He caught me in a prince's trap. And now I'm in a King's cage. But I'm not leaving this place unless I leave behind his corpse – or mine.
| King's Cage by Victoria Aveyard | |
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| Category: Teens | |
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Reviewer: Olivia Tierney
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| Summary: Exciting and dark, King's Cage is jam-packed with betrayal, lies, survival and power. Loyalties will be tested and it will take everything for our beloved characters to survive. Aveyard's best book yet, readers will experience a thrilling emotional rollercoaster throughout this epic read. An action-packed, highly recommended series that just gets better with each instalment, perfect to dive into before the release of the final book! | |
| Buy? Yes | Borrow? Yes |
| Pages: 528 | Date: February 2017 |
| Publisher: Orion | |
| External links: Author's website | |
| ISBN: 978-1409151197 | |
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The third instalment in the Red Queen series, picks up right after the final events of Glass Sword. Mare has been taken prisoner; shackled in Silent Stone and powerless without her lightning. At the mercy of the boy who wears the crown, Mare is haunted by the consequences of her past decisions. Tortured and weak, Mare has a front seat to watch Maven's clever tactics unfold and destroy all that she believes in. Being broken and beaten, Mare will never be the same again, but can she escape the Palace with her life to fight another day?
Meanwhile, the Scarlet Guard rebels are plotting and planning which city to take next. Without Mare everyone is shaken, the revolution spark is waning. But in her place, leaders will emerge to continue the Reds' fight for equality. With Cal, the exiled prince desperate to save Mare at all costs, they have strategy and intelligence, but will he betray his people and help them? War is upon Norta and no one will be spared.
While Aveyard's latest novel starts with a slow pace, readers needn't worry because it absolutely lives up to expectations cemented by the previous two books. With a fast paced plot when all the stories overlap in the middle, King's Cage is unputdownable. The different points of view incorporated into Aveyard's third novel is a brilliant addition, and places us right at the heart of the action across the Kingdom.
It's clear just how much the characters have changed after their experiences since Red Queen. It was fascinating to see the growth these characters have undergone and is marvellously done making the book highly absorbing and entertaining as a result.
Mare, our little lightning girl, shone throughout the course of the novel, more so than in either of the previous books. Battered, alone and weak, Mare is as much a captive of the King as her own feelings and thoughts. She hurts mentally and she hurts physically, she's not invincible and doesn't pretend to be. But she doesn't let that stop her. She is such a strong character and the events of Kings's Cage only make her stronger. She is relentless in her determination to not give up, to not stop fighting. It's extremely admirable and has completely changed my opinion of our protagonist for the better.
What I loved most was Aveyard's exploration into Maven. In King's Cage, we get to delve into the head of our principle antagonist and readers will struggle NOT to feel sympathy for him. All his life he's been controlled, used as a puppet for his mother's ambitions and so in King's Cage following her death, we see a lost Maven handling grief, coming to grips with freedom and trying to come to terms with the gaping holes created in his mind. But that sympathy has a limit; his malicious backbone and cruelty shine through, reminding us of his previous horrifying actions. Calculating, and vicious but with clear strength, Maven's governing threatens to prevent change and destroy the much needed and much desired Scarlet Guard revolution. It's the perfect character development and adds a great dynamic to the story.
Complete with Aveyard's trademark heart-breaking cliff-hanger, King's Cage is a highly entertaining read that opens an intriguing next chapter, to be continued and concluded with the fourth and last book in the Red Queen series.
Many thanks to Orion for providing the BookBag with a copy to review!
In terms of further reading, The Poison Throne: Moorehawke Trilogy by Celine Kiernan is an epic fantasy adventure which will not disappoint. With a standout protagonist and incredible world-building, The Poison Throne is definitely one to read and with an exploration of the antagonist to rival King's Cage.
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You can read more book reviews or buy King's Cage by Victoria Aveyard at Amazon.co.uk Amazon currently charges £2.99 for standard delivery for orders under £20, over which delivery is free.
You can read more book reviews or buy King's Cage by Victoria Aveyard at Amazon.com.
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