The Gilded Cage

May 30, 2016
In this uneven rags-to-riches tale set in 1821, Virginia farm girl Katherine Randolph and her brother, George, travel to England after they inherit an estate. Walthingham Hall turns out to be a dangerous place, full of secrets, and after George drowns under suspicious circumstances, Katherine is left to untangle the clues as her allies are picked off one by one—she’ll either find the murderer or risk being deemed mad. Classism over cavorting with servants, strict punishments for those who disobey, and the frenzied fear of a fairy tale beast in the woods give this pseudonymously written story an air of gothic eeriness, but it falls short of its potential. For a scrappy, capable orphan, Katherine is surprisingly willing to leave behind everything she knows and enter into a society where women are powerless, even considering the inherited wealth. Plot twists abound, but the characters tend to be categorized as good, bad, or indifferent, with few surprises among them, and the ending ties up too neatly, with a knight-in-shining-armor on hand for a final sweeping rescue. Ages 12–up.

Starred review from June 15, 2016
Newfound family wealth draws a teenage Virginia farm girl into a murder mystery set in upper-crust England in the 1820s.Sixteen-year-old Katherine is handy with a rifle and well-versed in the demands of farm life. But after the death of her grandfather, a wealthy English gentleman, Katherine and her older brother, George, are whisked away to Walthingham Hall, their new home and unexpected inheritance. With the help of her cousins Grace and Henry, Katherine attempts to adjust to life on the sprawling English estate and to the restrictive culture of the rich. But the day after Katherine and George's formal introduction to high society, aspiring artist George drowns under mysterious circumstances. Katherine is convinced that George's death was no accident, but the list of possible suspects--including the Beast of Walthingham, a wild creature rumored to stalk the estate--is anything but solid. Fragile too are Katherine's own safety and sanity, as she mourns her brother and searches for his killer. Katherine's romantic longings are woven quite deftly into this mystery, but she's no damsel in distress--a fact that will resonate with readers who enjoy smart, resourceful characters. Katherine's boldness and lack of pretension, as well as the novel's strong plot and crisp dialogue, will appeal even to those who aren't fans of the stuffy, sterile pre-Victorian era. Unsurprisingly, given the setting, all of the principal characters are white. A fast-paced, satisfying historical novel with a gutsy heroine and an intriguing 19th-century mystery at its core. (Historical mystery. 12 & up)

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June 1, 2016

Gr 9 Up-Sixteen-year-old Katherine and her brother George grew up farming in rural Virginia. Their lives are changed forever when an unknown relative dies, unexpectedly leaving George a title and an estate in England. Suddenly farm girl Katherine is a young lady, dressed in finery and trying her best to follow the restrictive rules imposed on her by restrictive 1820s society. Just as they are settling into this new life, however, George dies in what everyone but Katherine believes to have been a terrible accident. Is she simply overcome by her grief, or could there be something to the rumors of a creature lurking in the woods? What follows is a story full of mystery, intrigue, and a little romance that keeps readers guessing as they root for Katherine. The plot advances quickly, building suspense and laying groundwork for events readers still might not see coming. The heroine's strong character and the plot twists will appeal even to teens who aren't normally interested in historical fiction. VERDICT A worthy choice for YA collections.-Sarah Jones, Clinton-Macomb Public Library, MI

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