The Gilded Ones: Volume 1

this book was written by AI, and while i dont particularly mind that, it seems like it wasn't even proofread. there are plotline inconsistencies, flip flops on genders and POVs that will give you whiplash. It really reads as if they had put a prompt in for a storyline and then for every other following prompt they said continue and they made it a book. normally i would drop a series this AI heavy and poorly strung together to make a story but i paid $10 for this book and by the grace of willpower in me, i will finish it. the concept of the story line is very interesting, which is why i bought the book in the first place. i just hate the wrote the author went to write the book and that they didnt put a little more effort into cleaning it up. also shame on the editors for not catching all the errors in this book. and in case this isnt written by Ai, its just not great "here my finished work" reading material. maybe a great rough draft.

Unbelievably amazing and powerful. From examining the power of how our histories are told, to questioning the seeming imperviousness of the patriarchy, to the depths of unresolved trauma and how it shapes our every subsequent action, to the power of embracing one's true self and the power of one's heritage, this novel delights and challenges the reader to ask themselves who they are, what their story is, and what power they hold that they've been taught to deny. I'm not sure I will ever have the words to reflect the power this novel has to encourage the reader to recognize their own beauty, in the face of a world constantly trying to convince you of your impurity. Especially for the melanated, not the least of which is the beauty of your skin. Finishing this novel I wanted to cheer, to sob, to roar in frustration against societal powers, to rage against every form of oppression, and to take arms on behalf of every person persecuted for simply being themselves.

The story is fine. The plot is engaging, but certain character shifts happen way too fast. The book is probably good for teens just starting to read novels, but seasoned readers will probably be disappointed at the untapped potential here.