Gild
by Raven Kennedy
Self-Published
Book 1 in the Plated Prisoner Series
The fae abandoned this world to us. And the ones with power rule.
Gold.
Gold floors, gold walls, gold furniture, gold clothes. In Highbell, in the castle built into the frozen mountains, everything is made of gold.
Even me.
King Midas rescued me. Dug me out of the slums and placed me on a pedestal. I’m called his precious. His favored. I’m the woman he Gold-Touched to show everyone that I belong to him. To show how powerful he is. He gave me protection, and I gave him my heart. And even though I don’t leave the confines of the palace, I’m safe.
Until war comes to the kingdom and a deal is struck.
Suddenly, my trust is broken. My love is challenged. And I realize that everything I thought I knew about Midas might be wrong.
Because these bars I’m kept in, no matter how gilded, are still just a cage. But the monsters on the other side might make me wish I’d never left.
The myth of King Midas reimagined. This compelling adult fantasy series is as addictive as it is unexpected. With romance, intrigue, and danger, the gilded world of Orea will grip you from the very first page.
RATED: 18+ CATEGORY: MOOD:
Steamy Adult Fantasy Dark
Violence
TRIGGER WARNING: Rape and explicit violence
Gild is the first book in the Plated Prisoner Series by Raven Kennedy, and centers around Auren, a twenty-five year old woman, who has been been gold - touched by King Midas. Her skin, her hair - everything is gold except for the whites of her eyes and her teeth. He saved her, and she has given him her heart. She is kept in a gilded cage on the highest level of the castle, but she is safe. Until a deal is struck. Her trust is broken in the one person she thought would never betray her, her love challenged, she is forced to contemplate if the King Midas she knows is an illusion. And the people outside her gilded cage will make her wish that she never had to leave it in the first place.
So. I have thoughts. Many, many thoughts. This book has been recommended several times on #booktok, and because I was in the mood for a fantasy, I decided to give it a try. It's ... interesting. It's a retelling of the myth of King Midas, which is different from the usual fairytale retellings we get. Technically, the writing is well done. The world building I felt could have been done a bit better, as well as the descriptions on specific things - like Auren's ribbons. Totally forgetting that she is gold, I was imagining these fleshy ribbons growing from her spine. Like, actual flesh. I didn't feel like the description of this incredibly odd occurrence on her body was detailed enough. Do they feel like skin or actual ribbon? The story itself is interesting, but yes, triggering. There are a lot of monstrous men in this book, and more than once, our MC is under threat, or forced to watch, women be raped and beaten, and people murdered. So if you are thinking about getting into this series, I will caution you if those things are triggering for you.
My main issue with this book, is it being labeled as a romance. Where was the romance? Spoilery territory --------------> Is it supposed to be Midas? Because yeah, he saved her, and there is obviously a huge backstory to their relationship that isn't in this book (very annoying), but he has an ORGY, forcing Auren to watch. And this is NORMAL behavior! If he truly loved her, why does he do this? He rarely touches her, and only makes love to her AFTER putting her through hell with the other king. Is it Commander Rip, who we meet at the end of the book? Being Fae, and Auren, I am assuming, is at least half fae, is there something going to happen between them? <--------------- I'm just so confused!
I think if you are looking for an adult fantasy, enjoy retellings, and don't mind a darker storyline, you might enjoy Gild. But if you are wanting romance, it's not here. Even with the explicit sex, it's not smutty. It's not hot. It kind leaves you feeling ... icky. That being said, I do plan on trying the next book. I'm hoping for improvement.
When King Fulke dies
Sail
Auren throwing Sail's body overboard so the pirates could no long defile it
Auren killing the Captain
But memory and time aren't friends. They reject each other, they hurry in opposite directions, pulling the binding taut between them, threatening to snap. They fight, and we inexplicably lose. Memory and time. Always losing one as you go on with the other.
If those stars are really goddess waiting to be born, I should warn them to stay where they are in the safety of their twinkling light. Because down here? Down here, life is dark and lonely, and it has noisy bells and not nearly enough wine.
Joq: "You think she has a gold cunt?"
Auren: "It's rude to talk about people's cunts right in front of them."
His eyebrows shoot up in surprise at my blunt words.
Joq: "But you're a saddle. You cunt is what you're good for."
Wow, okay. So Joq's an asshole.
I grip my golden bars as I narrow my eyes on him.
Auren: "Female saddles aren't only good for their cunts. We usually have awesome tits too."
Bright side ... bright side, I didn't get raped or murdered.
Great Divine, what an abysmal bright side.
It's the arrogance of men, to think to little of women. And it'll be their downfall too.
I became like Coin, that solid gold bird forever resting on his roost. I clipped my own wings, I stayed listless on my perch.
So if I make it through this, if I live, I vow to myself that I won't let it happen again. I won't sit idly by and keep letting men crush me in their fists.
Men making deals on the behalf of women never seems to go very well for the women
.Check out the rest of the Plated Prisoner series below
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