The Gilded Wolves

In an alternate 1889 Paris, Séverin Montagnet-Alarie is a wealthy hotelier and treasure hunter denied his rightful title by the Order of Babel. To reclaim his inheritance, he assembles a team: Zofia (an engineer), Enrique (a historian), Laila (a dancer), and Hypnos (a rival Order member). They navigate puzzles and political intrigue to find the Eye of Horus. SENSITIVE TOPICS: The book deals directly with the impacts of colonialism, racism, and antisemitism. These are handled through a secular, realistic lens within a fantasy framework. The resolution of these themes is realistic rather than perfectly happy, acknowledging that systemic change is slow. EMOTIONAL ARC: The story begins with a sense of yearning and cold calculation. As the heist progresses, the emotional core shifts toward vulnerability and the heat of loyalty, ending on a high-stakes, slightly ambiguous note that leads into the sequel. IDEAL READER: A high schooler who feels like an outsider due to their neurodivergence or heritage and who enjoys dense, atmospheric world-building and complex puzzles. PARENT TRIGGER: A parent might see their child withdrawing because they feel 'othered' at school or frustrated by historical narratives that exclude people like them. PARENT PREP: Parents should be aware of a scene involving a gruesome discovery in a laboratory and the overarching theme of characters being treated as disposable by those in power. AGE EXPERIENCE: Younger teens will focus on the magic (Forging) and the heist mechanics. Older readers will grasp the biting critique of the Exposition Universelle and the nuances of the characters' intersectional identities. DIFFERENTIATOR: It subverts the 'Indiana Jones' trope by centering the people whose cultures were actually looted, turning the treasure hunt into an act of reclamation.