Gilded Cage

By: Vic James

Narrated by: Avita Jay

From the bestselling author of Sanctuary comes a thrilling Orwellian vision of Britain, with a rebellious Hunger Games heart. Gilded Cage is the astonishing debut novel by Vic James, and the first title in her electrifying The Dark Gifts Trilogy.

A modern Britain.
An age-old cruelty.

Britain's magically skilled aristocracy compels all commoners to serve them for ten years – and now it's the Hadleys' turn. Abi Hadley is assigned to England's most ruthless noble family. The secrets she uncovers could win her freedom – or break her heart. Her brother Luke is enslaved in a brutal factory town, where new friends' ideals might cost him everything.

Then while the elite vie for power, a young aristocrat plots to remake the world with his dark gifts. As Britain moves from anger to defiance, all three must take sides. And the consequences of their choices will change everything, forever.

'A dark and intriguing vision of an alternate, magic-drenched Britain, Gilded Cage kept me up way into the night'– Aliette de Bodard, author of The House of Shattered Wings

Continue the fantasy series with Tarnished City and Bright Ruin.

Critic reviews

Beautifully characterised and compellingly plotted, Gilded Cage is an impressive debut

A dazzling addition to the growing genre of alternative historical fiction, James's first novel has the added bonus of compelling page-turnability

I really enjoyed this. It was a fast-paced, entertaining story, in a world that left me wanting to find out more. I will definitely be getting the next book when it comes out (Genevieve Cogman, author of The Invisible Library)

A dark and intriguing vision of an alternate, magic-drenched Britain, Gilded Cage kept me up way into the night (Aliette de Bodard, author of The House of Shattered Wings)

Devious and deliciously dark with lashings of magic, mystery and mayhem, this juggernaut of a book will keep you hanging on by your fingernails until the very last page (Taran Matharu, bestselling author of the Summoner series)

James's dystopian debut, the first part in her Dark Gifts trilogy, addresses issues of inequality that seem all to pertinent

It’s smart, engrossing and incredibly snappily written, with so many compelling characters and pulse-quickening situations that the whole book just flies by. We apologise for the cliché, but it is that good

The historical parallels are too delicious to ignore . . . one can’t help but anticipate the next novel in the series

Brisk plotting, sympathetic characters, and plenty of intrigue will keep readers on the edges of their seats, eager for the next book in a very promising series

An absorbing first installment that presages an intriguing new fantasy series.

Gilded Cage offers a fresh take on a popular genre. James' world is as compelling as her prose and as cleverly constructed. Told by a diverse cast of characters from various echelons of society, Gilded Cage is an unputdownable story . . . it's truly a gem

Ms. James writes with the skill of someone who has been an author for decades. I was blown away by how beautiful the prose was . . . In the end I was left emotionally spent and wanting another book to read immediately

Twists and turns make this hard to set down

The most intriguing political fantasy premise since The Hunger Games . . . While the premise is unique, James’ addictive storytelling echoes the strongest qualities of a few of the political YA series of recent years