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The Golden Cage
From an award-winning author and master of world building...
After centuries of oppression, three girls must fight for their freedom on the isolated island of Sansara, a place where girls are trained, ranked, and judged according to their looks and not who they are. Elora, Rose, and Odette have been forced into an unforgiving society that values their appearances, not their dreams. But what will happen when these girls dare to break free?
If you enjoyed The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood, then you'll love The Golden Cage – a powerful story of resilience and courage in the face of oppression. Buy now before the price changes and join Elora, Rose, and Odette in their journey for freedom.
Perfect for fans of The Handmaid's Tale, The Testaments, Station Eleven, The Power, and Vox, this heartbreaking tale of friendship, love and bravery will keep you turning pages!
Trigger Warning: This book deals with the subject of rape and domestic abuse and may be disturbing to some readers.
After centuries of oppression, three girls must fight for their freedom on the isolated island of Sansara, a place where girls are trained, ranked, and judged according to their looks and not who they are. Elora, Rose, and Odette have been forced into an unforgiving society that values their appearances, not their dreams. But what will happen when these girls dare to break free?
If you enjoyed The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood, then you'll love The Golden Cage – a powerful story of resilience and courage in the face of oppression. Buy now before the price changes and join Elora, Rose, and Odette in their journey for freedom.
Perfect for fans of The Handmaid's Tale, The Testaments, Station Eleven, The Power, and Vox, this heartbreaking tale of friendship, love and bravery will keep you turning pages!
Trigger Warning: This book deals with the subject of rape and domestic abuse and may be disturbing to some readers.
- GenresDystopiaPost Apocalyptic
559 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 7, 2023
111 people are currently reading
145 people want to read
About the author
Kate L. Mary
88 books795 followersI'm a mom of four, Air Force wife, and author of adult and young adult dystopian, post-apocalyptic, and science fiction. I love intense world building and character driven stories that feature strong female leads - as well as a side of romance - and any end of the world scenario. Zombies, aliens, a distant future where people have no clue how the world ended in the first place, you name it, I will create a story there!
Having lived in a lot of different places after more than a decade as an Air Force wife, I love setting my books in cities I've actually lived in to give them authenticity. I've resided in: Indiana, Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina, California, and Oklahoma but am currently back in my home state of Ohio where I live with my husband, four kids, two dogs, and three cats.
When I'm not writing, you can find me by my pool (in the summer), getting lost in some binge-worthy show or at a play with my husband, patronizing one of the great restaurants in my small town of Troy, Ohio with my family, or traveling. I want to see everything and make a point of visiting a new place every year!
Some of my favorite books are The Hunger Games, Pride and Prejudice, The Host, and The Stand. My favorite movies are Aliens, Jaws, Signs, Say Anything, Everything Everywhere All At Once, and The Greatest Showman.
Awards:
Outliers
Winner in the 2018 Kindle Books Awards for Sci-Fi/Fantasy Fiction
B.R.A.G.Medallion Honoree
Finalist in the 2018 Wishing Shelf Book Awards For Adult Fiction
Top 10 Finalist in the Author Academy Awards for Sci-Fi/Fantasy Fiction
Cover Finalist in the 2019 RONE Awards from InD'tale Magazine
When We Were Human
2015 Children's Moonbeam Awards Silver Medal winner for Young Adult Fantasy/Sci-Fi Fiction
2016 Readers' Favorite Gold Medal Winner for Young Adult Science Fiction
Tribe of Daughters
Winner in the 2020 RONE Awards for Time Travel/Science Fiction
Bronze Medal Winner in the 2019 Readers' Favorite Book Awards for Science Fiction
Honorable Mention in the 2018 SPR Book Awards
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KateLMaryauthor
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/kate-...
Website: http://KateLMary.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zombieautho...
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Kate-L.-Mary/e...
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Kate-L.-Mary...
Newsletter: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webfor...
Having lived in a lot of different places after more than a decade as an Air Force wife, I love setting my books in cities I've actually lived in to give them authenticity. I've resided in: Indiana, Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina, California, and Oklahoma but am currently back in my home state of Ohio where I live with my husband, four kids, two dogs, and three cats.
When I'm not writing, you can find me by my pool (in the summer), getting lost in some binge-worthy show or at a play with my husband, patronizing one of the great restaurants in my small town of Troy, Ohio with my family, or traveling. I want to see everything and make a point of visiting a new place every year!
Some of my favorite books are The Hunger Games, Pride and Prejudice, The Host, and The Stand. My favorite movies are Aliens, Jaws, Signs, Say Anything, Everything Everywhere All At Once, and The Greatest Showman.
Awards:
Outliers
Winner in the 2018 Kindle Books Awards for Sci-Fi/Fantasy Fiction
B.R.A.G.Medallion Honoree
Finalist in the 2018 Wishing Shelf Book Awards For Adult Fiction
Top 10 Finalist in the Author Academy Awards for Sci-Fi/Fantasy Fiction
Cover Finalist in the 2019 RONE Awards from InD'tale Magazine
When We Were Human
2015 Children's Moonbeam Awards Silver Medal winner for Young Adult Fantasy/Sci-Fi Fiction
2016 Readers' Favorite Gold Medal Winner for Young Adult Science Fiction
Tribe of Daughters
Winner in the 2020 RONE Awards for Time Travel/Science Fiction
Bronze Medal Winner in the 2019 Readers' Favorite Book Awards for Science Fiction
Honorable Mention in the 2018 SPR Book Awards
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KateLMaryauthor
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/kate-...
Website: http://KateLMary.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zombieautho...
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Kate-L.-Mary/e...
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Kate-L.-Mary...
Newsletter: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webfor...
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
March 24, 2023
The Golden Cage is one of the most unique books I think I have ever read. It is definitely in a class all by itself. The world-building is superb, to say the least. When I started reading The Golden Cage I had an idea of what I thought it would be but let me tell you I was so wrong. What I found between the pages was so different than I had imagined but what I did find was so much better than I could ever have anticipated.
The Golden Cage is set in a world where women are ranked by their beauty. Women are bread only for the entertainment of others. They are trained from birth to be the proper lady. Their whole lives are surrounded by their beauty.
At the age of six, they are sent to school to train in their own class to be the perfect woman. They are pressured by society to be the best in everything they do but they must always look their best if they want to be the best.
They are separated by tiers.
Tier one women work on their looks keeping themselves beautiful for the world.
Tier two women keep their homes and husbands happy.
Tier three women actually do all the work. They keep the homes clean. They are the maids, the servants, and the teachers. Their lives are dedicated to making sure tier one women have nothing to do but entertain the world while tier two women have babies, make their husbands happy, and make sure tier three woman do their jobs.
I love dystopian novels I can’t seem to get enough of them and their worlds. Kate L. Mary never disappoints in that department. I am always on the lookout for new releases by her. But seriously no matter what genre she writes I am drawn in from the first page. Yeah, the moment I turn to that first page and start reading I am lost.
I have loved every book by Kate that I have read and The Golden Cage is no exception. I am a big fan of Kate’s and would highly recommend any of her books. This time around though I highly recommend that you grab a copy of The Golden Cage for something a little different!
The Golden Cage is set in a world where women are ranked by their beauty. Women are bread only for the entertainment of others. They are trained from birth to be the proper lady. Their whole lives are surrounded by their beauty.
At the age of six, they are sent to school to train in their own class to be the perfect woman. They are pressured by society to be the best in everything they do but they must always look their best if they want to be the best.
They are separated by tiers.
Tier one women work on their looks keeping themselves beautiful for the world.
Tier two women keep their homes and husbands happy.
Tier three women actually do all the work. They keep the homes clean. They are the maids, the servants, and the teachers. Their lives are dedicated to making sure tier one women have nothing to do but entertain the world while tier two women have babies, make their husbands happy, and make sure tier three woman do their jobs.
I love dystopian novels I can’t seem to get enough of them and their worlds. Kate L. Mary never disappoints in that department. I am always on the lookout for new releases by her. But seriously no matter what genre she writes I am drawn in from the first page. Yeah, the moment I turn to that first page and start reading I am lost.
I have loved every book by Kate that I have read and The Golden Cage is no exception. I am a big fan of Kate’s and would highly recommend any of her books. This time around though I highly recommend that you grab a copy of The Golden Cage for something a little different!
May 11, 2023
Rating: 4.5/5.0
“The Golden Cage” is rich in detail and drama, making it a book to savor!
Read full review in the 2023 May issue of InD'tale Magazine.
“The Golden Cage” is rich in detail and drama, making it a book to savor!
Read full review in the 2023 May issue of InD'tale Magazine.
March 20, 2023
This was so good and a bit different what I usually read. I'm glad I gave chance to this book, otherwise I would have miss a lot. This world was so interesting and so different. Here it only matters if you are beautiful but even then your life won't be easy. Rose, Elora and Odette became friends right away when they met at the Institute even they were so different. I loved following their journey from kids to adults.
An ARC was provided in exhange for an honest review.
An ARC was provided in exhange for an honest review.
March 15, 2023
✯✯5 Caged Stars!!!✯✯
OMG the minute the author released the cover & blurb for this book I was jumping up and down. Kate L. Mary is an expert at writing post apocalyptic dystopian books. The books are each in their own world and written where you don’t want to put your kindle down until your favorite character has survived the position they’re in.
This book is set in the Kingdom of Sansara and is written in three parts. It starts off with Part One and the girls are being dropped off at the age of six to The Institute where they will live and be grouped into three separate tiers.
Tier One are the most BEAUTIFUL girls who’ll spend their lives on the arms of the King, Prince, the men of Sansara. You’ll see them on Broadway, on the TV, in the movies. They’ll never get married or have children but they’ll serve the men of Sansara.
Tier Two is for women who aren’t as beautiful or they have blemishes from an accident that left a scar or they’re too heavy. They are married off by their father for the highest price and their job is simple. You get married, have children and you serve your husband. You make sure your house is immaculate, you make sure the servants (Tier Three women) have your house clean and food prepared for when your guests and husband comes home. As far as the husband is concerned the wife is to be seen but not heard and she obeys him and the daughter is lucky if he looks at her let alone he speaks to her. The only time she is useful to him is when he’s getting paid for her.
Then there’s Tier Three. These are the ugly, fat and have nothing a man would want. They work and as far as marriage and children goes. It’s up to them if they want that life. Unlike the Tier Two group goes the fathers are involved with their both their sons and daughters lives and they marry for love.
Part One is told by The Head Mistress of The Institute Mistress Plum, the Mistress’s of Tiers One, Two and Three. We also get the POV to Rose, Odette and Elora’s mothers and you get a little backstory of how they got into the Tiers they’re in and how their relationship between them and their daughter is.
Then there’s the girls that come from the group home. They have no family and nobody knows where they came from. Usually they’re beautiful and they end up in Tier One.
Part Two starts off with the girls starting their eighth year in The Institute and goes with them to the end of their schooling. We get mostly Odette, Rose, Elora and Vaughn’s POV. There are other POV than there’s from this part to the end of the book.
The Institute teaches the girls that they only socialize with the girls from their same Tier and that’s it. There’s a lot of jealousy between each other to get to that number one spot and they’ll do anything to keep it. Even if it is your friend in that spot.
The girls thought they knew what was going to happen after they graduated. My heart hurt for them just thinking about what was coming Bc they really had no clue and the women are brought up and trained to be submissive and only know if they don’t follow through with what their Tier’s rules they’ll be the next ones on TV to be executed for treason.
This was a long book but I was not complaining. Kate L. Mary did such an AMAZING job at getting me invested in each character. Even the ones you didn’t want to like. You understood the ins and outs of the mother-daughter relationship. My heart went out to Head Mistress Plum for the role she had to play in every girl that came into The Institute and I’m not sure how she went about picking and choosing who to save and who to push through.
It did take me a few days to figure out what to write about this book Bc my emotions were all over by the time I finished reading. I do believe that at the end the girls got what they deserved. They all deserved a HEA given the world they were in.
I know every few years I can count on Kate L. Mary to release another book in its own world that is new and I’ve never read anything like it before. I’m really looking forward to seeing what world she makes up next.
OMG the minute the author released the cover & blurb for this book I was jumping up and down. Kate L. Mary is an expert at writing post apocalyptic dystopian books. The books are each in their own world and written where you don’t want to put your kindle down until your favorite character has survived the position they’re in.
This book is set in the Kingdom of Sansara and is written in three parts. It starts off with Part One and the girls are being dropped off at the age of six to The Institute where they will live and be grouped into three separate tiers.
Tier One are the most BEAUTIFUL girls who’ll spend their lives on the arms of the King, Prince, the men of Sansara. You’ll see them on Broadway, on the TV, in the movies. They’ll never get married or have children but they’ll serve the men of Sansara.
Tier Two is for women who aren’t as beautiful or they have blemishes from an accident that left a scar or they’re too heavy. They are married off by their father for the highest price and their job is simple. You get married, have children and you serve your husband. You make sure your house is immaculate, you make sure the servants (Tier Three women) have your house clean and food prepared for when your guests and husband comes home. As far as the husband is concerned the wife is to be seen but not heard and she obeys him and the daughter is lucky if he looks at her let alone he speaks to her. The only time she is useful to him is when he’s getting paid for her.
Then there’s Tier Three. These are the ugly, fat and have nothing a man would want. They work and as far as marriage and children goes. It’s up to them if they want that life. Unlike the Tier Two group goes the fathers are involved with their both their sons and daughters lives and they marry for love.
Part One is told by The Head Mistress of The Institute Mistress Plum, the Mistress’s of Tiers One, Two and Three. We also get the POV to Rose, Odette and Elora’s mothers and you get a little backstory of how they got into the Tiers they’re in and how their relationship between them and their daughter is.
Then there’s the girls that come from the group home. They have no family and nobody knows where they came from. Usually they’re beautiful and they end up in Tier One.
Part Two starts off with the girls starting their eighth year in The Institute and goes with them to the end of their schooling. We get mostly Odette, Rose, Elora and Vaughn’s POV. There are other POV than there’s from this part to the end of the book.
The Institute teaches the girls that they only socialize with the girls from their same Tier and that’s it. There’s a lot of jealousy between each other to get to that number one spot and they’ll do anything to keep it. Even if it is your friend in that spot.
The girls thought they knew what was going to happen after they graduated. My heart hurt for them just thinking about what was coming Bc they really had no clue and the women are brought up and trained to be submissive and only know if they don’t follow through with what their Tier’s rules they’ll be the next ones on TV to be executed for treason.
This was a long book but I was not complaining. Kate L. Mary did such an AMAZING job at getting me invested in each character. Even the ones you didn’t want to like. You understood the ins and outs of the mother-daughter relationship. My heart went out to Head Mistress Plum for the role she had to play in every girl that came into The Institute and I’m not sure how she went about picking and choosing who to save and who to push through.
It did take me a few days to figure out what to write about this book Bc my emotions were all over by the time I finished reading. I do believe that at the end the girls got what they deserved. They all deserved a HEA given the world they were in.
I know every few years I can count on Kate L. Mary to release another book in its own world that is new and I’ve never read anything like it before. I’m really looking forward to seeing what world she makes up next.
May 8, 2023
Women have no rights in Sansara. Every woman is judged on her looks and divided into 3 Tiers, Tier one reserved for the most beautiful where the glitz and glamorous stuff happens. Every girl enters the Institute at age 6, judges immediately by their looks and then trained for years according to their tier. You can drop tiers and if you get more beautiful as you age you can move up. Obedience is key and the competition is harsh… every girl pitted against each other. Rose, Odette, Elora, and Vaughn form a friendship early on but can it last through their schooling. Will they remain in their tier and remain friends? Who will do whatever it takes to get to the top?
The characters were great. None of them are completely awful but some make some terrible decisions. The world they live in is interesting but I wanted more background. How had men become so powerful and the women so subservient? If beauty was such a big thing, why no plastic surgery? How come ugly men didn’t suffer the same fate as ugly women?
Most men in this book are awful. A handful of them are great. The women… the poor, poor women. I would rage!! Great book. Can’t wait for the sequel.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The characters were great. None of them are completely awful but some make some terrible decisions. The world they live in is interesting but I wanted more background. How had men become so powerful and the women so subservient? If beauty was such a big thing, why no plastic surgery? How come ugly men didn’t suffer the same fate as ugly women?
Most men in this book are awful. A handful of them are great. The women… the poor, poor women. I would rage!! Great book. Can’t wait for the sequel.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
March 6, 2023
I loved this concept overall, it does everything that I was hoping for when I read the description. I enjoyed the way Kate L. Mary wrote this and was glad I gave this a chance. I loved the cover and that was what drew me in for this book, and it worked well in the Dystopian genre. I loved getting to know the characters and thought the main characters were unique.
"The first couple floors were reserved for the older girls, forcing me to lead my charges up several flights of stairs, but I faced the group once we’d made it to the third floor. “This will be your home for the next few years unless you’re regrouped.” I paused, both to let the words sink in and because we rarely got through this part without questions. Which was good. It was important for the girls to understand just how important everything they did from here on out was. Everything, I meant everything, would be taken into consideration during their time at the Institute."
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
"The first couple floors were reserved for the older girls, forcing me to lead my charges up several flights of stairs, but I faced the group once we’d made it to the third floor. “This will be your home for the next few years unless you’re regrouped.” I paused, both to let the words sink in and because we rarely got through this part without questions. Which was good. It was important for the girls to understand just how important everything they did from here on out was. Everything, I meant everything, would be taken into consideration during their time at the Institute."
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
March 13, 2023
A must read for anyone who loves dystopian. Kate L. Mary masterfully takes the reader through a generational tale of several women as they are trained for their assigned roles in one of three tiers of society based entirely on their beauty. While this book is heart-breaking at times it is a captivating read and I would highly recommend it for fans of The Handmaid's Tale! I can totally picture it as a mini-series one day.
March 21, 2023
Amazing story
What an awesome book! I'm a big fan of Kate L Mary and this is the best book to date. I know this is supposed to be a stand alone book, but I'm so enthralled with these women. I knew going in that this book had themes of sexual assault and abuse. I was impressed that it was done without making it graphic, the way male authors tend to do.
What an awesome book! I'm a big fan of Kate L Mary and this is the best book to date. I know this is supposed to be a stand alone book, but I'm so enthralled with these women. I knew going in that this book had themes of sexual assault and abuse. I was impressed that it was done without making it graphic, the way male authors tend to do.
March 14, 2025
Great Story
A book like this gives you pause to think what if. Great story told through multiple povs but mainly three girls who met at age six. You will root for them, cry for them, get angry at them but never will you feel pity for them. Also I loved that the entire story is told in one book and had a very satisfying ending. 4.5 stars!
A book like this gives you pause to think what if. Great story told through multiple povs but mainly three girls who met at age six. You will root for them, cry for them, get angry at them but never will you feel pity for them. Also I loved that the entire story is told in one book and had a very satisfying ending. 4.5 stars!
March 24, 2023
Loved it!
I really enjoyed reading this book but of course the world they live in is so disturbing. The writing is so well done. I sure hope there is a follow up novel in Kate's mind!
Reminds me a lot of the Handmaid's Tale
I really enjoyed reading this book but of course the world they live in is so disturbing. The writing is so well done. I sure hope there is a follow up novel in Kate's mind!
Reminds me a lot of the Handmaid's Tale
October 29, 2023
OMG this book is amazing!!!! This is a world like no other where being beautiful is the goal of all women. But being beautiful and winning the top spot is not what it seems. I really hope there’s a second book to go with this first one!?!? PLEASE!!!!
March 6, 2023
Where do I begin?!?! This book had it all. It’s a story about friendship, loss, love, acceptance and so much more. It made me feel all kinds of emotions. It takes place over a long period of time while following the life of 3 girls. Great for fans of The Hunger Games and Handmaids Tale.
March 11, 2023
This was amazing and torturous to read. The book doesn't explain everything about the dystopian world it's set in, but it explains enough. I personally feel like it somewhat resembles the world that we live in. Without giving anything away, if you can stomach a little horror, definitely go for this book.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
March 27, 2023
Original and creative with a message
I literally could not put this book down! it is dystopian, but not a zombie book by any means. I can see why the author needed to tell the story, since so many of us only look at the surface of a person, and not into their soul.Definitely a new dystopian world and deserves a five star rating.
I literally could not put this book down! it is dystopian, but not a zombie book by any means. I can see why the author needed to tell the story, since so many of us only look at the surface of a person, and not into their soul.Definitely a new dystopian world and deserves a five star rating.
June 11, 2024
So many twist and turns! Once you think you know something then bam! Not!!! Loved this one!!! It is a very very good read!! Highly recommended!!
February 2, 2025
4.5 ⭐️
Binged this in practically one sitting. Unfortunately sleep got in the way, haha! I loved this book and can’t wait to check out more from this author.
Binged this in practically one sitting. Unfortunately sleep got in the way, haha! I loved this book and can’t wait to check out more from this author.
March 9, 2023
I love EVERYTHING Kate L Mary writes!
She never fails to suck me into the world she's created. This story invaded my dreams and I can't stop telling anyone who will listen to me about it.
Highly recommend if you are looking for something not like all the others!
She never fails to suck me into the world she's created. This story invaded my dreams and I can't stop telling anyone who will listen to me about it.
Highly recommend if you are looking for something not like all the others!
April 27, 2023
Kate's writing never ceases to amaze me. She truly has a way with words. Although this is a lengthy book, I found it went very quickly (too quickly). The story is so original and thought provoking. I loved it!
March 15, 2025
The Golden Cage by Kate L. Mary is not for the faint of heart—but if you’re a dystopian fiction fan, it’s definitely one to add to your list.
Imagine a world where a woman’s worth is measured solely by her looks. (I know, super original, right?) Now crank that up to nightmare level, throw in centuries of oppression, and place it all on the isolated island of Sansara, where girls are trained, ranked, and sorted like a dystopian beauty pageant gone horribly wrong. Enter Elora, Rose, and Odette—three young women who are so over it. But breaking free from a system designed to keep them in check? Yeah, that’s not going to be easy.
This book gave me serious Handmaid’s Tale, The Selection, and Uglies vibes, but it definitely holds its own. Kate L. Mary has crafted a chilling yet compelling world, filled with characters who will make you feel all the emotions—rage, hope, frustration, and maybe even a little admiration (for the right ones, of course). Fair warning: this story deals with some heavy topics, so sensitive readers should tread carefully. But if you can push through, it’s worth it.
Would I read a sequel? Absolutely. Do I recommend it? If you like your dystopian fiction with a side of rebellion and resilience, then yes—grab a copy and prepare to be invested.
Imagine a world where a woman’s worth is measured solely by her looks. (I know, super original, right?) Now crank that up to nightmare level, throw in centuries of oppression, and place it all on the isolated island of Sansara, where girls are trained, ranked, and sorted like a dystopian beauty pageant gone horribly wrong. Enter Elora, Rose, and Odette—three young women who are so over it. But breaking free from a system designed to keep them in check? Yeah, that’s not going to be easy.
This book gave me serious Handmaid’s Tale, The Selection, and Uglies vibes, but it definitely holds its own. Kate L. Mary has crafted a chilling yet compelling world, filled with characters who will make you feel all the emotions—rage, hope, frustration, and maybe even a little admiration (for the right ones, of course). Fair warning: this story deals with some heavy topics, so sensitive readers should tread carefully. But if you can push through, it’s worth it.
Would I read a sequel? Absolutely. Do I recommend it? If you like your dystopian fiction with a side of rebellion and resilience, then yes—grab a copy and prepare to be invested.
November 29, 2024
Very limited due to the excessive POVs and attempting too much at once.
March 15, 2023
TL;DR: A slow burn "what if" story that takes the stuff of YA looks-obsessed culture, marries it with an anti-female mirror darkly society, and makes you wonder even as you dread what you know must be coming. The writing may seem literary YA, but that doesn't make it an easy read. Check those trigger warnings.
A long and winding tale spanning many years and many characters, The Golden Cage doesn't shy away from the difficult topics around female rivalries and ambitions when locked in a pressure cooker of what society expects. In this dark dystopian post-apocalyptic kingdom of Sansara, it's the same old tale: women only have worth if they are beautiful and pliant. Deviate from the norm at your peril. If it sounds a familiar tale, it both is and isn't. The sprawling cast and concept really intrigued; though there were some caveats I had about the execution, it kept me wanting to know how the story would end.
We don't start off straight away with the young characters of the blurb, but instead see them through the eyes of their elders. Mistress Nora Plum is head of the Institute where girls are sent to be molded into what society wants them to be dependant on their looks; Winifred, Sorcha and Marcella are mothers to girls being sent into her care; Cornelia the instructor for the coveted Tier One group made up of only those with the greatest potential; and Paige, the embittered tutor of Tier Two. Each of them have their own perspectives to bring about the dangers of the Institute, and while I could feel a little lost by how "tell more than show" quite a lot of their recollections were, especially in relation to the future protagonists' meeting, they give us a lot of insight into how women fit into their world. You can't help but feel for them as they position themselves in Sansara's cage and foreshadow the roles their young charges will have to fill.
In part two, we get to watch the girls as they pass from year to year in the Institute. The steely Elora, caring Odette, and pure Disney princess material Rose are all at the top of Tier One, and while that should have them at each other's throats, the defy the odds. Their relationship isn't exactly heart-warming stuff given the circumstances (and again a lot of being told rather than shown how they fit together) but it keeps up the tension and unease.
Part three? Oh… You knew it was coming. You can't fault the steady sickening build of foreshadowing as the girls age out of the Institute and become the members of society they're supposed to be.
Everything is very heavily centered on world building, the characters just ways of exploring the horrible "what if" of a world where a woman's worth is only in her natural beauty and her ability to hold on to it (and hold down her rivals) at any social cost. It's no Hunger Games, but that doesn't make the figurative catty backstabbings any less hurtful.
I enjoyed (if that's the right word for so dark a themed academy story) the three main girls' POVs the most, especially during part two where they dealt with demons both inside and out as they passed through the Institute. The writing is engaging, though the odd cutting up of sentences could throw the flow for me somewhat.
While there's a lot of intrigue and darkness to the concept, I couldn't help but wish for a little more "active" time, especially when characters were forming friendships. Sometimes what we're told and what we're shown seems contradictory. I was also confused as to how most of the characters have the same tone of voice, and came across as a bit of a YA good/kind/understanding type or a nasty/unfair/baddie type. I guess after the blurb and the mature tone of the beginning, I'd expected something more in terms of character relationships.
Regardless, that ending… While some of it could feel a little rushed and convenient given the struggles of the story so far, our characters get what's coming to them even if it's not always an easy read. Trust me, you'll be thinking on what became of who and why for a long time afterwards. Some of it is pretty hard reading, even more so when you reflect back on how the story began.
A darkly thoughtful YA dystopia dealing with weighty issues that makes you think... And pray that the panoptic misogynist "what if" could never come to pass.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
A long and winding tale spanning many years and many characters, The Golden Cage doesn't shy away from the difficult topics around female rivalries and ambitions when locked in a pressure cooker of what society expects. In this dark dystopian post-apocalyptic kingdom of Sansara, it's the same old tale: women only have worth if they are beautiful and pliant. Deviate from the norm at your peril. If it sounds a familiar tale, it both is and isn't. The sprawling cast and concept really intrigued; though there were some caveats I had about the execution, it kept me wanting to know how the story would end.
We don't start off straight away with the young characters of the blurb, but instead see them through the eyes of their elders. Mistress Nora Plum is head of the Institute where girls are sent to be molded into what society wants them to be dependant on their looks; Winifred, Sorcha and Marcella are mothers to girls being sent into her care; Cornelia the instructor for the coveted Tier One group made up of only those with the greatest potential; and Paige, the embittered tutor of Tier Two. Each of them have their own perspectives to bring about the dangers of the Institute, and while I could feel a little lost by how "tell more than show" quite a lot of their recollections were, especially in relation to the future protagonists' meeting, they give us a lot of insight into how women fit into their world. You can't help but feel for them as they position themselves in Sansara's cage and foreshadow the roles their young charges will have to fill.
In part two, we get to watch the girls as they pass from year to year in the Institute. The steely Elora, caring Odette, and pure Disney princess material Rose are all at the top of Tier One, and while that should have them at each other's throats, the defy the odds. Their relationship isn't exactly heart-warming stuff given the circumstances (and again a lot of being told rather than shown how they fit together) but it keeps up the tension and unease.
Part three? Oh… You knew it was coming. You can't fault the steady sickening build of foreshadowing as the girls age out of the Institute and become the members of society they're supposed to be.
Everything is very heavily centered on world building, the characters just ways of exploring the horrible "what if" of a world where a woman's worth is only in her natural beauty and her ability to hold on to it (and hold down her rivals) at any social cost. It's no Hunger Games, but that doesn't make the figurative catty backstabbings any less hurtful.
I enjoyed (if that's the right word for so dark a themed academy story) the three main girls' POVs the most, especially during part two where they dealt with demons both inside and out as they passed through the Institute. The writing is engaging, though the odd cutting up of sentences could throw the flow for me somewhat.
While there's a lot of intrigue and darkness to the concept, I couldn't help but wish for a little more "active" time, especially when characters were forming friendships. Sometimes what we're told and what we're shown seems contradictory. I was also confused as to how most of the characters have the same tone of voice, and came across as a bit of a YA good/kind/understanding type or a nasty/unfair/baddie type. I guess after the blurb and the mature tone of the beginning, I'd expected something more in terms of character relationships.
Regardless, that ending… While some of it could feel a little rushed and convenient given the struggles of the story so far, our characters get what's coming to them even if it's not always an easy read. Trust me, you'll be thinking on what became of who and why for a long time afterwards. Some of it is pretty hard reading, even more so when you reflect back on how the story began.
A darkly thoughtful YA dystopia dealing with weighty issues that makes you think... And pray that the panoptic misogynist "what if" could never come to pass.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
July 14, 2023
I stayed up WAY past my bedtime to finish The Golden Cage by Kate L. Mary. It was well worth being tired the next morning. In the tradition of Margaret Atwood, it’s a next generation Handmaid's Tale. Unlike Atwood’s classic, it has a slightly (and I do mean slightly) more overtly hopeful ending.
The Golden Cage is a masterclass in world building that infects the reader with its horrifying worldview. Once in place, its the lens through which the reader perceive the characters. I don't remotely ascribe to the values of Sansarra, where a woman’s highest purpose is to serve men. She should be beautiful, compliant, and selfless, with the cream of the crop looking like super models and the plain and ugly reviled as Untouchables. The world is so well crafted, and the “prize” is so relentlessly pursued and desired, that I couldn’t help seeing the characters through the society’s lens. Odette, one of the three main characters, is re-classed from the top (super model) tier to the middle (regular model) tier because she's three pounds too heavy. Three pounds. And guess what? I kept picturing her as chubby, a little roly poly. Not overweight, but getting there. And then I’d realize what I was doing and remind myself it wasn’t so. And then I’d do it again! The depth of the world building, and the characters’ internalization of the values of their society were so strong that I’ve finished the book and I’m still picturing her as a chubby, roly poly, heading toward overweight woman, and I’m still correcting myself.
If dystopian fiction is your jam, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND The Golden Cage. Kate L. Mary has created a misogynist dystopia that's a fascinating study of societal values, but more than that, it’s a good story that’s firmly rooted in the experiences of the characters. It’s this that keeps the book from ever veering into being preachy, and will keep you wondering about what happens after the story ends.
The Golden Cage is a masterclass in world building that infects the reader with its horrifying worldview. Once in place, its the lens through which the reader perceive the characters. I don't remotely ascribe to the values of Sansarra, where a woman’s highest purpose is to serve men. She should be beautiful, compliant, and selfless, with the cream of the crop looking like super models and the plain and ugly reviled as Untouchables. The world is so well crafted, and the “prize” is so relentlessly pursued and desired, that I couldn’t help seeing the characters through the society’s lens. Odette, one of the three main characters, is re-classed from the top (super model) tier to the middle (regular model) tier because she's three pounds too heavy. Three pounds. And guess what? I kept picturing her as chubby, a little roly poly. Not overweight, but getting there. And then I’d realize what I was doing and remind myself it wasn’t so. And then I’d do it again! The depth of the world building, and the characters’ internalization of the values of their society were so strong that I’ve finished the book and I’m still picturing her as a chubby, roly poly, heading toward overweight woman, and I’m still correcting myself.
If dystopian fiction is your jam, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND The Golden Cage. Kate L. Mary has created a misogynist dystopia that's a fascinating study of societal values, but more than that, it’s a good story that’s firmly rooted in the experiences of the characters. It’s this that keeps the book from ever veering into being preachy, and will keep you wondering about what happens after the story ends.
May 28, 2023
A new book from Kate L. Mary, what could go wrong? Actually, nothing at all. Samsara, the world where this story takes place, is a very distorted place, where women are judged by how they look, in here you have, tier one women, that are the most beautiful of all, second tier women, meant to be housewife's and mothers for wealthy men, and third tier women, women that keep the world working for all the rest, and you know what, the less you have, actually the more you have…
At first I was getting a bit lost since each chapter was told by a different women, but eventually I learn who they all where, and their stories made sense put together even thou, we had mothers, teachers, pupils, these are the ones affected by the story and believe me, this is not an easy story to be told, we follow more closely Rose, Odette and Elora, from age 6, when all three were in tier one in the institute till the end of the book, where each one of them go forward their own destiny.
This is a story told in a very personal way, we feel the pain of the characters when we realise how wrong they were and how twisted Samsara really is, even some characters that do some nasty things are kind of redeemed in the end, when the fully consequence of what happened and how that affects the future come to light…
This book has description of rape situation and violence against women, but in a way that is not descriptive, simply let us know that it happened, and after understanding Samsara, it is how things go…
I highly recommend this book to everyone that likes dystopian themes, books told by women points of view, and I really hope that Kate L. Mary will continue the story of this women in the future, because I really wish to know what comes next.
Thank you BookSirens, for the free ARC and this is my honest opinion.
At first I was getting a bit lost since each chapter was told by a different women, but eventually I learn who they all where, and their stories made sense put together even thou, we had mothers, teachers, pupils, these are the ones affected by the story and believe me, this is not an easy story to be told, we follow more closely Rose, Odette and Elora, from age 6, when all three were in tier one in the institute till the end of the book, where each one of them go forward their own destiny.
This is a story told in a very personal way, we feel the pain of the characters when we realise how wrong they were and how twisted Samsara really is, even some characters that do some nasty things are kind of redeemed in the end, when the fully consequence of what happened and how that affects the future come to light…
This book has description of rape situation and violence against women, but in a way that is not descriptive, simply let us know that it happened, and after understanding Samsara, it is how things go…
I highly recommend this book to everyone that likes dystopian themes, books told by women points of view, and I really hope that Kate L. Mary will continue the story of this women in the future, because I really wish to know what comes next.
Thank you BookSirens, for the free ARC and this is my honest opinion.
March 12, 2023
I have to say that this is one of the most disturbing dystopian books I have read in a long, long time. Sansara is an island and (supposedly) the only place left after the Cutoff. The book begins with three six year old girls being taken to the Institute, where they will be grouped into one of three Tiers. Of course, all of them hope to be in Tier One. But, that group is only for the most beautiful and most talented.
The story follows each of these girls through their years at the Institute. Rose, Odette and Elora are roommates and friends, but the competition becomes more intense as the years progress. Who will come out on top and be named as the Jewel of Sansara?
The truth of Sansara and the way women are treated is slowly revealed and the glamour at the top may not be the wonderful prize that everyone thinks. The girls have been trained to please men, no matter what happens. And, the horrors behind the scenes are not something that anyone could be trained to withstand.
For me, the mark of a truly great book is how I feel while I am reading it and how long it affects me after finishing it. I had to wait a few days after the end of this book to write my review because I just had to process what I had read. The author has done a great job in conveying the emotions of the main characters while also writing a book that points out what society is doing to its young people in promoting intense competition. I will definitely remember this book for a long, long time.
The story follows each of these girls through their years at the Institute. Rose, Odette and Elora are roommates and friends, but the competition becomes more intense as the years progress. Who will come out on top and be named as the Jewel of Sansara?
The truth of Sansara and the way women are treated is slowly revealed and the glamour at the top may not be the wonderful prize that everyone thinks. The girls have been trained to please men, no matter what happens. And, the horrors behind the scenes are not something that anyone could be trained to withstand.
For me, the mark of a truly great book is how I feel while I am reading it and how long it affects me after finishing it. I had to wait a few days after the end of this book to write my review because I just had to process what I had read. The author has done a great job in conveying the emotions of the main characters while also writing a book that points out what society is doing to its young people in promoting intense competition. I will definitely remember this book for a long, long time.
November 3, 2025
unfinished manuscript?
I enjoyed the characters of this story very much. The world didn’t entirely make sense (the poor living in the very center of the city, for example) as very little was explained other than the institute. I almost wish less time had been spent on the school and more time was spent on the larger world. There was a lot of very repetitive paragraphs in this book. We would learn about something through one character and then learn it the exact same way from the other characters with exactly the same wording. I started getting bored and flipping through the conversations that would outline the same concepts described in the prior chapter with the exact same words.
Also, the copy I got from kindle unlimited did not seem to be proofread as there were several errors that made it hard to follow at times.
Definitely a very creative world and compelling characters. It would benefit greatly from an editor to catch those small errors and tighten up how frequently things are repeated. Good bones.
I enjoyed the characters of this story very much. The world didn’t entirely make sense (the poor living in the very center of the city, for example) as very little was explained other than the institute. I almost wish less time had been spent on the school and more time was spent on the larger world. There was a lot of very repetitive paragraphs in this book. We would learn about something through one character and then learn it the exact same way from the other characters with exactly the same wording. I started getting bored and flipping through the conversations that would outline the same concepts described in the prior chapter with the exact same words.
Also, the copy I got from kindle unlimited did not seem to be proofread as there were several errors that made it hard to follow at times.
Definitely a very creative world and compelling characters. It would benefit greatly from an editor to catch those small errors and tighten up how frequently things are repeated. Good bones.
May 2, 2024
Have you ever read a book and been angry that its not more popular than it is?
Kate Mary's The Golden Cage should be a viral hit. It should be the next big thing.
In Sansara, beauty is everything. Women are separated at age six, sent to the Institute, and grouped based on their beauty into Tier One, Two, and Three. And every tier has a specific duty to Sansara that they train for. We start off meeting the mothers of our main characters and watching them interact with their daughters. The we follow the girls through The Institute as they train for their positions, vie for the top spots, meet friends and make enemies along the way. Then we follow their lives after the institute as they learn what their positions really mean.
This book was gripping, introspective, and emotional. It has the allure of dystopian what-if, drama, outrage, and angst. It was a 10 out of 10 for depth and mental/emotional weight and engagement.
Kate is a mastermind in this one.
Kate Mary's The Golden Cage should be a viral hit. It should be the next big thing.
In Sansara, beauty is everything. Women are separated at age six, sent to the Institute, and grouped based on their beauty into Tier One, Two, and Three. And every tier has a specific duty to Sansara that they train for. We start off meeting the mothers of our main characters and watching them interact with their daughters. The we follow the girls through The Institute as they train for their positions, vie for the top spots, meet friends and make enemies along the way. Then we follow their lives after the institute as they learn what their positions really mean.
This book was gripping, introspective, and emotional. It has the allure of dystopian what-if, drama, outrage, and angst. It was a 10 out of 10 for depth and mental/emotional weight and engagement.
Kate is a mastermind in this one.
November 13, 2024
Spellbinding!
An amazing read. Life in a perfectly organized and ordered society. Girls begin their education at a residential school at age 6. They are evaluated on their looks first to be divided into 3 tiers. Training,competing, being evaluated and judged until they reach 18. Each girl vying to be number 1, the Jewel of Sansara so they can live the life of luxury and prestige the title brings.
Kate L. Mary takes us into their world, where a woman's purpose is to do her duty to her country, whatever it demands because that is her place; and her country is for the men. Gradually, the cruelty and the reality of their world becomes more clear as her characters grow. All is definitely not as it seems. A Golden Cage is still a cage. A powerful gut punch of a novel set in a 'what if' world.
An amazing read. Life in a perfectly organized and ordered society. Girls begin their education at a residential school at age 6. They are evaluated on their looks first to be divided into 3 tiers. Training,competing, being evaluated and judged until they reach 18. Each girl vying to be number 1, the Jewel of Sansara so they can live the life of luxury and prestige the title brings.
Kate L. Mary takes us into their world, where a woman's purpose is to do her duty to her country, whatever it demands because that is her place; and her country is for the men. Gradually, the cruelty and the reality of their world becomes more clear as her characters grow. All is definitely not as it seems. A Golden Cage is still a cage. A powerful gut punch of a novel set in a 'what if' world.
April 13, 2025
This took me a month to get through because I didn’t enjoy reading it until I was about 70% through. The concept is really great, but in my opinion, the execution just simply was not there. There was no need to have 10+ POVs throughout the book. I may be wrong, but I don’t think 6 year olds are having the conversations and feelings that the author made these 6 year olds have. In the forward, the author says oh this needed to be so long but it really didn’t tbh. The prologue pretty much ruined any suspense towards the relationship between two of the girls. Lastly, in an effort to make it abundantly clear what she meant by writing this, the author was a bit too on the nose about everything, I don’t think I needed to be reiterated how bad the society was, but she continued to do so.
March 8, 2023
A harrowing tale you don't want to miss!
The Golden Cage is unlike anything I usually read, but I am so glad I did! The story follows the lives of three women as they compete for the best placement Sansara has to offer - then reveals the truth behind each of these positions. The stories are gripping, heartbreaking, and stunningly told. It's a harrowing tale that reiterates the old adage, "Be careful what you wish for." It's a must-read in my book!
Be aware, this book is not for the faint of heart. The author doesn't shy away from hard topics, including verbal, physical, and sexual abuse, as well as sexual slavery. If these topics make you uneasy, I recommend avoiding this book.
The Golden Cage is unlike anything I usually read, but I am so glad I did! The story follows the lives of three women as they compete for the best placement Sansara has to offer - then reveals the truth behind each of these positions. The stories are gripping, heartbreaking, and stunningly told. It's a harrowing tale that reiterates the old adage, "Be careful what you wish for." It's a must-read in my book!
Be aware, this book is not for the faint of heart. The author doesn't shy away from hard topics, including verbal, physical, and sexual abuse, as well as sexual slavery. If these topics make you uneasy, I recommend avoiding this book.
March 15, 2023
I love it when Kate takes us into future worlds. They are not often comfortable places to be...but they are definitely interesting. It's hard to believe, but I didn't really figure out the plot until near the end. The women were grouped in tiers. These are some hard topics for women, who are mostly always to be submissive...but, by golly, this is one of the best books I've read in a while. I'd like to read more, like a next book, but I'm not sure where that would go. Well, yes I do, really, because Kate writes books about champion women. Again, excellent book, lovable characters except for the despicable ones.
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