A few years ago, I was graced with the opportunity to take the trip of a lifetime. I was able to go overseas…about as far overseas as I could possibly get from here…to South Korea. I was able to stay a couple weeks and experience all the culture, history, and absolute wonder and amazement that is this fabulous country!
I met lots of great friends, got to experience the shopping and cultural aspects of everything, and even got to see the amazing landscape that unfolded around me. It’s been a few years since I’ve been over there but recently, I found a book that brought me right back to the center of that universe. From the descriptive dialogue and the way the culture is brought forth, to the majestic beauty of Seoul, Christina Farley’s “Gilded”, really brought EVERYTHING back into focus.
I found out about this wonderful series as I was doing a search on different books that either had been written in, written about, or centered consistently on South Korea. Once I read the description of this book, I couldn’t wait to read it. Once I found out that it was a series, I couldn’t contain my excitement!
“Gilded”, centers on a rather kick butt young woman, Jae Hwa, and her life after being moved from the U.S. to Seoul, South Korea. She is immediately immersed in high school life and trying to get adjusted with Korean culture and really just trying to get through this new adjustment in her life. She has friends, but mostly she’s just trying to get through school and her Tae Kwon Do classes without any distractions.
There’s also a boy, Marc, whom she is attracted to but tries hard to deny her feelings for. Being that her mother passed away earlier on, she doesn’t really want to get attached to anyone again because she’s afraid they will leave her too.
Add in a grandfather (haraboji), whom she’s pretty sure hates her and wants nothing more than for her to go back to the U.S., a father who only wants to protect his daughter from the crazy ramblings of an old man, and a mythological legend that stills keeps a firm grip within HER reality and you’ve got one HECK of a great story.
There’s a lot to be loved within this first novel of the series. First of all, I love how Christina weaves the majestic culture and language of Korea into the novel. She doesn’t just briefly talk about Korea, she actually brings Korea into the story itself. She immerses the reader right into the middle of Seoul and lays out a landscape that is not only visionary but palpable. From descriptions of the food, actual Korean dialogue, and descriptions of several different landmarks within the area, as a reader, you are transported into this completely foreign and beautiful world.
Also, the story has a very mythological intense background. If you’ve never ready any Korean myths or been introduced to some of the mythological creatures in stories of old, Christina gives a brief description of each as they are introduced into the story.
Jae Hwa’s story is jam packed with action, adventure, a little romance, and the thrill of a whole different world to explore. After reading this book, I cannot wait to begin reading the second one. I gave Gilded, a 4 out of 5 star rating on GoodReads as it really impressed me and made me want to read more! I would highly recommend this series to anyone who is a fan of Colleen Houck’s Tiger’s Curse series.
If you’ve had a chance to read this series already, let me know in the comment section below what you thought about it! If you haven’t, you can pick it up on:
Amazon and Barnes and Noble
Also, the third book in the series, Brazen, is scheduled to be released 9/29/2015 and has quickly made it to my Most Anticipated Reads of 2015 list.
Thanks guys for taking time to read my review and as always “Spread the joy of reading! Lives can change with the turn of a page!”
See ya! :)
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