The Gilded Ones: Namina Forna’s feminist, West-African inspired fantasy is worth the wait

Namina Forna’s buzzy West African-inspired fantasy The Gilded Ones was originally supposed to hit shelves back in May of 2020 and found its release date pushed back repeatedly as a result of the coronavirus pandemic that has rocked the world of publishing. Now, Forna’s debut is here at last and though this feminist adventure is imperfect, it also proves more than worth the wait.

The story is set in the kingdom of Otera, a patriarchal society in which women are not allowed to do much in the way of anything at all. Forbidden from having jobs or lives outside their homes, they must wear masks in public and undergo a public ritual establishing their purity when they turn sixteen. As young Deka approaches this milestone, she’s looking forward to the chance to finally cement her place in a village that has long viewed her as an outsider – at least as long as her blood runs pure.

You see, during the Ritual of Purity girls who bleed red when cut are judged fit for marriage and motherhood – but those that bleed gold are labeled as impure, cast out, and banished from their people. Many are even tortured, held hostage for the valuable material that courses from their bodies. It’s grotesque, but honestly no more surprising than some of the less overtly violent but still oppressive ways this society treats its female members.

As you’ve likely guessed by now, Deka’s blood runs gold on the day of her dest – and she learns that she is an alaki, part of a race of near-immortal warrior women with special gifts. (One of which is the ability to resurrect after most deaths, which puts an entirely new, horrific spin on the fact that Deka was murdered for her blood multiple times over by the elders of her village.)

Along with a mysterious woman known only as White Hands, Deka must journey south to the capital, where she’ll train to fight monsters known as deathshrieks, meet other girls who share her abilities, and ostensibly work to earn a path back to purity. (Or at least that’s what the priests have promised, anyway.) But the capital holds many surprises – not the least of which may turn out to be Deka herself.

Much of The Gilded Ones – with its Chosen One narrative and sexist, dystopian tropes – will feel pretty familiar for regular readers of YA fantasy. Yet, Forna’s rich worldbuilding helps this novel stand out from the pack, crafting a kingdom, a society, and even a religious system teeming with details and life. Every inch of this book feels steeped in the culture she’s created, which feels entirely unlike anything else out there in this genre right now. The feminist messaging around issues of purity, agency, and gender equity sadly remains remarkably timely, and though its girl-power sentiment can occasionally feel over the top, it’s deeply satisfying to watch Deka and her friends – who have been told by all and sundry that their lives are worthless because of who and what they are – claim their power.

The female friendships that develop between Deka and several of her “bloodsisters” – the other alaki girls who have been escaped brutal half-deaths in their home villages – are varied and interesting, and different sexualities and backgrounds are effortlessly presented throughout.

Is The Gilded Ones a perfect novel? No. Its ending is clunkily handled and I have no idea how this story is supposed to continue as a series beyond this ending. On the whole, Deka’s story feels wrapped up enough for me, and though I’m interested in this the society that emerges at the novel’s conclusion in an academic sense, I don’t know that I need to read an entire trilogy about it either? We’ll see, I suppose. Maybe we’ll get subsequent novels featuring more of the girls in Deka’s immediate friend group. I’d read an entire book about the scarred, furious Belcalis for sure.

Have you read The Gilded Ones? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.