Gilded (The Gilded Series, Book One)
Gr 7 Up—Four years after her mother's death, 16-year-old Korean American Jae Hwa Lee and her father leave Los Angeles behind to move to Seoul, South Korea. Jae's biggest concerns are fitting in at her new international school and keeping up with her classes, along with maintaining her status as a hard-core black belt. When her formidable grandfather warns her that the demigod Haemosu has stolen the soul of the firstborn female in her family for generations, and she is next, Jae isn't sure what to believe. The teen soon discovers that her grandfather's warnings prove all too real, and she must use her tae kwon do and archery skills, as well as unexpected help from her enigmatic and attractive classmate Marc, to escape the fate of the women who came before her. While the premise sounds promising, the story does not completely fulfill expectations. The breakneck pace leaves the plot feeling scattered and lacking emotional depth. While Jae has potential as a strong female protagonist, other characters are not fully developed, and become overused caricatures: the intelligent, attractive love interest with a mysterious secret; the dismissive workaholic parent. The Korean setting and myths make for an interesting backdrop, but stop short of providing readers with a rich, fully realized cultural experience. Recommended for large collections where fantasy is in high demand.—Kelsey Johnson-Kaiser, Columbus Public Library, WI