King's Cage by Victoria Aveyard
Red Queen #3
Rating: ★★★★☆
Dates Read: 12/11/23 - 12/15/23
Mare, once a fiery rebel, is now a broken prisoner. Trapped inside the gilded palace, she feels the weight of her mistakes and the chilling gaze of Maven, the boy she trusted, now a king crowned in lies. He clings to power with the same cruelty as his dead mother, but the embers of rebellion still flicker.
Outside the palace walls, Mare's friends train and plot. The Red revolutionaries sharpen their blades, ready to tear down the Silver regime. They'll fight the fire with fire, risking everything to free Mare and spark a revolution. But in this game of thrones and magic, loyalties shatter and blood spills like rain. Norta, as they know it, will burn to ashes, and only one question remains: who will rise from the flames?
Victoria Aveyard's King's Cage hits like a tidal wave, taking the "Red Queen" series to explosive new heights. The story twists and turns, echoing back to past battles and betrayals. Aveyard weaves a wicked web of politics and action, leaving you breathless at every turn.
Evangeline Samos steals the show for me in this one. She's not just your average power-hungry queen wannabe anymore. Aveyard turns her into a layered, surprising anti-hero we can't help but root for, even when she chills us to the bone. Through her eyes, we see the dark side of the game, the secrets and lies that fuel these characters' ambitions. But even as she remains ruthless and terrifying, Aveyard peels back the layers, revealing her fears and hidden desires. You find yourself asking: is she really a villain, or a prisoner of her own destiny?
Mare Barrow takes a hard look in the mirror in this book. Aveyard strips away her self-righteousness, showing us the real her, flaws and all. She's made mistakes, hurt people, and now she has to face the consequences. It's a tough pill to swallow, but it makes Mare a whole lot more human, someone I could relate to and cheer for as she tried to figure out who she really is. I haven't been much of a fan of Mare through this series, but in King's Cage, she managed to change my mind.
Maven, on the other hand, stays pure evil. His past may explain his twisted mind, but his choices – the murders, the betrayals, the sick obsession with Mare – are unforgivable. Aveyard's talent shines through again here though, showing us just enough of his humanity to keep us guessing. I can't help wondering if maybe, just maybe, there's a sliver of redemption hidden in that darkness.
Cal, on the other hand, I'm angry. I've been rooting for Mare and Cal from the beginning, despite not truly loving either of them. I had a good bit of sympathy for Cal originally, he had his entire life ripped away after all. In King's Cage, I have lost every bit of that sympathy. Mare manages to develop and grow as a character, while being held prisoner by his brother might I add, yet Cal remains as cowardly as ever. The Silvers betrayed him, tried to have him killed in the arena, stripped his entire life from him, and chose to believe he murdered his own father. The Scarlet Guard, who had every right to hate him, put aside their differences and tolerated him for the bigger picture. I get it, he was raised for a crown, blah blah. He's a coward. He claims over and over that he's totally alone, despite finally being in decent standing with a good bit of the Scarlet Guard soldiers/newbloods, not to mention having Mare. Instead of following through with his promises, he asks Mare to go back on everything she has fought for and everything she has lost to this cause so he can wear his pretty hat again. The audacity, the stupidity, the cowardice.
The ending of King's Cage rips your heart out, even if you saw it coming. It leaves you teetering on a cliff edge, knowing the final book will be a bloody showdown. Aveyard's built a world where death lurks around every corner, and we can't wait to see who survives the storm. I honestly hope to see Mare standing tall, on her own, by the end of War Storm.
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
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