I'd like to thank Del Rey Books, Netgalley, and Vic James for providing a eGalley of Gilded Cage in exchange for an honest review.

PLOT

Gilded Cage is a dystopian Fantasy set in an alternate England where all (no matter the color of your skin or your financial status) are expected to complete 10 years of slave life at a time of their choosing. The people are governed by the Equals who have Skill, abilities they are born with that for the most part only the wielder knows it's full potential. Skill isn't something spoken about freely & most among the Equals consider it taboo to discuss at all. The Equals control the Skill-less by imposing Slave Days which are typically carried out in slave towns monitored closely. Life in these slave towns proves to be very difficult due to 6 day work weeks, small food rations, and often beatings from the patrolling security guards. We are introduced to a family of five: Mom, Dad, Oldest Daughter Abi (medical student), Son Luke (middle child), and 10 year old Daisy. The parents have been convinced by their eldest daughter Abi to submit an application to carry out their slave days at the Kyneston estate belonging to one of the top most powerful family of Equals. She is absolutely certain that they each can offer up a service that would make them ideal to be accepted at the estate as opposed to the slave towns. What Abi never expected was for the application to be accepted for all except her brother Luke. The family is immediately picked up & separated from Luke who is taken to the slave towns. From this point on Abi & Luke's paths are divided and their experiences vastly differ from one another. Told in third person narrative, each character gets a chapter and we the reader get a dose of life through Luke and Abi's eyes as well as the Equals. Luke is recruited by a small group of characters that are determined to bring an end to slave days. through a series of "jobs" they slowly begin to tear at the seams of injustice. One thing is for certain...the revolution has just begun.

CHARACTERS

Luke may have entered the slave town a teenager but he is quickly gaining wisdom and perspective that provide him with a purpose. The friends he makes are characters who just like him, have been cherry picked for their knowledge and skill-less abilities. I enjoyed seeing the character development with Luke since I didn't think he had it in him to survive in the slave town. I also enjoyed Reenie, the first friend Luke makes and also his recruiter into this rag tag team of misfits. Reenie is described as a POC not much older than 13 years of age who appears to have been in the slave town's for way longer than laws permit. There's still a lot to learn about this character, I got the feeling we'll get her background later on in the series. On Abi's end we get the sense that she has regret over ever applying to have their days carried out at the estate. She blames herself for Luke's predicament & sets out on a mission to gather information to get him brought to the estate. Abi has potential to grow into a strong character & her development was nice to see as well. I definitely like the Abi we see in the end better than the one we meet in the beginning. On the other side of the spectrum we have the Equals who we get to follow & get to know individually in each of their chapters. The Jardine's: Lord Whittam Jardine, Gavar Jardine, Jenner Jardine, and Silyen Jardine are owners of the Kyneston estate and also one of the most powerful families of Equals. Lord Whittam is a power hungry man who doesn't deem any of his sons fit to inherit his estate. Gavar Jardine is said to have uncontrollable skill, a great amount difficult to harness. This is made all the more difficult by his temper, he is not the nicest of the bunch lol. Jenner is my favorite, he also happens to be skill-less. I enjoyed this character the most because of all the Jardines, he was sympathetic to Abi & her family making sure they stayed out of harms way. Last but not least we have Silyen, he is an oddball and I haven't decided whether to like him or not. He also has immense power behind his skill but what his intentions are, it's too soon to tell. Silyen plays his cards close to his chest and I can't wait to discover more of what he's up to. There are also some power players in the story like Gavar's soon wife-to-be Bhouda. This character has every intention of one day sitting in a position of power & can talk politics with the best of them. She's also colder than ice and someone to keep an eye on at all times. With many pieces on the board, I commend Vic James for giving each of these characters their own distinct voice in each chapter. I was never confused and found their stories easy to follow which is alway good in a fantasy series with many players. Also, in case some readers are wondering some of the Equals in power were described as people of color. In this world, you were either born with skill or not. The color of your skin did not determine your fate.

WRITING & FINAL THOUGHTS

The world building in Gilded Cage was impressive on the slave town side of the story. I did however, wish to have seen a bit more on the skill of each of the Equals we were introduced to. I'm not sure if the author purposely chose to leave that obscure til the next book or not but there were hints of this throughout the book. In the next book I hope to gain some clarity on the Jardine brothers Skill. This being book 1 in a series, I felt that it set down a solid foundation. The writing itself was enjoyable and never boring, I always found myself wanting to pick this book back up. With a plethora of characters, I enjoyed the short chapters and felt that it carried the story along at steady pace. I'm looking forward to reading the second book in the Dark Gifts series & returning to these characters lives.

Are any of my bookish peeps planning on reading Gilded Cage? For those who already have, link that review down below & I'll swing by ;)

****The go live date for this review on my blog is Monday 1/30/2017 at 10AM. I will link here once the review goes live. Thank you again for the opportunity to read & review Gilded Cage. I wish Vic James much success on her book launch date.

In an atmosphere somewhat reminiscent of Hunger Games and Red Rising (and many other dystopian novels), the world we encounter has a stark division between the classes. There are the elite Skilled, who though fewer in numbers, control Britain. The Skilled, as you may guess, have magical skills that allow them to do extraordinary things, such as heal themselves, repair broken objects and enforce the Silence (which ultimately means, messing with peoples brains to prevent them from speaking about things that the Skilled person does not want to be discussed).

The general masses of normal people usually have little or no contact with Skilled, who are perceived as untouchable, unknowable things. People are not real sure how much of their fabled powers are truth versus exaggeration. I found in this book neither side sees a humanity in the other group. Through one POV we get an inside look at Millmoor, a slavetown. We also get to see that some slaves are able to find ways to rebel, and I found this to be exciting and fun. These sections were hands down my favorite within the book. We also get perspectives from a family living within a Skilled household, serving their slavedays as personal servants. This gives a closer look at the Skilled people, we get to see a more human side to them than just the gossip and legends that float around.

In general, regular people are free to live their lives, blissfully ignorant of what the Skilled do. That is they are all free to live their lives outside of a mandatory 10 year term for what they call “slavedays”. Every citizen must serve 10 years, during which time they are no longer considered to be citizens. They are dehumanized, stripped of any and all civil rights and treated as slaves (as the name implies). It is an interesting premise, it also emphasizes the us versus them mentality.

Now, unfortunately, I did have a few issues with this book. First, there is the romance. Now, I’m using that word loosely because to me, this was not romance, but rather instant infatuation (or I guess insta-love). It is the type of thing that just strikes me as baffling and irritating rather than romantic. I found it to be completely unnecessary to the plot or my enjoyment and engagement with the books. And because of the mindless aspect it gives the characters involved, it was actually a deterrent, making the characters feel shallow and superficial. Some people like this type of insta-love relationship, but personally I just don’t get it. I need there to be some personalized relationship building in order to really feel the connection and motivation that two characters develop between themselves.

The other issue I had with the book is that it was terribly predictable. There were certain things that felt like they were supposed to be “twists” or “reveals”, but you could see them coming from so far away, it was very anti-climatic. I found this issue to be much more minor than the insta-love because while it may impact the level of suspense and surprise you get from your reading experience, I can’t say it bothered me either. I was still able to enjoy the ride as the story went along the expected path.

Ultimately, I am left feeling like I was probably not the best target audience for this book. I enjoy the concept of slave days, and really enjoyed the sections inside of Millmoor, but over all I really didn’t connect quite as well with this as I had hoped to. I think the book is probably quite good for certain audiences, readers who are not as quick to judge a romance as I am.

Great start to a new series. New and interesting world. Smart, strong, independent characters to root for. Lots of POV characters, but the shifting POVs gave this a quick pace and made this a fast read. There were a few things that were supposed to be surprises that I'd already figured out, but I loved the ending. Overall, I'm intrigued and can't wait for the next book in this series.

DNF- I tried to love this, but couldn't pull myself into the story. Not sure if it was the different perspectives but at 30% I gave up. If I revisit I will update this review.

The premise of this new series is interesting. It takes place in Britain, in an alternate history. The ruling class, called The Equals, possess "skill", magical abilities that can vary between people. They use their skill to keep the majority of the population in line. All others must give 10 years of their lives as a slave. They can decide at what age they want to do it, but no one escapes their fate.

Luke, Abi, Daisy and their parents decide to enter their "slavedays" together, as a family. They hope to spend their time together, but their hopes are soon dashed when Luke is sent to work at a slave town, while the rest of his family are sent to work at the lavish estate of one of the ruling families.

They soon find out that there are a few among the ruling class that want to abolish slavery. Luke soon finds himself involved in plans for a rebellion. But he must be careful, for everyone is not who they are pretending to be.

I found the first portion of the book to be predictable and just average. I am still having a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that slavedays even exist in this book. 10 years is a long time to give up your life and be treated like an animal. Why haven't there been more uprisings? And in a world where not every country participates in this tradition, why haven't other countries come to the rescue?

The second half became more interesting, as we watched the ruling class and their political maneuverings. The motives of many of the characters are still unclear. The book ends on a cliff hanger, with Luke in a seemingly impossible situation. I don't know how he will get out of it. I do know that another book is in the works, so we should get some answers.

I received a free ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest opinion.

Gilded Cage by Vic James

Gilded Cage reminds me somewhat of the world created in Red Queen. Just not nearly as good.

A class of Skilled rules over the non-Skilled commoners. The setting is alternative-Great Britain. Modern conveniences are present and functioning. Commoners are expected to spend 10 years of their lives as slaves—the timing to be chosen at their convenience.

The story centers around a family starting their slavedays together at the estate of the most prestigious Equal family. Right away there are problems as Luke (17 year old) is instead sent to a factory away from his family. The rest of the novel deals with his experiences and those of his older sister, Abi, with a few perspectives from some of the Skilled characters.

I’m not really sure how I feel about this book. I think I would be open to reading the sequel just to see how things are concluded, but I feel like this first installment was not well-executed. It is James’ first novel, and that is apparent. The premise is interesting, but there are a few things that aren’t very plausible (and I say that as someone who reads a lot of fantasy). While the world-building needs work, the characterization needs even more. While we got to see the perspectives of a variety of characters, Skilled and Commoners, none of them inspire empathy.

I do hope the second installment is more refined. I am interested in seeing what happens to some of the characters and what the overall plan is for the story arc.

On another note that has nothing to with the actual book, but kinda irked me…. At the end of the ARC is a page about the author stating that the first draft of Gilded Cage was read “more than a third of a million times.” Something about that line made me shake my head in disbelief. I’d be far more impressed if they worded it as “over 300,000 times” like it logically should be. It just seems like they’re stretching.

Disclaimer: This advance reading copy was provided to me by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.

I was blown away by this story. Set in an alternative England, we see what the world is like when ruled by those with power called 'Equals.' Using magic they call "Skill" they are the controlling parties of Parliament.. Those without must serve 10 years in what's called 'slavedays'.
I loved the different POV of Luke, who is sent to Millnoor, which is basically a labor camp; and Abigail his sister, who is with the rest of the family serving at the vast manor of a high ruling Equal. But even with the wildly disparate ways they are both treated, neither is free. One simply uses technology, and the other magic to keep the people in check.
The ending itself was a great twist. I did not anticipate it in the slightest and it kept me on the edge of my seat until the last page. I am definitely looking forward to the sequel to see what happens next.

I liked this book. I thought it was very well-written and engaging. I would definitely say that this is a Young Adult book even though some of the perspective characters are older, because of the emphasis on Luke (more on that in a bit). Overall, I found the comparison to Victoria Aveyard's excellent Red Queen trilogy to be quite apropos, which isn't always the case with those cover blurbs. If you are wondering whether you would like this book, and you enjoyed Red Queen, pick this one up!
Unlike many of the other reviewers, I wasn't crazy about the change in perspectives as only one of the characters felt like a main character, and that was Luke. The blurb made it sound like Abi, Luke, and Silyen were all equally important, but the page time and action definitely skewed towards Luke. As a result, he was the most developed and sympathetic character for me as a reader, and some of the perspectives almost seemed superfluous. Abi's appearances made her seem almost silly and way too naive for her situation. She was described in the book early on as extremely intelligent, organized, and driven, but that was not really shown in her actions. Given the ending, this may change in future books as Abi has more purpose and a goal given the events at the conclusion of the book. I sincerely hope this is the case, because towards the end there were real glints of an interesting heroine. I also wish that more page time had been devoted to Silyen since he was undoubtedly the most complex of the characters and the glimpses into his thoughts were utterly fascinating.
Despite these minor flaws, I would recommend this book to others who enjoy class-based dystopian novels as it kept my interest and I felt compelled to finish it in one sitting. Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this wonderful debut!

Powerful super humans The Equals, controlling lesser humans through slavery and special abilities.
There were several things I enjoyed. The plot was really interesting, trying to figure out who was behind what was a complete mystery. The ending left no clues about who was on what side, a cliffhanger left me nothing to go on. The mystery weaving was wonderfully done. I loved the Equals, they were much more interesting than the commoners. Silyen, was the Equal to watch, off centered, quirky, wicked ? and unknown. if I continue the series it will be to find out more about him.
I really wanted to love this, but it didn't hold my attention. I wasn't ever involved in the story, it felt fragmented. There were many POVs and so many characters all being introduced. I just didn't get enough time with any of them to feel any connection. Political drama, urgh, there was too much for me, I just wanted to put the book down several times. I just didn't care. It could be the first book in a series, slow start world building that has me not connecting too. I really don't know if I'l continue the series

I couldn't finish this. I'm sorry but I just couldn't..I was so extremely excited to read this for months and I was over the moon to receive an arc but right off the bat starting this book I was very confused, disinterested and bored. I felt my mind wandering way too much and was not enjoying myself and I don't want to feel forced to read something, that's never good. The reason Gilded Cage was not for me was because first of all I did not like the character switching mostly because I couldn't connect with any of the character. Second of all was because of the writing I became very confused with some words and had to keep looking them up to understand what it was being talk about but also the writing was just strange and unfortunately not in a good way. I felt the world building and premise of the book very odd that I did not see coming from reading the synopsis..basically you are a class B citizen until you serve 10 years being a slave but you can choose when you want to serve those years (even when you are old) which seems like the smart thing to do but still odd. The characters know that they have to serve 10 years and jump back in forth from "we know we have to serve it's okay" to "oh my god this sucks" and the romance I just didn't like or find convincing at all. The world building was probably the biggest problem because it wasn't that much different from us nowadays but if you aren't born skilled you are uneducated and not a slave. I'm not angry with this book just very disappointed and I will not be continuing this series. All in all I just did not care.

Set in an alternate universe version of Great Britain, Gilded Cage is a YA Fantasy in which people with "skill" (aka magic) hold the power, money, and resources. While people with Skill live a life of luxury, people without skill are forced to serve 10 years of slavery sometimes after they turn 10. When one family find themselves serving their slave years for the most powerful skill family in the country none of their lives, or the future of the Britain, will ever be the same.

The world that Vic James has built is compelling, but something about this story never quite hooked me. I think the shock of the prologue set the stage for a story that didn't live up to the hype.

I have many mixed feelings about this book, but overall I thoroughly enjoyed it. Think Magneto's Broodish Band of Villains versus Normals. Of course, nothing truly is that simple.


Things I didn't particularly care for:

1. The abundance of POV's. Initially, it was very hard to keep track of who was who. It greatly improved towards the end of the book, but still. Too hard to keep track of initially.

2. Daisy and Gavar's relationship. OK. This one just made me uneasy throughout the whole book, but nothing even happened between them. Daisy is a ten year old slave and Gavar is in his 20's. Daisy is tasked with caring for Gavar's illegitimate child from a slave-girl, and it just weirded me out the whole book. Why is he so doting, why does she practically worship him? ICK.

3. The vagueness of what Skill really is. I get that it's like having superpowers, but there is so very little described about ability each person has. It felt like each person had a TON of abilities. What accounts for the difference? Is there an overall ability umbrella that each Equal has? I NEED TO KNOW!
4. Jenner bored me to a TEAR PUDDLE MESS.


Things I LOVED:

1. VILLAINS. VILLAINS EVERYWHERE.

2. I WAS ACTUALLY SURPRISED AT THE TWISTS. This never happens. Well. RARELY. I feel like I need to provide an example. If you have not watched Sherlock (BBC) Season 4 Episode 2 yet, PLEASE DO NOT READ AFTER THIS MOMENT. (I totally called that the girl was both "Faith" and the "Psychiatrist" and the same girl that John had texted. And I totally called from episode 1 that she was bad and that there had to be some wild and CRAZY explanation for what he did to Mary. Still not acceptable to me, but at least I have an answer.)

3. SILYEN. Be still, villainous heart. Be still. *Heart palpitations increase*

4. Did I say Silyen? Cause. Silyen.

5. Have I mentioned my evil child Silyen? (But is he REALLY evil? "Aren't you all victims?"...I feel like he isn't truly, truly the evil one here....)


All in all I must know what happens next and I cannot wait for the next installment!

This book is highly recommended for anyone who enjoys dystopian fiction and is interested in entering a world full of magic, mystery, social unrest, and revolution. Brilliant characterization and multiple points of view, along with original world-building, make this a fast-paced read that is difficult to put down. Several key characters are left in peril at the end, ensuring readers (including myself!) will be anxiously awaiting the next entry in the series.

The concept can seem to some as being unbelievable. In England those who are not skilled (magically gifted) must serve 10 years as a slave. The magically gifted are referred to as Equals who are England’s aristocrats. It seems hard to think that people just accept this and do not rebel even though they know other countries are not like this. I can play devil’s advocate and say maybe the author wanted to show a world were individuals are complacent and they are willing to be slaves for 10 years as long as the rest of their life is good.
We are introduced to 2 families. One is a powerful skill family the Jardine’s and a slave family the Hadley’s. The Hadley’s a family of five was planning to do there 10 years together. Yet that didn’t happen and their son Luke was sent to Millmoor to a slave town while the rest of the family when to Kyneston which is a lavish estate. You would think Millmoor is a violent place but soon realized that Kyneston is more violent than you think. Three main characters emerge from this book. Luke who realizes it’s time to fight back, Abi who wants love and seeks knowledge, and Silyen Jardine who you don’t know which side he is on.
Great writing and the story pulls you in. This is a book about politics, violence, vengeance and scheming. The book reminds me of Red Queen meets Game of Thrones. Looking forward to Book number 2!

I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I devoured this novel in one sitting; I think I ended up finishing around 3a.m.! I love alternative history/fantasy books simply because there's enough of the "real world" to keep it plausible and relatable while still allowing me to satisfy my craving for escapism.

Gilded Cage builds a world where gifted elites called "Equals" run most of the world and ungifted commoners are at best, second-class citizens, and at worst, slaves for a minimum of 10 years of their lives.

It contains themes of class distinction, social revolution, social injustice, moral ambiguity, abuses of power on both minor and grand scales, the moral, legal, and political implications of slavery, as well as asking the question who keeps the rich and powerful in line when they hold all the power? How do the oppressed fight back against almighty oppressors and how does anyone allow themselves to become that way?

The only complaints I have involve the nature and history of the Equals gifts, as I feel the author did not go into as much detail with it as they could have done, but this may be addressed in later books. The other complaint is the teenage hormonal puppy-love type romance a character is semi involved in, it seemed like a poor choice in my opinion, but its a personal quirk.

I would absolutely recommend this book to my friends, on that note however, there are some adult themes (allusions to rape, torture, mental violation, murder, mutilation in workplace accidents, squalid living conditions, child abuse, domestic violence) so probably best left for high school age and above.

https://librarianonthelake.wordpress.com/2017/01/18/gilded-cages-by-vic-james/

Full review can be found here: http://pixelatedgeek.com/2016/11/review-gilded-cage/

My Thoughts

I'm gonna start off with some basic thoughts then go into some pros and cons. Sound good? Good. So I used the good reads description for the synopsis because anytime I tried to explain this book to someone else they would give me the "huh???" face. There is A LOT of plot going on between the government trying to maintain control, and the different characters going about their daily lives. The plot just isn't easily to be summed up in a sentence or two.On top of that there are 5 different POVs. This book has pieces of many other YA books like Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard or Red Rising by Pierce Brown. If you loved those novels you will probably love this one. I actually hated Red Queen, but not for the story line. If you like the magical bloods vs normal blood storyline, then keep reading.
Pros

Alternate version of Britain - I love alternate history retellings. Especially when they get gritty.

The dystopian set up - James set her story up nicely for an engaging dystopian with that plot that will have the reader rooting for the unequals and their revolution. The story was never boring and kept me wanting to know what was next.

Family dynamics - Whether looking at the equal family the Parva - Jardines, or their servents the Hadleys, the way the family members related to each other was intriguing. Magic doesn't equal happiness. The sibling bonds were my favorite to read about. Abi does everything in her power to take care of her brother and sister. Yet Silyen is purposefully creating trouble for Jenner and Gavar. Both sets of parents are doing what they deem "best" for their children. Whether it aligns with their children's wishes or not.

Cons( 1 or 2 spoilers below.)

There was A LOT of telling instead of showing. Time would pass and events would've happened during this time, and it was not touched on again. The narrators would tell the reader things in this distant and non personal voice. "Time passed and I played the game a few times." Ok what did you have to do? What's happening in the slave town while the equals decide everything for you? I got really frustrated with it.

Abigail's romance with Jenner was completely unnecessary. After the prologue we already know what happens when a servant falls for an equal. Her teenage crush seemed vapid and flaky. On the way to Kyneston she'd already talked to herself about focusing on work, ect. Where did this romance come from? It's not like he was the first guy to be nice to her. She had just started her slave days, so she couldn't be that lonely and downtrodden. Then suddenly he liked her back? UM NO, I don't believe that.

Speaking of the the prologue, Gavar kills Leah. Now I'm all for a morally grey character. But then later he goes on about how he did love her, he just has anger issues. And we are supposed to feel not as mad at him because of his family life. Um No! You killed your precious daughter's mother. I am not about to give you an ounce of pitty sir.

The last 1/4 of the book felt thrown together. There are 2 major events that take place. The first one is a magical healing. And James doesn't explain how Silyen (Who p.s. I called Slitherin in my head the entire time. ) is able to do this thing. He just does, and the reader isn't even present when it happens, only after. And the second thing is a major revolutionary event. But it felt sudden, out of place, and you wouldn't tell until later that Luke was being controlled by magic anyway. I was so mad! And because it didn't go the way I wanted. But because it didn't make sense.

Overall

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Other people may not have a problem with the telling vs showing. And they make think the ending was spectacular. But I has some strong feelings about this book and couldn't hold them in. I encourage you to check this book out anyway and make your own opinions. Especially if you loved Red Queen.

It took me a bit to get into this novel but once I did, I really enjoyed it. I was getting lost in all the different names that kept being thrown at me and I had a hard time moving between the two different stories as they shifted between the characters but eventually the novel started to take shape and the characters and their lives started to mean a great deal to me.

Abi had put her families best interest in mind when she signed them up to go to Kyneston. She thought it was time for them to begin this service. They wouldn’t have to go to Millmoor to do their ten years of slave days but rather, they would work in Kyneston where they could serve as house slaves for ten years. It was a perfect plan until the day when they were to leave and Luke is not allowed to accompany his family to Kyneston. Guards transport him to Millmoor where Luke will begin his slave days without his family. Luke is not content with his current situation and instantly, I begin to see a transformation in Luke, as he adjusts to the hard world that is now his home. The rest of the family is ushered into Kyneston where they work as house slaves. Abi’s mind is set on reuniting her family, she is determined to put her family back together. I found the concept of the slave days interesting. It’s a unique concept but the reasoning behind it seemed to be unbalanced and distorted yet these citizens have been practicing it for years. I found this novel to be a great fantasy adventure and I look forward to the second novel in this series.

I received a copy of this novel from Random House Publishing Group- Ballantine and NetGalley in exchange for an honest opinion.