Status
Available
Call number
Series
Collection
Publication
Feiwel & Friends (2021), 512 pages
Description
In Gilded, #1 New York Times-bestselling author Marissa Meyer returns to the fairytale world with this haunting tale. Long ago cursed by the god of lies, a poor miller's daughter has developed a talent for spinning stories that are fantastical and spellbinding and entirely untrue. Or so everyone believes. When one of Serilda's outlandish tales draws the attention of the sinister Erlking and his undead hunters, she finds herself swept away into a grim world where ghouls and phantoms prowl the earth and hollow-eyed ravens track her every move. The king orders Serilda to complete the impossible task of spinning straw into gold, or be killed for telling falsehoods. In her desperation, Serilda unwittingly summons a mysterious boy to her aid. He agrees to help her... for a price. Love isn't meant to be part of the bargain. Soon Serilda realizes that there is more than one secret hidden in the castle walls, including an ancient curse that must be broken if she hopes to end the tyranny of the king and his wild hunt forever.… (more)
Media reviews
ꜱᴏ DANG ᴇɴᴛɪᴄɪɴɢ, ɪ'ᴍ ʜᴏᴏᴋᴇᴅ!!!
Let me tell you, this book is something that I didn't know that I needed in my life.
I've always loved retelling of old stories, fairytales, and or history.
The book cover only feeds my internal desire to bite into this
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series and suck out as much info as I can until my hunger for amazing writing of a book is squelched.
Just from reading the first paragraph I'm allready in love with the introduction of the iconic Madam Sauer. The mention of pettiness, and a women together has me in a choke-hold of judgment and wonder, but a women being assertive and selfish has me bubbling in laughter. Women mentioned in the same sentence of spirits and moons makes me THAT MUCH MORE intrested. On to what could she have done to have been perceived that way by others. Too pretty? Too rich? Too confident? Or maybe too perfect as she is, and charismaticly so, put in the category that any patriarchal system tries to fool & put down women manipulativly. Even though witch's are truly amazing, empowering & mystical in real life.
This book sounds promising and very interesting. I can't wait to finish reading the rest of the sneak peak and after the whole book. I'm truly wondering how everything is going to play out. Can't wait to read on!!
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User reviews
LibraryThing member alliepascal
'"...Not every story has a happy ending. Life isn’t like that, you know.”
“Which is why we listen to stories!”'
You probably know the tale of Rumpelstiltskin; "Gilded" lengthens and embellishes it, adding folklore and creatures and characters from other Grimm tales. It's both darker and
I liked "Gilded" but didn't love it. The world is interesting and well constructed and I was really drawn into that aspect. I especially love the story of Serilda's birth, and the background lore of the old gods. Adalheid Castle was also really cool, with the way the Erlking tethers souls to it. As for Serilda herself... she was alright, but I often couldn't understand why she behaved the way she did in certain situations. A lot of these moments were meant to be humorous, employed as a way of keeping the tone light, but they usually didn't work for me. It's been a while since I read the Lunar Chronicles, and while I remember enjoying those books I might've grown out of Meyer's writing style. There's also the book's length, which in my opinion really didn't need to be over 500 pages, especially considering it's the first part of a duology. 2.5/5.
“Which is why we listen to stories!”'
You probably know the tale of Rumpelstiltskin; "Gilded" lengthens and embellishes it, adding folklore and creatures and characters from other Grimm tales. It's both darker and
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lighter than the original story, and focuses quite a lot more on romance. The most important characters are Serilda, the miller's daughter who loves nothing more than telling stories, the Erlking, a king who, in this story, rules over "dark ones" and ghosts, and of course, the imp who saves Serilda's life by spinning straw into gold for her; he's just a boy in this story and he goes by "Gild." I liked "Gilded" but didn't love it. The world is interesting and well constructed and I was really drawn into that aspect. I especially love the story of Serilda's birth, and the background lore of the old gods. Adalheid Castle was also really cool, with the way the Erlking tethers souls to it. As for Serilda herself... she was alright, but I often couldn't understand why she behaved the way she did in certain situations. A lot of these moments were meant to be humorous, employed as a way of keeping the tone light, but they usually didn't work for me. It's been a while since I read the Lunar Chronicles, and while I remember enjoying those books I might've grown out of Meyer's writing style. There's also the book's length, which in my opinion really didn't need to be over 500 pages, especially considering it's the first part of a duology. 2.5/5.
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LibraryThing member jmchshannon
Gilded by Marissa Meyer is a fantastic reimagining of the Rumplestiltskin fairy tale. Honestly, for the longest time, I avoided retellings because I was afraid I wouldn’t like them as much as the originals. I am so glad I changed my mind about that because if I hadn’t, I would have missed this
Serilda is such a fabulous character. She pretends to be tough and independent to those in her village, to her father, and even to herself, but there is no hiding her vulnerability from the reader. I especially appreciate the fact that while she is a sweetheart who cares about all living things, she is not as saccharine as a Disney character. She has grit and is not too afraid to fend for herself when necessary. Serilda is a character who does not shy away from getting her hands dirty, especially when doing so means protecting others.
In many ways, Gild is the male version of Serilda. He is just as strong and yet just as vulnerable as she is, which makes him the perfect companion for her. Just like her, Gild cares about others and finds ways to show that as often as possible. At the same time, he is willing to sacrifice himself if it means saving someone else from pain. With characteristics like these, among others, it is no wonder why Gild and Serilda find themselves attracted to each other, which is such a lovely addition to the story.
At the same time, the Erlking is the perfect amount of indifference. Serilda and the rest of her world call him evil, but to me, it is not that he is evil. To me, the Erlking is simply indifferent to anyone or anything other than his wants and needs. He likes violence, and so he tends to be violent towards those he meets. He likes to hunt, and therefore he hunts every full moon. Like most hunters, he searches for the rarest trophy, and he keeps those trophies for his pleasure. For someone like Serilda, who cares with her whole heart and maybe a bit too much, he is the perfect foil.
The story itself follows the Rumplestiltskin fairy tale with necessary changes to fit Serilda’s world. Yes, she has to spin straw into gold, and yes, a mysterious person, Gild, helps her for a price. The king who imprisons Serilda just happens to be the Erlking, the master of the wild hunt, and a being known for his lack of compassion or generosity. Serilda’s world is Germanic, with names and other words that are similar to German while not being genuine German words. However, that is where the similarities end, as Ms. Meyer creates a much wider world with fully fleshed characters. The story is not so much about this poor girl who finds herself in an impossible situation, beholden to a mysterious magic person, but rather about a girl who would rather right wrongs and find a way to stop one being from terrorizing others. And it is fantastic.
I was not aware that Gilded was part of a series, so I was not expecting the story to end when it did. Where it did end, however, leaves a lot of potentially exciting options open, all of which are going to make the wait for the sequel interminable. I am very excited to see where Serilda’s story goes next.
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amazing story.Serilda is such a fabulous character. She pretends to be tough and independent to those in her village, to her father, and even to herself, but there is no hiding her vulnerability from the reader. I especially appreciate the fact that while she is a sweetheart who cares about all living things, she is not as saccharine as a Disney character. She has grit and is not too afraid to fend for herself when necessary. Serilda is a character who does not shy away from getting her hands dirty, especially when doing so means protecting others.
In many ways, Gild is the male version of Serilda. He is just as strong and yet just as vulnerable as she is, which makes him the perfect companion for her. Just like her, Gild cares about others and finds ways to show that as often as possible. At the same time, he is willing to sacrifice himself if it means saving someone else from pain. With characteristics like these, among others, it is no wonder why Gild and Serilda find themselves attracted to each other, which is such a lovely addition to the story.
At the same time, the Erlking is the perfect amount of indifference. Serilda and the rest of her world call him evil, but to me, it is not that he is evil. To me, the Erlking is simply indifferent to anyone or anything other than his wants and needs. He likes violence, and so he tends to be violent towards those he meets. He likes to hunt, and therefore he hunts every full moon. Like most hunters, he searches for the rarest trophy, and he keeps those trophies for his pleasure. For someone like Serilda, who cares with her whole heart and maybe a bit too much, he is the perfect foil.
The story itself follows the Rumplestiltskin fairy tale with necessary changes to fit Serilda’s world. Yes, she has to spin straw into gold, and yes, a mysterious person, Gild, helps her for a price. The king who imprisons Serilda just happens to be the Erlking, the master of the wild hunt, and a being known for his lack of compassion or generosity. Serilda’s world is Germanic, with names and other words that are similar to German while not being genuine German words. However, that is where the similarities end, as Ms. Meyer creates a much wider world with fully fleshed characters. The story is not so much about this poor girl who finds herself in an impossible situation, beholden to a mysterious magic person, but rather about a girl who would rather right wrongs and find a way to stop one being from terrorizing others. And it is fantastic.
I was not aware that Gilded was part of a series, so I was not expecting the story to end when it did. Where it did end, however, leaves a lot of potentially exciting options open, all of which are going to make the wait for the sequel interminable. I am very excited to see where Serilda’s story goes next.
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LibraryThing member deslivres5
Fairytale retelling of the story of Rumpelstiltskin like only Marissa Meyer could do, with a dash of YA romance which I wasn't expecting where the Rumpelstiltskin tale is concerned.
One gets lots of storytelling within the story, which I enjoyed. My poor heart was put off a bit by the violence
I thought this was a standalone, but Gilded is the first in a series. Hopefully there will be the "happily ever after" in Book 2.
One gets lots of storytelling within the story, which I enjoyed. My poor heart was put off a bit by the violence
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against children, but I guess that's what classic fairy tales are full of, eh? The villain is truly horrid, the heroine is smart AND a first class liar, but sometimes being too smart/heroic makes her run into situations without thinking, which had me angry with her when she must suffer the consequences.I thought this was a standalone, but Gilded is the first in a series. Hopefully there will be the "happily ever after" in Book 2.
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LibraryThing member Lunarsong
A great first taste of what is sure to be a captivating Rumpelstiltskin retelling. The main character is both endearingly odd and strangely likable liar. This new twist on this classic fairytale already has me hooked. I can’t wait to read the rest of the story and see how this version of the tale
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ends! Thanks to NetGalley and the published for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. Show Less
LibraryThing member AmyM3317
Serilda was long ago cursed by the god of lies. The stories she spins are enthralling and captivating, but untrue. Those who live in her small community don't trust her for all the lies that fall from her lips. But on a night where the Wild Hunt rides, Serilda catches the attention of the Erlking
In a panic, Serilda ends up summoning a boy to her aid. A boy who is able to help her spin the straw into gold. But his help comes at a price. As Serilda tries to break free from the Erlking's clutches, she realizes there are secrets buried deep within a castle in which no one remembers.
I immediately recognized Rebecca Soler's voice from Marissa Meyers previous book [book:Instant Karma|55690366]. Honestly, that threw me a little bit because I had most recently associated her voice with the character of Prudence. It took me a bit to acclimate myself to her as the voice of Serilda. But I appreciate the emotion and enthusiasm she has for her narrations.
The story is obviously a retelling of Rumpelstiltskin and not even the first retelling of that particular fairy-tale I've seen this year. I feel like retellings come in waves, alternating as each story has its own moment.
I liked that Marissa Meyer really made the story her own. There is the recognizable spinning of straw into gold aspect, but there was also a lot that I don't remember from the story I was told as a child. I kind of kept waiting for Meyer's story to line up more with my memories, but ended up appreciating more that she didn't always go the same route.
Now, this is all to say...yet. It's clear by the end that there is going to be a sequel. As I neared the end, I kept thinking that there has to be more to the story because things do not end all neat and tidy. I almost feel like this first book is one huge build-up of what's to come. Kind of setting the stage so to speak. I think in that way I can forgive its more languorous pacing. Marissa Meyer knows how to build a story and can always be counted on to deliver a very enriched world. Gilded is no different.
I think my favorite thing was the idea of all these stories - or fairy-tales - within a story. The idea of Serilda spinning stories instead of spinning straw. The stories that are tied up in history and how often truths become fables become tales. I'd say more but I don't want to spoil anything. Suffice it to say there are a lot of interesting ideas that were touched upon here that I cannot wait to dig deeper into in the sequel.
This book may have taken me awhile to finish and get through, but I really enjoyed the journey. I loved the twists and turns along the way. I can't wait to see where things go next.
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and his hunters. She luckily easily spins a tale to get herself out of the situation, but the Erlking's interested doesn't wane and on the next full moon he takes Serilda beyond the veil and threatens her life, and the lives of those she loves, if she doesn't spin gold out of straw - as she brazenly told him was within her power. In a panic, Serilda ends up summoning a boy to her aid. A boy who is able to help her spin the straw into gold. But his help comes at a price. As Serilda tries to break free from the Erlking's clutches, she realizes there are secrets buried deep within a castle in which no one remembers.
I immediately recognized Rebecca Soler's voice from Marissa Meyers previous book [book:Instant Karma|55690366]. Honestly, that threw me a little bit because I had most recently associated her voice with the character of Prudence. It took me a bit to acclimate myself to her as the voice of Serilda. But I appreciate the emotion and enthusiasm she has for her narrations.
The story is obviously a retelling of Rumpelstiltskin and not even the first retelling of that particular fairy-tale I've seen this year. I feel like retellings come in waves, alternating as each story has its own moment.
I liked that Marissa Meyer really made the story her own. There is the recognizable spinning of straw into gold aspect, but there was also a lot that I don't remember from the story I was told as a child. I kind of kept waiting for Meyer's story to line up more with my memories, but ended up appreciating more that she didn't always go the same route.
Now, this is all to say...yet. It's clear by the end that there is going to be a sequel. As I neared the end, I kept thinking that there has to be more to the story because things do not end all neat and tidy. I almost feel like this first book is one huge build-up of what's to come. Kind of setting the stage so to speak. I think in that way I can forgive its more languorous pacing. Marissa Meyer knows how to build a story and can always be counted on to deliver a very enriched world. Gilded is no different.
I think my favorite thing was the idea of all these stories - or fairy-tales - within a story. The idea of Serilda spinning stories instead of spinning straw. The stories that are tied up in history and how often truths become fables become tales. I'd say more but I don't want to spoil anything. Suffice it to say there are a lot of interesting ideas that were touched upon here that I cannot wait to dig deeper into in the sequel.
This book may have taken me awhile to finish and get through, but I really enjoyed the journey. I loved the twists and turns along the way. I can't wait to see where things go next.
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LibraryThing member wagner.sarah35
It took me a little while to get into this story, which surprised me as I typically find Marissa Meyer's novels highly compelling. By the end, however, I was engrossed and ready to start the sequel. Serilda was a character I struggled to like - her stories (or lies) seem to start all the trouble.
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Gild was an intriguing character, with a history full of mystery even to himself. I didn't particularly like some of the plot developments towards the end of this volume, but I am interested to see how they get resolved in the sequel. Show Less
LibraryThing member Kiaya40
I love this and I already know that it's going to be another awesome 5-star read that will be another favorite of mine. Marissa Meyer is one of my favorite authors and I can't wait to read the rest of this story. Serilda is a great character and this sample ended on a cliffhanger and I cannot wait
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to find out the rest. This is a great retelling and it's like a mix of story retellings of Rumplestiltskin, The Bear, and the Nightingale, Wintersong, and Erlking vibes. This is the perfect read for the fall and winter with the cold, crisp autumn air around the corner. Thanks so much to MacMillan Children's Publishing Group/Feiwel & Friends and NetGalley for letting me read and review this fantastic extended sampler. Show Less
LibraryThing member decaturmamaof2
First of all, I'm a lifelong lover of fairy tales, as my bookshelves will attest. And this is a really really good one!
Serilda is a richly drawn character, and I was particularly entertained by the semi-German fairytale names for creatures and places. Bright me right back to my childhood.
However..
Serilda is a richly drawn character, and I was particularly entertained by the semi-German fairytale names for creatures and places. Bright me right back to my childhood.
However..
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Now I have to wait until ?? for the sequel. Because Holy Cliffhangers, Batman! Show Less
Awards
Eliot Rosewater Indiana High School Book Award (Nominee — 2024)
Arkansas Teen Book Award (Nominee — 2023)
Best Fiction for Young Adults (Selection — 2022)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2021
Physical description
9.3 inches
ISBN
1250618843 / 9781250618849
Local notes
Long ago cursed by the god of lies, Serlida - a poor miller's daughter - has developed a talent for spinning stories that are fantastical and spellbinding and entirely untrue. Or so everyone believes.
Small debossed crown on black boards under the dust jacket.
Small debossed crown on black boards under the dust jacket.