Gilded (Gilded Duology #1)

by Marissa Meyer

Overview

Notes From Your Bookseller

Darkly haunting and all-around eerie, Gilded is a richly reimagined novel based on the classic tale of Rumpelstiltskin from one of our favorite YA authors. Serilda is known for spinning enchanting stories, but when one of them attracts the attention of the evil Erlking, she is plunged into a wicked world with little hope of escape. This utterly atmospheric tale is not to be missed.

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 hunters, she finds herself swept away into a grim world where ghouls and phantoms prowl the earth and hollow-eyed ravens track her every move. The king orders Serilda to complete the impossible task of spinning straw into gold, or be killed for telling falsehoods. In her desperation, Serilda unwittingly summons a mysterious boy to her aid. He agrees to help her… for a price. Love isn't meant to be part of the bargain.

Soon Serilda realizes that there is more than one secret hidden in the castle walls, including an ancient curse that must be broken if she hopes to end the tyranny of the king and his wild hunt forever.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250618849
Publisher:	Feiwel & Friends
Publication date:	11/02/2021
Series:	Gilded Duology , #1
Pages:	512
Sales rank:	3,274
Product dimensions:	6.20(w) x 9.40(h) x 1.60(d)
Lexile:	780L (what's this?)
Age Range:	12 - 18 Years

About the Author

Marissa Meyer is the #1 New York Times–bestselling author of The Lunar Chronicles series, the New York Times-bestselling Renegades trilogy, as well as the graphic novel Wires and Nerve: Vol. 1 and 2, and The Lunar Chronicles Coloring Book. Her first stand alone novel, Heartless, was also a #1 New York Times bestseller. She lives in Tacoma, Washington, with her husband and their two daughters.

Editorial Reviews

09/27/2021

Meyer (Instant Karma) explores the power of fiction in this inventive “Rumpelstiltskin” reimagining. Every full moon, the sadistic Erlking and his undead coterie enter the mortal realm to steal wandering children and hunt magical creatures. Pale-skinned Serilda Moller, 18, knows to remain indoors on such nights, but when she hears hellhounds chasing two moss maidens near her family’s cabin in Marchenfeld, she feels compelled to intervene. Serilda successfully secrets the duo into the root cellar but is then confronted by the Erlking. Rather than betray the maidens, Serilda—a spellbinding storyteller with gold wheels for irises—falsely asserts that she is harvesting straw to spin into gold. The Erlking departs, but on the next full moon, abducts Serilda to his castle, where he locks her in a cell piled with hay and threatens murder if her claims prove false. Serilda is despondent until a pale, redheaded teen called Gild appears and offers to complete her impossible task—for a price. Intricate worldbuilding and star-crossed romance help temper the Erlking’s brutality, and though the book is overlong, well-drawn characters will leave readers craving a sequel. Ages 12–up. Agent: Jill Grinberg, Jill Grinberg Literary. (Nov.)

Publishers Weekly

#1 Indie Bestseller
#1 New York Times Bestseller
A New York Times Best Children's Book of 2021

"When it comes to reimagined fairy tales, the reigning queen of the genre is Marissa Meyer... This dark, enchanting book is Meyer at the height of her powers — crafting a new tale with an old-school feel where nobody is guaranteed a happily-everafter. It is fresh and utterly engrossing while also familiar — just what Meyer does best."—The New York Times


"The queen of fairy-tale retellings is back, this time with “Rumpelstiltskin” as her inspiration, and the result is a gorgeously intricate tale that will have readers locked in from the start. ... Meyer weaves an enchanting tale filled with whimsically magical moments and some serious suspense. [She] knows how to capture fantastical worlds, and this one is pure perfection for her fans and new readers alike." —Booklist

"Cornered by the wicked Erlking on the night of the wild hunt, Serilda claims that she can spin straw into gold, a lie that saves her life but lands her in the Erlking’s castle on the next full moon with a room full of straw and an impossible task. Fortunately, Gild, an impish (and attractive) poltergeist shows up, offering help in exchange for Serilda’s golden necklace. Gild easily fulfills his end of the bargain and does so a second time for Serilda’s ring; when the Erlking makes the third demand, however, Serilda has nothing left to give Gild, and the romance that has sparked between them only complicates things further." —Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, recommended

"Meyer explores the power of fiction in this inventive “Rumpelstiltskin” reimagining. Intricate worldbuilding and star-crossed romance help temper the Erlking’s brutality, and ...well-drawn characters will leave readers craving a sequel." —Publishers Weekly

"Meyer flips tradition with a simple question: What if the king whom the miller’s daughter marries is the villain, and Rumpelstiltskin is her only way out? ...The queen of fairy tale retellings has spun what is sure to be another best seller." —School Library Journal

From the Publisher

11/01/2021

Gr 9 Up—With the fae politics of Holly Black's The Cruel Prince and the dark roots of a Grimm fairy tale, Meyer flips tradition with a simple question: What if the king whom the miller's daughter marries is the villain, and Rumpelstiltskin is her only way out? Eighteen-year-old Serilda's fast tongue and uncanny eyes make her an outcast to all except the village children, who hang on every word of her stories. Marked by the god of lies, Serilda would rather spin stories than wool, until the midnight hunt brings the Erlking to her door. Her fast tongue is the only thing that saves her, but the dark king believes her words and soon she finds herself in a dungeon to spin straw into golden chains. With the help of a boy with no memory, Serilda must use her stories to save everyone—but staying one step ahead of the Erlking will come at a terrible cost. The first installment of Meyer's newest series has an atmospheric beginning that eventually pays off as Serilda travels to the Erlking's undead castle. Dynamic relationships raise the stakes—friendship and familial add depth and thematic elements to the tale, while romance sprinkles more angst on top and promises a truly delicious conflict in the books to come. The main cast is white, with some diversity in race and orientation in the supporting characters. VERDICT The queen of fairy tale retellings has spun what is sure to be another best seller. Recommended for all libraries.—Emmy Neal, Lake Forest Lib., IL

School Library Journal