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Caged - Divided 2
Genres: Dystopian, Science Fiction (Sci-Fi), Young Adult (YA)
Age Groups: 12-15
Formats: Ebook, Paperback
Where to buy
The walls are closing in on Rose. But when powerful enemies move her from house arrest to a literal prison, Rose finds herself alone.
Caged. And without help.
Isolated from her friends and allies, yet stumbling on the truth of her captors’ schemes, Rose must free herself. If she doesn’t make it out in time, evil oppressors will take over her city.
Can Rose escape her cage before her foes win and destroy what took the Underground generations to build?
Find out in the second book in the award-winning YA dystopian Divided series.
Reviews
Book Life
In this second installment of the Divided, Young Adult Dystopian series, Rose, Marcos, Harriet, and Jason must work together to stop their enemies from taking over the Queenstown city council and killing their Underground leaders. Along the way, Rose discovers an explosive secret weapon Supreme Commander Martin has developed and knows the Underground must win or millions more will die.
This exciting second entry in Robinson’s fallen-future dystopian series follows Rose and her friends as they try to protect the nascent Underground movement as it stands up against a tyrannical government that is consolidating its power. In a dystopian version of our future, four decades after an EMP pulse has “blanketed the nation in darkness” and allowed Supreme Commander Martin to seize power, the Federated Republic of America is an isolationist government with citizens chipped, desperate, and sorted into ghettos by apparent race—and dissenters “disappeared” into labor camps or worse. After the liberation of a labor camp in the first book, Divided, Rose is a student working in a top-secret special program but under guarded surveillance. When she asks too many questions about the nature of the math she’s working on, her already limited freedom is further threatened, and eventually she is tasered, cuffed, and carried away for interrogation.
Robinson keeps the urgency high and the pages turning as Rose’s revolutionary cohort works on uncovering plots of their own, trying to figure out who is stealing supplies meant for citizens, and why one of the dictator’s deadliest cronies has been sneaking around, possibly plotting violence. As Rose and company decode messages suggesting that the aging Supreme Commander is working on a super weapon, the heroes face surveillance, veiled threats, and the persistent tensions of resistance to autocracy, where motives become suspect and feelings, like truth itself, often must be suppressed. Storytelling is fleet and resonant, with Robinson mining relatable suspense from the performance of calm obedience while the heart yearns for freedom.
As families are broken apart, Rose and others discover strength and determination that they never knew they had as they face down the horrors. Robinson is unsparing about the tyrant’s torture and cruelty, though Caged never revels in it; this is a compelling, all-too-relevant novel for older teens or young adults, with themes of political violence, genocide, and racist agendas.
Takeaway: Urgent dystopian sequel finds young people standing up to the Federated Republic of America.
Comparable Titles: Samira Ahmed’s Internment, Paola Mendoza and Abby Sher’s Sanctuary.
Production grades
Cover: B+
Design and typography: A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A-
Anthony Avina
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
A young woman imprisoned and alone must find a means of escaping her confinement and warning her allies before its too late in author CC Robinson’s “Caged,” the second book in the Divided series.
This book is best read AFTER reading Divided: Book One in the Divided Series.
In a time when most of the world feels like it is teetering on the edge of a dystopian event, this book perfectly captures both the struggles of living under a tyrannical government and the hope that can stem from finding community and solace in the company of friends and allies. The visceral, gritty tone that the author captured in this novel will sit with readers long after the book ends, and yet the glimmers of hope that arise in those small moments between the characters will resonate with readers as a welcome reprieve for characters that feel relatable and earnest in their desire to free their family, friends, and city.
The balance of action-driven narrative and emotional character growth was well-developed in this story. The fear, rage, and mistrust that comes with living in a society where anyone can turn on you in a moment’s notice, while also finding those moments of hope and joy amongst those you love and trust, was a fine line the author perfectly articulated in this story. The protagonist especially brought this to life, showcasing a fierce loyalty and strength of character as she relentlessly pursued her path, as well as the steady growth of her friends and allies like Marcos, Jason, and Harriet, felt well-earned and encouraging in the face of such overwhelming odds.
Memorable, heartfelt, and entertaining, author CC Robinson’s “Caged” is a must-read addition to the Divided series and a fantastic dystopian YA thriller. The twists and turns in the narrative, the glimmers of hope that resonate with readers, and the emotional undertones will stay with readers and leave them eager for the next chapter in this series. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10