Filled with wild folklore, death magic, and a sapphic romance that will keep you wanting more, this book feels like a spiritual successor to The Bear and the Nightingale. 

We follow our main character, Hellevir, a woman who can speak to animals and see spirits in nature that others are blind to, as she discovers she has the power to enter Death and bargain to bring the newly deceased back to life. Every toll has its price, however, and soon she is trapped with a bargain with Death itself to keep from cutting herself into smaller and smaller pieces to save those around her. When she saves the princess herself from Death, knowledge of her skills go far beyond her and force her into serving the Crown - no matter the cost to her, or those around her.

The imagery in this book is beautiful, as we travel with Hellevir as she speaks with spirits in the trees in lakes, to the strange place she goes when she enters Death. Everything evokes a kind of wonder in the reader as they can see the beauty in the world through the main character’s eyes. However, not everything is wonderful, as the more and more she travels into and bargains with Death, the tighter the binds around her begin to close in as she becomes entangled in a political mess where no one will leave unscathed. 

The romance in this book - mild as it is - I felt really strongly added to the tension and the stakes present. Hellevir is forced to contend with what she believes she knows about Sullivan with what Sullivan (and her grandmother) are actually doing. With parts of her soul given up each time she resurrects Sullivan giving them a connection neither can break or understand, she has no choice but to follow both her heart - and the threats - even when she wants nothing more than to escape back to the small village she left. 

Perfect for fans of Katherine Arden, Ava Reid and Naomi Novik, The Gilded Crown will captivate you from the first page and keep you wanting more even after you finish reading.