Gold by Raven Kennedy

For the majority of Gold, it felt like Raven Kennedy was trying to tell Queen Malina’s story more than Auren’s. Auren’s POV’s make up exactly 50% of the chapters, however, her chapters were notably shorter than Slade’s and Malina’s. Malina had 13 POV chapters to Auren’s 27 while Slade had 9 and Osrik 4. Auren was just “I’m going from this place to this place and I made this friend” while Slade’s were “I’m decimating this kingdom and getting into this fight” and Malina’s were “watch me rescue my kingdom and become the queen I was supposed to be.” I was considerably more bored with Auren’s chapters than anyone else’s and I didn’t even enjoy reading Malina’s because she wasn’t supposed to be the focal point of the story. This was supposed to be Auren’s story, and everyone else got a more compelling narrative than she did. (This was written with about ten or so chapters left in the book)

We spend the whole book with Rissa on the brink of death and this feels incredibly realistic. Thanks to the actions of King Rot and the fact that while he’s villainous, he’s not a villain, the fact that he has such a deep and unwavering love and devotion to his friends, he finds a way to save the love of his seconds life. Morally gray? Yes. Villainous? Yes. A villain? Absolutely not. Anyway, I like that Osrik suffered a little bit while Rissa died slowly because it delved into the real nature of mortality in a book with characters that feel immortal because of how powerful or skilled they are. 

I am so absolutely and unbelievably disappointed by the ending. The “merging” or whatever the hell that was? That was absolutely thrilling. I was desperate for answers and eagerly eating up Auren’s POV for the first time in the entire book. I wanted to see Auren in her get shit done era, especially after taking on Cull. Instead, she’s a victim AGAIN. Slade will have to come rescue her AGAIN. I wanted whatever happened between them to shatter Slade in a new way. A “I can’t live without my woman” way and him get idk captured by Queen Kaila or the fae or ANYTHING new and then Auren have to use her newfound bonded powers to save her beloved. Nope. Auren’s a victim again! Who’s surprised! 

I’m going to read the final book because I actually have to or I’ll internally combust from lack of resolution, but I’m doing it begrudgingly and only because of who I am as a person, it has nothing at all to do with actually enjoying the series. I’m so ready to be done with these books and never fucking touch them again. Glad Rissa’s alive, though, she’s at least fucking interesting.