Mare Barrow is a prisoner, virtually powerless as she's cut off from her lightning and held captive by King Maven, the young boy she once thought was her friend and a potential love. Maven struggles to control a kingdom plagued by rebellion.
Outside of the palace walls, Mare's friends and allies comprised of Reds and New Bloods plot to wage war again Maven as well as mount a rescue for their friend.
King's Cage is very much a transition book, setting the stage for the next installment in 2018. While I still enjoyed it, I wasn't as entertained nor enchanted as I was with Red Queen and Glass Sword. This is due in part to Mare being isolated from many of the other characters. There is finally a reunion; however, it takes much of the narrative for this to happen. Mare's interactions with Maven and others at court are insightful but there was something lacking for me.
Another miss for me was Aveyard's decision to change the POV and narrative style. One one hand, I understand the change given Mare's captivity and the necessity to follow characters at another location. However, the change upsets the already established framework of the series--much like Allegiant did with the Divergent trilogy. I haven't connected with these other character to the degree that I have with Mare, despite her faults.
A strength for Aveyard remains her endings. King's Cage ends with another doozy and plenty of broken hearts and touch decisions. Mare isn't my favorite person right now but we'll have to see how it all develops.
For a while I was worried this was the final book and with so little happening, the ending would be rushed. Luckily, readers have one more to look forward to next year.
Final rating: 3.75 out of 5 stars
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