"To Cage a God" by Elizabeth May is an engrossing dark fantasy novel set in an Imperial Russia-inspired world, perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo's "Shadow and Bone". Centered around sisters Galina and Sera, who are imbued with the powers of bound gods, the story intricately weaves themes of rebellion, love, and political intrigue. Their deep sisterly bond and complex relationships, especially Galina's tender romance with a princess, add emotional depth to the narrative. Despite some pacing issues and under-explained magic systems, the novel's rich world-building and character dynamics make it a compelling read for fans of Sarah J. Maas or Sara El-Arifi. "To Cage a God" balances romance and fantasy elements effectively, marking a notable addition to the young adult/new adult fantasy genre.

To Cage a God is a YA fantasy novel set in a land inspired by Imperial Russia. I love fantasy that is based on actual time periods and locations, so was excited to read this book!

Anddd it wasn't for me. I ended up DNFing at 17%. I was trying to get to 25% but couldn't do it. I was reading it on my computer Kindle app at work (shhhhh) and kept going back to doing work because I'd rather work than read this book. I think this is because it was partially too brutal for me and I didn't really understand what was going on. It's based on the Russian revolution so I expected some violence, but it's pretty rough. I just felt like I was reading about suffering characters and often decided to go back to the lesser suffering in my own life than read more (I told you I was reading it at work lol). I feel like the world/god system could have been cool, but I couldn't get past the constant suffering to want to know more. And the other stuff didn't hook me enough to justify the violence. It is also just really firmly in the YA category, which also isn't usually my thing.

This was a miss for me. If you REALLY don't mind a lot of brutality in your books, give this a try! 2 stars. Thank you to DAW and NetGalley for the electronic advanced reader's copy of this book, my thoughts are my own!

3.75/5✨

I have to start my review stating that I received an advanced reader copy through NetGalley.

To Cage A God

I was pulled into this book by the reviews and synopsis. I have to say that the likeness that was said to shadow and bone is off, I would give it more a six of crows vibes.

This book was not hooking me in while I was reading it, it took me days to get to 30%.

The Russian inspiration is pretty limited to conversation/language and building descriptions. That being said, most of the secondary language being Russian is hard to mentally and physically pronounce since I am not fluent, I feel like I was saying character names different every time. That’s a me thing, but it made it harder for me to connect with first/middle/last names being brought up often.

The premise of the book is insanely interesting and we love some bloodthirsty fmc’s.

To Cage A God is the first book in a romantasy duology from Elizabeth May. It’s pitched as being for fans of Fourth Wing and Shadow and Bone. Now, I haven’t read Fourth Wing, but I can definitely see the Grishaverse connections. This is an Imperial Russian-inspired setting fueled by a ruthless political system. Magic—or godpower-–is only in the hands of the ruling class. Or, it was supposed to be. The sisters at the heart of this story also have gods in their bones; literally. And they are determined to set generations of wrongs to rights.

I struggled with this one at the start. Maybe I’m just out of practice reading fantasy (it has been a while) or maybe there were some growing pains in getting all of the pieces in place. There is a lot to learn. Our sisters, Sera and Galina, start separated from each other and the main setting of the story. It takes a few chapters to not only get them together, but to get them back into the thick of things. At the same time, the reader is learning names, locations, history, religion, a magic system… all the components of a new world. This is part of fantasy, I understand, but it did make me nervous about the rest of this journey.

I didn’t need to be. In fact, I was pleasantly surprised by how invested I became. Once the characters were more established and the plot was going, I was hooked. The scale is perfect. You aren’t thrown into a large, full-scale rebellion. It’s one city. One goal. At least, with our sisters it is. There are other rebels who have… other plans. And one of those rebels is very important. I said this was a romantasy, right? Enter Vitaly.

Vitaly… he’s an incredible romantic interest. Dangerous, charming, a bit of an asshole. A rebel leader with a passion for his cause, his people. And also: for one particular woman. The reader is introduced to Vitaly through Sera. Because they were together, once. This romance did not go the way I expected. At all. I really thought I had this one pegged. I assumed the tropes that were at play here. I have never been so happy to be wrong. I loved this romance. I don’t want to say any more about it, just, experience it.

Sera isn’t the only character with a romantic arc, though. Her sister Galina also finds someone of interest. Since it is in the official synopsis, I don’t think it’s a spoiler to say that it is the princess. It’s pretty hard to have a relationship when you’re lying about who you are. It’s even harder if you’re lying because you want to overthrow your crush’s mother. Vasilisa is a wonderful inversion of expectations. The princess, locked away. But so much more. One detail I really appreciated about her character is that May created a fantasy setting that does not erase disability. Again, I don’t want to say too much.

I really thought my fantasy era had run its course. I worried I wouldn’t be able to dive back in. But this book was exciting. It was adult, it was dark, it was compelling. I thought I knew exactly where it was going, but May did not take the easy road to drama. I can confidently say I will be reading the second book in this duology. I want to know where we go from here. I want to see this world and these relationships develop. Stick with it, it pays off.

To Cage A God arrives on shelves February 20, 2024 from DAW Books.

A very engaging, if sometimes brutal, fantasy book with Russian setting and multiple POV.
Thanks to both @bolindaaudio and @dawbooks I was given the ALC (audiobook) and eARC (ebook). This way I could both listen to and read the book, which was a great experience.
The story is really well paced and is extremely gripping in both reading and listening to. The narrator of the audiobook does a really good job to transport the vibe of these hugely different characters.
Speaking of characters, they are the real strength in this narrative. There's the sisters Sera and Galina, both burdened with huge trauma and with gods caged within them - dealing very differently with their situations. There's Vasilisa and Vitaly, the respective love interests - both real strong on their own, and also giving the relationships tension, passion and angst galore.
There'sKatinka, a side character of sorts but with her own POV and a great albeit brutal story of her own - and even more side characters that are interesting.
Everything is set in Imperial Russia, which is already giving this harsh, dangerous vibe. And as one can guess, the story at heart is one of resistance and rebellion.
I think this is a standalone, which works perfectly. I'd also gladly go back into this world to get some more of these people I came to love (or hate).

4,5/5 stars and a huge recommendation.

Thank you @netgalley, DAW and Bolinda for the ARCs.

#ToCageAGod #netgalley #bookstagram

Please this was one of the most immersive and entertaining fantasy books I've read in a while 😭 the whole cast of characters were so interesting and wholesome, and I was rooting for all of them! I loved the slow but relevant way each new MC was introduced, and the complex dynamics between them all were handled so well. I cannot WAIT for book 2!!

TWs - war, violence, mass murder by a person in power, alcoholism, chronic illness, weapons of mass destruction, injuries, slavery

-- ty to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy!

4/5 stars

The tale of two sisters who were victims of a caging god experiment and their journey to a revolution.

Things I enjoyed: Shorter chapters made for a quicker read. I did appreciate multiple character points of view. The story read far quicker once I was 45% through. I enjoyed the slow burn of the F/F relationship. The main female character, Sera, loosely reminded me of Aelin. She always had these grand schemes that the reader was not read into. The book did not end on a cliff hanger!

Other comments: I was pretty lost at the beginning. The introduction to the world and gods/dragons was not very well explained. It did get better as the book went on but I felt like I was trying to catch up. I'm also not sure why gods/dragons are interchangeable. Seems like it would have been enough to pick one or the other, my mental imagery was inconsistent because of this. I would not compare it to Fourth Wing at all.

Hmmmm, I'm not entirely sold on this book, and I think it's primarily due to the writing style. It felt clunky and didn't utilize solid worldbuilding throughout, and the result was a book I was able to fill in the gaps due to the feeling I'd read this sort of fantasy before.
I will admit once I got accustomed to the writing it became enjoyable, and I enjoy the two sisters POVs. However I do not think this is a series for me anymore. I'm sure it'll find it's home with the right readers though!

Thank you to NetGalley and DAW for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Pub Date: February 20, 2024

3.5 Stars. I really enjoyed the concept and the world but the writing just didn't pull me in unfortunately. There was a lot of repetition in some places which really bogged down the story (yes, we already know x about this character as it gets mentioned multiple times/every time the character has a chapter). I think I would have enjoyed this more if I read it in junior high/early high school. That said, I will probably continue reading the series to see where it goes and how the writing evolves.

absolutely gorgeous romantasy. the sisters had an awesome relationship and a fun set. Vitaly was very very edgy (and at times a bit TOO edgy) but it still worked, and the princess was awesomely fun. the romance was gorgeous, and the fantasy setting was excellent. nice work. thanks for the arc.

I had high hopes for this one, especially since I really liked other books by the author, but this one fell short. I really should stay away from Romantasy, it's constantly disappointing.
I had problems with this one right from the start. The first thing I noticed was that it explains everythig. Immediately. Nothing is a mystery, nothing is implied, there's no intrigue at all. It's all just presented straight to you, and not even particularly well. It's just stated. And do you know what that leads to? Exact, the book is boring. I was bored the whole way through. For a book with a rather interesting premise that is quite the feat. But everything just feels standard and tired. Of course in a Romantasy book the focus is on the relationships and characters so let's look at those. At the beginning the sibling bond between Galina and Sera was interesting but then they are apart for most of the story so that doesn't go anywhere. And the romantic couples have no detectable chemistry whatsoever. I appreciate the inclusion of a sapphic couple but they are incredibly underdeveloped and the insta-love was also not great. The other couple feels like it's only the way it is so you can tag this book lovers to enemies to lovers.
Next complaint: The villains are cartoonishly evil. In a way that is so ridiculous it takes away from the 'dark fantasy' vibes. They are so over the top, especially in the treatment of Katya that it ruins the atmosphere.
I will still give the book 2.5/5 stars because it was at least competence written and easy to read. And if you like Romantasy and can tolerate the characters better than I could you might like this more than me.

Overall I really enjoyed this and would recommend it for readers who like darker but not grim fantasy, especially where relationship subplots inform motivations but for the most part aren’t relied on to move forward the plot.

The great: I really liked the two sisters who formed the main POV, I appreciated the general relationship arcs (though we really don’t need sex scenes right around torture and danger, have some decorum people). I liked the concept of the caged gods and how the magic system was implemented, and I thought the plot had a satisfying arc with decent pacing. Ultimately I was excited at the exciting parts, rooting for the main characters, and interested in finding out what happened, I really can’t ask for much more in a fantasy novel.

The not so great: The prose was a little clunky, especially in the beginning. Every once in a while you’d be plunked down into a new POV in a confusing way. A few times I lost track of whose POV the chapter was in. Plus, the world building is largely “the russian revolution with magic,” and the magic is a little hand-wavy. The villain is not exactly one dimensional but perhaps a little exaggerated.

But, for the most part, those were fairly minor issues. The characters and their relationships, especially between the two sisters, made it well worth my time to read it.

To Cage a God contains pretty much everything I love in a fantasy & I can already tell that Elizabeth May is going to become a favourite author of mine. It's a dark story with dark themes, so I would definitely check out any trigger warnings before heading in.

Set in a fantasy world inspired by Imperial Russia, in their country the people starve while the royalty live in splendor thanks to their pact with God's centuries ago. Now every member of nobility is an alurea, someone who shares their body with a god who gives them, and the people who guard, them unimaginable power. But never has an alurea come from a peasant family... that is until now. Sera and Galina both carry the gods within them, though they both wish otherwise. Experimented on by their mother, they had no choice in the joining, nor what she made them do once their power was available.

Sera's god is vicious and vengeful, happier to see her in pain than to help her out in anyway and it's power comes with a hefty price. Galina had a softer bond with her god, but the things she was forced to use her power on made her resent it, hate it, and she has pushed the god as deep down as she can, covering up it's presence with alcohol. Both of these characters are broken in their own way. Sera, dealing with a vindictive god and never being able to tell the man she loves her secret for fear he would kill her. Galina having to live with what her mother made her do. But they also both carry hope, hope for a better future. One where the alurea no longer rule, where people cannot access that kind of power, a fairer world... they just have to make it happen. These two are sisters of circumstance, but I loved the bond between the two. Sera the sometimes vicious, but always protective older sister, and Galina the seemingly meek and reserved younger sister, but the one with the most power.

But Sera and Galina aren't our only two POV characters. We also meet Katya, the Empresses' handmaiden, a job title that changes with every day and mood. Someday's confidant, others footstool, Katya has had to watch the fifteen handmaidens who came before her die, including her older sister, and she is more than happy to help bring about the downfall of the ruling alurea. Her chapters are certainly some of the most intense of the book, despite her having no power, and most of her scenes taking part away from the action, but seeing this woman having to deal with the fickle moods of the Empress, knowing one wrong foot, word, could end with her death, it certainly made for some nail biting scenes. There are others, in fact there are a plethora of POV's, something which can sometimes be annoying, but I enjoyed the use of it in this book and thought it added to the pace and high intensity.

May certainly knows how to create a fantasy world, and I thoroughly enjoyed all the world building parts. The main plot did take a minute to take off, but the start never felt slowed down at all, rather I enjoyed the slower pace, allowing is to learn the history of the world and our characters, because once the main plot does start the story picks up pace and never really lets up. There's plenty of plot twists, action and romance to keep us entertained, and I loved the parts where we got to see our characters use the powers their God's allow them. But this is also quite dark and intense in parts, May gives is plenty of nail-biting, high intensity scenes where you're not quite sure everyone's going to make it out alive, and all of these thrown together made for a story I struggled to put down.

Now for the romance. For the most part I loved it, it's got a couple who have a penchant for murder and pain - couples who slay together stay together - as well as a sweet and steamy f/f romance that crops up around half way through the book. I liked the push and pull in these relationships, especially the f/f where even though one seemingly has all the power, it's the other who calls all the shots. What I didn't love so much was the timing of some of the sex scenes. Now i'm no prude, give me all the smut, but love, you have to know that not every moment is the right time to have a quickie. And I also didn't love the male love interest in some of the scenes, he was a bit too pushy and overbearing in some scenes, but that's just me. But if you like morally grey couples who will burn the world down for each other, you're going to love this.

All in all, To Cage a God was a fun, fast-paced fantasy filled with fight scenes, romance, and a little bit of smut. I especially enjoyed learning about the world, and the alurea, how they came to be etc, and after the absolute belter of an ending, am looking forward to picking up the second book.

I’m sorry, but this book was so rushed yet could not capture my attention. A plush prison? From which she can frequently escape? It just all felt very convenient. I wanted to love it but it wasn’t for me.

The only way I feel I can describe this book is - good enough.
I was very shocked when I learned this wasn't in fact a YA fantasy, because that's exactly what it felt like. Which isn't a bad thing! I don't know why the author is so convinced it's an adult novel to be honest.
”I have this under control." She was about sixty-five percent certain she had it under control.
“Coming from you, those words make me shit bricks.”
OOOOOOf.

I felt like this book was marketed as an adult Shadow and Bone that leaned a little more into romance/romantasy and thought it was partially true. The book reminded me a lot of Shadow and Bone in terms of the setting and class system based on magical powers as well as the political atmosphere. The characters had very interesting back stories and histories with each other but felt a little flat to me and I didn’t feel like I saw too much character development.

I think this is where the similarities end, as I had a hard time understanding and imagining how the magic system worked and it felt a little underdeveloped to me. This made it hard for me to understand the plot because I felt like the magic system was a little overpowered and felt a little too easy. We got very scientific explanations for some parts of the magic system but there are still a lot of gaps for the reader on how the magic works. This is a series and this may mean that more will be revealed later, but I am not sure I am hooked enough to continue.

I thought that the character relationships were the best part about the book and felt like it was more romance than Shadow and Bone but would not categorize the book as a romantasy read. I enjoyed the writing for the relationships between our main characters and wanted to see where they went and felt like there was some decent tension and build for them, but I wouldn’t say this would satisfy a reader if they are looking for romance.

The story is told in alternating perspectives of the main characters, which kept the plot moving.There was some info dumping at the beginning that made it a little hard for me to get into at the beginning but it wasn’t hard to read. I did feel like the plot was a little lackluster - there weren’t any big twists or things I didn’t predict and things were fairly straightforward. I felt like it was your typical rebellion plot to overthrow an abusive ruling class. There were some good action scenes but nothing too crazy.

I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a fantasy read with good characters and relationship building but not to someone looking for an interesting or intriguing plot or a romance read.

I’d like to thank NetGalley and DAW for providing me with an eARC for my honest opinion.

It took me almost a month to finish this one and I almost DNF'd it a few times because I got so bored and the prose is dull. The beginning of the book feels both slow and rushed; slow because not much happens for most of the book, and rushed because the magic system isn't explained very clearly and the politics are very confusing. It's also unclear to me how the alureans end up with zmei inside of them, even though the process of caging a god in a commoner was explained about 3 times throughout the book.

There was just one character that I was interested in at first (Vitalik) and my enthusiasm died when the principle he lived by shattered instantly. It's not really enemies to lovers, it's just miscommunication (one of my least favorite tropes). I'm trying to keep this review spoiler-free, so all I can say is that if he stood by what he believed in, the story would've been a lot more interesting.

All the characters are immature and most of their choices are questionable, and the whole thing reads more like YA than Adult. The book is full of clichés and it's all very formulaic, unfortunately.

This started a bit slow, got real exciting in the middleish, and then unfortunately got bogged down with too many sex scenes about two-thirds through until the ending happened real quick. I'll still consider reading the second book, but I'm disappointed this didn't live up to the potential it had.

Contrary to the book's title, no gods are caged in the making of this book. Instead, this is more of an Anastasia retelling/Russian revolution retelling in a fantasy setting. I did think the caged gods were a fascinating bit of world building, especially with their different relationships with the humans who caged them.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc! Opinions are my own.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

this was just, okay. this book failed to hook me. it’s advertised to be similar to fourth wing but this book just failed. there’s issues with the flow of conversations, i struggled connecting with any of the characters. it felt very YA when its supposed to be adult.

overall not for me, which is sad bc i love the russian lore and the magic.