This is one that I'm kicking myself for having waited so long to read. (I've got the ARC for the sequel and will NOT be waiting so long on that one!) I stayed up until midnight last night and almost finished it but wound up racing through the end this morning. Fantastic world building, beautiful writing and compelling characters. I loved the twists that I didn't see coming! Equally impressive was the fact that in spite of the story focusing on a rotating cast of characters, I liked all of their parts. Usually there is one character or section that I brush through to get back to the other/s that I find more interesting. This was not the case with Gilded Cage. All of the story lines were great and I highly recommend this for anyone who enjoys well written fiction with fantasy elements.

Wow, this book was even better than I thought it would be. The juxtaposition of the ultra rich and powerful with the slaves surrounding them was horrifying. It really makes you think about the slavery so recently a norm in America's past and how it could have thrived for so long.

No matter how hard i tried, this book was not for me. It was so long ago that i tried so this review won't be much.

Imaginative and dark, Vic James explores a new dystopian fantasy world that will leave you shocked and craving more.

As per my usual, I didn't know anything about this book before diving in. I mean, I knew I liked the cover, knew it was a "hot topic" floating around the YA community, and probably knew it was a fantasy, but other than that I was flying blind. I'm happy to say I was pleasantly surprised.

Following the perspectives of several different characters throughout the story, we see the dismal future of a modern-day world divided by magic and no magic. A strange happening called "the slave days" causes all non-magic users to offer up ten years of their life in service to the elite. Those with magic. The political tone of the book is evident as well, creating a very real feeling atmosphere in a world not too different from ours, and yet worlds away.

The concept is creative and well executed, though it definitely has left me craving more information on the magic and what will happen to the characters. Twists and turns abound in way that will have you flipping pages quickly to the end!

I did find the timeline a little frustrating at times. Due to the multiple viewpoints, the reader is transported through weeks/months at a time per viewpoint. It can become a little jolting because things happen that we don't see (due to another characters involvement) and then the next character reacts to something we didn't experience with them. For the sake of the book and the events that transpire, I can see why it was done this way, but it left me feeling a little "left out" at times. I also had some serious trouble with the characters names haha. Not all, but some were just very difficult to wrap my reading brain around (likely a personal issue ;-) ).

I definitely enjoyed this book and look forward to continuing on in the series. It does get dark, just as a "warning". This is not a light and fully fantasy read. I recommend it to fans of urban fantasy, YA dystopian/fantasy, and dystopian.

*A note to my clean readers: There is use of language and some rather violent descriptions in a few parts of the book. Probably a 16+ read (with parental interaction) in my opinion.
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I received this book for free but was under no obligation to post a review. I do so under my own motivation and the opinions I have expressed in this review are honest and entirely my own.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my unbiased opinion.

The Equals, or magic users, have ruled Britain since they overthrew the monarchy in the 1600s. Non-magical people have to give up 10 years of their lives to work as slaves in one of the slave towns around the country. Luke, 16, is devastated when he learns his parents have decided the entire family – his dad; his mom; his 18-year-old sister, Abi; and his 10-year-old sister, Daisy – are going to serve their slave days now so they can be together. Abi has managed to get the family a placement at Kyneston instead of one off the slave towns; they will be serving the founding family of this magical government, the Jardines. On the morning they are to leave, however, Luke is separated from the family and sent to a slave town. They must start their slave days apart but vow to get Luke to rejoin them as quickly as possible.

This book switches views between Luke’s, his family, and the Jardines. Vic James has created a fascinating alternate universe. I find it intriguing that some parts of history remained almost unchanged despite the presence of magical people – the Civil War still took place in the United States; computers were still invented, and so on. The end of the book definitely had a few surprises for me and a big cliff-hander; I can’t wait to read the next book in the series!

Definitely dragged me in a crazy adventure and I'm a bit confused as to what ending I read because I picked up a finished copy from the bookstore and I can't remember if I read that ending. I could just be going crazy but nonetheless, the world is fascinating and the story is gripping.

Loved this book
Didn't want it to end
Highly recommended

With the current obsession with dystopian and alternate social structures there are a lot of books to choose from. The difficulty is not in finding one but finding one that has a different twist. The author of this book has succeeded in doing just that. We are somehow more able to examine the intricacies of our social structure when it is placed totally outside our "normal". This book presents a chance to do that while also entertaining and weaving a fast moving plot with great characters. I look forward to more.

Entertaining and fast-paced, but not exactly what I would call a must-read. The characters are probably the weakest point, but the plot is super engaging and I never felt bored. Recommended.

I like Vic James' writing. It had an interesting plot and history that I enjoyed reading. I know there will be students that I can hand this to and they will love it but for the average YA reader I think some of the societal overtones and history will be too much. I think it will take a mature reader willing to invest in the book and the "world" that Vic James creates in this book to finish it and go on. That being said I do believe there is always a place for a "hard" (my students words not mine) book on my shelves and in my RA. I appreciate the opportunity to read this arc and look forward to purchasing this book and the next books for our library and students !

Interesting concept but characters were thin and underdeveloped. Not enough juice to keep me hooked in. Wanted more emotional suspense and less predictable behavior.

“Gilded Cage” is a good take on a dystopian world mixed with fantasy elements.

The story is well-thought out with multiple points of view effectively used to both advance the story and tell it from different segments of the society. The world-building is excellent. All of the characters are complex and leave some mystery to them to be explored in the next book. There are definitely some parallels to the current political climate throughout the book to be found.

I recommend “Gilded Cage” to lovers of dystopian books mixed with some magical elements. It’s a quick and relatively clean read that is thought-provoking and fun. I’m looking forward to the next book.

This book starts off really strong. I was really interested and then ... it just feel apart. I couldn't keep up with all the characters and normally I can. The only character I liked was Abi -- I just gave up and left this book unfinished - unread. Since I wasn't able to finish reading it I will not be posting on my blog.

First Line: She heard the motorbike first, then the galloping horse—two distant points of noise in the darkness, converging on her as she ran.
Summary: England is being ruled by the Equals, people with powers called Skill. They overthrew King Charles and have ruled ever since. When the Equals took power they invoked new laws including the 10-year period of slavery for all the commoners. When the Hadley family decides to start their slave days they are hoping to all be sent to the manor house of Kyneston to work for one of the leading Skilled families. However, Luke, the teenage son, is sent to a slave town instead. As each member of the family works their slave days, they each begin to learn about the Skilled and the world that they live in.
Highlights: Good dystopian storyline. I still cannot figure out what to make of the Jardine brothers. The Hadley family is the straightforward characters of dystopian fiction but the brothers are a little more complex. Are they good? Are they bad? I cannot wait to find out.
Lowlights: Nothing to complain about except that it ended at a cliffhanger. What is going to happen? How are they going to continue?
FYI: Great for readers of Hunger Games and Harry Potter!

Although the storyline wasn't the most original, it was a great read! Great characters and and colorful writing made this book a great first start to a series

An original storyline, with an unfortunate ending. I have a feeling that a lot of dark things will happen to one of my favorite characters, and I'm not sure I can stomach that.

In the world of Gilded Cage, the Equals – aristocrats with magical gifts – rule, and all commoners are required to serve them for ten years of their life. Abi and Luke are siblings who are about to make waves in the world the Equals – one by falling in love with a noble and uncovering family secrets, and the other by joining a revolution to overthrow those in power. But there is another player in the shadows, and it remains to be seen which side of the divide he stands on. It makes me sad to tell you that, despite the promising premise, this novel just wasn’t my cup of tea. I’ll admit to finding elements of it intriguing – the societal power structure, mostly – and to being enticed to keep going to find out the answers to plot questions that popped up over the course of the storytelling. But overall, the plot dragged a lot, and the story structure was clunky, and the characters lacked development. It was a great disappointment to discover that I didn’t like this novel, and I will not be continuing with the series.

Hello Hello, who are you Vic James? I like you.

Well damn.. I had no fucking clue what was happening for the first 40% of this ARC. I mean NO IDEA, maybe I'm dumb as fuck, but seriously too many POVs, even the fucking dog had a chapter (kidding lol)

This book develops in an alternative society where "Equals" rule the country, and they do so because they have otherworldly abilities (like destroying houses, healing, reading minds.. you get it)
So commoners fall under their laws, and must pay a service of 10 years of slavery in order to become something like a full citizen of the country, have better jobs, but ultimately everyone has to do it.

Basically we follow the doings of both classes. I'm not going to mention characters because as I mentioned before, there are too many and frankly I didn't connect with anyone.

This book could've been so much better if only we could've gotten to know some of these characters better, build a connection, love/hate them or whatever.

BUT, the storyline is very interesting, the politics of the country, the way the Equals think, how they handle various things are very appealing and can be connected to the real world.

All in all, that cliffhanger at the end is gonna make me read the next one!!

3.5⭐️