Ominously delicious...

When I write a review, I usually wait until I’ve finished the book before getting started on the reviewing process. I was pleasantly surprised to find that wasn’t the case for R. Phoenix’s audiobook, Gilded Cages. Despite not being a big fan of Zachary Zaba, I was enthralled by the story he was telling me. I enjoyed Zachary’s narrative for Guilded Cages. The characters and plot of the prose were so thought-provoking I had to start scribbling my thoughts down to retain initial reactions.

There are three main characters that this book focuses on; Daddy/Master, Camden/Cammy, and Isaiah/Zay. They are all extremely different from one another personality-wise which was refreshing for me. I like being able to distinguish between the characters easily no matter whose point of view I’m experiencing the story through. I don’t normally write my review focusing on the characters, but I thought I would for this book because the plot is so character-driven.

Daddy, who despite saying he isn’t a sadist, comes across as one remorseless, controlling individual. He’s what people refer to as a phycological sadist. The way he treats Cammy and Zay differently is very intriguing. It’s almost as if he’s two different people, though I wouldn’t go so far as to say it’s a complete Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde change when dealing with them both separately. While interacting with Cammy, Daddy is such a sweet caregiver as long as Cammy’s a good boy. He seems to genuinely love his Little, wanting him to be healthy and happy. Master, on the other hand, is callous toward Zay. Master knowns that Zay is a strong person both physically and mentally, so he dives into training the new puppy with a firm hand.

Sweet, sweet Cammy was a character my heart hurt for. I liked him from the moment he appeared in the book. It was easy to see that he was innocent and naive when it came to his Daddy. There were things Cammy didn’t really like, things his Daddy expected him to do, yet he did them to make Daddy happy. He’d been abused by his parents before Daddy brought him home to live a new life as a Little. Cammy resisted the expectations of his Daddy when the older man wanted him to behave like a baby, but succumbed to the pressure of being what was demanded. Despite being happy enough with his life, Cammy felt lonely during the day while Daddy worked. So, his Daddy offered to get him a Puppy to play with while he was away. Little did he know, Daddy wasn’t talking about the furry, four-legged kind.

Zay was the one character I really, really connected with. His narrative of the story was heartbreaking to witness. He went through so much emotionally and psychologically thanks to Master. After being brought to Master and Cammy I could feel his determination to overcome his predicament and get free. It was heartbreaking to see his spirit slowly dimming, to watch that fighting fire slowly burn out until he’s pretty much a shell of what he once was. He feels for Cammy, fully understanding that the boy went from one type of abuse to another, yet he couldn’t do anything about it. Master made him powerless until, he too, bent to the will of the sadistic man who said he just wants them both happy. It was hard seeing the shift in Zay from start to finish, but that only made him mean more to me in the end.

My brain was a confused mess while listening to this book but in a good way. There were times I was able to slip into the story and feel as if things weren’t so terrible for Cammy and Zay. Then, out of nowhere, something would happen that made me ask myself what the hell was I thinking to feel like their treatment was okay? It made it so easy to sympathize with Zay who felt so much pleasure and shame from what he endured. It also made the desire to protect Cammy from the big bads of the world a natural reaction for me. Yet, my mind halted my protests by asking, would Zay or Cammy have suffered more if Daddy/Master hadn’t stepped in? Cammy was an abused boy of eighteen who didn’t know any better. Zay was a depressed man with student loans to pay off and heaps of debt. If Daddy hadn’t stepped in, Cammy would have continued to suffer the abuse. If Master hadn’t bought Zay from whoever had kidnapped him, he could have been sold to someone much worse. It begs the question, does that make their treatment acceptable, or does it make it that much worse?

Honestly, I thought this book was darkly fantastic. It held my interest from start to finish, even when things happened that would normally squick me out. One complaint I do have is that the book seems to end too abruptly for me. I would love to have seen a little more in the way of Zay submitting completely to Master. It left off with me wondering just how much of the original Zay was still left within the man. Was he going to give in to this man and his boy completely? Was he still biding his time? I need to know!

I’d recommend this book to anyone familiar with R. Phoenix. She has a particularly dark way of writing books that makes you question everything you’re reading. It plays with you psychologically, touches on topics that can be triggering to some, and leaves you asking questions about your thoughts on morality. I would also recommend this book to anyone looking for a book with a grimmer plot. This isn’t a fluffy love story with a typical HEA.

The last thing I’ll say is that this book does deserve a warning that there are triggers to consider before reading. In this book, you’ll find age play, ABDL, puppy play, Stockholm Syndrome, kidnapping, enemas, humiliation, dubcon, noncon, BDSM, power play. If things like this give you that squicked out feeling or might trigger you, I’d say this isn’t your cuppa tea.

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