Gilded Cage takes place in modern day society, but a society that is run by people known as Equals. Equals are people born with magical powers. Those not born with powers are called commoners and within this world, commoners are required to serve the Equals, in some capacity, for ten years of their life, at some point, before they can will be considered full citizens. Luke and Abi's family decides they are all going to do their "slavedays" together starting pretty much now. Abi found a way for the family to, hopefully, make an easier time of their ten years by indenturing themselves to the highly regarded and powerful Jardin family. 
 However, things don't go quite as planned and Luke finds himself serving his time in Millmoor, a brutal factory town. There, he will uncover the seeds of discontent and the whispers of rebellion. As he gets more entwined with the people of Millmoor and standing up for his fellow oppresses commoners, Luke imagines a better future. 
 Meanwhile, Abi and the rest of the family are acclimating to life at the Jardin family home. Abi finds herself attracted to the middle Jardin brother, Jenner. But as she and Jenner get closer and she learns more about his family, and their secrets, will she choose to keep them, or will she use them to help her family? 
 I had to keep reminding myself, at certain points throughout, that this story is set in modern times. The subject manner and I think that was the eeriest thing about the book. That the lines are so blurred you have to remind yourself in what day and age you're living in. It kind of hauntingly mirrors current events. 
 For all that, I found that Vic James crafted a very well told story. The history of how the Equals came to be the power of the world is a bit muddied at first, but as you go along you begin to understand it better and you draw lines from things people say or reference to the historical context. 
 While the story shifts perspectives with each chapter, we are mainly given the viewpoints of Luke and Abi who start their slavesdays in radically different ways. I appreciated that Vic James decided to go this route, because she easily and clearly illustrates the multitude of experiences different people can have throughout their serving time. 
 Of the two siblings I found myself liking Luke's perspective more. It was filled with more intrigue and action than Abi's. And I'm afraid Abi's time is spent pining over a potential possible relationship that I honestly just wasn't feeling. There were so many other things going on, I really didn't care about Abi's feelings for Jenner, no matter the forbidden love aspect, and I also didn't think things were fleshed out enough between them to even make me want a relationship between the two. 
 But with Abi's scenes we are given better access to the Jardin's as a whole. Honestly the three Jardin Brothers: Gavar, Jenner, and Silyen were the most interesting of the characters. I find their motivations to be somewhat mysterious. Especially youngest brother Sil whom we know is up to something but we don't yet fully understand his endgame. Gavar and Jenner are more than their family name would suggest. So we have to wonder if, as the series continues, will they simply try to uphold the family tradition, or will they actually try to break out and change things. Do they even really want to? Their characters have the most potential for surprising the readers I think. 
 The plot flows along rather nicely and the storyline is woven together in a way that there are a few surprises by the end as different connections are made. I'm looking forward to finding out what happens next and how certain things play out. 
 When I started Gilded Cage I wasn't sure what to expect, but I found it was quite the pleasant surprise. 
 *ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.