Written by Blake Smith
The title of this novel directly reflects what the greater portion of the book entails. Mare Barrow is now Maven’s prisoner. She is either holed up in her cell, which is actually a very nice room furnished with all of Julian’s old books, or paraded around the kingdom as one of Maven’s pets. She is never without the power debilitating silent stone attached to her, and her guards never leave her side. Escape doesn’t seem possible at this point, as Mare is the spokesperson for Maven to draw in newbloods to join the Silver army.
Love Conflict With Maven
Mare is always trying to see something in Maven’s eyes that just isn’t there. I understand that a lot of readers believe that Maven is not as bad as he seems, that he is simply corrupted from his mother’s past mental torture. However, that doesn’t erase that fact that Maven is truly, truly evil. Behind those crystal blue eyes lies nothing but hate and malice. He does love Mare, he does. Mare knows this as well and tries to use this to her advantage and weave webs of guilt and sorrow into his brain. But, even as the two play off of each other’s emotions, there is still the underlying love interest between them. Mare’s remembrance of the boy she once knew and loved, and Maven’s still ever-growing love for Mare all while knowing she could never love him the same way.
New Character’s POV
An interesting and welcome change from the other books, King’s Cage features points of view from different characters. Starting with Cameron, we are able to get inside the minds of a few different characters and understand them from their own thoughts and not Mare’s. Cameron, we learn, is not the cold-hearted killer we have come to know and love over the last two novels. She fosters remorse in her heart for the things she has done and the killing that she has carried out. Throughout the novel, this is a theme that keeps recurring and an inner demon that she is constantly battling with.
Evangeline is also another character in which her point of view is expressed. I know we are supposed to hate her, but hearing the story from her view has made me fall in love with her. Evangeline isn’t as concerned with power and glory as we initially thought. She has a love interest with her friend from a different house, Elane Haven, and just wants them to live a peaceful and quiet life together back in the Samos home. We see her character transition quite drastically throughout the novel and help Mare out more than a couple of times.
War Ending/New Princess/Escape
Most of the first half of the novel is about Mare’s survival and loneliness in her cell, but we all knew that Maven was cooking up something sinister. During a trip to the middle of the war zone, the Lakelander king meets with Maven to discuss a truce, which they hope will bring an end to the Scarlet Guard. This is all under one condition, that Maven marry the Lakelander princess. A few words are exchanged along with more than a few awkward glances, and just like that, a 200-year-old war is over. The Lakelanders and Norta are now allies, battling to destroy the Scarlet Guard. However, with this marriage, Evangeline and the Samos family once again miss their chance to hold part of the crown.
Once the excitement has settled and everyone is back in Norta, we finally have a chance to meet Maven’s betrothed, Iris. Iris, seems to be extremely straightforward and honest, while also being profoundly mean and mocking to the entire Samos family – so, of course, we like her. She seems to already know that Maven is a monster and that she is just here to fulfill her duties. Iris only has a short section of the book focused on her, but something tells me she will play a significant role in War Storm.
Finally, of course with a wedding looming comes a perfect opportunity for an escape plan. With the help of the Scarlet Guard and the Samos family, Mare is finally rescued from Maven’s evil clutches. She is taken back to a Scarlet Guard base where she is reunited with all her friends and family, and most importantly, Cal.
The End Battle
Cal’s and his grandmother have been plotting against Maven and the Silver kingdom for quite some time now. A lot of people want to see Cal back on the throne and have matters return to the way they used to be. However, Cal has changed a lot now too, and his love interest with Mare could play a significant role in whether he takes his rightful crown back or not. But first, comes the battle. Thousands of Red, Silver, and Newblood soldiers attack Maven’s regime. Casualties abound; however, the Scarlet Guard takes victory, with the help of the Samos family. Once victory has been claimed, a roundtable discussion takes place about the rightful king and who should lead this new alliance. This duty is thrust upon Cal, which he eventually accepts. Mare is heartbroken, as she thought Cal was past this. The book ends with Mare and Cal discussing his crown acceptance and her turning down his offer to rule with him. This is not what she had planned.
I love you is a promise we both made, and we both broke. It should mean I choose you above all else. I want more. I need you always. I cannot live with you. I will do anything to keep our lives from parting. But he wouldn’t. And I won’t.
King’s Cage was thrilling and attention grabbing from the first lines. Telling the story from other characters’ point of views also added to the depth of the book. Readers were able to have empathy for Cameron, and hear the story from Evangeline’s side instead of Mare’s. King’s Cage deserves a final rating of 8.5/10. I cannot get my hands on War Storm soon enough!
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Synopsis | Goodreads
In this breathless third installment to Victoria Aveyard’s bestselling Red Queen series, allegiances are tested on every side. And when the Lightning Girl’s spark is gone, who will light the way for the rebellion?
Mare Barrow is a prisoner, powerless without her lightning, tormented by her lethal mistakes. She lives at the mercy of a boy she once loved, a boy made of lies and betrayal. Now a king, Maven Calore continues weaving his dead mother’s web in an attempt to maintain control over his country—and his prisoner.
As Mare bears the weight of Silent Stone in the palace, her once-ragtag band of newbloods and Reds continue organizing, training, and expanding. They prepare for war, no longer able to linger in the shadows. And Cal, the exiled prince with his own claim on Mare’s heart, will stop at nothing to bring her back.
When blood turns on blood, and ability on ability, there may be no one left to put out the fire—leaving Norta as Mare knows it to burn all the way down.
I love this book and the series.