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lattepixie 's review for:
Cage of Dreams
by Rebecca Schaeffer
dark
funny
fast-paced
Rebecca Schaeffer, PLEASE write more because I am obsessed with your books.
I have two ways to sum up this duology: Ever wanted to know what life it like for the average citizen of Gotham if it was on chaos steroids? Alternatively, would you like to read an entire duology that is that weird song from the second Wreck It Ralph movie and Vanellope is hanging out in "Slaughter Race" the video game?
If either of those sound like they are for you, or if you just want to read about a world where almost every character falls somewhat on the chaotic end of the D&D alignment system, then this duology is absolutely for you!
While you have all the chaos happening, there is also a lot going on in this in the background with our main character, Ness, that made me enjoy this even more. Ness, having negative experiences with a nightmare attack, starts the duology being afraid of absolutely everything. Her fear reaches such a debilitating level that she cannot be in a room where any other individual is sleeping, and if she herself is sleeping, it has to be in a room the size of a closet. We meet her as a member of a cult, which she has only joined for free room and board, and also some safety. Her safety bubble blows up in her face (quite literally) on a mail run. Ness spends the duology learning to face her fears and cope with a world that doesn't really ever reach the level of "safe," and so much of it centers around her learning the differences between positive and negative self-talk as she basically deprograms herself from her time in the cult.
At the same time, she befriends a boy, Cy, who grew up wealthy and due to many circumstances associated with his life, he feels the city is much more safe than Ness does. There are a lot of discussions about the privileges he lives with that allow him to see and experience the world in a way that is different from Ness. Through their friendship, they also discuss power dynamics a lot and how to know/be aware of when someone is using their power to take advantage of another individual and how that can manifest in relationships like Ness's with the cult or like in the romantic relationship between Cy's parents. All of this is done really well in a way that fits with the story, and based on how extreme the level of corruption in the city is it is all also pretty funny.
I checked this out at the library, but the duology has 100% joined the list of books I intend to buy to keep on my shelf at home for rereads and to also have my kid read it someday when he is older.
I have two ways to sum up this duology: Ever wanted to know what life it like for the average citizen of Gotham if it was on chaos steroids? Alternatively, would you like to read an entire duology that is that weird song from the second Wreck It Ralph movie and Vanellope is hanging out in "Slaughter Race" the video game?
If either of those sound like they are for you, or if you just want to read about a world where almost every character falls somewhat on the chaotic end of the D&D alignment system, then this duology is absolutely for you!
While you have all the chaos happening, there is also a lot going on in this in the background with our main character, Ness, that made me enjoy this even more. Ness, having negative experiences with a nightmare attack, starts the duology being afraid of absolutely everything. Her fear reaches such a debilitating level that she cannot be in a room where any other individual is sleeping, and if she herself is sleeping, it has to be in a room the size of a closet. We meet her as a member of a cult, which she has only joined for free room and board, and also some safety. Her safety bubble blows up in her face (quite literally) on a mail run. Ness spends the duology learning to face her fears and cope with a world that doesn't really ever reach the level of "safe," and so much of it centers around her learning the differences between positive and negative self-talk as she basically deprograms herself from her time in the cult.
At the same time, she befriends a boy, Cy, who grew up wealthy and due to many circumstances associated with his life, he feels the city is much more safe than Ness does. There are a lot of discussions about the privileges he lives with that allow him to see and experience the world in a way that is different from Ness. Through their friendship, they also discuss power dynamics a lot and how to know/be aware of when someone is using their power to take advantage of another individual and how that can manifest in relationships like Ness's with the cult or like in the romantic relationship between Cy's parents. All of this is done really well in a way that fits with the story, and based on how extreme the level of corruption in the city is it is all also pretty funny.
I checked this out at the library, but the duology has 100% joined the list of books I intend to buy to keep on my shelf at home for rereads and to also have my kid read it someday when he is older.