The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna

This selection was one that I hesitated in adding to this year’s Papyr.us Book Club’s list. Even though the name caught my attention and I was pysched to read a new YA fantasy/Afrofuturism book featuring a black, female protagonist, I was concerned that parts of the premise sounded too similar to the trilogy by Toni Adeyemi. From the descriptions I have seen, there is an adolescent girl born into a race with special powers. She is compelled to harness those powers to save those like her, who are disenfranchised due to their differences. Considering how good Children Of Blood & Bone was, I wondered if I would end up comparing Gilded Ones to it. Despite my reluctance, I decided to give the latter a chance. After all, it could turn out to be totally different and just as enjoyable.

To give you a better preliminary idea of what The Gilded One is about, I have included a piece of the blurb below. Once I finish reading the book, I will update this post with a complete review. Make sure that you are signed up for the Papyr.us Bookclub newsletter to receive notifications for that review as well for details about our next virtual meetup.