4 stars - I enjoyed the different POVs and found all of the main characters interesting, though I would have liked to learn a little more about Vitaly's background. The narration was engaging and allowed me to be immersed in the story when listening. I loved both romances - they were very different but both added a lot to the book, and the sisters' love interests became my favourite characters to read about. I also enjoyed the story beginning in the middle of the action, as it kept me interested from the beginning. The gods/magic system is unlike any I've read about before, and I would have enjoyed seeing this explored a little more.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bolinda Audio for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

The premise of this book sounds amazing. Unfortunately the book itself fell a little flat for me. Don't get me wrong, it's an alright book but that's all it is. There wasn't anything particularly unique done with the story or the characters. Overall I enjoyed my experience with To Cage a God but I couldn't see myself going back for a reread or continuing the series.

My main issue with the book was the start of it. You're dropped straight in with barely any explanation and it's clear so much has already happened, complex relationships are already developed and you're left to pick up the hints of them. It sounds like all the exciting parts of the character relationships happened long ago and all you're getting are glimpses and small mentions of that. As a result I couldn't really connect with any of the characters and it made the first half of the book really drag.

Things pick up in the second half but as I already mentioned there's nothing unique done. It's fun but predictable.

The audiobook was brilliant though. Sofia Engstrand does a wonderful job of painting a picture of the world and the character voices were different enough that you could easily tell who was speaking. I also quite enjoyed the seamless transition between languages but it was difficult in the beginning to pick up where certain words started and ended. It's a book that could definitely benefit from listening to the audiobook while also having the physical copy in front of you.

I was given an advanced reader copy of this book in return for an honest review.
I really loved the narration for the book. The narrator gave each character her own voice . That makes each character come to life for the reader and makes it easier to loose one's self in the world the author has created for us.

As usual I was drawn to the cover art. What looked like a young dragon or lizard of some held behind a human chest cavity made of metal and behind that was a stained glass window with Fire burning beyond. I was captivated, I wanted to know the story behind that imprisoned beast. Then I read the blurb and I was sold.

The world that has been created for the reader seems old and ancient . Those of the ruling classes are marked by having a god-dragons bound to their bones. Ancient, powerful and destructive.

The nobles seem to have everything and the common folk seem to have little. With the death of the Emperor the threat of war is looming. And among the common folk rebellion is growing.

And in this powder keg are two sisters. They are special. Their mother used ancient secrets to force a god- dragon to bond and graft to their bones. She had hoped that by doing so she would give the people something to fight back with.
She created in them powerful weapons and taught them to fight meaning to over throw the empire no matter what the cost.
Then she died.

The sisters then find themselves at the head of the rebellion. They hatch a dangerous plan. One sister will go to the palace after revealing her God power and work to bring it down from within. The other will gather the people.

Will they succeed ?

This is the start of a sweeping fantasy epic . The characters are human and flawed which makes them easy to identify with and understand. The reader can find things about each of them to like and dislike. There's alot to like about this read.
I can't wait to see what happens next.

I really struggled with this one, I think because of listening to it rather than reading. I always find more intricate books easier for my brain to process when reading. I found the narrator a little too over the top for lots of the story especially when there weren't really intense scenes.

Based in a magical Russian empire at the time of the Bolshevik revolution, this one has oodles of intrigue. In some ways this does give the book a YA feel, especially the romance focuses. It sets a raging pace, introducing you to a world where gods inhabit the bodies of the Nobility. Using their god wrought powers to maintain control. Set against this godly power a revolution is brewing, and two sisters are caught in the middle.

There are many triggers in this book so I’d recommend checking these before going into it. There is also rep for depression, addiction, and chronic pain (among others)

I’m a sucker for cover art, and that usually stands me in good stead, as well as the fact that I generally devour all and every audiobook I can get approval for on NetGalley and Bolinda produce some of the very best! So, it’s a shame that this one just wasn’t all I thought it would be.

I know ‘To Cage a God’ will appeal to other Fantasy listeners, especially because there’s a sequel planned, so readers can do the deep dive and know there’ll be gratification with the long character arcs, but personally, I found it overlong and overblown. In terms of craft and style, I found Elizabeth May’s sentences puffed up with unnecessary telling.

To compound this, the narrator Sofia Engstrand, is too earnest for my liking. She narrates every scene as if it were a climactic battle. The audiobook performance is too solemn and emotionally charged to my taste, even when scenes are low-key.

However, the biggest hitch for me is that I felt I’d already read this. A case of déjà lu, rather than déjà vu?! I could not get over the similarity to Katherine Arden’s Winternight trilogy, and I suppose an author does run that risk if they choose to write something so similar to such a successful and well-loved earlier publication.

Nonetheless, my thanks to Bolinda for generous access to another pre-release audiobook, through NetGalley.

DNF :20%. I have given it a couple of attempts as I really wanted to get into it. Sadly, all i could think of was Shadow and Bone and Wicked Saints. I may give it a go in print format as the narrator's pronunciation of Slavic-sounding names wasnt very good.

Firstly, I will say that I did enjoy the narration of this title - the narrator was emotive and attempted to bring the story to life.

2.5 rounded up - Unfortunately this was a DNF for me at 40% - the writing is ok and lyrical at times but the story seems a little surface level to me. I don’t seem to be getting invested in any of the characters, again they feel quite surface level to me. I don’t necessarily need the world to be over convoluted however it does need to at least be entertaining and unfortunately this one just isn’t gripping me.

I was intrigued to see how the “gods” and “dragons” would play into this and was hoping they would be more sentient but it is never really explained and while they appear to have a “personality” it doesn’t seem to be consistent.

I would read from Elisabeth May again as I think the story has promise, but i feel the execution just isn’t there for me.

The narration was fantastic but the story was SO DULL.

Firstly, this audiobook was narrated by Sofia Engstrand and she was fantastic. Her voice was lively and emotive and it was easy enough to distinguish between the different characters. I did still have to listen at x1.75 speed but otherwise it was done really well.

Sad that the story was just so plain. It really was just a romance novel posing as fantasy. This was ALLLLL about the hookups and the tension between the two couples, and the story itself mostly went nowhere.

It's 'Russian inspired' fantasy, which means a lot of big words and a multitude of nicknames for people that left me plenty confused. I was quite grateful to be listening because I think if I'd had to read all these names I would have eventually given up. There also seemed to be a lot of repetition of Sera's full name which seemed unnecessary.

I like this idea of gods being caged inside human bodies but it really seemed under-utilised to me. The 'dragons' felt more like a metaphor for emotions than actually badass gods.

Katya (I don't remember which of her names was the regular one, sorry) was probably my fave character because at least she had a goal beyond getting laid. She seemed the most well-rounded and fleshed out, though at times I really questioned what she was doing.

Being a dull story AND an audiobook, my mind drifted plenty of times, but I never seemed to lose the thread of what was happening - it was just that slow. It was also the first time I haven't had the e-book to read along with and it was quite tough to not be able to check words and spellings and things for deeper understanding.

Apparently it's a duology but I cannot see where it goes from here. I don't know what else there could be to write a whole other book about. I couldn't even make it through the 'bonus chapter' because I was so done with this story and it's self-centred characters.

And on that subject, Vitaly was one of the most annoying fellas I've read in a while. I'm really tired of arrogant assholes being love interests in fantasy. WE DESERVE BETTER.

With thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this audio

Had to DNF at more than half way through. I might come back to this one but it wasn’t good. Which I’m sad about because I was really excited for it.

Felt like you start off completely mid way through no world building or political background. Literally got to chapter 16 and was still like Wtf is going on? Characters motivations are not clear and the characters I encountered weren’t likeable or relatable.

Disappointed to say the least.

The narrator for the audio was good and very expressive but could’ve done with more distinction between characters. It was well edited to and easy to listen to.

3.5⭐️

I received an audiobook ARC of this book and definitely enjoyed it! The audiobook reader was easy to listen to and helped to convey the emotions in the writing.

“How to Cage a God” follows two sisters who return to the city that they grew up aiming to overthrow the cruel hierarchy based around the powers of the gods caged inside the upper class.

I found the premise of the book really interesting and enjoyed the magic system a lot. It did take a while to understand what was going on but I find that to be quite common for me when listening to a fantasy book.
The relationship between the humans and the dragons caught inside them was so interesting and I would love to read more about that dynamic!! I also loved the bond between the two sisters as well as their friends, and enjoyed the romance featured too. Lots of morally grey characters which was fun!

I do wish that there weren’t split POVs straight away in this book. While I understand the purpose of them for this story specifically, I found it hard to grow attached to any of the characters with it chopping and changing between different scenes with different characters. I do wonder if I would have enjoyed the book more if I read it physically or if I would have found it more difficult…

Overall I enjoyed this audiobook and would definitely recommend if you are looking for a new twist on a dragon fantasy novel.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bolinda Audio for providing me with this audiobook ARC in return for an honest review.

A Russian empire inspired fantasy regarding an evil empress, the leader of a rebellion and a survivor from basically a genocide. Most of the nobility and security services are bonded to a god/dragon/zmeya which grants them abilities such as incredible control over fire or ice or for the lower ranked staff stronger senses to aid in defending the empire. Galina is the only survivor from her village being burned to ashes when she was a child. Locked in a cellar to avoid the worst of the blaze, she escapes with only scars on her legs, and then is found by a woman who has a method of bonding gods to commoners. The Empress razes whole towns and immolates servants who don't fully satisfy her insane impulses and mood swings. Her daughter can control frost and ice but suffers from a disability that must be hidden at all costs to avoid showing any kind of "weakness". Attempting to undo the reign of this monster is The Faithless a rebel group seeking to rid the country of the oppressive control of the Empress. The leader of which, Vitaly and his estranged wife Sera are tangled with the palace in multiple ways. I really enjoyed this book! I did find the Russian naming conventions difficult to understand and keep track of at the start - every character has 3 names - their full title, a diminuitive form and and even more intimate shortened form so in the beginning I did struggle but it got a lot easier as the book went on. The romantic relationships between Vitaly and Sera & Galina and Vasilisa were well developed and believable. I felt the fear and trepidation of the rebels when they were in situations that could flip on a knife edge due to the whims of a psychopath. I was fully immersed in this world by the end of the book and am very happy to see it appears to be the start of a series as I want more from this group of people! The narration was expertly done, and the bonus scene at the end further fleshed out these characters for me.

To Cage A God

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️

Multiple POV in third person

Sera & Galina are sister who have God’s caged within their bodies. A result of a dark experiments, and are set to destroy the empire that destroyed their families. All while keeping their gods a secret and to get close to the royal family themselves.

I really enjoyed the magic system and the world building. The writing was great and the characters were very likeable and interesting.

The audio was nice, well executed and kept me listening, without wondering where the characters had gone to. It was an easy listen and I was able to fully immerse myself into the story.

Thank you Netgallery & Bolindaaudio

To Cage a God by Elizabeth May presents a promising concept with its unique premise of gods being caged inside humans, but ultimately falls short due to several notable shortcomings.

From the outset, the book plunges readers into a complex world with minimal exposition, leaving them struggling to grasp the setting and characters. The lack of world-building and character introductions makes it challenging to immerse oneself fully in the narrative, leading to confusion and frustration.

The narrative is riddled with unanswered questions, particularly regarding the motives behind the rebellion, the intricacies of the connection between the gods and humans, that the gods are dragons for some reason? This lack of clarity detracts from the overall enjoyment of the story, leaving readers feeling unsatisfied and craving more substantial explanations. I found I was confused whilst listening to the narrative as sometimes as the gods would just be gods and then sometimes they are referred to as dragons which can add to the confusion when beginning this book.

The multiple points of view employed in the storytelling further compound the confusion, making it difficult to discern between characters and their perspectives. While the audiobook narration is commendable, the consistent voice for all characters exacerbates the issue, leaving listeners struggling to differentiate between POVs and losing track of the story's progression.

Additionally, while the inclusion of spicy scenes may add some excitement to the narrative, they feel somewhat gratuitous and fail to contribute meaningfully to the plot or character development. Instead, they come across as inserted for shock value rather than integral to the story.

Despite its flaws, the underlying concept of "To Cage a God" remains intriguing, offering a fresh take on deity embodiment through carved bones. However, the convoluted storytelling and lack of clarity hinder its potential, requiring readers to invest considerable time and effort to decipher the narrative's complexities

In conclusion, To Cage a God presents a fascinating premise marred by confusion and inconsistency, ultimately failing to fully captivate its audience. While the concept shows promise, its execution leaves much to be desired, resulting in a disappointing reading experience.

To Cage a God presents an epic world-building experience with a diverse cast of characters. The story revolves around powerful siblings, trapped Gods, alchemy, rebellion, and a satisfying dose of action. Notably, the book also provides commendable representation of chronic illness.

The premise of this book initially held immense promise. However, I must admit that the execution fell a little flat for me. While it is by no means a bad book, it lacks the unique elements that would truly set it apart in terms of both the story and the characters. While I enjoyed reading To Cage a God, it didn't leave a lasting impact that would prompt me to revisit it or continue with the series.

3.9 stars

I didn't vibe with To Cage a God and it's characters. The first half of the story was slow paced and fell flat for me. The world building was lacking, which was disappointing because the premise and magic system sounded interesting from the description, but there wasn't actually much influence from the Gods inside them.

I skim listened to the last 40% because I just wanted to finish it and move on to something more my thing. Wish the romances had started developing sooner and had more tension.

The prose was nice though, but think it slowed the narrator, which made the performance lack emotional depth.

I expected a bit more from this book. To me it read YA most of the time with the expect of the sudden change in tone between two characters needing to touch and have sexual contact with each other every time they are together. That to me stood out like a sore thumb in comparison to the rest of the narration. It wasnt needed and didnt fit in which annoyed me a bit.

We got thrown in right into the rebellion led by the two sisters, it would have been interesting to see how they ended up the gods cage instead of just telling us that that was the situation.

What i did like was that the gods they have are not willing participates and causes them pain everytime their magic is used. That was refreshing.

There were two too many POVs I found as not all of them were different enough. Sometimes I found myself really confused as to which POV I was listening to. The narrator had the same voice for all of them including the male POV so it was hard to distinguish by audio alone.

I enjoyed Galina's POV a lot more then Sera's. In the end I couldnt tell you the details of what really happened as the narration kept jumping and more character interactions than anything else. Its a shame but i didnt enjoy this one as much as i hoped.

Thanks to #netgalley and #bolindaaudio for an ALC
All opinions are my own.

To Cage a God has that epic world-building feel with a good cast of characters. Powerful siblings, trapped Gods, alchemy, rebellion and plenty of action. I really liked the chronic illness representation throughout. The narration was good and this being multiple view points meant this may not have worked, but I think it did! I think this is for people who enjoyed the Shadow & Bone Trilogy as it felt like that but with spice. Thank you to NetGalley and Belinda Audio for an Audio-ARC. This is a voluntary review of my own thoughts.

This was a really interesting premise and I’m glad I picked this as one to listen to - the narrative was engaging and whilst the fantasy world building was at times complex I managed to keep up with the narrative.

I enjoyed the romance storylines of this one, with multiple romance narratives it managed to keep the pace and not overtake the main storyline and both were quite different set ups with different tropes which was good.

The overall story was an epic one, I’m very interested to see where the narrative goes in future books.

Well... I feel underwhelmed. Was it bad? No. But I also didn't find this book to be something special and was not super involved.
This is a multiple POV, with many POV, I think 5 or even more persons switching from chapter to chapter.
I dont have anything against multiple POV, but as an audiobook, and since I was not super involved, I found ita bit much.
The magic was ok, even though it seems to be a bit of a guesswork for the main characters as well.
Rep is great.
All in all it was ok, but I'm not sure I fet involved enough to want to read the rest of the serie.

*Thanks to NetGalley and Bolinda Audio for access to the audiobook against an honest review.*