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Cover of The Gilded Wolves

The Gilded Wolves

Roshani Chokshi

430 pages

A glittering, velvet-draped heist where the banter is sharp, the magic is dark, and the found family will break your heart.

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What it feels like

Reading this book feels like stepping into a velvet-draped parlor where every glittering surface hides a poisoned edge. It is a deeply atmospheric, sensory experience, dripping with the decadence of Belle Epoque Paris and the shadowy tension of an underground magical heist. The pacing is brisk, driven by intricate puzzles and high-stakes espionage, but the true beating heart of the story lies in its characters. The narrative balances sharp, witty banter with a profound, aching vulnerability, exploring the heavy legacies of colonialism and the desperate lengths marginalized people will go to for survival. The prose is lush and jewel-toned, wrapping the reader in a world of dark glamour. It is a perfect fit for anyone who devours stories of fiercely loyal, deeply traumatized found families executing impossible schemes.

Mood
  • decadent
  • glittering
  • shadowy
  • tense
Tone
  • witty
  • dramatic
  • yearning
  • cynical
Pace
brisk
Themes
found family · legacy of colonialism · ambition and survival · marginalization · cost of power
The writing
Lush, sensory, and highly decorative, dripping with metaphors of gold, blood, and velvet.
The arc
Moves from the swaggering thrill of a high-stakes heist into a devastating exploration of loyalty, trauma, and the agonizing price of ambition.
Who it's for
Readers who crave glamorous heists, deeply traumatized but fiercely loyal found families, and lush historical settings with a magical twist.
Content notes
  • violence
  • racism and colonialism
  • grief
  • trauma
  • blood

About the book

No one believes in them. But soon no one will forget them.

It's 1889. The city is on the cusp of industry and power, and the Exposition Universelle has breathed new life into the streets and dredged up ancient secrets. Here, no one keeps tabs on dark truths better than treasure-hunter and wealthy hotelier Séverin Montagnet-Alarie. When the elite, ever-powerful Order of Babel coerces him to help them on a mission, Séverin is offered a treasure that he never imagined: his true inheritance.

To hunt down the ancient artifact the Order seeks, Séverin calls upon a band of unlikely experts: An engineer with a debt to pay. A historian banished from his home. A dancer with a sinister past. And a brother in arms if not blood.

Together, they will join Séverin as he explores the dark, glittering heart of Paris. What they find might change the course of history--but only if they can stay alive.

Description from Open Library.

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