The Gilded Ones | Forna, Namina

Lange Beschreibung
INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY TEEN VOGUE
 
'A dark feminist tale spun with blood and gold. Must read!'  Dhonielle Clayton, New York Times bestselling author of The Belles
 
Sixteen-year-old Deka lives in fear and anticipation of the blood ceremony that will determine whether she will become a member of her village. Already different from everyone else because of her unnatural intuition, Deka prays for red blood so she can finally feel like she belongs.

But on the day of the ceremony, her blood runs gold, the color of impurity and Deka knows she will face a consequence worse than death.

Then a mysterious woman comes to her with a choice: stay in the village and submit to her fate, or leave to fight for the emperor in an army of girls just like her. They are called alaki near-immortals with rare gifts. And they are the only ones who can stop the empire's greatest threat.

Knowing the dangers that lie ahead yet yearning for acceptance, Deka decides to leave the only life she's ever known. But as she journeys to the capital to train for the biggest battle of her life, she will discover that the great walled city holds many surprises. Nothing and no one are quite what they seem to be not even Deka herself.

The start of a bold and immersive fantasy series for fans of Children of Blood and Bone and Black Panther.

Rezensierung
Namina Forna could be the Toni Morrison of YA fantasy.   Refinery 29

Fans of Children of Blood and Bone, Mulan, and the Dora Milaje from Black Panther are going to adore this one. BuzzFeed

The girls are powerful, the danger is real, and the characters are engaging and diverse. Forna has accomplished something really special here, equal parts subversive and fun.   Tor

'Perfect for those who fell in love with Black Panther and will leave all holding their breath until the very end.' Ebony

Namina Forna introduces readers to an intricate, West African-inspired fantasy world. POPSUGAR

Total book candy for fans of Tomi Ayedemi's Children of Blood and Bone.   PureWow

'A dark feminist tale spun with blood and gold, The Gilded Ones lifts the veil of violent patriarchy and burns the idea of purity to the ground. Must read!' Dhonielle Clayton, New York Times Bestselling author of The Belles

Haunting, brutal, and oh-so-relevant. This book will suck you into a world where girls bleed gold, magic fills the air, and the real monsters hide behind words instead of claws.   Roseanne A. Brown, New York Times bestselling author of A Song of Wraiths and Ruin

An enthralling debut. The Gilded Ones redefines sisterhood and is sure to leave readers both inspired and ultimately hopeful.'  Stephanie Garber, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Caraval
 
The Gilded Ones is a fierce, unflinching fantasy that marks Forna as a debut to watch. Kiersten White, New York Times bestselling author of And I Darken

'Phenomenal and extraordinary! Forna's breathtaking use of language depicts a thrilling journey through an epic world, rife with danger and deception, as an obedient girl survives the patriarchy and becomes a warrior. Unquestionably, the best fantasy of 2021.'  Kim Johnson, author of This is My America

An epic new fantasy with heart-stopping stakes and a fierce, persevering hero, The Gilded Ones is a dazzling and powerful debut. Elizabeth Lim, bestselling author of Spin the Dawn

A poignant examination of patriarchal oppression that ensnares its reader and doesn t let go. With a compelling main character and fresh magic system, it takes you on a journey of self-discovery through a fantastically built world with a burning mystery at its heart. Kalyn Josephson, author of The Storm Crow

While elements of action and social justice are strong, there is also mystery . . . readers will find themselves awestruck with satisfying revelation, leaving both a clean ending and desire for more.
Booklist, starred review

Female-led YA fantasy is an overcrowded genre, but Namina Forna brings a fresh perspective in her stormingly good debut . . . Action combines with an intense feminist story of sisterhood, where strength is found in female friendships and alliances.   The Guardian

Brutal, brilliant, and ultimately hopeful, The Gilded Ones takes readers on
a stunning sci-fi fantasy ride.   Nerdist

Formidable heroines and a thoughtful feminist mythology distinguish debut author Forna s West Africa inspired fantasy trilogy launch. Abundant action drives the pace, while a nuanced plot advocates social change by illustrating the myriad ways in which society cages and commodifies women.   Publishers Weekly

All of the alaki girls have realistic and moving trauma as a result of actions wreaked on them both as human women and alaki, and strong female friendships stand at the forefront of this novel that will have readers thinking about it long after the last page.   The Bulletin

Buchausschnitt

1

Today is the Ritual of Purity. 

The thought nervously circles in my head as I hurry toward the barn, gathering my cloak to ward off the cold. It s early morning, and the sun hasn t yet begun its climb above the snow-dusted trees encircling our small farmhouse. Shadows gather in the darkness, crowding the weak pool of light cast by my lamp. An ominous tingling builds under my skin. It s almost as if there s something there, at the edge of my vision. . . . 

It s just nerves, I tell myself. I ve felt the tingling many times before and never once seen anything strange. 

The barn door is open when I arrive, a lantern hung at the post. Father is already inside, spreading hay. He s a frail figure in the darkness, his tall body sunken into itself. Just three months ago, he was hearty and robust, his blond hair untouched by gray. Then the red pox came, sickening him and Mother. Now he s stooped and faded, with the rheumy eyes and wispy hair of someone decades older. 

You re already awake, he says softly, gray eyes flitting over me. 

I couldn t sleep any longer, I reply, grabbing a milk pail and heading toward Norla, our largest cow.

I m supposed to be resting in isolation, like all the other girls preparing for the Ritual, but there s too much work to do around the farm and not enough hands. There hasn t been since Mother died three months ago. The thought brings tears to my eyes, and I blink them away.

Father forks more hay into the stalls. Blessings to he who waketh to witness the glory of the Infinite Father, he grunts, quoting from the Infinite Wisdoms. So, are you prepared for today?

I nod. Yes, I am.

Later this afternoon, Elder Durkas will test me and all the other sixteen-year-old girls during the Ritual of Purity. Once we re proven pure, we ll officially belong here in the village. I ll finally be a woman--eligible to marry, have a family of my own.

The thought sends another wave of anxiety across my mind.

I glance at Father from the corner of my eye. His body is tense; his movements are labored. He s worried too. I had a thought, Father, I begin. What if . . . what if . . . I stop there, the unfinished question lingering heavily in the air. An unspeakable dread, unfurling in the gloom of the barn.

Father gives me what he thinks is a reassuring smile, but the edges of his mouth are tight. What if what? he asks. You can tell me, Deka.

What if my blood doesn t run pure? I whisper, the horrible words rushing out of me. What if I m taken away by the priests--banished?

I have nightmares about it, terrors that merge with my other dreams, the ones where I m in a dark ocean, Mother s voice calling out to me.

Is that what you re worried about?

I nod.

Even though it s rare, everyone knows of someone s sister or relative who was found to be impure. The last time it happened in Irfut was decades ago--to one of Father s cousins. The villagers still whisper about the day she was dragged away by the priests, never to be seen again. Father s family has been shadowed by it ever since.

That s why they re always acting so holy--always the first in temple, my aunts masked so even their mouths are hidden from view. The Infinite Wisdoms caution, Only the impure, blaspheming, and unchaste woman remains revealed under the eyes of Oyomo, but this warning refers to the top half of the face: forehead to the tip of the nose. My aunts, however, even have little squares of sheer cloth covering their eyes.

When Father returned from his ar