A review by mattiedancer
Cage of Dreams by Rebecca Schaeffer

  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

Writing: 2.0⭐️/5 
I was actually quite taken back by how poorly written (and, if I may hazard a guess, poorly edited) this novel was. It felt clunky, repetitive, and, honestly, like it was written for children and not teens/young adults. This entire book is a slog of exposition, telling us and not showing us how the character felt about literally everything. Every few pages we had to be retold that Newham was a very, very, VERY bad place to live – but, lol, isn’t that just life? (But also, let’s complain about it again.) While her first novel wasn’t an incredible example of creative writing, this novel felt rushed, unfocused, and poorly edited.

Characters: 2.75⭐️/5
*Some Spoilers*
In the first book of this series, Ness felt like an interesting character. I loved how her bravery didn’t come from being fearless and how she had quirks that felt real based on her trauma. And then she turned into an outline of a character. It didn’t help that I was told her thoughts about being frightened daily in very boring prose that droned on and on. Even the charm Cy and Priya from the first novel dulled in this one as they became more caricature than character. The added complexity of our villain/anti-villain in the Nightmare Phantom also felt, well, incredibly forced. Reading conversations between Ness and the NP felt a bit like watching a children’s cartoon: “Do you really think I can stop being afraid?!” “YES, with the power of friendship.” 

Plot: 2.75⭐️/5
*Some Spoilers*
If you asked me what this plot was when I was 50% of the way through the novel I would have said that it both had too much plot and not even substantial plot to make me care. The first half of this book is incredibly unfocused, to the point that it really felt as the author was just testing various plots until something stuck. This led to the ending of the novel feeling very contrived to work. And, while some of the subplots were interesting, they were started and wrapped up before their intrigue could really dig in. Overall, I just wish more focus was given to the quality of the book and its story.

World 3⭐️/5 
Listen. When I read the first book in this duology, I thought the world was so remarkable. I really loved the idea of this place where nightmares took to the streets, and of the people who managed to make a life in this world. And, while some of the charm lingered for me, I felt like  I was actively fighting to stay interested in this world. I don’t remember the world feeling as, well, goofy as it did in this book. It was comical, and not in a momentary, wow a dinosaur walking the streets is funny, kind of way. It was comically bad, as in so dysfunctional it felt held together by the author’s sheer will – and some very thin threads. 

Who Should Read This Book? 
  • Someone who really loved City of Nightmares and doesn’t mind the idea of an unpolished book in the same world.

Content Warnings? 
Death of parent, death, death of child, murder, blood, body horror, gun violence, injury, injury detail, gaslighting, emotional abuse, fire, fire injury, war, kidnapping, drug use, alcohol, 

Post-Reading Rating:  2.75⭐️/5
I just expected so much better from this book.

Final Rating: 2.5⭐️/5
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