The Gilded Cage

I loved this! The Gilded Cage of the title refers to the situation that many trophy wives find themselves in. Groomed to perfection, pampered and entitled, these wives of wealthy men are caught in a trap of their own making, striving to remain young and yummy while their balding husbands shop around for younger models. Faye Adelheim had a very traumatic childhood. She also did some things she would rather forget so she is determined to put all that behind her and make something of herself. She was smart and enrolled in an economics/business course at university. There she met Jack, whom she later married, and her best friend Chris. When Faye and Jack became an item, she put her course on hold to help him set up the company he started with his friend, Henrik. As the company took off and the money rolled in, Jack encouraged Faye to take a back seat and focus on their home and their daughter Julienne.

Cut to the present and things seem to be cooling between Faye and Jack. Faye does everything she can to make life easier for Jack and remain attractive, but he is increasingly disparaging of her and spends more time than ever at work. This is a marriage in big trouble. When she comes home early one day and finds Jack in bed with his young assistant it is all over. Faye thinks - fine, she can get on with her life now but when Jack refuses to provide for her and Julienne, with all his wealth that Faye helped him to accumulate - the red mist descends! Faye reverts to her former persona and vows to crush Jack. And now it gets really good.

This is not a thriller as such nor even much of a mystery because you kind of know where it is heading. I guess you could call it a revenge drama (who doesn’t like one of those?) and in that guise it was outstanding. Normally I need a faster paced story. This was slower but oh so compelling. For me it was a real page turner. I had to know how this played out. This book is quite a departure from the author’s previous books, the fantastic crime thrillers featuring Patrick Hedström. But if you enjoy seeing the downtrodden get payback on their oppressors, you will love this story.

I wish to thank Camilla Läckberg, HarperCollins Publishers Australia and NetGalley for the advanced copy of The Gilded Cage in exchange for an honest review.

Set mostly in contemporary Stockholm, this story is narrated by the protagonist Faye von Essen who is intelligent, gifted and married to a controlling abusive partner. Faye is submissive in an attempt to appease her husband and sustain their marriage for her daughter’s security. The story is also set during Faye’s childhood; her father is also violent and abusive. In the second part of the novel, Faye finds her strength and her secrets begin to emerge.

This is an important work of literature portraying domestic violence is one of the most developed countries in the world; it is a call for gender equality and cultural change. It is the first book by Camilla Läckberg I have read, suspenseful and thrilling it kept me up late, totally captivated by the story. I’ve have enjoyed Scandinavian fiction in the past and I’m excited to read further books by this writer.