The Merciless Ones

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See, I was planning on reading this in two or three goes to stretch it out, but once The Merciless Ones sunk its claws into me, it didn't let go and I had to read the whole book at once, naturally. The Gilded Ones is not all about social structures, of course, and Forna’s fans will be delighted with how the fantastical world expands and how the narrative is filled with battles and politics, but also love and friendship. There are heart-rending scenes—keep an eye out for the reappearance of Elfriede, Deka’s former best friend—but also episodes that are full of hope. And at the end, Deka moves even further into her power. Overall, this was a very much anticipated book for me, and it definitely lived up to the first! I am beyond impatient for the last book in the trilogy! Where the disconnect between books really comes through though, is in how this evolves from a “take down of the patriarchy, feminist rage arc” to a generalized fight against all inequality. We see it first with several characters decrying the position of women at the top of the power chain, while men are viewed as less than by the Mothers, and then it evolves to include other marginalized communities and groups of people. I feel like I can understand where the author was trying to lead us with this, but I also can’t say it felt as well executed in the way feminist rage against the patriarchal power structure was presented and discussed in book 1.

You can accomplish this by using a fully upgraded Veredicto in Embers of Faith mode. Just be certain that you're free of guilt and your HP is at its maximum. For your Altarpiece setup, this is the loadout: 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!”—DhonielleClayton, New York Times Bestselling author of The Belles Lastly, the romance. The romance in the first book wasn’t the BEST- it was kinda insta-lovey and overall just could’ve been better. But it was a lot better in this one- really sweet, tender, but still a bit uncertain. I’m really happy with what the author did with it and overall it’s just so cute! Deka’s love interest is also so much better in this instalment, so I was rooting for them as a couple a lot more. So, I did enjoy the romance as a subplot in this one and am excited to see where it goes! But the real battle has only just begun and Deka must lead the charge. Deka is tasked with freeing the rest of the goddesses. Only as she begins to free them, she begins to see a strange symbol everywhere in places of worship and worn on armor. There's something unnatural about that symbol; just looking at it makes Deka lose her senses. Even worse, it seems to repel her powers. She can't command or communicate with the new deathshrieks. In fact, she can't even understand them when they speak.Fans of The Gilded Ones and Children of Blood and Bone will love the second book in an epic fantasy series about a girl who is the key to saving the empire--or its greatest threat. At lot of the humour and wit of The Gilded Ones, and the friendship bonds that Deka and her friends have, seems to be a little missing here. Instead, the focus switches over the (excessive) use of Arcane Objects and Divine Gifts, which never really made an appearance in Gilded. You have to start believing in yourself, Deka, in your own mind. Your own soundness. If not, others will take advantage of you, turn your uncertainty into a weapon. Learn to trust in yourself. That is one of the primary marks of a great leader. A general.” The Mothers in the book start off as seeming all-wise and all-powerful, but as the novel progresses that image starts to change. They are still admirable in their power and wisdom but it is the system that corrupts them. Structural inequality Driven by Deka’s fiercely indomitable quest to save the kingdom, gender identity and sexuality are explored alongside themes of feminist empowerment - “Male and female…The mere thought unsettles us. Humans like to sever themselves according to these lines, although they are not so simply sorted…They force them to choose – male, female One or the other."

THE MERCILESS ONES is the second, thrilling instalment of the epic fantasy series in which a young heroine fights against a world that would dare tame her. I do also struggle slightly with the writing style, sometimes I feel it’s overly descriptive in places also has quite a bit of internal monologue that gets repetitive. However, the world Forna created is as magical as it is brutal. I adored and devoured this book! There is intensity and adventure in every single chapter. The pace of the book gradually increases and the last few chapters are filled with anticipation and power.The Nottinghill Carnival takes central stage in this story about families, memories and the power of dance and festivals. Author Yaba Badoe tells... With an opening that couldn’t be more arresting – “Corpses. Each one female and young…They’re mounted on stakes at the mouth of the jungle”– Namina Forna's The Merciless Ones, sequel to her powerful patriarchy-confronting debut, The Gilded Ones, presents a thrilling return to the richly-evoked kingdom of Otera. The characters turned from fully rounded people into paper cutouts, devoid of personalities and very uneven. I just couldn't understand them anymore. They were all over the place, especially the main character who suddenly turned into a male apologist. The Merciless Ones is a beautiful and inspiring continuation of the Deathless series and Deka’s adventures. As this book is the second book in the series, I strongly recommend reading The Gilded Ones first, to be able to enjoy the story to its full potential.

I did find the pairing off of literally every single named character with one another to be an unnecessary exercise. So much of the character development in The Gilded Ones occurred through the friendships forged between the alaki, and from the constant forced couplings and the number of scenes where Deka is lost in her own head, there wasn’t much room for those kinds of relationships to flourish. Come to think of it, the only supporting character that had a solid, emotional presence was Britta. Keita could have been replaced by a broom half the time and you’d never know.Ich fand es hier etwas schade, dass es so viele Parallelen zum ersten Band gab, also die Plottwists kommen alle aus der gleichen Richtung, sodass es mich kaum noch überraschen konnte. Man muss sich schon wieder an neue Regeln gewöhnen, aber das hat mir auch nicht so viel ausgemacht, schließlich galten die alten Regeln ja auch noch nicht so lange. Time trial trophy required to reach Afilaor, Sentinel Of The Emery boss fight under 30 minutes after you start the game.

Some six months after she freed the Gilded Ones goddesses from imprisonment in the mountains and promised to “fight for all the women of Otera”, Deka is alerted to the rise of a dark power that she and her army must quell, alongside adapting to changes in her own gifts. The plot veered into strange directions, it was moved along by a series of conveniences and with each chapter I liked less and less where it was going. It's like the series forgot what it wanted to be. It's been six months since Deka freed the goddesses in the ancient kingdom of Otera, and discovered who she really is... But war is waging across the kingdom, and the real battle has only just begun. For there is a dark force growing in Otera - a merciless power that Deka and her army must stop. Yet hidden secrets threaten to destroy everything Deka has known. And with her own gifts changing, Deka must discover if she holds the key to saving Otera... or if she might be its greatest threat.Completely separate from the book, but can we just talk about what a disappointment the cover is? The cover for The Gilded Ones was fire, but this? I mean, it’s not bad, but it’s nowhere near as great. This was one of my most anticipated sequels of the year, and it didn’t disappoint. Since this is the second book in a trilogy, this review will contain spoilers for the first book. From the start, it is clear that Deka struggles with the adverse impact of her previous actions and the final revelations in the preceding book. Her complex emotions are regularly detailed, allowing readers to understand her decisions throughout the story. As her powers grow, Deka also experiences some personal growth that makes her character easy to connect with and realistic. It felt great to see her gain even more confidence and seek the truth for herself rather than completely trust what she is told. Yet hidden secrets threaten to destroy everything Deka has known. And with her own gifts changing, Deka must discover if she holds the key to saving Otera... or if she might be its greatest threat.