Retaining all the magic woven into Gilded (2021), this duology ender picks up Meyer's labyrinthine take on "Rumpelstiltskin" right where the first volume left off. At Adalheid Castle, Serilda currently resides with five ghosts, whom she cares for deeply and wants to protect. She is also grappling with anxiety over her upcoming (and unwanted) wedding to the Erlking (the Alder King). It's clear that he wants to use her for his own gain, but the sinister depth of his plan isn't revealed until after the ceremony. As the story progresses, readers see how desperately Serilda wants to break the curse tying her to the Erlking so that she can finally save Gild, the forgotten prince who will play a pivotal role in the proceedings. During Serilda's race to keep the Erlking from achieving his world-altering goal, the immersive tale takes on well-orchestrated depth through its romantic, adventurous, and intense turns. Meyer's narrative twists and spins in the same ways as Serilda's own adept storytelling, which may prove the thing that saves the day. Magic spells, ghosts, and poltergeists lend to the dark, eerie atmosphere that swaddles the complex characters on their unforgettable journey. Get ready readers, this expertly crafted finale showcases once more that Meyer is a force that cannot be denied.HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Meyer isn't known as the queen of fairy-tale retellings for nothing, and her loyal subjects will be eager to know how Serlida's story ends.

Gr 9 Up--Desperate to buy time to hatch a plan to free Gild and release the spirits of the five children the Erlking stole, Serilda has agreed to marry the Erlking and allow him to claim the child she carries as his own. The Erlking and his terrifying Wild Hunt have captured many rare and dangerous creatures, and Serilda is in a race against time as her spelled and sleeping body and the baby within it grow by the day. She must find out not only what the Erlking plans to do, but also decide how much she's willing to sacrifice to save her five ghost children, Gild, her unborn child, and herself. Though the Erlking as a character persists in being difficult to grasp (Perchta did not seem to be enough motivation for his decisions at some points), the ambiguous, not-always-evil villain of the story adds an intriguing complication to Serilda's emotional turmoil. It takes a skilled storyteller to write convincingly in the voice of another storyteller, and Meyer is one of the best at this. Serilda's Grimm-flavored tales are woven through the narrative as the threads of the story come together for an immersive, satisfying conclusion. VERDICT Those waiting with bated breath for the sequel to Gilded will be pleased with this well-spun finale.--Allie Stevens