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louise_o's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Death of parent, Medical content, and Self harm
Moderate: Child abuse, Drug abuse, Medical content, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, and Vomit
Minor: Suicide and Suicide attempt
kayxbooks's review against another edition
2.5
Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Rape, and Sexual assault
mybookishlife2's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
The twists, the turns!!!!! One of them I knew about but the rest!? 😭😭😭 I highly recommend it but do look out for the trigger warnings!!! This was just fantastic. Definitely one of my new favorites.
Graphic: Confinement, Death, and Torture
Moderate: Child death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, and Self harm
Minor: Addiction, Rape, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Child abuse, and Drug abuse
dariusmortee's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
This is why I said I did find the characters to be loveable.
Kiva herself wasn’t the worst main character but I think she could’ve been better. Jaren annoyed me.
I did enjoy reading this book! Although it really does fall into some tropes it is an orginal story. A story with a very dark undertone, for which I am a sucker. I am curious to how this story proceeds and will be buying the second one, but I am however also scared for the clichés it could possibly walk into.
Overall: good story, loved the side characters but it has to watch out not to fall into the clichés.
Graphic: Abandonment, Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Gore, Grief, Medical content, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Torture, and Child death
Moderate: Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt
madamepincers's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Confinement, Death of parent, Sexual harassment, Slavery, and Violence
Moderate: Blood, Body horror, Murder, Self harm, Sexual assault, and Torture
Minor: Child abuse, Child death, Drug use, and Fire/Fire injury
Takes place in a death prison, with an in-depth passage of someone living being trapped in a crematorium-- could be triggering for Holocaust associations.alexiab's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Amazing book 10/10
Minor: Addiction, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Rape, Self harm, and Sexual assault
readundancies's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
The first half of the book is very much meant to set up the events of the second, but it does so with a rather slow and meandering pace. So while I was invested and entertained, I was not so engrossed that I couldn’t put it down. I think that has a bit to do with the world-building itself.
Now don't get me wrong, the world-building as a whole was not poor, but I wanted more out of it, especially since we were supposed to be in a prison setting. I never truly got a proper feel of Wenderall, let alone Zalindov, and I'm not sure if that's because I really wanted to feel fear in it's imposing presence or because the map and it's gorgeous design wasn't enough in comparison to what the writing actually depicted of the setting.
(AN ASIDE: Regarding the map(s), Francesca Baerald you wily ass cartographer you - I'm no artist but damn, that is how you map people. The compass at the bottom of the world map is simply parfait.)
But world-building aside, the slow plot progression of the first half gives way to the much more invigorating and suspenseful second half, with all the truth bombs and heavy twists that I was waiting for.
Yes, I say waiting for because in terms of plot predictability, I'm giving this an arbitrary rating of 90%. Which is not actually to the books detriment, because I thought the decisions made in terms of plot were executed really well, even though I knew they were bound to occur. Some context might be helpful here in terms of my exact thoughts when certain reveals were made:
- About Jaren: “I knew it” - Not completely in terms of accuracy but I was essentially close enough that it doesn't even matter.
- About Kiva: “I fuckin’ knew it” - This one I saw coming a mile away. The moment the jealousy induced tragedy of a history between Evalon's royalty was told just cemented Kiva's role in everything.
- About Tilda: “Okay, cool. Cool cool cool cool cool cool cool cool cool.” - This one got me. I thought it was an interesting twist, but also was kinda meh about it at the same time because it also put the entirety of Kiva's character into question at the end and I have a love-hate relationship with unreliable narration.
Speaking of relationships, the relationship between Jaren and Kiva is definitely hinting at a slow burn. But Kiva’s got some mountains to traverse that will not be like climbing molehills when it comes to cultivating that relationship because one side has revealed quite a bit about themselves and the other, not so much. Can we talk about the slow burn though? Because I need it. I need it like air and water and the sequel.
The characterization within the novel was done well for the most part. I'm not in love with Jaren or Kiva, but I'm 100% behind Naari and Tipp even though I feel like there's still more we can get out of their characters. The Warden Rooke and Cresta acted as fairly tolerable antagonists but in terms of actual threats? I wasn't convinced.
I'm interested to see how all the political machinations are going to come into play in The Gilded Cage, especially because Kiva seems extremely naive considering she's got no idea how the outside world actually works since she's been in prison for the better part of a decade and also because the role she seems destined to play is not one in which you can just slip into that easily. Also, Kiva’s family better have some damn good reasons of atonement because I’m not impressed with their lack of efforts with respect to prison break. Unless of course there's a more sinister reason behind it
All of this is just to say, that yes, this book was great.
Yes, I will be picking up the sequel.
And yes, you should too.
Moderate: Bullying, Child death, Child abuse, Confinement, Death of parent, Death, Drug use, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Kidnapping, Violence, Torture, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Self harm, Physical abuse, and Murder
Minor: Rape
peculiarb's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
After being captured with her father when she was seven, Kiva has endured ten years in what is essentially a death camp where prisoners are worked to death in horrid conditions. As the prison healer, she is tasked with overseeing new arrivals and branding them, which weighs heavily on her. Combined with her close association with the Warden, she finds herself at odds with most of the prison population, so she keeps to herself, going out of her way to form as little connection as possible.
Graphic: Blood, Self harm, and Torture
Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Drug use, Grief, and Physical abuse
Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
lennie_reads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
And after Jaren arrives, with the help of Naari & Tipp, they all start to break down Kiva's carefully constructed walls.
When the Rebel Queen is captured & taken to the prison - it is decided that she will have to complete 4 trials, each featuring a different element, & if she survives, she will be free. However, the Rebel Queen is on death's door when she arrives & in no state to complete anything, so Kiva volunteers to take her place under the understanding that if she completes the trials, both her & the Queen will be freed.
The trials get increasingly harder & Kiva's reliance on others becomes heavier, making her realise she isn't as much of an island as she would like to believe.
I loved the dark gritty surroundings of the prison & I feel that Noni paints a very vivid & realistic image of Zalindov prison, as well as the types of people who would be in there, innocent & guilty alike. Noni also portrays the brutality of the prisons guards & the cold calculating Warden especially well.
I loved the history of the royals, the magic systems & how that fed into the story. I was also fascinated by the descriptions of medicines & how Kiva has taught herself healing through trial & error following her father's death in the prison.
Some of the twists I saw coming but some of them left me absolutely gobsmacked. I need the sequel ASAP.
And I love Kiva, Jaren, Naari & Tipp so much!
CW: mentions of sexual assault, drug use, self harm, death
Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Medical content, Murder, Physical abuse, and Rape
Mentions of Self Harming Character with prosthetic armracheleanne06's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
SUMMARY
Moderate: Addiction, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Grief, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Self harm, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Violence, Medical content, Blood, and Vomit
Minor: Animal cruelty