The Gilded Cage

One look at this stunning cover, and you know I wanted to examine this title further and get inside The Golden Cage. When I read the blurb I assumed it would be a different type of book for me but after actually finishing this book I can see why it is in the Mystery and Thriller category. The book alternates between Faye’s past and present and is completely told from her point of view. I loved that aspect of this book because I love a novel that has strong female characters and this book has that in spades. She’s given up everything for her husband, Jack, and their daughter, Julienne. And while she’s not quite bitter about any of it she is desperate enough to do whatever it takes to keep Jack happy and keep her family together. To show more make matters worse she has nothing to her name after the divorce and the company that was started largely by her ideas and her sacrifices. The only thing left for her to do was serve a nice cold plate of revenge to those who have wronged her.

My only pitfall with this novel is that I had a hard time liking any of these characters. The only one I enjoyed to her fullest extent was Chris. There was a lot of bitterness and unwillingness to attempt forgiveness here, which I can understand because I think it is those two elements of the book that propel the story forward. I will say that Faye knew exactly how to use her feminine charms to her advantage and she used them very often when it gained her something. But, because of the flashbacks from her past it is very hard to root for. Faye’s characterization was a bit hard to wrap my head around at times, because there were moments she felt like a borderline nut job and I wanted to ask her if she needed meds, but others where it was clear she cared about those around her.

I loved the pacing and found the story engaging and even though my theory on the ending was wrong I preferred the author's concept over my imagination. I do not want to give anymore away then I already might have but I will say that this is a solid four star read. I see on Goodreads that this is part of a series and I can not wait to see where this story goes next!

Thank you to Netgalley and all parties involved in my receiving an arc of this book. show less

Ascoltato e non letto. Bell'intreccio, e Faye è veramente un bel personaggio, con diverse sfaccettature.
Trovo un po' eccessivo l'odio per gli uomini, quasi stereotipato, ma ci sta.
La Lackberg ti tiene incollata, con uno stile incalzante e pulito. Qui, come nel mio precedente ascolto del codice dell'illusionista, non si perde mai il filo ma allo stesso tempo la narrazione non risulta noiosa o banale.
Ha fatto quello che doveva fare. E mi ha fatto pure finire di pulire a fondo l'armadio.

Faye has two things that set her apart from so many other women who are dumped unceremoniously by their rich husbands looking for something fresh and new to play with. The one I liked best was Faye's head for business, and since the author is a businesswoman herself, I enjoyed watching this part of The Golden Cage unfold. The second thing-- her violent childhood-- keeps readers off-balance throughout the book, mostly because her past is revealed very slowly, one crumb at a time. Is Faye going to decide that reducing Jack and his business to dust isn't enough and go for something more visceral? Wondering about this is what fuels the pace of the story and keeps us wanting more.

There's a large amount of graphic sex in The Golden Cage, and show more I have to admit that I got tired of it after a while. All right, all ready. I know where the various parts go. I know the feelings produced when this part meets that part. Can we please get back to the rest of the story? I know why Läckberg does this. Men-- especially rich men who are used to having every whim catered to-- can be tools in the hands of a woman who knows how best to use all those working parts to make the man's eyes roll back in his head. Sex is a tool. But I was still glad when Faye got past that part of her plan.

If you're in the mood for a sexy, fast-paced thriller with a main character who doesn't reveal her complete agenda, The Golden Cage is one fine read. show less

“And for the first time in many years she felt ready to fight.”
― Camilla Läckberg, The Gilded Cage

My oh my. What a tangled web we weave.

The Golden Cage is a revenge story and it is sort of addicting. It got me involved by page two. It did get better as it went on.

Faye and Jack are married. They have a kid. Faye is still madly in love with hubs after all these tears,

Jack..not so much.

Faye feels she has no identity without Jack. She turns herself inside out trying to be the woman he wants.

She helped Jack found their company "Compare". She dropped out of college to support him. She stopped working as he wanted a Stepford..sorry..stay at home..wife.

How did Jack repay wifey?

By watching porn. Every day, all the time. By rebuffing her show more sexually. By reducing her to shit with his words.

The couple are quite wealthy. Faye is so unhappy because she KNOWS her husband does not love her anymore..if he ever did.

Still, she will not let go. All she wants is his love.

Until she finds out he is having an affair.

Hell hath no fury like a Fay scorned

So..not the most original plot but a good read. However..I enjoyed it only mildly.

To explain why that is, requires the use of spoilers. There just is not any other way to talk about this particular book..and my reaction to it.

SPOILERS:

I am all in on the occasional revenge story. But..here's the thing. I closed this book not feeling quite right.

I did not like Faye. Oh..I HATED Jack. But I could not connect to Faye at all.

I think..in my humble opinion..the author should have left out certain scenes.

You see Faye is a sociopath. We get glimpses into her past and see that she murdered her old boyfriend because she was afraid he'd expose some of her secrets.

As a result..and I have read other reviews, many of whom feel the same.. I cannot relate to the main character..who never receives punishment for the murder. So..am as disgusted by her as well as by Jack.

I think had her past been erased..or at least the murder, I'd have liked this book a heck of alot more. Because other than Chris (whom I loved) and the poor ex boyfriend, I could not connect. I certainly could not connect to Faye. Yes, Jack is horrible but I got the sense at the end, the reader is supposed to rejoice for Faye and I just couldn't. She is a criminal an d a murderer. I am glad for the twist in regards to someone else.

It was an odd read. It is almost like we are supposed to forget what happened., And Faye becomes so seemingly decent..it is hard for me to buy into what she did with the ex boyfriend, especially since he is one of the few nice guys in the book.

Not really a great read for me because of that factor but an interesting page turner it is. Still, I'd have liked to be able to ROOT for someone. show less

This was a departure for Luckberg from her mystery series, particularly the Patrik and Erica series. Here Lundberg explores what might happen when a strong woman rises from humiliation, not just as a child but as an adult.

Faye made herself over, doing her best to hide her past. But she is as she was made, as she was born and then as she grew up. She grew up a girl subject to abuse in more than one way, at the hands of men and boys. Her resentment piqued after a marriage to a controlling man fell apart and she took stock.

Intelligent and savvy, Faye creates her own company, with the primary aim to take down her ex-husband's. How she goes about it reveals just how much she has been hurt. And how far she will go to make it right.

I find show more myself rooting for her, yet wary about the choices she makes. Is this woman the personification of who Camilla Lackberg would, in some way, like to be? Does Faye express a different side of her? In the Patrik Hedstrom series I have wondered why Erica defers to her husband and goes behind his back, Lucy-style (except not so zany), when it makes more sense for her to take a more open and direct part in investigations. Could something be festering in there?
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Faye is married to a successful businessman. They live in a spectacular huge apartment in Stockholm's best neighbourhood, and they have a perfect young daughter. In alternating bits, we see her life, we see 15 years ago when she first came to the city and met her friends and husband, and occasionally we see her buried abusive past as a teenager in a village on the west coast of Sweden. And then half-way through the novel, everything caves in for Faye and she plots her revenge. This was a fun, compelling read and the writing was good. I liked the Stockholm setting, and I liked her friendships with Kirsten and Chris.

Right on the front cover, it says "Trapped in a perfect life . . . she would kill to be free." Yes, that is mostly true. So show more I guess I shouldn't be surprised the the main character, Faye, actually isn't a great person. It's clearly written for her to be sympathetic, but really, when she's awful, she's sociopathic. Yes, her perfect husband was a vile narcissist who deserved his comeuppance, but she went over-overboard. Also, main plot points were improbable, although I can play along with it because this is fiction-for-entertainment. And I guessed the two twists at the end, but that's okay too. The main problem was that the heroine wasn't a heroine.

Apparently there's a sequel coming that's been published in Sweden? I might read it.

This is the sort of book that would be made into a movie, and I'd watch it when it came on some streaming service and it wouldn't make sense to my husband-who-hasn't-read-the-book and would be sort of lousy but okay. And if they moved the setting to the US it would be dreadful.

Rating: Well . . . I read this in three sittings over two days, and I did say I was looking for more translated fiction that was fun and compelling, and I particularly wanted to read recent books written by women. So 4 stars. However, when I read 2 star reviews I have to agree with every criticism they offer. But it was the book I needed now, so I'll still give it 4 stars even if it might not be warranted.

Recommended for: Appparently [the Gilded Cage] won the Kirkus Reviews Best Book of 2020 - Mysteries & Thrillers category. Kirkus is generally a tough marker, so I think that says something. Lots of 5 star rave reviews by readers online. If this sounds like your thing, go for it. Trigger warning for domestic abuse and also there are quite a few graphic sex scenes, which might turn some readers off. show less

Faye appears to have a wonderful life, she is the wife of a rich industrialist living in luxury but when it all crashes down Faye needs to prove her worth. From a background of violence and tragedy Mathilde has reinvented herself and she has no intention of giving up what she has fought for.
I found this book very odd. Lackberg is an excellent writing of dark Scandi-crime and this surfaces every so often in this tale. However the majority of the story is written like an airport 'bonkbuster', a litany of designer mentions and graphic sex. If that part of the tale is considered separately then the book is Jackie Collins in disguise. The problem is that fans of Lackberg will be looking for the dark heart and that almost seems tacked on as show more an afterthought. show less