Gild

The Plated PrisonerGildRaven Kennedy

Oct 11

Written By Ally Talley

The Plated Prisoner #1

By Raven Kennedy

TheStory

As a child, Auren was rescued from her horrible life by King Midas, after which he touched her and turned into a living, breathing golden statue. As she was his most most prized possession, he placed her in a gilded cage in his castle. While Auren sees this cage as his love for her and protection over her, she still feels isolated and unsure.

Even though Auren loves King Midas and wants to see the bright side of her life in her cage, a cage is a cage, no matter how gilded. When her life shifts on a dime, Auren might find herself wishing she’d never desired to be released from her golden prison.

TheReview

Choosing to start this book was such a big decision because of everything I’d heard about it online, from friends, and in reviews. It sounded fantastic, but it also sounded traumatizing and maybe even a little too much for me.

SURPRISE!

I fell in love and didn’t find it horrifying in any way.

The horror is baked into the power structure and women’s inability to access power or true and complete autonomy. Rather than relying on the villains doing the most extreme evil possible every time someone enters a scene, the evil lies in the idea that women are commodities to be possessed, owned, bought, and sold.

Sometimes it was a dark place to live in while reading it, but knowing that horror is what prepares the reader for the arc that is coming throughout the series. Additionally, the book was written in such a way that Auren’s mindset and thought process surrounding her circumstances are clear and comprehensible without making every single scene and thought in her head be overwhelmingly dark.

All that being said, let’s get into the review!

The very beginning gives an in-depth look into Auren’s situation and the sadness of it all. It’s not over the top with the world building, but you do get a good breakdown of the world, kingdoms, castle, and power structure, as well as a deep look into Auren’s state of mind.

There is enough of a mystery surrounding Midas and his intentions that you can’t help but wonder what we aren’t being told. Knowing that there is more I wasn’t being told totally kept me hooked for continuing the series.

While the beginning is heavily focused on Auren’s imprisonment in the castle, the story slowly grows and shifts to become about more than just her being isolated and questioning her existence.

Once I got about halfway through, I absolutely could not put it down. Simultaneously, I had to put it down every other page because I was freaking out about what might happen next. I needed time to process. This book had me completely on the edge of my seat!

Obviously, Auren is the central focus of the story. She’s a deep and multifaceted character that’s constantly considering what she should be thinking (by the standards of “society”) versus what she is actually thinking. She’s comparing what seems “appropriate” versus what might actually be appropriate in the larger scheme of the universe.

Even though she is the focus, I found myself invested in everyone in the story. King Midas has ulterior motives and perhaps secret intentions. Digby seems like he might end up being a critical character. Even the royal saddles had stories and personalities that I am deeply hoping continue to be part of the storyline going forward.

This whole book served to set the stage for the rest of the series. Like a prequel, but deeper, more meaningful, and insanely interesting.

How anyone could’ve possibly read this book and not wanted to continue the series is beyond me. Even if I didn’t know a romance would be coming later in the series (which I’m sure it is), it was still a fantastic fantasy story.

Basically acting as the prelude to what’s to come, this book was the perfect length. We know where Auren is at and therefore, we are set up to fully understand and appreciate her upcoming journey and what I’m sure will be confusing decisions on her part going forward. The book was better than I ever expected it to be.

My last thought when I finished was, “And the best is yet to come.”

TINY SPOILER FOR DISCLAIMER PURPOSES ONLY

I did say that this book didn’t traumatize me, but that’s not to downplay any scenes in the book. It’s just to say that sexual assault is not the main purpose nor a large part of the book. Women are treated terribly and there is often fear of assault happening. However, there is only a few short moments where any physical assault happens. There is a disturbing rape scene (not the MMC) that is very disturbing and was difficult to read. That being said, it wasn’t written with the sole purpose of traumatizing you. It was written to portray how this world works and the horrors that women face in it simply because they are women and men think they have the right to do with them what they wish. It’s also easy to skim or skip, if you wish to.

FavoriteQuotes

“Does it really matter if your cage is solid gold when you aren’t allowed to leave it? A cage is a cage, no matter how gilded.”

“But memory and ime aren’t friends. They reject each other, they hurry in opposite directions, pulling the binding taut between them, threatening to snap. They fight, and we inexplicably lose. Memory and time. Always losing one as you go on with the other”

“I’m ridiculously fun. You kind of have to be when the only person you hang out with is you. I wouldn’t want to bore myself.”

“[...] what’s a ring when you have a heart?”

“It’s the arrogance of men, to think so little of women. And it’ll be their downfall too.”