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Gilded (Gilded Duology Book 1) by [Marissa Meyer]

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Marissa Meyer

Gilded (Gilded Duology Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Marissa Meyer (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

1,142 ratings

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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.

Reading age

12 - 18 years
Print length

497 pages
Language

English
Grade level

7 - 9
Publisher

Feiwel & Friends
Publication date

November 2, 2021
Page Flip

Enabled
Word Wise

Not Enabled
Enhanced typesetting

Enabled
ISBN-13

978-1250618849
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Marissa Meyer
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From the Publisher

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Gr 9 Up-With the fae politics of Holly Black's The Cruel Prince and the dark roots of a Grimm fairy tale, Meyer flips tradition with a simple question: What if the king whom the miller's daughter marries is the villain, and Rumpelstiltskin is her only way out? Eighteen-year-old Serilda's fast tongue and uncanny eyes make her an outcast to all except the village children, who hang on every word of her stories. Marked by the god of lies, Serilda would rather spin stories than wool, until the midnight hunt brings the Erlking to her door. Her fast tongue is the only thing that saves her, but the dark king believes her words and soon she finds herself in a dungeon to spin straw into golden chains. With the help of a boy with no memory, Serilda must use her stories to save everyone-but staying one step ahead of the Erlking will come at a terrible cost. The first installment of Meyer's newest series has an atmospheric beginning that eventually pays off as Serilda travels to the Erlking's undead castle. Dynamic relationships raise the stakes-friendship and familial add depth and thematic elements to the tale, while romance sprinkles more angst on top and promises a truly delicious conflict in the books to come. The main cast is white, with some diversity in race and orientation in the supporting characters. VERDICT The queen of fairy tale retellings has spun what is sure to be another best seller. Recommended for all libraries.-Emmy Neal, Lake Forest Lib., ILα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

About the Author

Marissa Meyer is the #1 New York Times–bestselling author of the Renegades Trilogy, The Lunar Chronicles series, the Wires and Nerve graphic novels, and The Lunar Chronicles Coloring Book. Her first standalone novel, Heartless, was also a #1 New York Times bestseller. Marissa created and hosts a podcast called The Happy Writer. She lives in Tacoma, Washington, with her husband and their two daughters.

Rebecca Soler is a film and voiceover actress who won a 2009 AudioFile Earphones Award for her narration of After by Amy Efaw. Her audiobook credits include work by authors such as Judy Blume, James Patterson and Sarah Dessen. Soler has also narrated the popular young adult series The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer. Her voice over credits include various video games, like Star Wars: The Old Republic and Red Dead Redemption and television shows such as Pokemon, Yu-Gi-Oh, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. She lives in New York City. --This text refers to the audioCD edition.

Review

#1 Indie Bestseller
#1 New York Times Bestseller

"When it comes to reimagined fairy tales, the reigning queen of the genre is Marissa Meyer... This dark, enchanting book is Meyer at the height of her powers ― crafting a new tale with an old-school feel where nobody is guaranteed a happily-everafter. It is fresh and utterly engrossing while also familiar ― just what Meyer does best."--The New York Times

"The queen of fairy-tale retellings is back, this time with “Rumpelstiltskin” as her inspiration, and the result is a gorgeously intricate tale that will have readers locked in from the start. ... Meyer weaves an enchanting tale filled with whimsically magical moments and some serious suspense. [She] knows how to capture fantastical worlds, and this one is pure perfection for her fans and new readers alike." ―Booklist

"Cornered by the wicked Erlking on the night of the wild hunt, Serilda claims that she can spin straw into gold, a lie that saves her life but lands her in the Erlking’s castle on the next full moon with a room full of straw and an impossible task. Fortunately, Gild, an impish (and attractive) poltergeist shows up, offering help in exchange for Serilda’s golden necklace. Gild easily fulfills his end of the bargain and does so a second time for Serilda’s ring; when the Erlking makes the third demand, however, Serilda has nothing left to give Gild, and the romance that has sparked between them only complicates things further." ―Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, recommended

"Meyer explores the power of fiction in this inventive “Rumpelstiltskin” reimagining. Intricate worldbuilding and star-crossed romance help temper the Erlking’s brutality, and ...well-drawn characters will leave readers craving a sequel." ―Publishers Weekly

"Meyer flips tradition with a simple question: What if the king whom the miller’s daughter marries is the villain, and Rumpelstiltskin is her only way out? ...The queen of fairy tale retellings has spun what is sure to be another best seller." ―School Library Journal

--This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B08SKY4W14
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Feiwel & Friends (November 2, 2021)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ November 2, 2021
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 3330 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Print length ‏ : ‎ 497 pages
Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ 0571371582
Lending ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled

Best Sellers Rank: #76,334 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #162 in Teen & Young Adult Fairy Tales & Folklore Adaptations eBooks
- #214 in Teen & Young Adult Fairy Tale & Folklore Adaptations
- #722 in Teen & Young Adult Sword & Sorcery Fantasy

Customer Reviews:
1,142 ratings

About the author

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Marissa Meyer

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Marissa Meyer is a fangirl at heart, with a closet full of costumes, a Harry Potter wand on her desk, and a Tuxedo Mask doll hanging from her rear view mirror. Han and Leia are still her OTP. She may or may not be a cyborg.

Marissa is also the NYT bestselling author of a number of books for teens, including The Lunar Chronicles, the Renegades Trilogy, and Heartless.

Sign up for her newsletter at http://www.marissameyer.com or follow her on social media:

Instagram: @marissameyerauthor

Pinterest: @marissameyerauthor

Facebook: @marissameyerauthor

Twitter: @marissa_meyer

Customer reviews

5 star		63%
4 star		23%
3 star		9%
2 star		2%
1 star		1%

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Top reviews from the United States

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An Exciting New Take on Rumpelstiltskin

Reviewed in the United States on November 2, 2021

Verified Purchase

I received this ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest and voluntary review. I was in no way compensated for this review.

Marissa Meyer returns to the world of fairy tales with her latest retelling, Gilded. If you thought you knew the fairy tale of Rumpelstiltskin, think again! In true Marissa fashion, she takes the story to whole new level, while still giving the nods to the original classic.

Serilda was gifted by the gods with the art of storytelling and she was also gifted with wheel spokes in her eyes. It makes looking her in the eye a little startling for her fellow villagers, so she’s naturally an outcast. Her only friends are the small children she helps to teach at the school. Then one night she finds herself helping out some faery creatures to hide from the Erlking who is out on the Hunt. When he confronts her, she conjures up a story to explain her present that eventually leads her to say that she can spin straw into gold.

Now if you know your fairy tales, you know that this king now wants Serilda to perform this very task for him. But he’s one of fae, so basically in this world, he’s pure evil. And he really is the villain of the story. When Serilda realizes what her storytelling has gotten her into and that her very life was on the line, she’s in despair. You have to give her props for literally trying to spin the straw into gold though and it’s then that a boy around her age magically appears. He says he can help her…for a price.

The boy calls himself Gild, he’s been a prisoner of the castle that magically appears every full moon for years now that he can’t remember anything from before. Gild is able to turn straw into gold but as he explains to Serilda, all magic comes with a price. He’s not the nefarious creature that we know from the original tale and I really liked this spin that Marissa took with his character.

This story was dark you guys, really dark. It’s not for the faint of heart. As with each passing moon Serilda tries to escape the Erlking’s grasp but fails and that only makes him angry and he’s not the type you want angry. There are other faery like creatures in this world as well, some are deadly, some are dangerous, and some are something else entirely. But you can definitely feel the fairy tale vibes in the air in this story, the original ones that were dark and gloomy and not meant for little ears.

Naturally, there is a bit of romance brewing between Gild and Serilda. Serilda has never really had luck in the romance area because of her eyes, friendships weren’t easy too. So seeing her develop feelings for this mysterious boy was sweet and endearing and to see Gild returning the affections. They are a lot alike in that way.

There is another bit of mystery going on behind the scenes in this one that involves the castle that magically appears every night of the Hunt. It’s one that involves the previous owners and what happened to them as there are gravestones nearby that are without names. The mystery doesn’t take up too much attention but it’s still there and it makes you curious as to how it will tie back into the current events.

I really enjoyed this retelling! Rumpelstiltskin isn’t one of your more popular fairy tales to choose in retellings as everyone is for the “princess” stories so I liked that Marissa picked one of the lesser known ones. Gilded is a dark and harrowing retelling of the classic Grimm tale that will leave you enchanted and needing more! The fairy tale retelling genre is one that needs to be built up more in my opinion! There are so many possibilities waiting in the tales of old and Gilded is one you will want to re-read again and again!

Overall Rating 5/5 stars

Gilded releases November 2, 2021

24 people found this helpful

Helpful

Suspenseful, dangerous and interesting!

Reviewed in the United States on March 23, 2022

Verified Purchase

Serilda enjoys creating stories to tell and embellishing the tales every time she retells them. One snowy night, she hears noises outside her house. She dares to go outside and she sees two moss maidens trying to hide from hunters. Serilda helps them hide but lies to the Erlking to keep them safe. He’s intrigued by her story of being able to spin straw into gold so he sends for her to come to his castle. After that, she's bound to keep going back to the castle because the Erlking won't let her go. She meets Gild, who the Erlking classifies as a poltergeist. Gild has the gift of magic that allows him to spin straw into gold. He helps Serilda but requires payment in return each time he helps her. The first two times, Serilda gives him the gifts the moss maidens gave her when she saved them from the Erlking. The third time, she offers her future firstborn child as payment. That is the only thing she has to offer. Gild accepts this offer, so his magic will work. Everything grows more complicated and the people Serilda love become endangered. The Erlking is heartless, cold and brutal. He will do whatever it takes to get what he wants.
Gilded is one of the best fairytale retellings I've read because Marissa Meyer adds twists and brings original characters to the story. Suspenseful, dangerous and interesting fairytale retelling, 5 stars!

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Basic Bibliophile

Rumpelstiltskin in a dark, engaging world, stalled by insta-love and lean characterization.

Reviewed in the United States on November 3, 2021

Verified Purchase

Gilded by Marissa Meyer, is a Rumpelstiltskin retelling and follows Serilda, a young woman marked by the god of lies, who finds herself snared in a tangled storied web and at the mercy of the Alder King. With the help of the resident poltergeist, Serilda finds that spinning straw into gold isn't the only thing of value - so are words.

Things I liked:

Meyer's writing. Problems aside, I always find her writing to be engaging. It's a cool glass of water that goes down smooth and refreshing.

The grittiness of the story. Some horrifying things happen here and it truly makes the Alder King feel like a coldhearted villain. I like that this story leans into the darkness and doesn't shy from showing how awful this whole thing is.

How Meyer twists the fairytale to make it her own unique take. I do like the story a lot, but there are execution problems.

Things I didn't like:

The insta-love. It never works for me in a story and it was especially so here. Barely know each other and then poof in love. I was surprised by this because I think Meyer has written some pretty solid romances in the past. Since this is going to be more than one book, there was definitely time to do a proper development, but I get how a certain plot point needed some aspects to be rushed, but it definitely didn't have to be love so fast.

Shallow characters. I didn't really feel a connection to anyone. I understood the loneliness Serilda and Gild feel and how that draws them together, but they, along with everyone else in the story, just feel a little hollow. Serilda is the most complex, though, and I do like her.

The pacing. Some parts drew me in, and others had me bored. I put it down a few times and that's rare for me. I was interested in the story so I kept going and it definitely picks up for the last 25%.

The story is predictable. There is one part I wasn't expecting and that's because I wasn't expecting an unresolved story.

That there is more. I thought this was a one and done and I think it should have been. There are a few unanswered questions that carry over to the next book, but I don't really want another one. I think it could have concluded here and I really hope that this isn't a case of having to stretch a story to make more books. I really hope the next book is strong.

Things people may care about:

Gruesome deaths & imagery
Fade-to-black sex
Doesn't seem to be a diverse cast of characters (other than human vs. creature)

All in all, while I did enjoy the story and will continue the series, Gilded left me unsatisfied and wary of the next book.

18 people found this helpful

Helpful

Top reviews from other countries

Andrea Way

Great start to a new series

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 9, 2022

Verified Purchase

I received an e-arc of Gilded from Faber & Faber and Netgalley. Even though I have been gifted this book for review, all opinions are my own.

This is my review of Gilded by Marissa Meyer

This is a new series by the author of the Lunar Chronicles which are a series of fairy-tale retellings set in space. This time we are in a new fantasy setting based on the fairy tale of Rumpelstiltskin. Once again this author has taken a well-loved tale and made it a unique and wonderful tale. The story is charming as a prince and completely magical. The characters are both engaging and rememberable. I cannot wait to continue the series and to be back in this world once again.

Highly recommend it if you enjoy reading fantasy retellings of classic fairy tales.

TeriB

Unabashedly YA, but what a gem of a retelling

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 28, 2022

Verified Purchase

This book and this rumpelstiltskin retelling is so good, filled with a lot of fairy tale lore and many more fairy tales and folklore woven into the text.

Loved the beautiful, assured use of language and how the story was told.

And now, of course, I cannot wait to see how the story continues in book 2.

Nadine&Brian

Darkly descriptive.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 17, 2022

Verified Purchase

I really enjoyed this. It's darkly descriptive and quite haunting, the perfect antidote to the sugary sweetness that abounds in modern retelling of old tales. An original and interesting take on the story of Rumpelstiltskin. I will very much look forward to the sequel.

Dubbs

Gripping

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 22, 2022

Verified Purchase

How could it end like that?? It was gripping, beautiful and gothic and I don't know how long l can wait for a sequel...

Louise N. Knight

Couldnt put it down..

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 26, 2022

Verified Purchase

Really enjoyed Gilded and have ore ordered the second book .. cant wait