A thrilling Orwellian vision of Britain, with a rebellious Hunger Games heart, Gilded Cage is the astonishing debut novel from Vic James, and the first title in her electrifying The Dark Gifts Trilogy.
"Twists and turns make this hard to set down" Booklist
"The most intriguing political fantasy premise since The Hunger Games . . ." Barnes and Noble
One glorious summer, Luke's family is torn apart. He's expecting nothing more sinister than exams, while his sister Abi anticipates university. But they'll be separated to do their slavedays - a decade of labour demanded by law, enforced by a magically-skilled aristocracy.
Luke will dream of rebellion in a barbaric factory town. Abi will navigate the malice of a high-born estate, and find an unlikely love. But the siblings must choose sides as Britain moves from anger to defiance. They'll become entangled in acts of savagery and magic, as nobles vie for power. No one is safe and none will emerge unscathed. Is there a better way - or will a dangerous young aristocrat remake the world with his dark gifts?
PRAISE FOR GILDED CAGE
"An absorbing first installment that presages an intriguing new fantasy series." Kirkus
"Beautifully characterised and compellingly plotted, Gilded Cage is an impressive debut" Guardian
"The historical parallels are too delicious to ignore . . . one can't help but anticipate the next novel in the series" Washington Post Vic James is a current affairs TV director who loves stories in all their forms and Gilded Cage is her debut novel. She has twice judged the Guardian's Not the Booker Prize, has made films for BBC1, BBC2 and Channel 4 News, and is a huge Wattpad.com success story. Under its previous title, Slavedays, her book was read online over a third of a million times in first draft. And it went on to win Wattpad's 'Talk of the Town' award in 2015 - on a site showcasing 200 million stories. Vic James lives and works in London.
