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Gilded Christina Farley Books

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Gilded Christina Farley Books

This book was a slow read for me. I never really connected with it. I found the Korean mythology really interesting as well as the rest of the Korean culture. The food is referenced often and when my favorite Korean dish, jopchae, was mentioned I may have squealed just a little bit.

My problem with the book may have just been that it is targeted to a younger audience. I had problems with the way the science was presented. When a story takes place in the real world, but has magical or paranormal elements truly existing, the science needs to at least sound plausible to me. In this book, the mythology matched up too well with the actuality. The scientists seemed to know too much for things they were unsure if they even existed. There is a secret society, but it just didn't blend well with me. The whole science and grounding of the paranormal felt awkward. This is random, but I also just didn't like the way the word metamorphosis was used.

I also didn't connect with the characters, especially the protagonist. The way the paranormal elements were dealt with when it comes to belief were hard for me to follow.

This book felt like a Disney Channel Original Movie from the late 90s or early 00s. It had the cheesy elements and the cool paranormal imagery to match. I could totally see this as a DCOM from that era featuring Brenda Song, although she is Thai and Hmong.

This review turned out more negative than I thought it would be. I did enjoy this book, I just didn't connect with it as much as I wanted to. I give it a 3/5 and suggest it to readers who enjoy contemporary paranormal stories that may be a little cheesy. If you like Paranormalcy by Kiersten White or Of Poseidon by Anna Banks, you may enjoy this. I will be reading the sequel, but I need to step back from the series first. I hope you can connect with this book more than I did.


Tags : Amazon.com: Gilded (9781477847015): Christina Farley: Books,Christina Farley,Gilded,Skyscape,1477847014,Children's Books - Young Adult Fiction,Children: Young Adult (Gr. 10-12),Fantasy & Magic,Juvenile Fiction,Legends, Myths, & Fables - Other,People & Places - Asia,JUVENILE FICTION Fantasy & Magic,JUVENILE FICTION Legends, Myths, Fables General,JUVENILE FICTION People & Places Asia

Gilded Christina Farley Books Reviews

As usual I didn't pay anything for this book but instead received it for free. This time via the courtesy of the Firsts program. Despite that kindness I give my candid thoughts below. Oh, and I do not include a plot summary so no spoilers of any kind; you can read the book description for that.

Firstly, this is a YA novel so the criteria I apply differ from those of a standard adult novel. The first thing I look at is whether I'd want my own children to read this book from a moral standpoint. Joyfully, I report that this book contains nothing really sexual in nature, unless you count some occasional kissing. Further there are no drug references or anything else untoward. It should be noted that this is pretty standard youth escapism fiction though so the usual defiance of parental authority is in evidence. In short though, I have no concerns. This is good clean stuff.

The second question I look at is whether this book teach the reader anything. Again, in this case I would reply strongly to the affirmative. The narrative is deeply entwined with Korean mythology and culture. It even goes so far as to include a lengthy glossary in the back so you know this is outside the standard dragons, elves and dwarves motif. Further, for the first time I've seen in a book of this sort, the protagonist faces and problem and actually has the help of her extended family. This isn't the usual situation in which a problem arises and the kids have to go it alone. The whole family is involved and working together. That in itself is a great lesson.

Lastly, I ask whether the reader will be entertained. To that I say, simply, that even as an adult I was entertained. The action is fast-paced and moves along brilliantly and has enough complexity to keep the reader thinking.

So in summary, this is another fine example YA literature that not only entertains but educates at the same time. Highly recommended from a reviewer who almost always finds something to complain about. In this case... I got nothing. Absolutely brilliant.
This series is really quite remarkable. It's very similar in style to Rick Riordan's novels (the Percy Jackson and then Kane Chronicles series), but stars a female protagonist and Korean mythology. A superb archer and black belt in karate, she bravely pushes her way through adventures--with both triumphs and mistakes--trying to save her family from the evil Spirit World that's crossing into the mundane world. Friends and family help her along the way, but there's no question that her efforts are ultimately the deciding factor.

This novel in particular is bumpy in a few places when the author uses a brief Korean term without explaining it, though it's usually clear from the context (and even if it's not, there's a useful glossary in the back). By the second book she gets better at using terms in a way that won't send you to the glossary.

NOTE TO PARENTS this book is probably appropriate for ages 8+. It has some content that shows less-than-ideal behaviors, but in a way that's quite common for books of this age group. For example, her dad or grandpa forbid her to do something, and she sneaks out of the house anyway... but it's usually to save someone's life rather than for selfish reasons. Or she rushes headlong into a situation she's been warned against... but again, it's usually to save someone's life rather than for selfish reasons (and in a way that wouldn't make you blink if the protagonist were male). There is a boy she has a crush on, and she does kiss him / end up dating him, but things don't go further than that. So there are a handful of things that you don't really want to *encourage* your kids to do, but they're common in this type of literature, super appealing for kids, and do then show the drawbacks (as well as occasional benefits) of the behaviors.
I picked this from 's First lineup and was pleasantly surprised. I don't read much young adult fiction these days, but I was a big Madeleine L'Engle fan back in my teens. Gilded is a great effort, well constructed and engaging. Setting the story in Seoul and drawing from Korean mythology is a great way to learn more about Korea's culture. I also thought the characters reacted believably to all the unbelievable events going on around them. Looking forward to more from Ms. Farley.
This book was a slow read for me. I never really connected with it. I found the Korean mythology really interesting as well as the rest of the Korean culture. The food is referenced often and when my favorite Korean dish, jopchae, was mentioned I may have squealed just a little bit.

My problem with the book may have just been that it is targeted to a younger audience. I had problems with the way the science was presented. When a story takes place in the real world, but has magical or paranormal elements truly existing, the science needs to at least sound plausible to me. In this book, the mythology matched up too well with the actuality. The scientists seemed to know too much for things they were unsure if they even existed. There is a secret society, but it just didn't blend well with me. The whole science and grounding of the paranormal felt awkward. This is random, but I also just didn't like the way the word metamorphosis was used.

I also didn't connect with the characters, especially the protagonist. The way the paranormal elements were dealt with when it comes to belief were hard for me to follow.

This book felt like a Disney Channel Original Movie from the late 90s or early 00s. It had the cheesy elements and the cool paranormal imagery to match. I could totally see this as a DCOM from that era featuring Brenda Song, although she is Thai and Hmong.

This review turned out more negative than I thought it would be. I did enjoy this book, I just didn't connect with it as much as I wanted to. I give it a 3/5 and suggest it to readers who enjoy contemporary paranormal stories that may be a little cheesy. If you like Paranormalcy by Kiersten White or Of Poseidon by Anna Banks, you may enjoy this. I will be reading the sequel, but I need to step back from the series first. I hope you can connect with this book more than I did.