The Kingdom is a Golden Cage

The Red Kingdom #1

by Lilly Inkwood

Once upon a time there was a princess, locked in a tower, forced to bend to her father’s will… But Celine is no ordinary princess, and she has no intention of being a damsel in distress. Celine has a lover, Hugo, whose cunning plan to rescue her is tied up in his own ambition to reclaim the lands and title that are his birthright. If only they can break the spell that binds him to the body of a cat, they will free the kingdom from the grasp of a cruel witch and live happily ever after… For the plan to succeed, they must rely on Hugo’s cousin, Philippe, to whom Celine must bind herself in marriage until Hugo can be reinstated. It’s a risk to trust him, but it soon becomes clear that this is the least of their problems, because this is a land of shapeshifters, magic, and illusion, where nothing is as it seems, even the truth. This is Puss in Boots with the intrigue and backstabbing of Game of Thrones . A fairytale, but not as you know it…

Genres: Fantasy, Retellings, Fairy Tales, Young Adult

463 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 17, 2023

About the author

Lilly Inkwood is a romantasy/historical fantasy writer. She’s the author of The Red Kingdom Series.

Lilly always wanted to write books, ever since she penned (literally, with a pen) her dozen-page long ‘novel’ in fifth grade. It just took her much too long to realise that she loves fantasy, above all things, and especially romantasy.

She also writes historical fiction as Patricia Adrian. Her novel ‘The Bletchley Women’ is a USA Today Bestseller.

Books:

The Red Kingdom Series:
The Kingdom Is a Golden Cage - Book 1
Rise of the Fallen Court - Book 2

The Three Kingdoms Series:
Huntress of the Hallowed Forest - Book 1

Reviews

[Connie · Rating 2 out of 5]

The idea had promise, but the execution fell short..

I like the idea of a Puss In Boots retelling, but I found the story to be lacking in depth, development, and world-building. As a result, I was unable to fully immerse myself in the narrative.

***Thank you to NetGalley, Lilly Inkwood, and HarperCollins UK for graciously sending me the ARC to review. As always, all thoughts are my own.***

[BookSpokenly · Rating 3 out of 5]

The premise of this book is very intriguing. A fairytale retelling where a princess’ love is gone, and she must marry his cousin to secure her future, don’t mind if I do. That is right up my alley, and I was enthusiastic when I picked up the book. Unfortunately, this book did not live up to my expectations and I left a little disappointed.

We are following two points of view, Celine, the princess, and Magali, mother of the duke. Celine has lost her great love, Hugo and is bestowed to the Duke, Mael, against her will. She will do anything to change the course of her life, when we learn the Duke has been killed. She must then face marrying the Duke’s cousin, who is also the cousin of her love, Hugo.

Overall, the best word that I have to describe this book is confusing. The history behind this book was confusing, the writing and storytelling were confusing, the characters were confusing, the structure of the multiple points of view was confusing. I went back to the beginning of the book even towards the end trying to figure out how the characters fit together.

There were short blurbs about each character and their family ties in the beginning, which helped, but there were quite a few times that referencing this felt more like I was studying for a history exam, not reading a fantasy book. Ultimately it felt like those blurbs were a rather poor way to get around truly telling the history and explaining it in an interesting manner; a cheat, if you will, that did not do the book any favors.

It broke the fourth wall to tell the reader history, which was, again, confusing. It felt very much like it was telling the reader rather than showing and ultimately felt so out of place it didn’t add anything to the overall story.

The book attempted twists and turns and revelations, but it held so many secrets that when they came rather than feeling like the actual story took a turn, it just felt like I finally got a missing piece of information. I wanted to be immersed in the history and truly understand it so that the twists would add to the story, but all they accomplished was making me feel mildly less confused.

I wanted more romance, but even the romantic relationship lacked any depth or dimension and if it had been left entirely out of the story, I don’t know that it would have changed anything. The spice was, well not there. It was disconcerting to have it hinted at and then have a chapter abruptly end and the next chapter starts after the fact.

I was also very unclear on what genre this was targeting. It felt a bit YA, but also like it was trying to be high fantasy and didn’t really land on solid ground in any genre.

By the end of the book, I did want to know what happened, but I didn’t like a single character. I think I wanted to know what happened more because of my own time investment in the book than any investment in the characters.

I received an advance reader copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Bella Toric · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was really excited to pick up this book to read because the premise of it just sounded absolutely amazing. And while some parts of the book were, I found that where parts were well done other spaces lacked. The plot of a reimagining Puss and Boots was done really well but in some parts of the story I found that the characters were too 2D and I didn't get a good glimpse into who they were as people and why they were motivated to do certain things throughout the book.

Most of the time, I was left wondering if the main characters really liked each other, and by the end I was still slightly confused if they did in fact like one another. This book had a wide array of information dumps throughout it that sometimes broke my concentration on the characters and trying to understand them, which definitely made it trickier to read.

Because I enjoyed the premise, I will be keeping an eye out for more books by Lily to check out in the future!

Thank you NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Nelli Lakatos · Rating 1 out of 5]

I usually don't like to listen to bad reviews or a low avarage rating on Goodreads but with this book they were totally right. 2.72 star rating in avarage on Goodreads is literally the lowest I've seen so far and as browsing through the reviews I agree with the lower ratings. I felt myself thrown into a story without proper world building, backstory or explanations at all. I was so confused and nothing gripped me in particular that would lead me to actually want to finish this book.

Puss in Boots retelling sounded such a great idea and I usually love fairytales but this one unfortunately was a huge disappointment.

[Devika · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Puss in Boots retelling is not one you see very often, but this book just brings it to you. The Kingdom is a Golden Cage is the debut of Lilly Inkwood, however she also has published some books under another name. I have never heard of her before but was curious about this unique retelling. What will this story bring?

This retelling is really unique. It is not like something I have ever read before. Everything about this book is well-balanced which is amazing to see in a debut. Lilly Inkwood really knows how to write a good story and the fairytale vibes just gave it that little extra thing.

Check out my full review on my blog Boekensteeg

[Irrivarti · Rating 2 out of 5]

Всю книгу ходять туди-сюди й розмовляють. Немає екшенц чи подій, лише інтриги, які розв'язуються відкриттям чогось нового в діалогах або появою нового персонажа. Спершу здавалося цікавим та захопливим, але потім просто набридло. Плаский світ і персонажі ніби герої з сімс, у яких всього дві-три риси характеру й одна модель поведінки

[Librow0rm Christine · Rating 1 out of 5]

Thank you Harper Collins U.K., One More Chapter and NetGalley for the arc of The Kingdom is a Golden Cage by Lily Inkwood in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

This book sounded intriguing. A Princess has lost her ‘true love’ Hugo, and finds herself having to marry his cousin to salvage her future. It sounded great so, off I popped and dove in. Unfortunately, I can’t say this book lived up to the premise for me.

The story is told from 2 POVs Princess Celine, and Magali, the duke’s mother. The Duke dies in an unfortunate accident, and Celine finds herself in a position of having to marry Phillips as her best hope of saving Hugo.

I don’t know if it’s a case of where my head is right now or how the book is structured but, I found myself in a constant state of confusion. The POVs weren’t an issue, it was more like I felt that I’d started reading the book halfway through, with little or no idea of the background to the world, story or characters.

I often found myself referring to the character summaries at the start of the book but, even then I struggled. Unfortunately, this didn’t do a lot for my enjoyment of the book and I honestly found the multitude of twists and turns that would normally delight me, utterly perplexing. It honestly felt like I was actually just gaining a small clue about the story rather than a twist to surprise and delight.

I can’t say that I loved this book and only finished it because I’d spent so long trying to work it out. Unfortunately this wasn’t the book for me.

[Nicki Markus · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really struggled with The Kingdom is a Golden Cage. I appreciated the premise, which is what drew me to request the book in the first place, but I never felt any deep connection with any of the characters or engaged with the story on anything more than a cursory level. I think some of the issue was the unnecessary complexity, coupled with the frequent info dumps to tell us the history behind events, rather than letting us experience it during the action. The idea was definitely good, but the execution of that idea could have been better handled. I am giving this book three stars. It had some good points, but it didn't entirely come together for me. Probably worth a quick look if you enjoy fairy tale retellings, as Puss in Boots isn't one I've seen done much.

I received this book as a free eBook ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Faye Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Celine is a defiant princess determined to escape her father's control and avoid an unwanted marriage. With the help of her lover Hugo, trapped in the form of a cat, they aim to overthrow the current Duke and reclaim Hugo's rightful lands and title. To succeed, Celine must temporarily marry Hugo's cousin Philippe, a risky alliance in a realm filled with shapeshifters, magic, and deception.

There were initially a lot of different characters to remember, but once I grasped who everyone was, it became so fun figuring out where everyone's allegiances lay, and constantly updating my theories based on new information. It really was Puss in Boots meets Game of Thrones! There were so many moving parts and so many players in the game, that I honestly didn't know where the plot was going in this one. It was refreshing to just go with the flow and to not have guessed the ending in advance. I loved the complexity of everyone's schemes and motivations, and am so excited to see that it's only the start of the chaos given the hints in this book and the awesome ending.

It was a completely unique book, and a unique world, and in a sea of fairytale retellings this one really stood out for me. And although it was inspired by Puss in Boots, it was also completely new and interesting and not afraid to get deep into the plot and into the characters. A lot of fairytale-inspired books stick to the classic fairytale exactly, maybe in a new setting or with one subtle change, but you ultimately know what you're getting. It's so refreshing that this series uses the fairytale inspiration but does so much more with it, and always keeps you on your toes.

I feel like I read this just in time, since the sequel, Rise Of the Fallen Court is coming out at the end of Aug 2024 so I don't have TOO long to wait to binge the sequel and continue this story. I'm excited to see all the further twists and turns and for even more secrets and history to emerge! This is a really exciting series, full of flawed and untrustworthy characters and characters operating on bad information, which makes it so fun and unpredictable! Roll on the next book!

[Janalyn, the blind reviewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

King Mihiel is the father to princess Celine and like most rulers he has decided she will marry Duke Mal a man she has nothing but disdain for. What her father doesn’t know is she is in love with Val‘s twin brother who has been turned into a cat. The other thing the king doesn’t know is that Celine and Hugh have a plan. Val and Hugh are twins it’s so they were both in line to gain the dukedom but Vals mother Magdaley and holes the magic talisman that will turn Hue back into the handsome man he was first they’ll have to put their plan into motion and introduced another possible heir to the dukedom and try and get rid of the current one but like all plants things go awry but not for Philip he is The other possible air because his mom Isabel is is the older sister of the twins father the only thing is Philip has been raised on a farm because the possibility of him inheriting was slim to none and so he doesn’t have the smooth gentleman Lee manners that one would expect from a duke but needs must in so we get introduced to Philip but the beginning of this book looks vastly different from the ending and in the interim we learn how Celine and Hugh became friends at the school for magic it’s so much more I just want to say after reading the whole book and getting to the book notes and Lily Inkwood doing the mic drop with the whole info about the queen… Because OMG there’s going to be a queen really made me Thirsty for the next book not to mention I have so many questions about the blue kingdom and medley sister but I guess I’ll have to wait S4 S the kingdom is a golden cage by Lilly Inkwood the red Kingdom book one I definitely highly recommend it I Have recently became a fan of fantasy books and must say this is the best one I have read so far there is so much involved in the story and so many unanswered questions I only hope miss Incwood is a fast writer because I will be impatiently waiting. This is definitely a five star fantasy novel and I feel so lucky I got to read it as an early reader. I want to thank Net Galley AN HarperCollins one more chapter for my free arc copy please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

[Maike · Rating 2 out of 5]

Boring?

[Ronni Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

At first, I found this book to be a little hard going, but slowly the story pulled me into it's world.  There are plots within plots and plans within plans.

Along the way there are hopes and dreams shattered, perhaps along with a chance for a happy ever after ending for our 2 main characters. 

Just when you think you have worked out who is working with who and what their intentions are you are proved wrong.

Despite my first impression, I did thoroughly enjoy this read.

[Mana · Rating 3 out of 5]

A new adaptation of the folktale Puss in Boots, in which it is revealed how the princess was tricked into getting married and why she consented to wed a man she hardly knew, let alone loved. Because this princess has a strong magical cast and a mind of her own.

Hugo, Celine's lover, has a sophisticated scheme to save her that is intertwined with his desire to restore the lands and titles that are his destiny. They will be able to release the kingdom from the control of a wicked witch and live happily ever after if they can just remove the enchantment that has him trapped in a cat's body.

Celine must tie herself in matrimony with Philippe until Hugo can be reinstalled in order for the scheme to be successful. It takes courage to believe him, but it soon becomes apparent that this is the least of their issues given that this is a country of illusion, magic, and shapeshifters where nothing is as it seems, not even the truth.

The Kingdom is a Golden Cage is not only a love story, but it is also multi-layered and with many twists and turns, and it reads like a spy thriller. The author, Lilly Inkwood, is a huge Game of Thrones enthusiast, and her work reflects this.

Legends are created around specific individuals, and there are a lot of rumors, magic, plotting, and backstabbing.

Fantasy novels have long been praised for their ability to transport readers to imaginary worlds where anything is possible. These novels often explore themes of good versus evil, heroism, and the power of imagination. They allow readers to escape reality and delve into worlds far different from their own, providing an opportunity for reflection and contemplation.

Magnificent read for all who want to be transported to a captivating imaginary world.

[Annette]

DNF @ 21%

I don't like not finishing books. Especially not books that should have been written for me. A fairytale retelling, Game of Thrones elements, Puss in Boots. The moment I got the invitation in my mailbox to read this book I didn't hesitate and grabbed my copy from Netgalley.

But the moment I started I had the feeling I was missing information. I was constantly confused. I couldn't tell the characters apart. The backstory didn't make enough of an impression to stick. We got loads of information and no idea why we needed this information. It felt like the story lacked direction and I couldn't care less about the goals of the characters. I know better than anyone that stories like this need time to get better. I know better than anyone that sometimes a book makes the struggle with the beginning worth it once you reach the end. At the moment I'm however mentally not in the right place to read and struggle through books I'm not enjoying from the start.

So, if you really wanna know if the confusing start of the book, with loads of information, characters, history and background, is worth it in the end, please check out the reviews of those who did finish the book. Maybe I will also give this book another shot at a later time when I'm feeling different.

[Briana Shaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed The Kingdom Is A Golden Cage. I was hooked from the very beginning and couldn’t put it down. This book is released August 17, 2023. Thank you to Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter, Lilly Inkwood and Netgalley for an opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.

[Annette · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought the book starts a bit slow. It does pick up before the half way point and ends with a bang. There’s lots of secrets and court intrigue. I liked it more than I thought I would. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy

[alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was excited to pick up this book because of the fairytale retelling. Some of my favorite books this year have been those, and I wanted to see how Puss-in-Boots could be done. While I did see the whole picture of what the author was trying to do, I got lost at times. The premise was great, but the actual details of the story are lost on me.

I enjoyed the story's dual POV and thought choosing Celine, the younger duchess, versus Magali, the older duchess, was a great choice. Although, Magali's POV was sometimes bland compared to Celine's. I know that Magali was supposed to keep her secrets to herself until the big reveal towards the end, but there could have been a lot more done.

Phillipe and Celine had their ups and downs as love interests as well. While reading, I sometimes could not understand whether they genuinely liked one another. The romance was not the story's driving force, though, so it was not a big deal. That said, I hope the next book provides more insight into their relationship and true feelings for one another.

I want to see where the story will go, especially after the ending! The twist was great, in my opinion. This book comes out on August 17th, 2023. Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Collins UK, and One More Chapter for the ARC!

[Fedythereader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the author and the publisher, One More Chapter, for sharing an ARC copy of this book with me on NetGalley!!

“It's the power of the sea, unleashed, wiping it all away. Be the sea, Celine.
Remember who you are.”

Definitely not what I was expecting. I am still a bit unsure about how to handle everything that happened in this book. I really enjoyed the general cousins’ rivalry and the magical aspect of the book. Those powers are really great. But there was a lot of political intrigues and shape-shifters in it that sometimes can make you loose track of who’s talking to who. I am not going to lie. I had a bit of an hard time getting into the story but once I was there I enjoyed the ride and it was a good fantasy book to loose oneself into. Especially with the romantic undertones (which we’re not really minimal but played a really relevant part into the whole plot). I am quite curious about how the story will develop from now on !!

“Because the pieces are beginning to slot into place.
Everyone had a place. From the very beginning.”

[Victoria Schell · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Kingsom is a Golden Cage is a fantasy mixed with intrigue young adult novel. Celine embarks on a dangerous plan that would not only free her as a pawn, but also free tue one she loves from a spell that prevents them from being together. After all he has been magically bound in his count form. However, there are other plans in play and Celine doesn't know all the pieces like she thinks she does. It's an intriguing story full of twists that keels the reading hanging on until the end and waiting for the next book in the series.

I enjoyed this story. The dual point of view between Celine and Magali, who is portrayed as the main antagonist. In the beginning I was very annoyed with Celine's personality as she definitely came across as a spoiled brat. It's unfortunate that she didn't truly change until the very end of the book. Hopefully she continues to mature in the next book.

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book in a new fantasy series and I am looking forward to reading the other books. Celine is a princess in a kingdom where she will not become a queen and has been avoiding marriage for five years because her heart is tied to her first love who has disappeared. When he reappears as a talking cat with a plan to be restored to his normal shape, she willingly goes along. It turns out that there is more going on than she realizes and you will need to read the book to learn about all the intrigue.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

***2.0 Stars***

Overall,
The idea of this book is really very intriguing. I mean there are not very many Puss and Boots retellings out there as far as I know. The problem arises with the fact that there is no depth to the world, characters or story in general. It also felt very choppy. In that I mean at times I was incredibly confused and then boom info dump. I can see a lot of potential here it just honestly misses the mark for me.

[Marcia - itsabookthing2021 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley and Publishers for the eARC

The Kingdom is A Golden Cage is a retelling of Puss in Boots of sorts and it was definitely an interesting read.
I felt the pacing of the story was slow in parts but the storyline was executed well and the writing was great. I really enjoyed this book, so much so that I bought the pretty special edition of it.

[Stephanie Hutton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Magic, mayhem and intrigue with twists and turns

This is the Puss in Boots story but not as you know it! Women are centred and complex in this enjoyable, engulfing novel. I was totally absorbed in this world and Princess Celine’s dilemmas, piecing the puzzle together. The excellent writing is playful with hints of what is to come in future books in the series.

[Robynreads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really impressive and unique retelling of the classic Puss in Boots. Loved the way it was written and the characters were well rounded and interesting. I could not put it down!

[MiniDee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wasn't expecting much when I heard what it's supposed to be. But the story took me by surprise. I like the female power angle, the choice to do or not do the right thing and the ambiguity of it and all the fast paced storytelling. And all the characters' chain of thoughts made so much sense.

[Mercedes · Rating 3 out of 5]

A retelling of Puss and Booth with twists,
Celine is a princess locked in a tower and Hugo is in a cat because of a curse.
Lots of drama,twists.
Voluntary reviewed.

[Em · Rating 2 out of 5]

‘The Kingdom is a Golden Cage’ by Lilly Inkwood - 2/5 ⭐️

This was my first ever ARC and I was super excited to dive in, especially based on the premise. Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Collins UK, One Last Chapter, and Lilly Inkwood for the opportunity to read this in exchange for a review ❤️

A puss-in-boots retelling with ‘intrigue and backstabbing’ is how it’s advertised, and I was super curious to see how it was executed.

Turns out it wasn’t done too well in my opinion.

The first few pages of the book quickly explain that the talking cat of this tale used to be a man, and is now trapped in a cat’s body. He desperately wants to be free so that the Princess he’s in love with can… ahem… be with him.

There’s some uncomfortable, tense cat-stroking which is not fun.

It also opens on a glossary of historical figures from the setting, and every other chapter someone says ‘Let me tell you a story.’ and then gives you LOADS of historical information. It’s not good at letting you learn about the world through things in the world - it gets shoved in your face and you’re expected to retain it.

What I liked about it was the dual POV - a young princess and an older matriarch who are both playing very different political games is a really cool structure. Also, there are moments that were somewhat absurd and funny - how intentional this was, I’m not sure, but there’s a scene where a Princess thinks she’s being really slick by looking through someone’s room whilst on a guided tour of the palace. And the person she’s with is like ‘…why are you going through someone’s stuff?’. Made me chuckle!

The characters tend to have lines that they repeat over and over again, too. I’m not sure how I feel about this - I think it needs to be done more confidently, but it has the potential to be almost lyrical. The way one of the characters repeats ‘Guilt weighs heavily in my pocket’ over and over throughout her sections, for example. It’s an interesting choice.

All in all, this book is confusing. It’s hard to comprehend the world because it’s explained poorly, and there are so many twists that I got lost and confused with the events and intrigue. There’s nothing unique about the magic system and the romance is middling.

Unfortunately, this one is really not for me and I won’t be picking up the others in the series. It’s perhaps worth flicking through if retellings of fairy tales are a special interest of yours, and I hope the other books in the series improve on the promising concept!

[Charlotte Eagers · Rating 1 out of 5]

Lessons to be learned: sometimes you can trust other reviewers even though it does sound like a book you should like. Also, don’t waste almost a month reading a book that you felt like DNF-ing within a few days.

Don’t waste your time guys. From the complete lack of world-building to the overly complex 500+ characters that you have no knowledge or understanding of other than a ‘character bio’ at the beginning of the book. And to add to the frustration - there’s no real resolution because apparently this is the first in a series of books?!

Will I read the rest in this series? No.

And it’s a shame, as at times, Lilly’s writing was beautiful. But there was no explanation to what was happening for too much of the book. Maybe she was let down by the team around her who should have questioned this?

Ultimately, very disappointing for only my second read of 2024.

[Jenna Deaton · Rating 4 out of 5]

The kingdom is a Golden Cage by Lilly Inkwood is a fantasy book that gives off dark fable vibes .
What I loved
-Puss and boots inspired and goodness the way I squealed when I realized that
-Atmospheric world building work
-characters I instantly grew attached to
What didn't work as well for me
-Writing style was slightly repetitive which damaged the pacing of the story overall
Who I recommend this title for
This book reads like a love letter to fans of retelling and as such those who love classic fairy tales are likely to have a good time here.

[Emily Neilsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I tried an out my usual book and I am so very glad that I did. It was just amazing. The characters and the story and the whole thing was just a magical experience that I would like to have again.