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Gilded #2
Cursed
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction (2022)New York Times-bestselling author Marissa Meyer concludes her young adult retelling of Rumpelstiltskin in this breathtaking sequel!
It isn't true, she wanted to whisper. To lean forward and nuzzle her cheek against his temple. To press him against the wall and mold her body to his. I am not his. I will never be his.
Serilda and Gild cannot break the curses that tether their spirits to Adalheid's haunted castle. There they remain trapped for eternity. On the night of the Endless Moon, the Erlking means to capture one of the seven gods and so be reunited with his lover, Perchta, who has been banished to the underworld.
But it soon becomes clear that the Erlking's hunger for vengeance won't be satisfied with a single wish, and his true intentions have the power to alter the mortal realm forever.
Serilda and Gild have no choice but to thwart his plans, all the while solving the mystery of Gild's forgotten name, and freeing all the ghosts kept in servitude to the dark ones. As the evil forces gather, it seems only their love is strong enough to sustain them . . .
It isn't true, she wanted to whisper. To lean forward and nuzzle her cheek against his temple. To press him against the wall and mold her body to his. I am not his. I will never be his.
Serilda and Gild cannot break the curses that tether their spirits to Adalheid's haunted castle. There they remain trapped for eternity. On the night of the Endless Moon, the Erlking means to capture one of the seven gods and so be reunited with his lover, Perchta, who has been banished to the underworld.
But it soon becomes clear that the Erlking's hunger for vengeance won't be satisfied with a single wish, and his true intentions have the power to alter the mortal realm forever.
Serilda and Gild have no choice but to thwart his plans, all the while solving the mystery of Gild's forgotten name, and freeing all the ghosts kept in servitude to the dark ones. As the evil forces gather, it seems only their love is strong enough to sustain them . . .
539 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 8, 2022
1156 people are currently reading
48922 people want to read
About the author
Marissa Meyer
83 books132k followersI live in Tacoma, Washington, with my husband and beautiful twin daughters. Represented by Jill Grinberg. Learn more about me and my upcoming books at http://www.marissameyer.com.
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December 23, 2022pre-read: marissa if you want to send me an early copy or even a powerpoint plot summary i will take it because i don’t think i can wait for this.
—
read: children are literally the root source of every problem in this book.
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read: children are literally the root source of every problem in this book.
December 8, 2022
i will always trust MM when it comes to fairytale retellings. she has a way of taking an old familiar tale and crafting it into something that is faithful to the origins of the story, yet has her own complete spin on it.
i really enjoyed the conclusion to this rumpelstiltskin-inspired story. it maintains the dark and violent atmosphere that was established in the first book, the characters continue to develop realistically, and the plot is wrapped up in a very satisfying way. there were moments it felt a little drawn out (this is quite a lengthy book), but there are so many other positives to make up for that.
overall, i think this is a a great second half that perfectly matches the magical nature of the first half.
↠ 4 stars
i really enjoyed the conclusion to this rumpelstiltskin-inspired story. it maintains the dark and violent atmosphere that was established in the first book, the characters continue to develop realistically, and the plot is wrapped up in a very satisfying way. there were moments it felt a little drawn out (this is quite a lengthy book), but there are so many other positives to make up for that.
overall, i think this is a a great second half that perfectly matches the magical nature of the first half.
↠ 4 stars
November 15, 2022
UPDATED REVIEW:
It's been an uneven ride, very uneven. You could divide the book into four parts, the first 25% is as I described in my old review of the ARC sample (the final published book was purchased by me, so it's not an ARC), and on reread, it still holds up and gets 4 stars. It's the part at Adelheid Castle after the Erlking forces Serilda to be his queen, this is no spoiler as it's already in the first book. As I mentioned in my old review, certain things in the sample made me worry about two things: the possibility of a love triangle and the possibility of a redemption for the Erlkönig.
The second 25% is torture, 1-star in every sense. It's a mud puddle to plough through at extra slow speed. Nothing happens there, Marissa Meyer overdoes the descriptiveness even more than usual, and the writing is horrendously basic; so basic many "paragraphs" are one word or three words, no exaggeration. It's so repetitive and soporific I lost 3 days trying to wade through it and losing the battle every time, I nearly abandoned the book in this stretch, and would have if, at approximately 42%, Meyer hadn't dropped a plot bomb, the first of several to come until the end, that enlivened the dull story and made it more interesting, turning the third 25% into another 4 star read.
Only for it to again drop to 1 star in the last 25%. The revelations near the finish line didn't sit well with me, and it sat even less well that Serilda adapts rather too quickly and naturally. She hardly gives a token protest when such a revelation should've been more emotionally impactful given how deeply it affected her to have grown up motherless. Serilda doesn't grow as a character and doesn't mature, she's still the same talkative liar she was in the beginning, her character remains as shallow as ever. Honestly, nobody grows as a character here! Meyer's characters are so surprisingly stationary and don't deviate from what they are supposed to be. That's probably why the most unpredictable characters are usually her villains, because the protagonists' course to follow is no mystery.
Now that the story is finished, I can tell that this second book was not needed. The story could've fit in one book if Meyer wasn't a pathological overwriter or had an editor that didn't fear using the editorial hatchet more forcefully. I like her, I like that she is a good storyteller, but I'm not blind to the fact that she isn't a good writer. Like Serilda, she puts in too much, and she always overstays her welcome by cramming in too much and not knowing what to cut and where to stop; perhaps that's why this duology's heroine is the most reflective of her own storytelling.
It's really exhausting, in the end. I'm not sure I'd read another retelling of hers, because even though I've enjoyed what I've read of her work so far, some more than others, I always have ended up with a sense of exhaustion after every one of them. Not elation, not the pleasure of having finished a great story, but tiredness and the feeling that I've eaten a greasy cut of beef with more fat than meat in it instead of the lean and delicious steak I sought. When a book makes you work this much to get to the point, you have to wonder if it's worth the effort, and in this case it wasn't.
So, 2.5 stars rounded down it is. Not too bad, not good enough, and overall unsatisfactory.
___________________________________
The start of Cursed is more sedate, overdescriptive at times, and with more quiet scenes than you'd have been expecting from how Gilded ended. En route to the Erlkönig and Serilda sealing their fate on the day of the Winter Solstice, something is bound to happen, she hopes, but so far nothing seems to be going to happen to throw a wrench into the Alder King's schemes. He and Serilda are keeping up a farce for the benefit of the whole of Adelheid, and it's not clear whether the court is buying it or not, and since nobody's helping her, Serilda is resigned.
Oh, but something does happen on the grand day! Will it ruin the Erlking's precious plans? We don't know! The sampler cuts off at the right moment to leave you itching for more, and now we'll have to wait till November to find out.
I have to say, though, that after this sampler I'm starting to second-guess the Erlkönig's endgame. What is that bastard truly up to? Suddenly, his desire to have his lady Perchta back sounds way too simple, too neat, too straightforward. There has to be something more devious, more warped, he must be hiding a trump card up his sleeve or something. The way he acts towards Serilda in certain scenes is a bit unnerving. Dare I say the thought of a redemption arc has crossed my mind? It might not happen, but you can't blame me after certain scenes! Marissa Meyer could make him a more layered villain perhaps, at the very least, because until now he's been a bit one-dimensional in his wickedness. Time will tell, and publication time couldn't arrive fast enough.
Thank you to Macmillan for the free sampler in exchange for an honest review.
It's been an uneven ride, very uneven. You could divide the book into four parts, the first 25% is as I described in my old review of the ARC sample (the final published book was purchased by me, so it's not an ARC), and on reread, it still holds up and gets 4 stars. It's the part at Adelheid Castle after the Erlking forces Serilda to be his queen, this is no spoiler as it's already in the first book. As I mentioned in my old review, certain things in the sample made me worry about two things: the possibility of a love triangle and the possibility of a redemption for the Erlkönig.
The second 25% is torture, 1-star in every sense. It's a mud puddle to plough through at extra slow speed. Nothing happens there, Marissa Meyer overdoes the descriptiveness even more than usual, and the writing is horrendously basic; so basic many "paragraphs" are one word or three words, no exaggeration. It's so repetitive and soporific I lost 3 days trying to wade through it and losing the battle every time, I nearly abandoned the book in this stretch, and would have if, at approximately 42%, Meyer hadn't dropped a plot bomb, the first of several to come until the end, that enlivened the dull story and made it more interesting, turning the third 25% into another 4 star read.
Only for it to again drop to 1 star in the last 25%. The revelations near the finish line didn't sit well with me, and it sat even less well that Serilda adapts rather too quickly and naturally. She hardly gives a token protest when such a revelation should've been more emotionally impactful given how deeply it affected her to have grown up motherless. Serilda doesn't grow as a character and doesn't mature, she's still the same talkative liar she was in the beginning, her character remains as shallow as ever. Honestly, nobody grows as a character here! Meyer's characters are so surprisingly stationary and don't deviate from what they are supposed to be. That's probably why the most unpredictable characters are usually her villains, because the protagonists' course to follow is no mystery.
Now that the story is finished, I can tell that this second book was not needed. The story could've fit in one book if Meyer wasn't a pathological overwriter or had an editor that didn't fear using the editorial hatchet more forcefully. I like her, I like that she is a good storyteller, but I'm not blind to the fact that she isn't a good writer. Like Serilda, she puts in too much, and she always overstays her welcome by cramming in too much and not knowing what to cut and where to stop; perhaps that's why this duology's heroine is the most reflective of her own storytelling.
It's really exhausting, in the end. I'm not sure I'd read another retelling of hers, because even though I've enjoyed what I've read of her work so far, some more than others, I always have ended up with a sense of exhaustion after every one of them. Not elation, not the pleasure of having finished a great story, but tiredness and the feeling that I've eaten a greasy cut of beef with more fat than meat in it instead of the lean and delicious steak I sought. When a book makes you work this much to get to the point, you have to wonder if it's worth the effort, and in this case it wasn't.
So, 2.5 stars rounded down it is. Not too bad, not good enough, and overall unsatisfactory.
___________________________________
The start of Cursed is more sedate, overdescriptive at times, and with more quiet scenes than you'd have been expecting from how Gilded ended. En route to the Erlkönig and Serilda sealing their fate on the day of the Winter Solstice, something is bound to happen, she hopes, but so far nothing seems to be going to happen to throw a wrench into the Alder King's schemes. He and Serilda are keeping up a farce for the benefit of the whole of Adelheid, and it's not clear whether the court is buying it or not, and since nobody's helping her, Serilda is resigned.
Oh, but something does happen on the grand day! Will it ruin the Erlking's precious plans? We don't know! The sampler cuts off at the right moment to leave you itching for more, and now we'll have to wait till November to find out.
I have to say, though, that after this sampler I'm starting to second-guess the Erlkönig's endgame. What is that bastard truly up to? Suddenly, his desire to have his lady Perchta back sounds way too simple, too neat, too straightforward. There has to be something more devious, more warped, he must be hiding a trump card up his sleeve or something. The way he acts towards Serilda in certain scenes is a bit unnerving. Dare I say the thought of a redemption arc has crossed my mind? It might not happen, but you can't blame me after certain scenes! Marissa Meyer could make him a more layered villain perhaps, at the very least, because until now he's been a bit one-dimensional in his wickedness. Time will tell, and publication time couldn't arrive fast enough.
Thank you to Macmillan for the free sampler in exchange for an honest review.
Want to read
November 7, 2022um, Marissa, the release date for Gilded's sequel says November 8, 2022.
how am i supposed to survive.
edit: THE COVER IS HERE OMIGOSH THAT IS RED AND BLACK GORGEOUSNESS AHHH GIMME PLEASE-
how am i supposed to survive.
edit: THE COVER IS HERE OMIGOSH THAT IS RED AND BLACK GORGEOUSNESS AHHH GIMME PLEASE-
February 21, 2023
everything changes in this life. seasons. the casts of the 1,000 technically different but somehow identical netflix dating reality shows. how many cookies i eat in a day (anywhere between 1 and 24).
but one thing will always stay the same:
i just keep reading marissa meyer books.
review to come / 3 stars
(thanks to the publisher for the copy)
but one thing will always stay the same:
i just keep reading marissa meyer books.
review to come / 3 stars
(thanks to the publisher for the copy)
November 19, 2025
Cursed is the highly-anticipated follow-up to Marissa Meyer's 2021-release, Gilded. I genuinely love Meyer's style of writing and her always clever take on classic stories. In my opinion, she's the queen of retellings.
Because of this, Gilded, pitched as a haunted retelling of Rumpelstiltskin, was one of my most anticipated releases of 2021. Spoiler alert: it did not disappoint!!
Initially, I was under the impression that that was a standalone novel. Reaching the final pages though, it was clear that was not the end of the story.
I have been anticipating this novel, Cursed, ever since.
Following the final scenes of Gilded, Adalheid Castle is in chaos. Serilda has been trapped in a deadly game with the cruel and clever, Erlking, or Alder King.
In a classic power move, the Erlking forces Serilda to become his wife. He's hoping to be able to use her powers for his own gain. She plays along, mildly, as she has her own agenda going on under the Erlking's nose; keep your enemies close and all that.
Serilda is determined to help Gild, the mysterious boy who came to her aid in the first book, solve the mystery of his forgotten past.
Meanwhile, the Erlking is plotting revenge against the seven gods who trapped the Dark Ones behind the veil. If he succeeds, it could change the mortal realm forever.
The stakes are high. Can Serilda and Gild figure out how to free themselves from the Erlking's grasp before the Endless Moon finds them cursed forever?
Y'all, I'm most likely summarizing this very poorly. My apologies for that, but I do not want to give anything away. This is such a fun story to just sit back and watch unfold effortlessly before you.
I think Meyer did an incredible job of building this world, the characters, the lore and the action, oh my goodness! This one had so much action, but most captivating was Serilda's character arc over the two books.
The conclusion to this couldn't have been better. It felt so complete; a true 360. I loved sort of the exploration of the idea of what is in a story, folklore, legends that are passed down over generations. Is there truth in them? From where did these legends come?
Overall, this is a fantastic duology for Fairy Tale fans. It has such a classic feel, but is wholly original; great writing and character development.
Additionally, I did listen to the audiobook for both installments, narrated by the always fabulous, Rebecca Soler.
I highly recommend that format for these stories. Soler's narration style lends itself perfectly to Meyer's writing. It's a match made in heaven.
Thank you so much to the publisher, Macmillan Audio, for providing me with a copy to read and review.
I'm not sure what is going to come next for Marissa Meyer, but you best believe I'll be reading it!!
Because of this, Gilded, pitched as a haunted retelling of Rumpelstiltskin, was one of my most anticipated releases of 2021. Spoiler alert: it did not disappoint!!
Initially, I was under the impression that that was a standalone novel. Reaching the final pages though, it was clear that was not the end of the story.
I have been anticipating this novel, Cursed, ever since.
Following the final scenes of Gilded, Adalheid Castle is in chaos. Serilda has been trapped in a deadly game with the cruel and clever, Erlking, or Alder King.
In a classic power move, the Erlking forces Serilda to become his wife. He's hoping to be able to use her powers for his own gain. She plays along, mildly, as she has her own agenda going on under the Erlking's nose; keep your enemies close and all that.
Serilda is determined to help Gild, the mysterious boy who came to her aid in the first book, solve the mystery of his forgotten past.
Meanwhile, the Erlking is plotting revenge against the seven gods who trapped the Dark Ones behind the veil. If he succeeds, it could change the mortal realm forever.
The stakes are high. Can Serilda and Gild figure out how to free themselves from the Erlking's grasp before the Endless Moon finds them cursed forever?
Y'all, I'm most likely summarizing this very poorly. My apologies for that, but I do not want to give anything away. This is such a fun story to just sit back and watch unfold effortlessly before you.
I think Meyer did an incredible job of building this world, the characters, the lore and the action, oh my goodness! This one had so much action, but most captivating was Serilda's character arc over the two books.
The conclusion to this couldn't have been better. It felt so complete; a true 360. I loved sort of the exploration of the idea of what is in a story, folklore, legends that are passed down over generations. Is there truth in them? From where did these legends come?
Overall, this is a fantastic duology for Fairy Tale fans. It has such a classic feel, but is wholly original; great writing and character development.
Additionally, I did listen to the audiobook for both installments, narrated by the always fabulous, Rebecca Soler.
I highly recommend that format for these stories. Soler's narration style lends itself perfectly to Meyer's writing. It's a match made in heaven.
Thank you so much to the publisher, Macmillan Audio, for providing me with a copy to read and review.
I'm not sure what is going to come next for Marissa Meyer, but you best believe I'll be reading it!!
October 25, 2022
This is the follow up to Marissa Meyer's Gilded, a retelling of the Rumpelstiltskin fairytale, an atmospheric magical fantasy. Serilda, the captivating storyteller, is a determined character, set of freeing herself, Gild and the children from the curse that ties them to Adelheid Castle, and the clutches of the Eriking and his court. However, the villainous and cruel Eriking has a darker agenda that threatens everything in a narrative that sees significant developments in Serilda and Gild's characters, and their relationship. As the haunting story progresses, the tone becomes much darker, there are twists and turns, a wide range of characters, both old and new, secrets and deceptions, more of Gild's past and name is revealed in this epic and suspenseful fight between the progressive forces for good versus those of evil. This is a beguiling read, of Serilda and Gild's past and their thrilling adventures, where Meyer builds beautifully on the fantastical world she created, but for me it did have some pacing issues and a few weaknesses in the plot and conclusion. However, this did not stop me finding this an enjoyable, emotional and entertaining read, with characters I rooted for, with all the fantastical elements likely to enchant fans of Meyer and other readers too. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.
April 4, 2023
A wonderful conclusion to this duology retelling of Rumplestiltskin.
Possible spoilers below for Gilded!!!
So Serilda is still Cursed and currently married to the Alder King. After we find out Gild’s true identity and his history the pair of them are more desperate than ever to break their curses and escape.
With lots of stories told throughout the book to keep the fairytale element, I loved being back in this world. I love the characters and the way the plot changed and moved with all the magical elements.
Definitely need to get to some of Marissa Meyers back list now!
Possible spoilers below for Gilded!!!
So Serilda is still Cursed and currently married to the Alder King. After we find out Gild’s true identity and his history the pair of them are more desperate than ever to break their curses and escape.
With lots of stories told throughout the book to keep the fairytale element, I loved being back in this world. I love the characters and the way the plot changed and moved with all the magical elements.
Definitely need to get to some of Marissa Meyers back list now!
November 18, 2022
Definitely on my "favourite series" pile!
September 3, 2023
❝Stories are only half told until they've found a listener.❞
*taps mic* hi, is this on? Testing, one two three.... yes? It is? Great. Now, I know you have much better things to be doing with your life than listening to, er, reading this, so I'll make it quick. I just have one thing to say. *deep breath*
Marissa Meyer, I owe you an apology. I mean, I'm not taking back what I've said in the past. You are an evil conniving backstabbing wicked extremely talented storyteller. But you are also definitely capable of giving us, your children, what we want. After lots of bumps and scrapes and obstacles in the road, you have delivered us what we asked for, all wrapped up nicely with an only slightly torn and bloodstained bow. I mean, not all the time *looks pointedly at my tear-splattered copy of Heartless* but this time. You delivered. I am content.
*dead silence from the crowd*
*awkward laugh* um sorry that was cheesy but um I've gotten my point across so... bye! *falls down the stairs and runs out the door*
✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧˚
Bless the souls of everyone who's still here.
—alexa, play ivy by taylor swift 𖥸˚. ₊
The vibes in this duology were absolutely immaculate. Creepy and dark and goth and just a little bloody, but immaculate. Marissa Meyer put her entire self into this sequel, and it shows. Cursed is a breathless and deliberately paced story with just enough twists to keep you gasping and an ending full of tears and bruises and full hearts. The tale Serilda weaves through her daring perspective is one for the ages.
❝Something always lives on, doesn't it? A legend, a myth . . . a truth, buried in the past.❞
highly recommended!
**content warnings** There is an unmarried pregnancy (she's 18). A mildly present lesbian couple; Serilda watches their wedding from afar and interacts with them once or twice. A lot of focus on ghosts and demons and the underworld. Lots of violence. If you're a sensitive reader I would look into more content and trigger warnings lists before reading. Stay safe and ily!
*taps mic* hi, is this on? Testing, one two three.... yes? It is? Great. Now, I know you have much better things to be doing with your life than listening to, er, reading this, so I'll make it quick. I just have one thing to say. *deep breath*
Marissa Meyer, I owe you an apology. I mean, I'm not taking back what I've said in the past. You are an evil conniving backstabbing wicked extremely talented storyteller. But you are also definitely capable of giving us, your children, what we want. After lots of bumps and scrapes and obstacles in the road, you have delivered us what we asked for, all wrapped up nicely with an only slightly torn and bloodstained bow. I mean, not all the time *looks pointedly at my tear-splattered copy of Heartless* but this time. You delivered. I am content.
*dead silence from the crowd*
*awkward laugh* um sorry that was cheesy but um I've gotten my point across so... bye! *falls down the stairs and runs out the door*
✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧˚
Bless the souls of everyone who's still here.
—alexa, play ivy by taylor swift 𖥸˚. ₊
The vibes in this duology were absolutely immaculate. Creepy and dark and goth and just a little bloody, but immaculate. Marissa Meyer put her entire self into this sequel, and it shows. Cursed is a breathless and deliberately paced story with just enough twists to keep you gasping and an ending full of tears and bruises and full hearts. The tale Serilda weaves through her daring perspective is one for the ages.
❝Something always lives on, doesn't it? A legend, a myth . . . a truth, buried in the past.❞
highly recommended!
**content warnings** There is an unmarried pregnancy (she's 18). A mildly present lesbian couple; Serilda watches their wedding from afar and interacts with them once or twice. A lot of focus on ghosts and demons and the underworld. Lots of violence. If you're a sensitive reader I would look into more content and trigger warnings lists before reading. Stay safe and ily!
September 9, 2022
3.5 rounded up
We return once again to the Court of the Erlking, the Alder King, where Serilda lives with five little ghosts whom she dearly loves. In the morning she’s to live a lie and marry the Erlking but they are, of course, at odds. He is determined to use Serilda for his own nefarious plans whereas she has only one aim which is to help Gild, the forgotten prince, to recover his true name and his past. Can they break the curse that binds them both to Adelheid Castle before the Endless Moon when it will become unbreakable?
The plot is very creative and there are some excellent visual images especially of the multitude of fantastical creatures they encounter. Initially, it’s very funny with some sparkling dialogue especially between Serilda and Erlking. Their wedding is a bit of a ‘shot gun’ affair and there’s delicious irony and mockery which is very entertaining. The whole novel is peppered with fun, games, ghosts, ghouls, poltergeists, some magic spells, fairytales, gods and some romance! It’s certainly a packed plot as Erlking becomes more audacious in order to achieve his goals. Along the way there’s an abundance of lies, guilt and betrayal. Characters make discoveries and have to make sacrifices, facing cruelty and vengeance.
The second half is much darker and more macabre than the first and I don’t enjoy it as much. It’s overly descriptive which means it’s too long, it could easily lose 100 pages and still be a good read. It builds to a good versus evil, love versus hate ending. After all the build up it’s maybe resolved too quickly but it is immensely satisfying.
Overall, a good read but not as enjoyable as Gilded which I loved.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Faber and Faber for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
We return once again to the Court of the Erlking, the Alder King, where Serilda lives with five little ghosts whom she dearly loves. In the morning she’s to live a lie and marry the Erlking but they are, of course, at odds. He is determined to use Serilda for his own nefarious plans whereas she has only one aim which is to help Gild, the forgotten prince, to recover his true name and his past. Can they break the curse that binds them both to Adelheid Castle before the Endless Moon when it will become unbreakable?
The plot is very creative and there are some excellent visual images especially of the multitude of fantastical creatures they encounter. Initially, it’s very funny with some sparkling dialogue especially between Serilda and Erlking. Their wedding is a bit of a ‘shot gun’ affair and there’s delicious irony and mockery which is very entertaining. The whole novel is peppered with fun, games, ghosts, ghouls, poltergeists, some magic spells, fairytales, gods and some romance! It’s certainly a packed plot as Erlking becomes more audacious in order to achieve his goals. Along the way there’s an abundance of lies, guilt and betrayal. Characters make discoveries and have to make sacrifices, facing cruelty and vengeance.
The second half is much darker and more macabre than the first and I don’t enjoy it as much. It’s overly descriptive which means it’s too long, it could easily lose 100 pages and still be a good read. It builds to a good versus evil, love versus hate ending. After all the build up it’s maybe resolved too quickly but it is immensely satisfying.
Overall, a good read but not as enjoyable as Gilded which I loved.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Faber and Faber for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
November 15, 2022
Thank you so much Marissa meyer, for that ending🥲🥲 I truly could not fathom a sad one at this moment.
⊱⇱⊶⊷⊶⊷⊶⊷⊶⊷⊰
Update Feb 20: I AM LIVING FOR THAT STUNNING AND DARK COVER 💥💥
THE CASTLE AND DRACULA VIBE 🔥
⊱⇱⊶⊷⊶⊷⊶⊷⊶⊷⊰
Update Feb 20: I AM LIVING FOR THAT STUNNING AND DARK COVER 💥💥
THE CASTLE AND DRACULA VIBE 🔥
December 12, 2022
Oooooof.
Ok, I think at least one of three things happened here.
a. I'm tooold cynical for Marissa Meyer books (which would be an absolute tragedy)
b. I wasn't in a great reading mood this week (it happens)
c. This just wasn't very good
This was extremely disappointing. I enjoyed Gilded (maybe not as much as the Lunar Chronicles or even Heartless, but enough to round it up to 4 stars), but this was one felt like an absolute slog. Serilda is a confusing main character because sometimes she's feisty and tough, sometimes she's real dumb, and other times she just stands there and screams "nooooo". Gild has potential, but most of the time, he's just kind of...there. I also didn't care for either of the two child-oriented plot lines. I know that the girl in the original Rumpelstiltskin offers him her firstborn child, but it just feels...out of place in a YA novel.
This book could have benefitted from a diet of about 100 pages. The beginning felt extremely repetitive. The middle bit tended to meander around and not do much. I really think this could have been kept to a standalone and it would have been a much better story.
Am I still going to read whatever Marissa Meyer puts out next? Definitely.
Also, I actually laughed out loud at Gild's big name reveal. I think I would have re-cursed myself so I could forget that name again.
Ok, I think at least one of three things happened here.
a. I'm too
b. I wasn't in a great reading mood this week (it happens)
c. This just wasn't very good
This was extremely disappointing. I enjoyed Gilded (maybe not as much as the Lunar Chronicles or even Heartless, but enough to round it up to 4 stars), but this was one felt like an absolute slog. Serilda is a confusing main character because sometimes she's feisty and tough, sometimes she's real dumb, and other times she just stands there and screams "nooooo". Gild has potential, but most of the time, he's just kind of...there. I also didn't care for either of the two child-oriented plot lines. I know that the girl in the original Rumpelstiltskin offers him her firstborn child, but it just feels...out of place in a YA novel.
This book could have benefitted from a diet of about 100 pages. The beginning felt extremely repetitive. The middle bit tended to meander around and not do much. I really think this could have been kept to a standalone and it would have been a much better story.
Am I still going to read whatever Marissa Meyer puts out next? Definitely.
Also, I actually laughed out loud at Gild's big name reveal. I think I would have re-cursed myself so I could forget that name again.
December 7, 2022
Meyer really dropped the ball with this series. This is the last of her books I'll ever read. The writing and characterization in both of these books were so bad that I wondered at times if a ghost author was writing under her name.
The pluralized pronouns to refer to individual characters jolt you out of a story that it's already difficult to get into. Meyer herself couldn't keep up with the nonsense, and referred to one of her "they"s as a "he" at one point.
To top it all off, Bella Swan is a better heroine than Serilda. And I didn't think anybody could be worse than Bella Swan.
The pluralized pronouns to refer to individual characters jolt you out of a story that it's already difficult to get into. Meyer herself couldn't keep up with the nonsense, and referred to one of her "they"s as a "he" at one point.
To top it all off, Bella Swan is a better heroine than Serilda. And I didn't think anybody could be worse than Bella Swan.
December 19, 2022
I listened to this book on audiobook. I loved the narrator and thought she did a great job bringing all of the characters and the story to life. I really loved the first book in this series. I liked this second one, but I felt like it was much longer than it needed to be. There is a very long chunk in the middle that is rather tedious. Perhaps this struck me so strongly because it was an audiobook (which is a much slower way for me to read a book anyway). I still think it was a creative and unique retelling of Rumplestilskin, and I love fairy tale retellings but there were large chunks I figured out long before the rather obtuse narrator. This is a great fairy tale. There are monsters and gods, princes and peasants. The world building and the mythical beasts were particularly enjoyable for me. Overall a good story, but I had hoped for a great conclusion.
September 10, 2023
Dnf at pg 65. I hate this book.
December 21, 2025
Trama/Plot ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Personaggi/Characters ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Stile/Style ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Che bello questo secondo libro della serie! Una trama molto interessante, grazie ad un uso sapiente del folklore e delle fiabe per legare il tutto. Consigliatissimo.
***
How beautiful this second book in the series! A very interesting plot, thanks to a clever use of folklore and fairy tales to tie everything together. Highly recommended.
Personaggi/Characters ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Stile/Style ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Che bello questo secondo libro della serie! Una trama molto interessante, grazie ad un uso sapiente del folklore e delle fiabe per legare il tutto. Consigliatissimo.
***
How beautiful this second book in the series! A very interesting plot, thanks to a clever use of folklore and fairy tales to tie everything together. Highly recommended.
June 26, 2023
Before my review of the story, I would just like to mention that I love the cover of this book. I think it is absolutely perfect. It is eye-catching and fits the story well. Excellent job with that art work.
On to the story - I really expected to love this one, but it was much darker than I expected and very bleak. After the first half I was feeling almost melancholy and didn't really want to pick the book back up. There was just so much happening for so long that it wasn't a pleasant place to be. However, I expected the good guys to catch a break at some point, so I continued on.
I did enjoy how the story wrapped up and learning more about the underlying story as it unfolded. Meyer's writing is very good and engaging. I ended up being glad that I pushed through the darkness and found my way to the end of the story.
For half of the story I listened to the audio. Fortunately, the narrator, Rebecca Soler, is also very good. The story was easier to get through in audio format and I would recommend listening to it.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing me with a complimentary electronic copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
On to the story - I really expected to love this one, but it was much darker than I expected and very bleak. After the first half I was feeling almost melancholy and didn't really want to pick the book back up. There was just so much happening for so long that it wasn't a pleasant place to be. However, I expected the good guys to catch a break at some point, so I continued on.
I did enjoy how the story wrapped up and learning more about the underlying story as it unfolded. Meyer's writing is very good and engaging. I ended up being glad that I pushed through the darkness and found my way to the end of the story.
For half of the story I listened to the audio. Fortunately, the narrator, Rebecca Soler, is also very good. The story was easier to get through in audio format and I would recommend listening to it.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing me with a complimentary electronic copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
August 19, 2023
I don't feel satisfied by how this bailed on a good ending and much tedium in the day-to-day detailing of life. Much of this could have easily been cut to reduce the length and move up the pacing, This doesn't feel sufficiently wrapped up, so hopefully, it will be more than a duology.
The strength was the gods and the creatures! I loved every moment with them, even if I didn't like what was happening.
Other than a few intimate moments, the lack of Gild as more than a background character was disappointing.
Serilda is still a fantastic character, and I loved the dark, fleeting passages of Perchta.
Given enough time, I do think the Erlking could have a gnarly redemption arc.
3.5 Stars rounded up for me.
The strength was the gods and the creatures! I loved every moment with them, even if I didn't like what was happening.
Other than a few intimate moments, the lack of Gild as more than a background character was disappointing.
Serilda is still a fantastic character, and I loved the dark, fleeting passages of Perchta.
Given enough time, I do think the Erlking could have a gnarly redemption arc.
3.5 Stars rounded up for me.
November 25, 2022
✩ 4 stars
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i love this book sm!! <3
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a bit slow at times, not as good as the first when it comes to pacing but it’s such a great ending!! <3
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i love this book sm!! <3
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a bit slow at times, not as good as the first when it comes to pacing but it’s such a great ending!! <3
January 20, 2023
Took me too long to read and had a hard time keeping my interest.
November 2, 2022
Cursed is the sequel to Gilded, the Rumpelstiltskin retelling by NYT best-selling American author, Marissa Meyer. It’s the summer solstice, some seven weeks since Serilda has been cursed by the Erlking, her spirit tethered to Adalheid Castle, just as Gild’s has been, and the day she is to wed His Grim. She’s carrying Gild’s baby, due on the Winter Solstice, but holds back that information from the Erlking and Gild both, afraid of the reaction.
Each full moon when the Erlking takes the dark ones out to hunt, Gild and Serilda search the castle for their not-quite-dead corpses although, even if Serilda finds hers, could she free her spirit and leave? While the ghosts of five children so dear to her, killed by the Erlking, are still under his control and prevented from eternal rest in Verloren, she has to stick around, see out the deal she made: marry the Alder King, pose as the happy Alder Queen, hand over the baby at birth.
Except the baby was promised to Gild in payment for gold-spinning…
The conclusion of this tale is just as enthralling as the start, taking several twists in the lead up to a nail-biting climax, before a satisfying resolution and the requisite happy ever after. There’s plenty of magic, villainous demons, monsters of all stripe and colour and inclination, and this half features a feisty young self-crowned queen. There are revelations and reunions, shocks and surprises.
Meyer manages to insert humour and heartache, and gives her characters some wise words and insightful observations about human nature and life. Often, Serilda sees her gift as a curse: “Have you been cursed by the god of stories? Does every word out of your mouth somehow land everyone you love in danger?” When she is finally able to make that complaint to Wyrdith in person: “I do understand,” said Wyrdith. “Stories are powerful.” They threaded their fingers through Serilda’s. “What you don’t understand is that you have not yet written the ending.”
While there is some recap, it really is essential to read the first volume before embarking on this one: assuredly not a hardship. Encompassing two volumes, Meyer’s retelling of this folk tale runs to almost a thousand pages, yet the reader is never bored; rather, impatience to learn where the story will next go keeps the pages rapidly turning. So enjoyable, this is Marissa Meyer at her best.
This unbiased review is from a copy provided by Text Publishing.
Each full moon when the Erlking takes the dark ones out to hunt, Gild and Serilda search the castle for their not-quite-dead corpses although, even if Serilda finds hers, could she free her spirit and leave? While the ghosts of five children so dear to her, killed by the Erlking, are still under his control and prevented from eternal rest in Verloren, she has to stick around, see out the deal she made: marry the Alder King, pose as the happy Alder Queen, hand over the baby at birth.
Except the baby was promised to Gild in payment for gold-spinning…
The conclusion of this tale is just as enthralling as the start, taking several twists in the lead up to a nail-biting climax, before a satisfying resolution and the requisite happy ever after. There’s plenty of magic, villainous demons, monsters of all stripe and colour and inclination, and this half features a feisty young self-crowned queen. There are revelations and reunions, shocks and surprises.
Meyer manages to insert humour and heartache, and gives her characters some wise words and insightful observations about human nature and life. Often, Serilda sees her gift as a curse: “Have you been cursed by the god of stories? Does every word out of your mouth somehow land everyone you love in danger?” When she is finally able to make that complaint to Wyrdith in person: “I do understand,” said Wyrdith. “Stories are powerful.” They threaded their fingers through Serilda’s. “What you don’t understand is that you have not yet written the ending.”
While there is some recap, it really is essential to read the first volume before embarking on this one: assuredly not a hardship. Encompassing two volumes, Meyer’s retelling of this folk tale runs to almost a thousand pages, yet the reader is never bored; rather, impatience to learn where the story will next go keeps the pages rapidly turning. So enjoyable, this is Marissa Meyer at her best.
This unbiased review is from a copy provided by Text Publishing.
November 20, 2022
This…absolutely fucking sucked??? I guess she really is a one hit wonder. There was no reason for this duology to BE a duology. Rumpelstiltskin is one of the shortest stories in the Grimm arsenal. If she had cut out all the bullshit from this and the first one it could have been a stand-alone. I’m so disappointed. There was no point to any of this and anything that mattered took about two chapters, if that. What a mess.
August 15, 2023
So so very painful.
Full Review: I loved Marissa Meyer's Cinder series so much and will remain baffled by this long drawn out duology. She really could have edited the two books to get this down to one. It's repetitive and the character of Serilda is beyond exhausting. Serilda keeps doing dumb things and you just want to grab your hair in despair.
This was Meyer's take on Rumpelstiltskin, but I honestly preferred the original Fairy Tale to this.
Full Review: I loved Marissa Meyer's Cinder series so much and will remain baffled by this long drawn out duology. She really could have edited the two books to get this down to one. It's repetitive and the character of Serilda is beyond exhausting. Serilda keeps doing dumb things and you just want to grab your hair in despair.
This was Meyer's take on Rumpelstiltskin, but I honestly preferred the original Fairy Tale to this.
December 13, 2022
3.5 Stars
This finale was quite underwhelming for the most part. The very end was entertaining but I would have wished for even darker consequences for the main characters.
This finale was quite underwhelming for the most part. The very end was entertaining but I would have wished for even darker consequences for the main characters.
May 7, 2023
Gilded kept promising us there would be a plot and then at the last 5% of the book it took the first feeble steps towards such a plot, which is why I bought this book, but this duology should have been just one book of max 400, maybe 500, pages. The padding, filler, nonsense in this duology--get to the point!
Plot
I was very pleased the plot had finally started. You might say 'no, it was too slow-paced' even in this book, but it was a breath of fresh air after the pointlessness in book 1. We got to spend 300 pages with Gild and the Erlking, one giving you mischievous adventures in the castle while the other did mysterious and evil things together with Serilda and it was just good teamwork fun.
After 300-something pages, we suddenly arrived at the plot climax end battle and I was like "oh, that is interesting, there are more than 100 pages to go, how epic is she making this?" The answer was 'boring as shit'. She basically ruined everything in the remaining part of the book.
...They RAN from the climax of the plot, to go travel around and do absolute nonsense, meet new people and new revelations too little too late and it was so infuriating. Like for example, I would have LOVED to meet all the gods and see interesting scenes with them in BOOK ONE instead of plot device farm kids 1,2,3,4,5 and random villagers 1,2,3 and token woke characters 1 and 2. I'm not exaggerating with these numbers even! They even returned in this end part of the book and everything felt so extremely convenient and forced. I was headdesking at this point. I didn't give a shit about these scenes and emotionally they fell flat on their face because again, too little too late, this was not the time for these kind of scenes.
And if that wasn't bad enough, the actual climax (when they finally returned to it) was filled with 100% convenient turns to save the day, bullshitting the readers and making the actual themes and story flatter than flat. They ruined whatever they had going for it by dumbing everything down into black and white and rubbing that fact into the reader's face, while it could have been an interesting morally grey ending making the story 1000% better.
Romance
...What romance? You mean the fact they said "I love you" and acted dramatic now and then? There was no romance or chemistry, so moving on...
Characters
The only character with potential and slight development and depth in this book is the Erlking!
Serilda is a plot device bland heroine shallower than the pool toddlers get swimming lessons in and a broken dumb record who can only scream "the children!";
Gild is cute and fun, but does not change from book 1 and never develops into a full character in depth;
I wanted to throw the plot device bland children off a cliff;
Do not care about the other side characters because they were either even blander than the mentioned characters above or they were introduced too late and I was lamenting the missed potential.
The Erlking had a fun arc, interesting grey character arc and kept me guessing through the story -- the only one with development--but instead of doing something actually interesting and challenging with that arc, it was cut short in the climax and the author basically went "nope, let's resolve this conveniently for Serilda and cut all this buildup off to nothing! Everything was meaningless and this story is black and white :D" ...why? What did that do for the characters or the plot aside from convenience? I'm so disappointed.
---
I would never recommend this duology to anyone, because it is a slow, frustrating and very disappointing read.
October 12, 2022
The vividly immersive and gorgeously woven sequel to Marissa Meyer’s spectacular reimagining of Rumplestiltskin continues where Gilded left off, returning us to Adalheid, the ErlKing and his malevolently dark court.
Following the shocking turn of events, Serilda now finds herself ensnared in a deadly game with the Erlking, who is determined to propel her deeper into the castle’s lies and secrets.
Determined to free herself—and Gild from the Erlking’s clutches, Serilda works with Gild to help him solve the mystery of his forgotten name and past. But the Erlking’s plans aren’t as clear cut as Serilda first thought, for he doesn’t just want to bring back his dark huntress lover… he also seeks vengeance against the seven gods who (long ago) trapped his court of Dark Ones behind the veil, in a effort to protect the mortal realm.
If the ErlKing succeeds (and Serilda and Gild cannot break the curse that tethers them to the castle, or learn to utilise their unique gifts before the Endless Moon) —then the mortal realm will be forever doomed…
I was absolutely enamoured of the rich and deliciously atmospheric world building we encountered in Gilded and loved how Meyer expands on it in Cursed. Although just as vividly detailed as the first, the tone definitely felt a little darker with it’s hauntingly bleak and slightly macabre imagery that was reminiscent of the Grimm’s original. Though what I loved the most was Meyer’s expansion of the lore, delving into the backstories of the ErlKing, Gild and the Gods he soo despises.
Our loveable protagonist and gifted storyteller, Serilda has really matured since the events in Gilded and watching her progression definitely highlighted her emotional development from her rash and impulsive tendencies.
Likewise, Gild’s roguish charm and mischievousness was offset by several nuanced and emotional scenes surrounding the loss of his memories and an unexplainable sense of guilt, which I felt brought new dimension to his character. The chemistry between the pair was still fairly swoon-worthy but their dynamics were certainly angstier this time around.
We do get to meet some new characters this time around, several of which were super interesting—not the mention all the secrets and intrigue that Serilda manages to stumble into.
I enjoyed getting to see more of the creatures within the menagerie and the inclusion of Serilda’s folktales really helped to flesh out the backstory of the
Gods, beasts and the ErlKing’s nefarious deeds without adding too much exposition to the plot.
Overall, Cursed is another fabulously refreshing, plot twisty and utterly addictive YA fantasy that fans of Marissa Meyer or dark fairytale retellings simply must read! And if you haven’t already, I highly recommend checking out the first book in the series, Gilded.
I also wanted to say a massive thank you to Divya for the giveaway which allowed me to read one of my most anticipated reads of the year.
Following the shocking turn of events, Serilda now finds herself ensnared in a deadly game with the Erlking, who is determined to propel her deeper into the castle’s lies and secrets.
Determined to free herself—and Gild from the Erlking’s clutches, Serilda works with Gild to help him solve the mystery of his forgotten name and past. But the Erlking’s plans aren’t as clear cut as Serilda first thought, for he doesn’t just want to bring back his dark huntress lover… he also seeks vengeance against the seven gods who (long ago) trapped his court of Dark Ones behind the veil, in a effort to protect the mortal realm.
If the ErlKing succeeds (and Serilda and Gild cannot break the curse that tethers them to the castle, or learn to utilise their unique gifts before the Endless Moon) —then the mortal realm will be forever doomed…
I was absolutely enamoured of the rich and deliciously atmospheric world building we encountered in Gilded and loved how Meyer expands on it in Cursed. Although just as vividly detailed as the first, the tone definitely felt a little darker with it’s hauntingly bleak and slightly macabre imagery that was reminiscent of the Grimm’s original. Though what I loved the most was Meyer’s expansion of the lore, delving into the backstories of the ErlKing, Gild and the Gods he soo despises.
Our loveable protagonist and gifted storyteller, Serilda has really matured since the events in Gilded and watching her progression definitely highlighted her emotional development from her rash and impulsive tendencies.
Likewise, Gild’s roguish charm and mischievousness was offset by several nuanced and emotional scenes surrounding the loss of his memories and an unexplainable sense of guilt, which I felt brought new dimension to his character. The chemistry between the pair was still fairly swoon-worthy but their dynamics were certainly angstier this time around.
We do get to meet some new characters this time around, several of which were super interesting—not the mention all the secrets and intrigue that Serilda manages to stumble into.
I enjoyed getting to see more of the creatures within the menagerie and the inclusion of Serilda’s folktales really helped to flesh out the backstory of the
Gods, beasts and the ErlKing’s nefarious deeds without adding too much exposition to the plot.
Overall, Cursed is another fabulously refreshing, plot twisty and utterly addictive YA fantasy that fans of Marissa Meyer or dark fairytale retellings simply must read! And if you haven’t already, I highly recommend checking out the first book in the series, Gilded.
I also wanted to say a massive thank you to Divya for the giveaway which allowed me to read one of my most anticipated reads of the year.
December 27, 2022
AHHH it comes out the day after my birthday so I can totally count it as a birthday present....omg i cannot wait.
*edit*
I loved this. So much destruction and gloom, yet hope and power. Morally grey characters are all the rage, and I adored Serilda and Gild's story's completion. Everything I hoped for and more!
*edit*
I loved this. So much destruction and gloom, yet hope and power. Morally grey characters are all the rage, and I adored Serilda and Gild's story's completion. Everything I hoped for and more!
March 13, 2023
sorry guys, I just hate the pregnancy trope.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 21, 2025
“I’ve often found, when all is forgotten by history, a good story can still live on. A good story can live forever.”
“That is one of the great things about being a storyteller We get to write out own story, too.”
NOV. 2023 REREAD
I definitely liked this series a whole lot more the second time around, and I really do think part of that is because I’ve matured a lot even since Cursed was released a year ago and am now much closer to Serilda’s age. Strangely enough, while I liked Cursed better than Gilded before, that has actually switched, but I love both. Dark fantasy, particularly the ones based on German folklore, or really any folklore for that matter, are a favorite of mine and Marissa's fairytale retellings will always be at the top of my tbr.
The emotions (in all of Marissa Meyer’s books really) is so strong and relatable, it all feels very real and human. As do her characters and I found myself loving them all over again and seeing them rather differently than before, especially Serilda who I LOVED so much, she was so sarcastic and spiteful, it was awesome. Also Erlkönig is honestly such an intriguing character. Like you think he’s such a bad demon in Gilded then you see this completely different side of him in Cursed. And it added so much depth to his character that he really does hold his word and just about everything he did had an actual purpose, he’s very cunning and while cruel, that cruelty served a purpose and sometimes you really would see a glimmer of decency in him (plus compared to Perchta…). So he’s easily my favorite MM villain just because he’s complex (which Levana was too if you read her novel but it was honestly terrifying being in her head lol).
Again I really liked how the gods were depicted even if they seemed more like personae of the world and humanity rather than actual gods but that made them very unique and memorable and overall interesting to read and learn about.
I still think the ending was a bit too rushed and felt hastily put together. Like I loved the first half of the book but the second half almost felt like a different book. That's really my only real complaint though.
NOV. 2022 REVIEW
there are Gilded spoilers below!!!
Buddy read with mi manita Ruqayyah and Sarah Book Dragon, both of who’s reviews I will add links to here once they’re up.
Sarah Book Dragon’s Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Ruqayyah’s Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I have been waiting for this book for what feels like forever! And yet somehow, I didn’t need to reread Gilded in order to remember and know what was going on… which is new but much appreciated. I definitely liked Cursed better than Gilded but I couldn’t tell you why because I have no idea. But I mean I will read anything Marissa throws at us and most likely love it because I’m rather biased but y’all really should still definitely read this.
Things I Didn’t Like So Much
1) I still didn’t like how it skipped to only the full moon days. It made it where we needed filling in or had to guess at what was going on now exactly. It did however mean she had her child in the book though. But I still stand firm in my idea that a narrator's POV would have fixed that really well and being that Serilda is a storyteller would have worked really well.
2) Marissa, don’t ever do that to me again. The number of times I wanted to just scream into a pillow because Serilda wouldn’t freaking tell Gild the truth! It could probably be considered miscommunication and even if it can’t I’m still counting it as such. It drove me crazy! Because she got so close sometimes and her reasons for not were really rather pointless. Like you made a deal with him to give up your first-born child anyway, so he may as well know it’s his because he’s getting it anyway. (the reveal was cute though)
3) It was so predictable (I need to stop complaining about this in every single review), I literally guessed the main “plot twist” that happens at like page like 300-something within the first 30ish pages of the book. The whole thing about the gods. The princess. Serilda’s mother. The gender of the baby. The Erlking’s plot in general (also very early on). The end part with the name guessing. The ending in general. I still enjoyed the book, I loved it actually, but without those plot twists it just took away a lot of the mystery I was looking forward to.
4) I am rather disappointed that we didn’t get to learn Gild’s backstory a bit more and that we didn’t get to learn the name of their child either. The story still feels incomplete somehow and the ending was a bit too rushed which probably doesn’t help with it not feeling complete. I am hoping that is because we might get a book like Stars Above with a bunch of short stories with both the past and the future, but we’ll see I suppose.
Things I Liked
1) I again fell in love with the German folklore, not only is it intriguing but it gave me an excuse to annotate in German so my parents can’t read it which meant I had free reign to write whatever I wanted lol. But back on track! German folklore. I was a bit sad we didn’t get much deeper than Der Erlkönig in Gilded (simplified to The Erlking in both books) but we did get Perchta and more of the spirits and creatures in Cursed so I’ll take that. It also lines up with the tale of Rumpelstiltskin being one of the Grimm brothers stories.
2) One thing that I didn’t really like in Gilded was how scattered and drawn out the plot seemed. Rumpelstiltskin is only three pages long but the tale was retold in two 500 page books which means there’s going to need to be some serious filling in. But Gilded ended being like the opening/set-up for Cursed. It basically got everything ready for the events that needed to happen. And that made Cursed a lot better than Gilded since it wasn’t drawn out or as scattered (it still was a bit). However, I picked up more connections to the original tale (you know what I’m abbreviating that to OT from now on) in Gilded. There still were connections but not on the scale of other Marissa Meyer books; Cress for one has so many super cleverly hidden which is probably why my expectations where so high.
3 Another thing that was kind of redeemed by Cursed was the insta-love (blech), which was something I did not enjoy. It showed that they both knew there wasn’t really love behind their little tumble, there was desire and “yearning” as they put it. But in Cursed it also had them actually bonding without anything else (well they kissed a few times, more than I few times) and then they realized that they had fallen in love after all. So I did like that. (long quote incoming)
4) On a related topic, I found myself shipping Gild and Serilda so hard. They were the perfect mix of funny, relatable and swoon-worthy romance (if you ignore the little bit of miscommunication I mentioned above, which was all Serilda’s fault by the way). However, I am still not exactly proud them for the *coughs* scene in Gilded. But as I was reading I just kept thinking they are going to make the best parents.
5) That scene in the room past the drudes deserves its own section of appreciation because it was hilarious and Serilda and Gild were just so adorable. Allow me to serinate (I'm sorry I can't spell and spellcheck is being as useless as bow without an arrow... although you can still wack people with it soooooo, anyway) you with a few quotes.
Then Marissa did another scene sort of like in Heartless, involving *smirks knowingly* laces.
6) I actually liked how the gods were depicted, it was very unique for a book like this, they were more human than you would expect and it showed that they really did want the best for the humans and in some cases had come to love them. However there were quite a few times where I just kind of went “some gods you are” because they wouldn’t be able to do anything even though they’re these all-powerful immortal entities that literally sustained the world for centuries, possibly millennia.
THE CHARACTERS
Serilda
Serilda had some FIRE! Her newfound defiant spirit was incredible, it was there before I guess but it really came out in Cursed. I really do think she was stupid of her to think that Der Erlkönig would let the children go so easily though. She did scream… like a lot, she’s like that one person in horror movies, the screamer. I did love her “gruesome” way of thinking and dark sense of humor though, that was great. And again her love for children was so cute and how she would call our five little ghosts “her children”. But although I understand it, her desperation closer to the end was not something I enjoyed, her character really changed between the first half of the book and the second, and very noticeably so but not necessarily in the best ways.
Gild
I adored Gild… again. He was just so freaking cute and funny that it made it hard not to love him. Plus I got the bonus chapter from his POV (from Gilded not Cursed) and it was so good and just made me love him even more. So yeah he’s my baby. But his cocky, playful pranks and grins gave me Peter Pan vibes (not book Peter cuz he’s insane but from Hook). His pain though! Like Marissa! Why did you have to go and hurt him so much?! He wasn’t perfect of course because nobody is, but you could see him trying to be the best he could and battling with his demons and flaws, which just made him that much closer to perfect. I also love it when the male protagonists (or really any of the characters actually if you haven't noticed already) love children and/or are good with children and so that was super cute too.
The Erlking (aka Der Erlkönig) (or as Ruqayyah called him onceThe Elder Log
I found myself liking him as a villain, not as a person (or dark one/demon I guess) of course but definitely made a good villain and an amusing one at times. It was clear he had more planned for Serilda from the beginning (the first moon section had quite a few hints if you piece them together). One thing I absolutely hated though was how he hunted, I hunt but not like that abomination does, for sport, as a game. It’s cruel and wrong and the whole book I was hoping he ended up being killed (or rather dragged into hell which is more like the OT) by the spirits of all the creatures he wrongly killed. Meyer really did go with the whole “a villain would burn the world for you” trope with him though and it was a bit unsettling at times but also incredibly romantic and I hated that I liked him for it. He was very clever and that is always something I love in a villain, when they know what they want and they go about getting it in a very subtle patient way that leaves you kind of admiring them for how well they planned and executed everything.
The Children aka my darlings
Anna and Nickel are still my favorites (yes I have favorites, don’t judge) but I found myself really loving Hans too. And Fricz was adorable. Okay they were all adorable. And they cared for Serilda so much it physically pained me. Like after the (insert insult of your choice) Erlking made the pregnancy announcement and little Gerdrut offering to rub her feet and Anna said she would fetch her tea and Fricz would get her food, then Nickel called her *tears up* “our Serilda” and was all worried about finding her a midwife. So yes adored these children and shed more than a few tears at how cute they were and how much pain they’ve gone through, but thus is the life of an obsessive reader.
Erlen aka my badass princess
I loved Erlen, she was so direct and spunky and vicious. Like she makes Serilda and Gild look extremely soft (and I mean they are but it’s just a crazy comparison). Plus!
What Meager Fanart I Could Find (all are by The Auntartist on Pinterest & Instagram)
November 8th//I preordered this months ago and it just came and wow! The cover is so pretty! Going to do a buddy read with Ruqayyah and Sarah Book Dragon! so wish us luck!
“That is one of the great things about being a storyteller We get to write out own story, too.”
NOV. 2023 REREAD
I definitely liked this series a whole lot more the second time around, and I really do think part of that is because I’ve matured a lot even since Cursed was released a year ago and am now much closer to Serilda’s age. Strangely enough, while I liked Cursed better than Gilded before, that has actually switched, but I love both. Dark fantasy, particularly the ones based on German folklore, or really any folklore for that matter, are a favorite of mine and Marissa's fairytale retellings will always be at the top of my tbr.
The emotions (in all of Marissa Meyer’s books really) is so strong and relatable, it all feels very real and human. As do her characters and I found myself loving them all over again and seeing them rather differently than before, especially Serilda who I LOVED so much, she was so sarcastic and spiteful, it was awesome. Also Erlkönig is honestly such an intriguing character. Like you think he’s such a bad demon in Gilded then you see this completely different side of him in Cursed. And it added so much depth to his character that he really does hold his word and just about everything he did had an actual purpose, he’s very cunning and while cruel, that cruelty served a purpose and sometimes you really would see a glimmer of decency in him (plus compared to Perchta…). So he’s easily my favorite MM villain just because he’s complex (which Levana was too if you read her novel but it was honestly terrifying being in her head lol).
Again I really liked how the gods were depicted even if they seemed more like personae of the world and humanity rather than actual gods but that made them very unique and memorable and overall interesting to read and learn about.
I still think the ending was a bit too rushed and felt hastily put together. Like I loved the first half of the book but the second half almost felt like a different book. That's really my only real complaint though.
NOV. 2022 REVIEW
there are Gilded spoilers below!!!
Buddy read with mi manita Ruqayyah and Sarah Book Dragon, both of who’s reviews I will add links to here once they’re up.
Sarah Book Dragon’s Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Ruqayyah’s Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I have been waiting for this book for what feels like forever! And yet somehow, I didn’t need to reread Gilded in order to remember and know what was going on… which is new but much appreciated. I definitely liked Cursed better than Gilded but I couldn’t tell you why because I have no idea. But I mean I will read anything Marissa throws at us and most likely love it because I’m rather biased but y’all really should still definitely read this.
Things I Didn’t Like So Much
1) I still didn’t like how it skipped to only the full moon days. It made it where we needed filling in or had to guess at what was going on now exactly. It did however mean she had her child in the book though. But I still stand firm in my idea that a narrator's POV would have fixed that really well and being that Serilda is a storyteller would have worked really well.
2) Marissa, don’t ever do that to me again. The number of times I wanted to just scream into a pillow because Serilda wouldn’t freaking tell Gild the truth! It could probably be considered miscommunication and even if it can’t I’m still counting it as such. It drove me crazy! Because she got so close sometimes and her reasons for not were really rather pointless. Like you made a deal with him to give up your first-born child anyway, so he may as well know it’s his because he’s getting it anyway. (the reveal was cute though)
3) It was so predictable (I need to stop complaining about this in every single review), I literally guessed the main “plot twist” that happens at like page like 300-something within the first 30ish pages of the book. The whole thing about the gods. The princess. Serilda’s mother. The gender of the baby. The Erlking’s plot in general (also very early on). The end part with the name guessing. The ending in general. I still enjoyed the book, I loved it actually, but without those plot twists it just took away a lot of the mystery I was looking forward to.
4) I am rather disappointed that we didn’t get to learn Gild’s backstory a bit more and that we didn’t get to learn the name of their child either. The story still feels incomplete somehow and the ending was a bit too rushed which probably doesn’t help with it not feeling complete. I am hoping that is because we might get a book like Stars Above with a bunch of short stories with both the past and the future, but we’ll see I suppose.
Things I Liked
1) I again fell in love with the German folklore, not only is it intriguing but it gave me an excuse to annotate in German so my parents can’t read it which meant I had free reign to write whatever I wanted lol. But back on track! German folklore. I was a bit sad we didn’t get much deeper than Der Erlkönig in Gilded (simplified to The Erlking in both books) but we did get Perchta and more of the spirits and creatures in Cursed so I’ll take that. It also lines up with the tale of Rumpelstiltskin being one of the Grimm brothers stories.
2) One thing that I didn’t really like in Gilded was how scattered and drawn out the plot seemed. Rumpelstiltskin is only three pages long but the tale was retold in two 500 page books which means there’s going to need to be some serious filling in. But Gilded ended being like the opening/set-up for Cursed. It basically got everything ready for the events that needed to happen. And that made Cursed a lot better than Gilded since it wasn’t drawn out or as scattered (it still was a bit). However, I picked up more connections to the original tale (you know what I’m abbreviating that to OT from now on) in Gilded. There still were connections but not on the scale of other Marissa Meyer books; Cress for one has so many super cleverly hidden which is probably why my expectations where so high.
3 Another thing that was kind of redeemed by Cursed was the insta-love (blech), which was something I did not enjoy. It showed that they both knew there wasn’t really love behind their little tumble, there was desire and “yearning” as they put it. But in Cursed it also had them actually bonding without anything else (well they kissed a few times, more than I few times) and then they realized that they had fallen in love after all. So I did like that. (long quote incoming)
“Love grew out of shared memories, shared stories, shared laughter. Love was a result of knowing the many things a person did that annoyed you to the ends of the earth, and yet, somehow, still wanting to hold them at the end of every day and be held by them at sunrise every morning. Love was the comfort of knowing someone would stand by you, accept you, despite all your eccentricities, all your faults. Maybe loving you, in part, because of them.”
4) On a related topic, I found myself shipping Gild and Serilda so hard. They were the perfect mix of funny, relatable and swoon-worthy romance (if you ignore the little bit of miscommunication I mentioned above, which was all Serilda’s fault by the way). However, I am still not exactly proud them for the *coughs* scene in Gilded. But as I was reading I just kept thinking they are going to make the best parents.
5) That scene in the room past the drudes deserves its own section of appreciation because it was hilarious and Serilda and Gild were just so adorable. Allow me to serinate (I'm sorry I can't spell and spellcheck is being as useless as bow without an arrow... although you can still wack people with it soooooo, anyway) you with a few quotes.
~He grunted. “I look like a pompous asshat.”~
~And inside, nestled among the sludge, was a … chicken?~
~Shaking her head, she turned back to the cage.
And screamed.
Gild yelped and pulled her tight against him. They both backed a few steps away.~
~“Be serious.” She whapped him on the shoulder.~
Then Marissa did another scene sort of like in Heartless, involving *smirks knowingly* laces.
6) I actually liked how the gods were depicted, it was very unique for a book like this, they were more human than you would expect and it showed that they really did want the best for the humans and in some cases had come to love them. However there were quite a few times where I just kind of went “some gods you are” because they wouldn’t be able to do anything even though they’re these all-powerful immortal entities that literally sustained the world for centuries, possibly millennia.
THE CHARACTERS
Serilda
Serilda had some FIRE! Her newfound defiant spirit was incredible, it was there before I guess but it really came out in Cursed. I really do think she was stupid of her to think that Der Erlkönig would let the children go so easily though. She did scream… like a lot, she’s like that one person in horror movies, the screamer. I did love her “gruesome” way of thinking and dark sense of humor though, that was great. And again her love for children was so cute and how she would call our five little ghosts “her children”. But although I understand it, her desperation closer to the end was not something I enjoyed, her character really changed between the first half of the book and the second, and very noticeably so but not necessarily in the best ways.
Gild
I adored Gild… again. He was just so freaking cute and funny that it made it hard not to love him. Plus I got the bonus chapter from his POV (from Gilded not Cursed) and it was so good and just made me love him even more. So yeah he’s my baby. But his cocky, playful pranks and grins gave me Peter Pan vibes (not book Peter cuz he’s insane but from Hook). His pain though! Like Marissa! Why did you have to go and hurt him so much?! He wasn’t perfect of course because nobody is, but you could see him trying to be the best he could and battling with his demons and flaws, which just made him that much closer to perfect. I also love it when the male protagonists (or really any of the characters actually if you haven't noticed already) love children and/or are good with children and so that was super cute too.
The Erlking (aka Der Erlkönig) (or as Ruqayyah called him onceThe Elder Log
I found myself liking him as a villain, not as a person (or dark one/demon I guess) of course but definitely made a good villain and an amusing one at times. It was clear he had more planned for Serilda from the beginning (the first moon section had quite a few hints if you piece them together). One thing I absolutely hated though was how he hunted, I hunt but not like that abomination does, for sport, as a game. It’s cruel and wrong and the whole book I was hoping he ended up being killed (or rather dragged into hell which is more like the OT) by the spirits of all the creatures he wrongly killed. Meyer really did go with the whole “a villain would burn the world for you” trope with him though and it was a bit unsettling at times but also incredibly romantic and I hated that I liked him for it. He was very clever and that is always something I love in a villain, when they know what they want and they go about getting it in a very subtle patient way that leaves you kind of admiring them for how well they planned and executed everything.
The Children aka my darlings
Anna and Nickel are still my favorites (yes I have favorites, don’t judge) but I found myself really loving Hans too. And Fricz was adorable. Okay they were all adorable. And they cared for Serilda so much it physically pained me. Like after the (insert insult of your choice) Erlking made the pregnancy announcement and little Gerdrut offering to rub her feet and Anna said she would fetch her tea and Fricz would get her food, then Nickel called her *tears up* “our Serilda” and was all worried about finding her a midwife. So yes adored these children and shed more than a few tears at how cute they were and how much pain they’ve gone through, but thus is the life of an obsessive reader.
Erlen aka my badass princess
I loved Erlen, she was so direct and spunky and vicious. Like she makes Serilda and Gild look extremely soft (and I mean they are but it’s just a crazy comparison). Plus!
What Meager Fanart I Could Find (all are by The Auntartist on Pinterest & Instagram)
November 8th//I preordered this months ago and it just came and wow! The cover is so pretty! Going to do a buddy read with Ruqayyah and Sarah Book Dragon! so wish us luck!
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