King's Cage

The third installment in Victoria Aveyard’s Red Queen series, King’s Cage, is probably my favorite so far. Once again, Aveyard proves she is more focused on telling a story than describing a romance – something my readers know I really like. Especially when it comes to young adult fantasy. In fact, I feel labeling this series as “romance” is a stretch – especially given how little Aveyard focuses on actual material meant to draw in readers of that genre.

King’s Cage begins where Glass Sword left off: Mare’s deal with Maven. While she spends her time in prison, we finally get to learn more about other characters in the story – namely Cameron and (later) Evangeline. Though the latter takes place more toward when the show more action begins to kick up. Naturally, the story is more focused on Mare even from these perspectives, but it provides a refreshing look at the rebellion.

Surprisingly, there are several turns in King’s Cage that caught me entirely off guard. This is a good thing: I hate when books and stories become predictable. I won’t divulge more than that, for fear of spoilers, but I will say this: so far, this book is my favorite in the series and though I am so angry at the ending I could burn it, part of me wants to open it back up to page one and start again. I don’t imagine the library will like it much if I burn their book.

Until the fourth book hits shelves, I guess I’ll have to satisfy my hunger for more by reading the two novellas that Aveyard wrote for her post-apocalypse universe. Oh, and as a side note? This is the first one I read physically so I finally got to see a map of the lands. As I suspected, it takes place in the ruins of what was once the United States. show less

Oh, the many many things to say about this book...but it will also be a bit hard to say a lot of them without spoilers because some of it is plot based. I actually like the ending and kind of saw it coming. I like it because I think, as I said, it was just bound to happen and has been threatening to happen all along and has been a major tension point. If it hadn't of happened it would have been much too anticlimactic after all that build up. And just to clarify, I am strictly talking about the very last scene of the book.

I am Interested in the ideas shown in this book in particular about how much of people is shaped from how they were raised to be and how difficult it can be to navigate that field of how much of yourself comes from show more which people or what circumstances. There were a couple other themes throughout the book I thought were cool, like, as indicated by the title, the differences between freedom and captivity and how sometimes even when you think you are living your life your own way, you come to find yourself still in a cage in the sense that you aren't free to control your image/actions while others are manipulating you for their own gain.

Something that doesn't make much sense to me across the series is why Mare seems so utterly convinced that the Scarlett Guard is the answer to the issue and backs their cause like it is the dearest thing to her. I know she wants change-- and has plenty of reason to want it --but to replace those prejudiced people in power with other people prejudiced against THOSE people doesn't make much sense as being an answer or being true justice for everyone. I would think that reds and silvers having equal representation in their country would be the option that would end the cycle going back and forth between reds in power with silvers being mistreated or silvers in power with reds being mistreated. I'm not going to go all political or whatever, I'm just saying that from what is presented of this world that seems like it could make things a lot better. But who knows, there is another book, maybe it has been working that way the whole time. Or maybe there is some other answer which will shock everyone and make them all ashamed of feeling superior, red or silver or whoever.

As far as characters go, I am at both ends of the spectrum. I am actually not very fond of Mare, which can get pretty annoying considering she is the main character. I feel like her character just isn't very complex or developed and it's like most of the time her character is just used as a narrative voice more than having actual character. She seems too reactive and singularly driven and the single thing that drives her could flip flop in an instant. I can understand a character not being able to make up their mind (I am in that boat a lot myself) but, when the main character just goes back and forth thinking one way and then another it can get kind of confusing as to what they actually think at all. That being said, I LOVE Maven's character. And no, not in the "I love the bad boy character type" kind of way. I love Maven's character because I feel like he is very developed and very complex and I am eager to learn every piece of new information about him because there is so much to learn and his character seems so much more human to me. His parts are all my favorite parts. Do I LIKE him? Not really. Do I think he and Mare need to be together? Not really. But I love his characterization. And it's so good that I even have to keep doubting myself over whether or not it's really true that I don't like him. I mean I don't. But...maybe, I can understand him. And that's more than I can do with Mare haha.

Don't get me started on Cal. Don't like him. True, he may not be as bad as his half brother, but again-- Maven gets all the best characterization. I feel like I barely even know who Cal is. He almost feels like a stock character to me. But there are times when I think, well maybe he is pretty good since he did that but then he just ends up feeling sketchy and overall I can't get a good enough image of his character.

I loved the Evangeline chapters in this installment, her character is a bit more complex like Maven's and I feel like her character has a much stronger voice with much more solid beliefs and thoughts. Cameron's were also interesting and seeing how she feels about her powers though I didn't enjoy them quit as much as Evangeline's but maybe that's just because Cameron is younger and seems more angsty and I'm just in the wrong age group to really identify with that anymore.

I also noticed there are several parts where the wording is kind of weird and particularly that the same words get used repeatedly a lot which distracted from the story to a certain extent. BUT, I still give this one 4 stars because of the good character development in those like Maven and Evangeline, because of the intriguing themes, because I am still excited to read the next book, and because I do feel like Victoria Aveyard is good at plot twists and that there are many more to come (and I love twisting plots). show less

Living up to her end of the bargain with Maven, Mare Barrow is now captured and living in chains in the new king's citadel. She expects him to kill her especially when his betrothed, Evangeline, starts antagonizing him - but he doesn't, keeping her locked in Silent Stone to not be able to use her "newblood" lightning ability. Meanwhile, the Scarlet Guard is plotting their own next move, hoping once and for all that the oppressed Reds and newbloods will be able to take over the Silvers, despite each house's special abilities.

The new book in The Red Queen series does not disappoint. Multiples points of view are utilized to show the reader what's going on with the various players, primarily switching back and forth between Mare and show more Cameron, the newblood girl Mare rescued from prison in Glass Sword. I found Mare really hard to like in the previous book, but here her distrustfulness and confusion were easier for me to stomach. Maven, too, comes across as a more complex character as he attempts to solidify his throne but also knows that he isn't quite right because his mother, Queen Elara, had the ability to affect minds. The only frustrating thing was getting to the end and realizing this is most likely not a trilogy. show less

King's Cage felt long but I enjoyed the value that it brought to the series. I have to warn this is going to have a little bit of spoiler to today's review; not much of a spoiler just a little. This book was horrible, wonderful, and intelligent all in one. I think reading while she was captured was boring to a lot of people because a lot of time is passing and Mare isn't able to do really anything. I think the author did that very well. You feel the passing of time. You read as there are things happening in the world beyond Mare's control and she barely hears about any of it. You see how hollow and desperate she is for escape while she spends months in her room alone with nothing but silence. While she is held as Maven's prisoner, she show more has to deal with all the emotions that she has been avoiding in the previous books. That must have been horrible and I felt for Mare, it was a horrible time for her. If you don't read all the books in a row like I am doing these weeks, you might very well miss out on those important things. You might not remember how in Glass Sword, she was merely a tool to be used to fight. She cut herself off from everyone around her so that she wouldn't have any more emotions. Mare didn't allow herself to think or feel about anything but completing the next task. The first half of King's Cage features Mare and is about her captivity and character growth.

Victoria Aveyard gives us a reprieve from just reading about Mare in a plain room with nothing to do. She gives us a couple other characters perspectives in this novel. I appreciate that a lot because without that it would be a really boring book. You get to see what is continuing to happen for the Red Guard even though Mare isn't there. You even get to see from a silver's perspective, which I'm not going to say who, but I really liked that. I would love to continue but I think that would just ruin the "reveals" about that character and who they really are.

It was wonderful to see the strength of the uprising. The strength of Montfort, the Ardent people, and their leader. Victoria Aveyard does a great job of bringing them into the world and showing their democracy. You also get a small taste of their battle tactics and it makes you curious even more. Like I wonder how extreme are they? To what ends are they willing to go to? Wonderful to see the full force of all the different people fighting together and against each other. You actually see what a battle full of abilities is like in this world. Both sides bring their A-Game. You get to see how powerful Mare really could be as she stands alone protecting herself surrounded by silvers. You get to see new alliances and relationships how they have changed in the many months since Mare's capture. Mare and Cal get a reunion and it feels like the pieces are really beginning to come together for the world. It had the feeling that the end was near and the author could have written a quick happily ever after. That is not what you get in this book.

One part that I had to bother my husband about because I thought it was sooooo good, was the political side of things. You get to see different people strategically moving to complete different tasks. Maven had it rough this book. You find out more about his damaged character, he is betrayed, and he has to repair his kingdom enough so they'll stop rebelling. He does a tour, but really it is just like today's politicians, going around town to town making promises and motivational speeches. I loved that, it makes you think about how much we hear and what is just someone trying to keep you dumb and ignorant of what's really going on. I think that fits perfectly with today's world of politics that it's almost scary. So bringing something like that in, and having it written well that you can understand the meaning at any age is pretty good. There are a lot of politics going on in this book, more than the others. You have even more people who are just trying to maneuver the things they control to get to the ending they want. It's done really good.

Cal is an idiot. I'm totally serious, he is an idiot

I 110% believe this deserves a 5-star rating. There is a sh*t ton of stuff that happens during this whole book. You meet many new leaders from different places, an escape attempt, a rescue, two major battles, a few reveals that were previously speculation at least for me. A little bit of love and a lot more loss. show less

As we are used to crazy and unexpected books in this Red Queen series, the first thought I had after I finished it was "Wait I didn't get enough of this, I need to find out if there's a 4th book coming". And THERE IS!! So I calmed down and then I thought things over and I've always had mixed feelings about Cal but I tried to understand him too at the end of the book even though I wish things would've been different (and typical...wow the king follows his love not winning a war). I'm not a fan of typical endings but I just wanted it to happen now for my powerful little Mare. At the same time they both have something to stand for so they keep up with it.

The Red Queen series is a pretty standard dichotomous dystopia and King's Cage is more of the same. North America has been divided into various smaller countries, most with two separate peoples: the Silver ruling class, who have silver blood and various superpowers, and the Red slave class, who have no powers, no money and no hope. Mare Barrow is discovered to have red blood and silver powers - the power to control electricity and lightning, and what resulted was a fairly standard YA novel. She was forcibly engaged to the second son of the silver king, Maven, while falling in love with his older brother and heir to the throne, Cal.

The second book improved upon that, spending more time on characterization and relationships, with a twist show more at the end. Mare trades herself to her tyrant ex-fiance, Maven, for the safety of her friends. Maven snapped a collar around her neck and led her about on a leash in front of Silver and Red crowds.

Mare comes across as a stronger character here. Red Queen was about hiding who she was from everyone; Glass Sword was her coming to terms with being the rebellion's figurehead (their very own Mockingjay) and the deconstruction of self; and in turn, much of King's Cage is Mare piecing herself back together and finding her strength even as she fades into a ghost. After his mother's death in the previous book, the reader is given the opportunity to see who Maven is without his cruel mother whispering in his mind, controlling him. What's left is not pretty. Maven himself is clever, cruel, and thoroughly obsessed with Mare. He's an interesting, if despicable character. I expect he gets romanticized a lot if these books have a prolific fandom.

As Mare spends most of her time in a cell, there are a few added perspectives in King's Cage though not enough of them, to be honest. The book mostly features Mare, as the previous books had exclusively, with the occasional added perspective of Cameron Cole, a cantankerous young newblood that clashed often with Mare in Glass Sword, and Evangeline Samos, the Silver mean girl who had been engaged to Cal and is now engaged to Maven.

Cameron is great; she's experienced some of the worst of the oppression dealt by the Silvers and her rage is fuelled by it. Cameron's perspective is a breath of fresh air, as Mare's chapters lean heavily towards depressing, while she is imprisoned and tortured by a King who is unhealthily obsessed with her. Cameron is trying to work out her reasons for fighting a civil war and the cost it might have on her soul.

There are also a scant few chapters featuring Evangeline, the cruel girl who controls metal and lusts after the throne. I could have done with several more chapters featuring her because she is fascinating. Evangeline has been born, raised and made to be Queen of Norta. She is meticuously trained in every aspect of queenhood and war. She's more complex than in previous books, here it is revealed that she has long been in love with another Silver, Elane, and had a pact with her brother that would allow them to be together even when she was queen. I desperately wanted more chapters of Evangeline than we got.

There's some romance between Mare and Cal. It's...fine, nothing horrible but nothing particularly special either.

Very little actually happens in King's Cage. It's the third book in a (presumably) four book series and it definitely feels that way, spending more time setting things up than moving the plot forward. I find the politics interesting and wish we got more of that and less of Mare slowly losing her mind in her cell. It makes chapters with Evangeline and Cameron stand out all the more. More than half a year passes with Mare in her cell, yet the only thing that really seems to advance is Farley's pregnancy.

Ultimately, there's nothing new in King's Cage. Just like the previous books, it's a simple remix of dystopian series like The Hunger Games or Divergent. Dystopian young adult novels about brave teenagers with powers are all the rage these days and there's nothing much that separates this series from any of the others. If you enjoy that sort of thing, you're likely to enjoy these books. show less

Where do I even begin with this one?

This book was such a disappointment to me. I loved the previous two books, but to have the series end on this note was just upsetting. The writing was still good, and there definitely parts I enjoyed, but there were multiple things I felt were just not well done.

The first: I felt that this book was way too long. Most of the story just seemed to be taking place around Mare's thoughts while she's trapped in Whitefire Palace and forced to parade with Maven in front of other Silvers. It just really dragged and the fighting scenes were too short and a little choppy, though not bad.

The second: Certain characters got on my nerves a little bit, particularly Mare. She just seemed whiney and mopey and wanted show more everything to go right for herself without considering the bigger picture. Cal was a little of the same way, particularly where fighting fellow Silvers were concerned, though I do praise him for some of his more practical choices, especially the final choice in the end. Evangeline was one hell of a surprise. I enjoyed that soft hearted twist to her character, but I also felt that it maybe came a little too far from left field. There were a couple characters that I felt came out of nowhere too, particularly Cal's grandmother. Like, who the hell is this?? Same goes for Elane

The third (and most aggravating!) point: The ending. Holy cow, what a bad ending. We went from "epic battle of all bloods and abilities, not really knowing which way the tide will turn" to "sitting in a counsel room discussing the future of the Nortan kingdom". It was completely jarring and I thought that my book was missing a chunk at first. I really hated Mare's reaction to Cal deciding to take the throne back. I mean, who better than Cal at the moment? He is the rightful heir and the only one of the royal Silvers to show any care for Reds. I did feel bad for Evangeline though. She just wanted to be with her girlfriend, but because of who her parents are, she is forced to play the part of bonding tie to a man she doesn't even like.

Overall, this book was incredibly underwhelming and I often found myself dragging my feet about picking it back up after putting it down for the night.

Side note: I still feel so incredibly bad for Maven. No one seemed to give a damn about him and the horrendous upbringing he had. Finding out that his mother tore the love for his brother and father from his mind was hurtful as was seeing that his mother's meddling twisted his love for Mare. I know what he was needed to be stopped, but it made me sad to see that he had no one to love him. show less