The Cage by Megan Shepherd

The Maze Runner meets Scott Westerfeld in this gripping new series about teens held captive in a human zoo by an otherworldly race. From Megan Shepherd, the acclaimed author of The Madman's Daughter trilogy.

When Cora Mason wakes in a desert, she doesn't know where she is or who put her there. As she explores, she finds an impossible mix of environments—tundra next to desert, farm next to jungle, and a strangely empty town cobbled together from different cultures—all watched over by eerie black windows. And she isn't alone.

Four other teenagers have also been taken: a beautiful model, a tattooed smuggler, a secretive genius, and an army brat who seems to know too much about Cora's past. None of them have a clue as to what happened, and all of them have secrets. As the unlikely group struggles for leadership, they slowly start to trust each other. But when their mysterious jailer—a handsome young guard called Cassian—appears, they realize that their captivity is more terrifying than they could ever imagine: Their captors aren't from Earth. And they have taken the five teenagers for an otherworldly zoo—where the exhibits are humans.

As a forbidden attraction develops between Cora and Cassian, she realizes that her best chance of escape might be in the arms of her own jailer—though that would mean leaving the others behind. Can Cora manage to save herself and her companions? And if so . . . what world lies beyond the walls of their cage? 

Goodreads Summary


What would you do if you were placed in a sort of ever-changing "enviro-dome?"  Cora wakes up and realizes that she can walk from a desert to a farm, etc...  She's with other teens her own age and no of them know how they ended up together or where they are.  When Cassian arrives on the scene, Cora finds herself oddly drawn to him.  She discovers more about her current surroundings and what happened to Earth (according to aliens, however).  She needs to figure out an escape plan and she must do it soon.

Although the reader begins the novel with Cora, he/she is quickly introduced to four other perspectives (the fifth dies immediately).  The story is told from the perspective of five teens.  I found it very difficult to like just about anyone except Cora and I felt neutrally towards her.  They just weren't my favorite people to read about.  I thought that the instant attraction that developed between Cora and Cassian was both unusual (Stockholm syndrome?) and obnoxious.  I didn't like of Nok at all and Leon and Rolf struck me as overly aggressive.  Lucky, Cora's expected lover and father of her future children (in the environment the aliens placed them), falls for her quickly.  Cora doesn't really reciprocate his love and they have a bit of a strained relationship, at times.

I thought it was interesting that the aliens were trying to breed the humans and insisting that their home was obliterated with no evidence to prove this.  I didn't particularly care for any of the characters and I didn't understand their decisions in the novel.  Overall, this book is recommended to young adult/teen readers.

3 1/2 Stars


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