂
That’s a shame. I reallly liked the sound of this one but I was declined an ARC so would probably buy a copy at some point – perhaps not now I’ve read your review.
Lynn 😀
A lot of others did love it but know what the author is capable of…it just left me wanting.
Oh that’s a shame you were disappointed by this- I have high hopes too. And I’m very invested in the story too. Good the heist worked, but it’s a pity about the exposition. I think I’m gonna have to lower my expectations for this one- thanks for the heads up! Great review!
I don’t think it was terrible but I know what the author is capable of. She’s obviously trying something different here and I don’t think it quite worked but I still have confidence she’ll pull things together better in the next one.
I can’t decide whether to read this or not, I’ve heard a lot of people say they were disappointed and even DNF’d it 😕
It’s tough. I know a lot of my folks in my circle of bloggers loved it or had mixed reviews. I think if I hadn’t read the author’s other books maybe my expectations wouldn’t have been so high? I’d say if you want to read it, still give it a try, it may work for you where it didn’t for others. 🙂