Gild by Raven Kennedy – A Book Review

Posted February 9, 2022 by Booksandblurbs in Fantasy, Reviews / 0 Comments

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Gild

(The Plated Prisoner Series – Book 1)

by Raven Kennedy
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Available on Kindle and Kindle Unlimited

Down & Dirty

The story of King Midas and his golden touch is well known and well-loved, but is the story we know all there is? This is a retelling of a completely transformed tale, one that dives deep beneath the myth and produces a heartbreaking, and inspirational saga worthy of adoration.

What is Gild about?

(Blurb from GoodReads)

The fae abandoned this world to us. And the ones with power rule.

Gold.

Gold floors, gold walls, gold furniture, gold clothes. In Highbell, in the castle built into the frozen mountains, everything is made of gold.

Even me.

King Midas rescued me. Dug me out of the slums and placed me on a pedestal. I’m called his precious. His favored. I’m the woman he Gold-Touched to show everyone that I belong to him. To show how powerful he is. He gave me protection, and I gave him my heart. And even though I don’t leave the confines of the palace, I’m safe.

Until war comes to the kingdom and a deal is struck.

Suddenly, my trust is broken. My love is challenged. And I realize that everything I thought I knew about Midas might be wrong.

Because these bars I’m kept in, no matter how gilded, are still just a cage. But the monsters on the other side might make me wish I’d never left.

From the Author:

The myth of King Midas reimagined. This compelling adult fantasy series is as addictive as it is unexpected. With romance, intrigue, and danger, the gilded world of Orea will grip you from the very first page.

Trigger Warning (From Author):

Please Note: This book contains explicit content and darker elements, including mature language, violence, and rape. It is not intended for anyone under 18 years of age. This is book one in a series.

My Thoughts on Gild

wow

I bought this book when it first came out since it’s Raven Kennedy – but I’ve held off on reading it till now. This book was a sharp left turn from the usual fare I’ve come to expect and love from this author, but it is such a delicious swerve. In this first installment, the romantic undertones are absent, though there is an air that something else is coming.

This book is an introduction, a welcome to this world and the drama that surrounds it. Yet it is so, so much more, it’s about growth, discovery, and learning to be who you are, which takes a very special kind of bravery.

There are plenty of surprises, far too many wincing moments, and a few ‘make you cry’ scenes that’ll linger long after the book is closed.

I’m still mulling the story of Gild

Looking back on this narrative, I have to confess that the hardest part is what MAKES this a story worthy of telling, and something that is far too relatable to most. Manipulation, wanting love, adoration, greed, desire…. it’s a condensed snapshot of the human condition, and it just plain hurts.

This is not a story for everyone, and the trigger warnings need to be heeded. Emotional scars are deep within the main character(s), and Mrs. Kennedy is the kind of author that can make those scars sing – and for certain readers, that’s a warning to stay away. That said, Gild is an amazing read full of depth and potential with characters you can’t help but love and cheer for. As of this writing, there are 3 books out with a 4th to be dropping soon.

Perspective:

First Person, Limited Multiple POV

Ending Type:

Cliffhanger

Rating:

R, Adult. 18+ only

Romantic Dynamic:

M/F

Character Age Range:

25+

My Final Verdict on Gild:

This is a beautiful reimagining of an age-old tale, one ripe with emotional complexity and psychological extremes. Our main character, Auren, is a woman learning to step out of her situation and see a truth she doesn’t want to face. Abused, manipulated, and trained with conditional safety, she is an example of what we fear, what we know, and how the potential for growth and freedom tempts us all.

Gild

Published October 16th, 2020
402 Pages

If you enjoyed this review of Gild, please consider checking out a few of my other articles:

Your Turn

Have you read this series yet? What did you think? What other books by the talented Raven Kennedy have you enjoyed? Speaking of which….. Cupidity. There is a new book coming out on Valentine’s Day!!! Depending on when you are reading this, that might be next week, or it might be in the past. Regardless, it’s a spin-off, I’ve pre-ordered and I can’t wait to drop the review. LOVE that series! Leave a comment, let’s talk!