It's an intriguing premise that, unfortunately, didn't quite hit the mark. Vast, inter-connected, twisty plots can be done very effectively, and Inkwood tried to do this here, but instead of being totally sucked in to the various elements, I was left a bit confused about what exactly was going on, and why. When a story leaves me with so many questions throughout, it can be hard to keep going, and while this wasn't my favourite fantasy book this year, there is promise!

This book offers a delightful addition to the fantasy genre’s fairy tale-inspired narratives, unfolding with the allure of a captivating spy thriller.

Drawing heavily from the timeless tale of Puss in Boots, the story introduces Princess Celine, whose affection for a cat—her first love—is anything but ordinary. Upon his return after a five-year absence, the feline reveals his entrapment in this form by the nefarious Megali, mother to a duke in a neighboring kingdom. With a desire to reclaim his true form and rightful position as duke, he implores Celine for aid. This entails supporting another man’s claims and potentially marrying him, all in pursuit of their eventual reunion.

While the story brims with potential, it occasionally falters due to its overly complex plot, demanding careful attention to detail to avoid feeling overwhelmed. Nonetheless, amidst its intricacies, the narrative remains an engaging and enjoyable read, filled with dizzying twists and turns that lay a solid foundation for what appears to be a promising series.

4 stars

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing this e-ARC. I am anticipating reading this soon and reviewing on my socials.

This was very much a book of two halves for me. The first 55% (very specific I know) was a bit of a struggle. I felt like I'd been thrown into a story that was already half way through. I spent a lot of time trying to figure out what was going on and who was who. The character list included in the front of the book was useful, but it was holding my progress back by having to keep going back and forth. The second half of the book picked up for me and it's when I started to enjoy the story. I knew a little more about the main characters and I had some understanding of the politics.

The story was told from two perspectives, Cecile's and Magali's. Cecile was my preference out of the two and I eventually felt like I was behind her and wanted her to make good choices. Magali was a great villain, but I also enjoyed finding out more about her life and figuring out how/why she'd turned out the way she had.

This puss in boots re-telling is definitely not for everyone and I get why some people have some negative thoughts about this book. However, by the time I'd finished, I was invested, I had fun in the second half and I'll definitely look out for the next book in the series.

Based on the synopsis I had sooo many expectations for this book but I was so bummed out by the lack of world building. Maybe it was me I couldn’t feel myself in that world things didn’t feel as magical as I expected it to and so the story dragged on

A big thank you to NetGalley, HarperCollins UK, and of course, Lilly Inkwood for providing me with an eARC of this novel. I am voluntarily leaving a review, all opinions are my own.

It certainly was an interesting premise- a retelling of sorts for a Puss in Boots story and that was interesting in and of itself. There were parts that got to be confusing, but I feel like that's the norm for a lot of fantasy novels.

It was unique and the world-building was immersive, so I did enjoy that, I just didn't LOVE the book. I would still recommend it to anyone who loves fantasy, spells, and retelllings.

This is one of those books that can be summed up in one word.
Confused. I was so confused from the first page. I held out to about 50% of the book but after that I just had to call it quits. I was super excited to read this one but as it sits it was just not for me.

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.

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.

An interesting plot but I found some parts to be confusing. This is a book to be read slowly and special attention paid to the characters.
Many thanks to HarperCollins UK and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I enjoy reading retellings and this one is inspired by Puss in Boots. I unfortunately did find it fell a little flat for me. I found it hard to stay focused whilst reading and it just didn’t keep me hooked.

Thank you to Netgalley, the Author and the Publisher for an eARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The Kingdom is a Golden Cage is a retelling of the classic tale of Puss and Boots. Unfortunately, this will be a dnf for me. I just could not get excited about it.

thank you to netgalley for the advanced reading copy. I really enjoyed this and will be getting copies for my shop.

I eventually had to DNF this one at around 60%, as I just couldn't get into the story and there wasn't anything keeping me interested. The premise was interesting but unfortunately the execution just fell flat. Flat characters, repetitive and overwrought writing style, and the slow (and frequently confusing) pacing just made this one that I had no interest in continuing.

The Kingdom is a Golden Cage is a Puss in Boots retelling, and is built upon a brilliant concept.

I wish the concept was executed a little bit better, but this is still a good read. It felt like it could've been a bit more descriptive, and I found that some parts of the story were a little unnecessary.

I absolutely loved the idea of it, and for that reason I'll definitely give the second book a go!

A really cool read. It was really atmospheric and fantastical. I really liked it! It wasn't my favorite with the way it was written and I didn't like the characters that much. But it was still a fun read to read.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an arc of this title in exchange for this honest review.

The ONLY reason this gets two stars and not one is because one line was so bad that i had to put the book down due to laughing so hard. Almost made reading the book worth it.

ntriguing premise and characters, but confusing storytelling and unclear genre. The twists were okay, but the romance lacked depth. Curiosity drove me to finish, even if the characters didn't resonate. Trying too hard to be too many things at once. I liked the idea of it. Lover returns as a talking cat. Forced marriage etc etc..but it was lacking in the overall world building section and could become slightly confusing in the historical aspects. I enjoyed the story, just didn't fall in love.

thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the chance to review. :)

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.

okay so... this is a puss in boots, retelling, kind of. It was a little difficult to get into the story, the pace was slow, the writing could be improved.

- fairy tale retelling
- cursed in animal form MMC
- stuck in a tower princess
- romantasy
- slow paced