Review: The Cage by Megan Shepherd

Summary:

The Maze Runner meets Scott Westerfeld in this gripping new series about teens held captive in a human zoo by an otherworldly race. From Megan Shepherd, the acclaimed author of The Madman's Daughter trilogy.

When Cora Mason wakes in a desert, she doesn't know where she is or who put her there. As she explores, she finds an impossible mix of environments—tundra next to desert, farm next to jungle, and a strangely empty town cobbled together from different cultures—all watched over by eerie black windows. And she isn't alone.

Four other teenagers have also been taken: a beautiful model, a tattooed smuggler, a secretive genius, and an army brat who seems to know too much about Cora's past. None of them have a clue as to what happened, and all of them have secrets. As the unlikely group struggles for leadership, they slowly start to trust each other. But when their mysterious jailer—a handsome young guard called Cassian—appears, they realize that their captivity is more terrifying than they could ever imagine: Their captors aren't from Earth. And they have taken the five teenagers for an otherworldly zoo—where the exhibits are humans.

As a forbidden attraction develops between Cora and Cassian, she realizes that her best chance of escape might be in the arms of her own jailer—though that would mean leaving the others behind. Can Cora manage to save herself and her companions? And if so . . . what world lies beyond the walls of their cage? 

Publication Date: May 26, 2015

The Cage was a really crazy book. I actually thought the book was going in a totally different direction before the big reveal about the human zoo. I liked the direction the story took, but I did find my interest waning from time to time while I was reading.

The characters were a mixed bag, but I did like the protagonist Cora. She was a good narrator and the chapters told in her point of view were probably my favorites. Lucky was just okay for me, so I didn’t really care for the romance potential with him and Cora. I wasn’t a fan of the love triangle either that develops later on in the book.

The human zoo aspect was thought provoking. I definitely think it brought attention to issues with keeping animals in captivity. The only problem with the plot is it made the pace slow. The characters didn’t normally do too much accept wander around and plot a pointless escape.

The story felt long, but finally picked up during the final quarter. The ending elevated the book enough that I’d likely pick up the sequel to see where Shepherd takes the story.

Rating: 3.5/5 Stars

Thanks to the publisher for a copy of the novel for review!