Gilded

by Marissa Meyer

Book Overview

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...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1250618843
• ISBN13: 9781250618849
• Release Date: November 2021
• Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
• Length: 512 Pages
• Weight: 1.63 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.6" x 6.6" x 9.5"
• Age Range: 13 to 17 years
• Grade Range: Grades 8 to 12

Customer Reviews

If You Love Fairytales This is for You

This book was amazing! Probably my favorite work from her so far. One of the few books I've read where I wish there was no ending. It's dark. However, the original tale of Rumpelstiltskin is dark, so I feel that Marissa has just used that darkness to recreate the story into so much more. If you're familiar with Heartless, it's more tragic and yet happier than that tale. I've raved about this book at work and I cannot recommend it enough!

Warning, MUCH darker than her other books! Trigger warning posted below

I have really enjoyed this author's other books - the Lunar Chronicles and the Renegades series. Like the Lunar Chronicles, this one is a reimagined fairy tale, this one Rumplestiltskin. Marissa Meyer is great at creating a new and detailed setting for these tales, intertwining the basics of classic fairy tales without forcing anything to fit. I feel like this one should come with a bit of a trigger warning, expect the same quality of story telling, with a darker and gruesome tale. The mystery is intriguing,but this tale focuses around death and the dead, and gets pretty gory in some of the details, especially as you get into the latter half of the book. *TRIGGER WARNING BELOW* *** *** *** *** *** *** *** TW: death of child/children Gory descriptions of death

Enchanting and Haunting Reimagining

Weaving together folklore, mythology and a unique reimagining of a classic fairytale, Meyer solidifies her crowing as the queen of fairytale retellings! Creating a captivating tale of The Wild Hunt and the Alder King, curses, haunted castles, and mischievous poltergeists this tale is as enchanting as it is haunting. Part eerie mystery, part fantasy romance the story ebbs and flows with each new discovery. The fallout from each lie and the buildup to the next full moon becomes a grand adventure with twists and turns and unsolved mysteries around every corner! There are so many threads left hanging or cut short, yet to be resolved, so many ways the story could veer. It’s quite honestly nerve wracking. The ending is mostly resolved as a first act but most definitely halts on an open-ended precipice. The sequel, Cursed, cannot come soon enough!

A Dark, gothic, haunting retelling

Gilded is an imaginative retelling of Rumplestiltskin and the German tale of the Erlking. The heroine, Serilda, a miller's daughter was born cursed by the god of stories and lies. One night, after hiding two moss maidens who are being hunted by the evil Erlking and his undead hunting party, she impulsively fabricates a cover story claiming that she can spin straw into gold. Her tall tale intrigues the Erlking, and he captures her on the next full moon to spin the gold. Trapped in his gothic, ghostly castle, she unwittingly summons a mysterious boy who can perform this very feat. Gilded is well-written with creative and vivid world building. Dark, haunting, and immersive, this book is unpredictable and compelling. The colorful cast of characters and subplots add even more life to the story. The Erlking commits atrocities that are brutal, ruthless, and not for the faint of heart. There is a dramatic cliffhanger, leaving the reader desperate for the sequel. #BookishFirst

This retelling is golden!

Oh my! This is so much more than a retelling of Rumpelstiltskin! It is chockful of other stories and combines them all into a great tale, courtesy of the gift that Serilda has from the good of stories and lies. From the Erlking to moss maidens and tatzelwurms and many other creatures, nightmares, and magic beings. Like the little children that Serilda helps out with at the school, I thoroughly enjoyed the stories that she told them, even if some of them were quite dark. It matches the setting of the world though and what happens to Serilda due to one lie she told to the Erlking to save a couple moss maidens. The story that gets revealed as she is taken to the Erlking's castle to spin straw into gold is also quite good. And I much prefer Gild, the poltergeist over the traditional Rumpelstiltskin character. It opens up so many more possibilities with his character and makes him much more rounded. Be warned however, it may be a good, long story with over 500 pages of excitement and danger and sadness, but sadly it ends in a cliffhanger of massive proportions and you will definitely need the next book now! I know I do.

Incredible read!

I am a total sucker for retelling of fairy tales! This story is an amazing retelling of Rumplestiltskin. I am so excited to read the rest of it! This story has a compelling narrator, with her blessing being not of a god with a golden heart, but one of lies. I find it easy to sympathize with her kind, caring nature, despite all the cards stacked against her, and turn each page eagerly to see how she will get herself out of the challenging situations she finds herself in. Early on, we see that her life has not been an easy one; and yet, she strives to be a role model for the children who look up to her, and she defends people who are in need. She is strong, and selfless, and it is genuinely easy to sympathize with her as a protagonist, which makes for an enjoyable reading experience. This story is certainly one that will be worth the read; and, I suspect, many, many rereads in the future!

A dark fantastical retelling

Marissa Meyer's retellings of Grimms fairy tales have always impressed me, but this novel took her wonderful characters and suspense to a whole other level by adding much more risk and enchanting darkness this time around. The threat is just terrifying to me personally, and I absolutely love it! Cannot wait for what she's got in store next. If you loved her previous books, or anything fairy tale/fantasy, I highly recommend to try this out, especially watch for that ending!