This was such an enjoyable and fresh retelling! So much do that it doesn’t feel like a retelling.

This book follows the journey of Serilda, blessed, or as it may be, cursed by the god of lies. She grows up most of her life being shunned by her village as she is believed to bring bad fortune to those around her. She loves to spin outlandish stories which children love but also draws the attention of the Erl-King who due to one of theses stories believes Serilda can spin straw into gold and is subsequently summoned to his castle to do just that. Luckily Serilda summons a ghost called Gild who helps her but his help doesn’t come for free, and what started as a small ‘story’ ends up causing disaster.

I loved Serildas character, she is strong willed and determined. You see how much she cares for the children of the village and what she’s willing to do to protect and save the ones she loves.

I really enjoyed the world building, it felt like we got to explore different aspects of it, especially the history once you start to understand Serildas gift for storytelling isn’t just as straightforward as you would have thought.

Gilded is a fast paced and dark read. It’s full of revenge and lies but also shows how deep feelings can run with a bit of romance thrown into the mix

I didn’t realise this was the first book in a series. I think that it needs to be made clearer. However I will absolutely be needing part 2 as I need answers!

Serilda is different, marked so by her golden eyes and judged as bad luck by the villagers who scorn her storytelling talents. Only the children see her without prejudice, and her father whose unending love attempts to overshadow the absence of Serilda’s mother. When she crosses paths with the Erlking during his Snow Moon hunt she believes that her quick-spun story has saved her, but one such as Serilda is not easily forgotten and the Erlking wants her to spin more than just stories. Only the local poltergeist can save her, but his magic requires payment and Serilda has few possessions of value to offer. How many more lies can she spin before the truth is the only thing left?

The way that this book is written, with Serlida as a prolific storyteller, creates layers of plot and character. Although Serilda’s own storyline is the prominent one, and the one unravelling with the most urgency, it is the story that she tells throughout that I found most enticing; especially as I began to suspect that it wasn’t entirely made up. These layers of plot keep the narrative moving at a constant pace whilst at the same time slowing down the main sequence of events and drawing out the smaller moments.

Serilda is certainly a strong character, quick and clever and brave, yet her vulnerabilities show through in her strong emotions and her sense of isolation. It is this isolation which allows her to forge a connection to the lonely character of Gild and these emotions which bind the connection. I found his character particularly intriguing, even more so as his fate wound closer to Serilda’s, and I really can’t wait to see how their relationship evolves in the next book.

Wow wow wow. I looooved this! I was so glued and I loved the characters and massively hated the bad guys. I was so glued to this and struggled putting it down. The plot was interesting and included great plot twists and very emotional moments. The ending was also really interesting and hoping it means that there will be a sequel.
Bought my pre-order of the book as soon as I finished reading the ARC .

Oh my goodness. It's been a long time since I've stayed up that late to finish a book.

Marissa Meyer has another fairytale retelling for us and it's just as brilliant as all of her other. Rumpelstiltskin: A king is told that the miller's daughter can spin straw into gold. She can't. He gives her three tasks to complete and each time the girl receives help from a magical being, but each time the price is steeper.

I knew the story, and yet at times I forgot that I was reading a retelling. Meyer has fleshed out all of the characters and given that miller's daughter a name, Serilda. As a fully fleshed out character Serilda does more than cry and hope that help comes. She drives the action of the story though her own curiosity and gifts. She is definitely young but held my interest throughout the story.

There were some downsides to the writing: it starts of slowly; Serilda is annoyingly naïve at times; the insta-love is understandable but not a great basis for a relationship. I don't think any of that takes away from the story if you consider this a YA fantasy novel.

What I didn't like about this was that I didn't know that this was the first in a series? I think that should have been advertised more heavily as it explains the pacing in the first third. I was also expecting more to be resolved as time went on but as we got closer to the end I realised there was no way everything was going to be tied up with a neat bow for me. 'Gilded' covers most of the story of Rumpelstiltskin so I'm already looking forward to what Meyer does with her world and even looser story constraints in the next instalment.

When I first bought ab e-reader I just sat it on the shelf, then one day I bought 'Cinder' on sale and stayed up all night reading it. When I got to the end, I was given the option of buying the next one in the series at 1am, without having to wait for a store to open. Magic. Marissa Meyer is the reason I started using an e-reader and I certainly would have gone for another 24-hour reading session - consequences be dammed - if the next part had been available.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart to NetGalley for approving me for this ARC. Recently my budget has been very tight and I was really not looking forward to the wait between publication and it coming into my local library. Thank you for helping me re-capture that Marissa Meyer feeling!

title: Gilded

author: Marissa Meyer

my rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (4.5 stars)



This book is a heartbreaking story of curses, mistakes, loss of hope and darkness. You thought fairytales were supposed to have a happy ending? Marissa Meyer will snap that thread of hope before you can say Rumplestiltskin.



I am in total admiration of the way Meyer creates her characters. I felt so connected to everybody, even the side characters, and it was so hard for me to see everything go wrong for them that it took me over a week to read this book; I didn’t want to turn the page for fear of the new challenges that arise in every single chapter.



The writing was beautiful, and perfect for a YA audience. I loved reading the stories Serilda spins throughout the book, and how the book was structured generally. We deserve a sequel please, you can’t just leave me hanging like that, even if it is by an unbreakable golden rope.

Serilda has been mistrusted and ostracised all her life because of the golden wheels in her irises—a mark of the god of lies. But she can’t resist telling extravagant stories and when she comes face to face with Erlking, the Lord of the Wild Hunt, she weaves him a tale that she can spin straw into gold. When he throws her into a dungeon to prove her claim she is saved by a mysterious boy who is also trapped in the Erlking’s castle, but he doesn’t know who he is or how he got there.

‘Gilded’ is the first book in a new series, based on the story of Rumpelstiltskin, but wrought into something thrillingly new in Marissa Meyer’s trademark style. I was thoroughly captivated by this story…

DNF

Unfortunately this book was definitely not for me. It sounded so great in the blurb but I read nearly 40% and was so bored and not interested or connected to any of the characters or even the storyline. It all felt too drawn out and I xould not get over how dull it was. Sadly not for me!

Thank you Netgallay for letting me read this book!
Okay this review is DEVASTATING for me to write. This is a Marissa Meyer book! It’s a RETELLING! This should make me so overwhelmingly happy-but it just…wasn’t it.

I think we were meant to like Serilda? Feel bad for her. BUT SHE LIES. And worse-for such an avid liar-SHE IS REALLY BAD AT IT.
-Oh what are you doing in the middle of the night?
-Spinning straw to gold
…
Huh? How about I heard a noise? How about WHY ARE YOU A GHOST RIDING A HORSE?! Yes, I get without this scene we wouldn’t have a book, BUT IT HURT. I cringed. I cringed a lot with this book.

Marissa Meyer is the queen of world building. We got Gatalon City. We got New Beijing. We got wonderland. We got the friggin MOON! But this? Nah.
Not even the magic was good? COME ON.

This is not my best structured review, but this wasn’t her best book. So. And I was so excited!! I got this on netgalley! Boy, am I glad this was free…

Thank you to NetGalley, Marissa Meyer and Faber and Faber for providing me with an arc of this book.

Gilded is a Rumplestiltskin re-telling in a high fantasy/fairy tale setting. The story follows Serilda, a miller's daughter who has been blessed by the god of story-telling - a gift she sees as a curse. Many who meet Serilda believe her to be a curse due to her incessant lying and ability to spin stories like 'spinning gold from straw'. Many of Serilda's stories stem from the Erlking, an dark one who conducts a ghostly hunt with every full moon - and one night, Serilda discovers that the Erlking is not a figment of fiction after all. In an attempt to save her life, Serilda spins her deadliest lie: that she has the ability to spin gold from straw.

This YA re-telling echoes the original fairy tale whilst still reading like a completely original story. It is compelling, rich in world-building, and filled with wonderful and darkly magical characters. The main character of Serilda is cheeky, cunning and smart in a way that makes the reader fall in love with her and root for her success. Her relationship with Gild - Rumplestiltskin's counterpart - is light, fluffy, and believable. The twist on the classic tale refreshes the story and places the agency neatly into Serilda's hands which is something deeply needed for modern re-tellings of classic tales. The pacing is quick and engaging, meaning that this book is truly one you will want to read in a single sitting.

The only bad thing I have to say about this book is that it ends on a tense cliffhanger and I don't want to have to wait for the sequel! This is easily a 5 star read and one I will be returning to again and again.

(this is only a snippet of my review. Full review is up on my blog-- link below!)

'Gilded' by Marissa Meyer follows Serilda, a mortal and daughter of a poor miller, who was not only a brilliant and imaginative storyteller, but was also believed to have been marked by the god of lies. Unfortunately her storytelling had put her right in the path of the dark Erlking. He was so seemingly captivated by her tale of being able to do the unthinkable that he orders her away to spin straw into gold. Just as Serilda was on the verge of giving up, a boy appears and offers to help her-- in exchange for something-- of course. The longer Serilda stays in the Erlking's presence, the more mysteries seem to leave questions unanswered, including whispers of an ancient curse that lies within the castle walls.

First, let's talk about this world that Marissa Meyer has built within these pages. There is something about the way the author describes the setting, along with the sounds and smells that just create such a vivid imagery in my head as I am reading. I just think there's something so magical about fantasy stories that are set during the winter, and Marissa Meyer's world building in this book proves my point exactly.

Now onto the romance part. I really do enjoy the romance in this book, despite it being a possible love-triangle (?) which is one of my least favourite tropes and one that I actively try to avoid. That being said, I did not really mind the love-triangle here. There seems to be an obvious contrast between the attraction Serilda feels for Gild vs her feelings towards the Erkling, so that's why I'm hesitant to call this a love-triangle. Even though the ending of the book points to the direction of Serilda and Erkling getting together we know that Gild's story still remains unfinished, so I'm going to hold onto to the hope for Serilda and Guild happy ending.

If 'Gilded' by Marissa Meyer is not yet on your tbr, I suggest you add it ASAP.

5 stars.

Thank you NetGalley and Faber and Faber Ltd for providing me with an Advanced Reader's Copy (ARC) of 'Gilded' by Marissa Meyer in exchange for an honest review.

A book over 500 pages long can feel intimidating and daunting, but I’ll tell you know, I would read 1,000 pages of this book if it meant staying in their world. Fairytales have been rewritten countless times so it was interesting to see what angle Marissa had taken on it. I had heard such positive reviews, and the cover is amazing, that surely nothing could live up to my expectations.

Wrong.

This is one of the most thoroughly, wonderfully described fantasy book I think I’ve read since a certain bespectacled boy broke onto the scene in 1997. It is never boring or tiring or over the top, but full of delicious action, perfectly written that you can put yourself in the protagonist’s shoes.

This is the first Meyer book I have read, but she has this amazing ability to weave fairytale seamlessly into the real world that you often forget you’re reading a fantasy.

This gives Rumpelstiltskin a whole new perspective, one that will change the reading of fairytales for me. It really shows the magic that storytelling can have on children and adults like. This is marketed as a YA book, but at nearly 30, I can assure you its appeal ranges far further than that.

It is every and creepy, but not in-your-face frightening - the perfect blend of entertainment and enjoyment with a little terror. It’s that kind of fear that there’s someone behind you, breathing down your neck, always watching you, but always hidden.

There MUST be a sequel, and for this I am, in equal parts, thrilled but disappointed. Thrilled as this means I can continue in this world for a little longer, but sad because how on earth am I meant to wait another year, two years, who knows, to find out the next part of the story?

Warning: Some gruesome moments are present in this book / as well as light mutilation

I am familiar with other books written by Marissa Mayer; however, I couldn't call myself her fan before. this book has completely changed my mind about her and what she has created in this book is something magical, special and I hope that this book gains as much popularity as it deserves. I would also like to add that despite the fact that this book is based on the Germanic folklore, I have never come across the creatures and believes that author has added into this book and I read quite a lot of books within this topic.

I’ve been reading this book like a child, constantly wanting more, experiencing so many feeling towards the characters, they felt so real. Brilliant ending, because it left me intrigued. How to survive a year now?

Don’t get me wrong, it’s YA, therefore it had some typical/predictable moments, but it didn’t matter. Characters are written so well; you have a feeling like you’re entering a magical world and you do not want to leave (apart from the moments when the full moon has arrived and the Wild Hunt is out hunting, I’m sure you would not want to meet The Erlking).

Serilda, miller's daughter is famous in her village, because of her storytelling (she is weaving stories about things other people are scared to talk about). She is blessed by the God of fortune and many people believe; all their misfortunes happen because of her.

One night on the full moon, she decides to ignore her father's advice, and doesn’t sleep through the night, she helps some forest creatures and encounters The Wild Hunt. She also lies to The Erlking, these lies will cost her a lot. She’s taken to his castle and asked to perform task, which is impossible to fulfil. Then she meets Gild, naughty poltergeist of that place... Or maybe not...

I love fairy tale retellings, and for my first Marissa Meyer book, this one did not disappoint! Set in a beautifully gothic, fantasy Germany, this story was filled witg beautiful descriptions and stunning world building. There were so many magical creatures and myths, but at no point was it hard to keep up with.

I'd say there were some parts that were maybe longer than necessary for my liking, but overall I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was spun (pun intended, sorry I had to) together so perfectly. I genuinely didn't know how this would end right the way through.

I'm not sure where to even start, this book is brilliant, but holy moly it is so dark! I was already somewhat familiar with the tale of Rumplestiltskin from when I was really young...this is nothing like the children's stories. It is macabre and menacing. It's filled with dark magic and terrifying creatures and it does not hold back from the gruesome horrors of a traditional fairytale. I always tend to enjoy a slow burn of a book and that's exactly what Gilded is, it had me uneasily trying to guess what might happen the whole way through, but there were so many twists I didn't expect. The last few chapters had me dragging my hands down my face in horror...I can't wait for the next book in this series!

‘Gilded’ is such a great book, and I enjoyed it tremendously.

Marissa Meyer’s writing brings you straight into the story and its atmospheric setting. I really liked the main character, Serilda, a miller’s daughter cursed by the god of lies and fate. She’s well-developed throughout the book, and interesting to follow as we discover more about her and the world.

I think what I liked the most about ‘Gilded’ was the stories within stories element, where Serilda’s stories entangled with the truth (and lies), and was great to follow.

I would definitely recommend ‘Gilded' to anyone looking for an atmospheric fantasy read. It’s definitely perfect for the season and I can’t wait to read more in this universe.

Just when you think Marissa Meyer cant get any better she releases another book that draws you in and leaves you breathless and longing for more and this Rumplestiltskin retelling is no exception. I couldnt put it down and I have already read it more than once. I loved it.

absolutely INCREDIBLE. i devoured this book and i’ll be recommending it to everyone. Would highly recommend and i cannot believe that it was left on that cliffhanger i was FUMING!!! the next better be on netgalley and i cannot wait!!!

An amazing retelling of numerous fairytales meshed together seamlessly. Loved it, but I am so disappointed that it ended on somewhat of a cliff hanger so now I have to wait for the next book!

This is by far the eeriest book I have read in a while and also the one that had made me the most emotional / on edge. The elfkings hunts were terrifying and the tales of villagers being compelled to join the hunt had me on edge every time the full moon came round in the book. In contrast, I loved light hearted Gild (the poltergeist) and the wild tales of monsters, gods and fairytales from the heroine.

This book had everything and I would 100% recommend it to my students and can’t wait to see if it’s picked up for a TV series.

Fantastically well written and enjoyable, I think Meyer is a wonderful writer and I'm looking forward to seeing where this goes - I presume there is a sequel. If not, then would drop the rating for an unresolved ending. And I do wonder how much more story there is to spin out as it felt somewhat like we were close to the end, but then ended on a cliffhanger.

All magic comes at a price, but love was never part of the bargain . . .

This deliciously dark retelling of Rumpelstiltskin is a must-read for fans of reimagining of fairy tales. Meyer once again brings to life the beloved characters of our childhoods in a new and exciting way. Gilded is not for the faint-hearted; it is dark, macabre and at times violent in terms of the events that unfold on the page. I have read several of Meyer’s retellings and I think that Gilded is her best yet!

Gilded tells the story of Serilda, daughter of a miller who was blessed (or maybe that should read ‘cursed’) by the god of lies. She grows up as an outcast in her community and is known for spinning far-fetched stories to anyone who will listen. When one of her stories draws the attention of the Erlking, the dark ruler who surrounds himself with ghosts and those whose souls he has enslaved to do his bidding, Serilda is catapulted into a world of magic and enchantment. Forced by the Erlking into a castle dungeon and ordered to spin straw into gold, Serilda unintentionally summons a mysterious young man, the Gilded Ghost, to help her. But everything comes with a price.

It was so hard to put down this book! The fast-pace of Meyer’s writing wrenches you through each chapter and you find yourself anxious to see what happens next (I definitely spent a few late hours reading this book!). We all know the story of Rumpelstiltskin but Meyer brings a whole new dimension to the story and particularly to the character of the young mysterious man whom Serilda summons. This book is filled with very intense interactions between the main characters; Serilda’s encounters with the viciously cruel Erlking will break your heart but this is countered by the budding relationship between Serilda and the Gilded Ghost, a tormented young man who carries many secrets. It is a very dark book and Meyer succeeds in bringing the darkness of the original story by the Grimm brothers to life for the contemporary reader. Meyer doesn’t hold back on the gruesome acts within the book (there are some truly heart-wrenching scenes which led to tears!) and I loved how her descriptions of the events brought the action vividly to life in my mind.

Serilda is not your average fairytale female character- she’s mischievous, quick-witted and fiery. She isn’t afraid to stand her ground against the Erlking, which delights the evil ruler. Gilded is captivating, creepy and gory in equal measure but I hope that there will be a sequel as it seemed to end in a bit of a cliffhanger (I need to see where the story goes!). Beautifully written, Gilded is a must-read YA book this year. One of my favourite books of 2021!

Gilded will be released on the 2nd of November by Faber & Faber. Thank you to NetGalley and to the publishers for the arc in exchange for my honest reviews.