King's Cage

Monsters are made. Mosters are most dangerous when they're afraid. It has been too long since I last read Glass Sword but I enjoyed this one all the same. However, there are multiple things that I think brought the book down, and I know most agree with it: ● Cameron's POV is the worst addition we had. It could have been anyone else, but she's unbearable. ● Half of the battles' description I didn't even understand what was happening. A lot of things going on I don't even get who's doing what and where. ● Same with Cal. I've never really liked him. At this point she has better chemistry with Maven. And I kind of wanted Maven to succeed because of that. I am what she made me. A thorned flower forced to grow a certain way. My heart breaks for him; my heart hardens against him. ● Evangeline's POV is far better than Mare's. Using POVs where the person talking is nicer than the actual main is a problem. (view spoiler)[● I can't find a way where they can redeem any of the princes. Like, I don't want her to get with Cal at the end. He's part of the problem and has always been. Why else are we their gods, if not to rule them? ● The Evangeline/Elane relationship is clearly what we call a token character. Please, she has like only two-three chapters and suddenly we find out she likes woman and like, there's not much we find out about her? ● I understand is fiction, of course, but depicting relationships should be at least a bit realistic. Yes there are relationships where women put a blind eye when their SO is/acts/talks in a way that is offensive to women or in general offensive to her beliefs. But someone like Mare? What did she expect from Cal? They are both way too naive. I saw that twist coming miles away, but I think that was the intention so it's not an issue for me. "You aren't alone." The hope in his eyes cuts deeply. "You have your crown." (hide spoiler)] Note: it's possible that I'm not their target group anymore but please.

** spoiler alert ** Three stars is for the last third of the book. Mare fuckin Barrow. Where do I begin. I guess I’ll say some things I like about you. Your lightning power is badass. You buck up in a fight. Somehow you managed to ensnare two very attractive princes. Now….let me tell you why you’re wretched. You are SO!!! WHINY!!!! seriously!! And I get, believe me I GET, that she has been through some ace level fucked up shit. But God almighty in the heavens above I can only tolerate so much whining in one novel. She is constantly “woe is me.” She’s selfish. She cares about only a handful of people that are close to her. She says she wants to dismantle the blood divide and free the Reds but she literally cannot muster up an inkling of giving-a-fuckitude about anyone but her immediate circle. She doesn’t care who hurt, if it serves her purpose and as long as it’s not her friends. What kind of revolutionary is that??? Does anyone know what fucking color Mare is by the way!!??! Cause all of a sudden in this book I’m getting “brown skin” descriptors. Bitch how??? And tell me how Gisa’s hair is red but Mare is somehow, sorry what was it you said in book 2, “olive skinned?” Allow me to explain a concept. When white people tan…THEY’RE STILL WHITE. They don’t turn ~brown.~ Victoria, I know you made your only black character (Cameron) snarky, fiery, sarcastic, loud, judgmental and shit-talking, thereby playing into the whole angry black girl trope…but you can’t just change your mc’s race on book three to combat that. And FINALLY….I too have gotten frustrated with Cal’s inability to pick a side. To fully commit himself to the scarlet guard. But we finally see him do it!! Not only that but we get some badass scenes of him being a military leader. *SPOILER!!!!!* But dear old Mare, oh no. When Cal finds out the allying silver houses want to put him on the throne, with Montford backing the claim, Mare goes completely toddler tantrum mode. “Choose me!!!” She says. THIS WASNT HIS CHOICE TO BEGIN WITH!!! If he says no the entire alliance will fall apart. Now, will having another silver king benefit the eradication of the blood divide?? Probably not. I know, as does anyone who knows Cal especially after his little I have a dream speech, that Cal would be a good king. But to the reds who only know him as a silver prince?? Nah. Regardless of this, All he wants to do is make a positive change, and this was quite literally what he was raised up for. He doesn’t know how to do anything but rule and fight war. Wars end….what’s he to then?? Anyways Mare has no ability to use the higher functions of her tiny pea brain and only sees her own selfishness. “CAL IS LEAVING ME HE DIDNT PICK ME WAH WAH” Please I just want her to act like she has common sense, just once. I enjoyed the last 1/3 of the book, probably because we finally get some action. The first 2/3 have some nice interactions with new characters but it’s mostly Mare lamenting in her own head.

Edit: Turns out this was the last Red Queen book I ever read. I wasn't going to drag myself through a 500-600 page finale of watching Mare and Cal dance around and take jabs at each other for the whole book while their country is in shambles. Especially for Victoria Aveyard (aka the number 1 Maven Calore hater) to put my boy through it all for no reason at all except to label him an antagonist. Maven deserves so much better. Anyway, back to the original review... "Divide and Conquer" I'm going to be real right now. Mare and Maven are more alike than Mare cares to admit. They can relate to each other so much more than she can with Cal. Maven is all alone, his mother destroyed him, everyone expects him to be a monster, so what else should they expect him to be. (Everyone should leave my smol villain alone) AND I can't deal with this disrespect any longer. Cal will never understand her like Maven does. She's with the wrong Calore brother. That's the tea The end of the book wanted to make me laaaaaaaaaaaugh All the characters were like: I was absolutely baffled that everyone was shocked (pardon my pun) by this revelation. What did they think was going to happen? Cue the dramatic Mare meltdown This is all I have to say to Mare: Am I excited for the next book? Yes. Why? For Maven. (view spoiler)[ I have no desire to watch Cal and Mare be angsty all over again like they were in the first all three books. Stop acting like annoying, brooding teenagers for the whole time. (hide spoiler)] War Storm, give me all you got. #TeamMaven

3.5-4-4.5???? I honestly don’t know. It was a solid read but something just didn’t make me like it as much as I was expecting. I feel like the book was a little long and the events were somewhat sporadic. SOMETIMES I enjoyed the switching POVs especially Evangeline’s first chapter. The writing, like always, is amazing but I just did not click with this one.

The epilogue was a painful slap in the face

Yes yes yes Mare is back! And this Book breaks my heart 😱 can’t wait for the 4th one and WHEN will this series finally be turned into movies ffs?!?!?

I don't think I'll finish this series after this. I'm devastated I didn't enjoy this as much as I thought. I want to know how this series ends but it's so hard to turn the pages without skimming instead of reading. Too many characters, and too many unnecessary conversations. it all could've ended faster.

SPOILERS BEYOND THIS POINT:

Mare, to me, is a pick me-AND BEFORE YOU THINK OTHERWISE, HEAR ME OUT-I am very frustrated with girl characters in stories who think they're the most broken, or act like they are empowering when all they do is keep causing trouble/become practically useless. Mare was amazing in Red Queen for stepping up and realizing her mistakes.

It started getting harder to read when I could barely understand what was happening in Glass Sword. Like the first paragraph at the top, there were way too many characters being introduced and I know that may seem like "well, you weren't paying attention then", but seriously, I couldn't keep up with all these new names and new backgrounds they were throwing in every chapter. The only characters I genuinely liked were Kilorn and Maven.

I generally didn't like Mare's character as time went on and her attitude is just... bruh. I disliked the random anger she displayed to counter Cal's. In one chapter she just slaps him to make a point to him? It's so unnecessary and she acts too edgy sometimes, it makes me put down the book and wonder why I'm still reading PLEASE ;-;

I don't have much against Cal, I think he's awesome but definitely these past 2 books, he hasn't shown that much besides his leadership and anger. Maven is cool, too, but sometimes I sit there like why is he repeating the same dialogue to Mare, we get it, you're evil!!!!

Anyways, I truly don't know if I'll continue this series. Maybe in the future but right now... this is not it. I can't enjoy this. I know Mare and Cal are endgame but why did this plot drag on for so long? thanks for listening to my ted talk!!! -poopsoup

The first 300 pages were a little tedious, but by the end (spoiler: Mare’s escape to the end of the battle) was fast paced and made up for the scene setting earlier. I am sure War Storm might have some answers, but I do wonder why Iris said she’d see Mare’s face often and then Mare was left in her room and unaware of the wedding date.

Got a bit boring. Had to push through it towards the end. My fav is still Red Queen. Excited to continue the series. My library's only copy was a huge, thick, hardcover copy which was a pain in the ass but I listened to it on audiobook which made it better. Much more bearable to listen/read when you are multitasking like painting or cleaning

Incredibly sad. Just when you thought things couldn't get any worse, that they could only improve, it rips you apart. Perhaps the darkest part of Mare's journey so far.

** spoiler alert ** Three stars is for the last third of the book. Mare fuckin Barrow. Where do I begin. I guess I’ll say some things I like about you. Your lightning power is badass. You buck up in a fight. Somehow you managed to ensnare two very attractive princes. Now….let me tell you why you’re wretched. You are SO!!! WHINY!!!! seriously!! And I get, believe me I GET, that she has been through some ace level fucked up shit. But God almighty in the heavens above I can only tolerate so much whining in one novel. She is constantly “woe is me.” She’s selfish. She cares about only a handful of people that are close to her. She says she wants to dismantle the blood divide and free the Reds but she literally cannot muster up an inkling of giving-a-fuckitude about anyone but her immediate circle. She doesn’t care who hurt, if it serves her purpose and as long as it’s not her friends. What kind of revolutionary is that??? Does anyone know what fucking color Mare is by the way!!??! Cause all of a sudden in this book I’m getting “brown skin” descriptors. Bitch how??? And tell me how Gisa’s hair is red but Mare is somehow, sorry what was it you said in book 2, “olive skinned?” Allow me to explain a concept. When white people tan…THEY’RE STILL WHITE. They don’t turn ~brown.~ Victoria, I know you made your only black character (Cameron) snarky, fiery, sarcastic, loud, judgmental and shit-talking, thereby playing into the whole angry black girl trope…but you can’t just change your mc’s race on book three to combat that. And FINALLY….I too have gotten frustrated with Cal’s inability to pick a side. To fully commit himself to the scarlet guard. But we finally see him do it!! Not only that but we get some badass scenes of him being a military leader. *SPOILER!!!!!* But dear old Mare, oh no. When Cal finds out the allying silver houses want to put him on the throne, with Montford backing the claim, Mare goes completely toddler tantrum mode. “Choose me!!!” She says. THIS WASNT HIS CHOICE TO BEGIN WITH!!! If he says no the entire alliance will fall apart. Now, will having another silver king benefit the eradication of the blood divide?? Probably not. I know, as does anyone who knows Cal especially after his little I have a dream speech, that Cal would be a good king. But to the reds who only know him as a silver prince?? Nah. Regardless of this, All he wants to do is make a positive change, and this was quite literally what he was raised up for. He doesn’t know how to do anything but rule and fight war. Wars end….what’s he to then?? Anyways Mare has no ability to use the higher functions of her tiny pea brain and only sees her own selfishness. “CAL IS LEAVING ME HE DIDNT PICK ME WAH WAH” Please I just want her to act like she has common sense, just once. I enjoyed the last 1/3 of the book, probably because we finally get some action. The first 2/3 have some nice interactions with new characters but it’s mostly Mare lamenting in her own head.

I just remembered how much hatred i have for this book. SO. MUCH. HATRED Just let me love Maven in peace

** spoiler alert ** this book is probably the best one in the series and is enjoyable, i enjoyed the changing point of views and the insight we got into other peoples mindsets. at one point i did think that mare was going to be trapped forever with maven or at least longer than 6 months since i knew there was a 4th book

The first half of this book was so slow it took me like 2 years to get through. But if you can make it? Second half isn't awful 🤷‍♀️

I enjoyed this book, although at times was slow and I struggled to pick it up. Glad I stuck with it.

DNF so bad i hate it. would rather die than finish this. every time i try to continue i get filled with unbridled rage and i get put in a reading slump. i hope every character in this series dies a slow and painful death.

4/5⭐️. I enjoyed this 3rd book in the Red Queen Series. I liked the mix of action and emotion and betrayls.

This book was useless?! What really happened in this book? Nothing that brought growth to the series. A huge book with nothing in it. The only thing that saves it is the beautiful writing. Come on Victoria... Give us something

Le début est lent mais se lit bien néanmoins.

This was certainly a wild ride.. The writing improved, though I am not certain in what way. There were times I ate every piece of this book, there were times time passed too slowly. But overall, it was great. Not as good as an ending as the other two books- though still heartbreaking.

2/5 Rating.

Made me cry, so well written

I will try to write a coherent review but I don't think I can hold back all these damn emotions I'm feeling right now! This book turned me upside down and I just want to hug Victoria Averyard. I don't think I'll give a summary because, well, you should just trudge through the second and read this and find out for yourself. But in this book there is a lot more military strategy and more politics. The world of Norta really opens up and we finally get introduced to the neighboring countries: the Lakelands, Piedmont, and Montmort. I could tell that Averyard did her homework and made the complicated relationships of countries with differing views, real. I really enjoyed the tactical turn this book went, but after the end of the second book, there was only one solution, war. Mare, oh God, I love Mare. I know so many people hated her in the last book, but I loved her and King's Cage made me love her more. This girl deals with PTSD, loss, and sees the worse side of humanity. She's always been alone, and I adore her so much for being afraid yet being strong despite her fear. Then there is Maven. Our dear Maven, I don't know if redemption will even be possible for him. He is a monster created by circumstance, as so many are, and Victoria Aveyard let us see deeper into his mind this book. I appreciate that because although he wrong, utterly wrong, you can't help but understand him a little better. My heart broke for him. Now Cal, my sweet indecisive prince. You mended my and Mare's heart and gave us hope, and then shattered it completely, just like the last book. (I'm seeing a trend here). I know A LOT of readers do not feel the chemistry between Mare and Cal, but I do. It is very subtle but very powerful, and I was proven correct on how much they love each other in this book. Cal is uber romantic in the most meaningful ways, but he isn't without his flaws as we see at the end of the book. His decision combined with Mare, made me want to run in the book and fix everything. I really hope in the next book, things work out, but I have a feeling things will get worse before they get better. Something I really enjoyed was Evangeline's point of view. I was surprisingly into it and it really aided in understand the decisions and negotiations made during the battles. I don't think we would have understood otherwise. She is still a bitch. But I can appreciate her now that she is more layered in her characters. This book left me feeling so heartbroken and empty and I just want to curl up and never leave my bed. ALSO, those acknowledgments, though. Wow. Thank you, Victoria, thank you. Those acknowledgments were beautiful and much needed. I think I shed a few tears when I read them. In a book about standing up for what is right, I appreciate when authors or other well-known individuals use their platform to take a stand, unafraid. I know in the coming years I will look to your acknowledgments and gather the strength I need to persist, to resist, to rise up.