Book Review: To Cage a Wild Bird, Brooke Fast
Craving those old dystopian vibes you got back in high school reading Hunger Games/Divergent? Then this is for you!
This is the first book in a new Divided Fates series by a debut author. It’s technically categorized as adult due to the age of our main characters and a few steamy scenes, but the entirety of the book reads really YA (in a good way). It gave me all the vibes that I missed from my dystopian days back in high school, and the writing, world building, etc. was very easy to read which is why it feels like it leans a little bit more young adult at times.
I rated this book 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
*A huge thanks to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager | Avon for sharing an advanced readers copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.*
⛓️A unique plot
The plot line was refreshingly unique while still carrying out all of the typical dystopian tropes and vibes that we truly love. It goes like this: a lower sector citizen essentially putting herself in a prison where the only way out is death to protect her brother while also unwillingly becoming part of a resistance and ultimately falling in love with a prison guard… whew, it was so well done! The pacing felt reasonable, everything progressed naturally, and the ending was truly brilliant (even though it broke my heart a little).
🏠The found family
The found family forced upon our main character that she eventually grew to love and care for was so heartwarming. I loved how the relationship with her true family, her brother, progressed from obsession and control of his wellbeing (yes, it was overbearing) to mutual respect. Letting go of her protective needs over her brother allowed our main character to develop relationships with others that felt truly compatible and really showcased the growth of our main character.
🌊Can I have more depth please?
I rated this five stars, so clearly I loved it, but if I had to give any gripe it would be that there were just moments that I wanted more feeling, more emotion, and more exploration or inner contemplation. The love felt a little too instant and some moments even cheesy. This leans into the idea of this book feeling a bit more YA because there were moments when it just lacked depth. I don’t think that this makes it a bad book, this is just the area that could be improved to make this go from a five star read to a jaw on the floor book.
I’m very much looking forward to the next book in the series—can Brooke Fast hurry up please? Haha. I would recommend this book to those who are looking for a strong female character who loves her family with all her heart, anyone looking for found family, forbidden romance, and dystopian tropes, and readers who love high stakes.
