Of Cages and Crowns

by Brianna Joy Crump

Overview

For goddess-touched girls, there is only one destiny: the Culling

From the moment Monroe Benson is born with a mark on her hand and the ability to summon fire from her fingertips, her life will never be her own. She’s goddess-touched, which means she’s destined to participate in the Culling, an age-old competition to determine the next queen of Erydia. For most of her seventeen years, her family has managed to keep Monroe—and her powers—hidden. But now, as Queen Viera calls for the Culling to start, and war looms on the horizon, Monroe can no longer hide. She must face her destiny whether she wants to or not.

For the ten goddess-touched girls, all with different powers, the inevitably of this fight to the death has always ruled their lives. The tradition is both barbaric and cruel, but to make matters worse—Monroe isn’t prepared. She hasn’t trained her whole life for this day. She doesn’t want to be in the spotlight. She doesn’t want the crown.

While Monroe struggles with her fate, a rebellion is brewing in the castle and in the country. A group called the Culled are banding together; their goal—to topple the monarchy. And the more they rise, the more merciless Viera is with her kingdom, recruiting younger and younger people from poorer and poorer places to fight in a war no one wants to be waging.

When Monroe finds herself on the front lines of the rebellion’s inner circle, only one thing stands in her way: Cohen. The queen’s son and the man who will be king. The pair grows close, yet Cohen’s dedication to duty, to family, to tradition stands in stark contrast to the boy Monroe sees at night in the kitchens, secretly making the two of them a snack.

As the fight crescendos around them, and the death of innocents becomes a reality, the choices Monroe makes will reverberate through the kingdom . . . and her heart forever.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781990259029
Publisher:	Wattpad WEBTOON Book Group
Publication date:	11/22/2022
Pages:	432
Sales rank:	144,251
Product dimensions:	5.70(w) x 8.40(h) x 1.70(d)
Age Range:	12 - 13 Years

About the Author

Brianna Joy Crump grew up on the outskirts of Raleigh, North Carolina. While attending Gardner-Webb University, she fell in love with small-town college life and writing books. After a stint teaching middle school and being a barista in Raleigh, Brianna moved back to GWU to continue her education and work as a residence hall director. Brianna currently lives in the middle of a dorm and spends her days writing, helping college students, and attending far too many zoom meetings. She has her BA and MA in English. Of Cages and Crowns is her debut novel.

Editorial Reviews

10/10/2022

For centuries, the Kingdom of Erydia has chosen their queen via the Culling, a brutal tournament in which 10 teenage girls, each blessed with a different goddess-touched power, battle to the death. The survivor then marries the prince and becomes the next queen. Seventeen-year-old Monroe Benson, who can control fire but wants no part of the spectacle, has spent much of her life hiding on her family farm. But when the Culling is announced and Monroe attempts to flee, she’s captured and brought to Erydia’s palace, where she’s forced to train and fight. After unexpectedly falling for Prince Cohen, Monroe must conceal her romantic feelings while navigating royal politics, the Culling’s deadly demands, a growing rebellion within the kingdom, and a war brewing at Erydia’s borders. The tight focus on Monroe and Cohen’s burgeoning romance leaves supporting characters, especially Monroe’s competitors, underdeveloped, and slow pacing saps the Culling of tension. Using a richly detailed near-contemporary setting and blending well-trod fantasy tropes with romance, intrigue, and action, Crump capably delivers an opulent tale of defiance and resilience in this absorbing debut. Characters read as white. Ages 12–up.(Nov.)

Publishers Weekly

"Of Cages and Crowns hits . . . every YA fantasy must." —Fangirlish

"Of Cages and Crowns is an epic dystopian fantasy read that will hook you in and leave you wanting to know what will happen next." —Your Bookish Life

"If you’re a fantasy geek, definitely watch out for the name of author Brianna Joy Crump." —Young Entertainment Magazine

" . . . the intriguing plot, complex characters, and brilliant writing make this a page-turner to the very end . . ." — School Library Journal

From the Publisher

01/20/2023

Gr 8 Up—The Hunger Games meets The Bachelor in this debut fantasy novel. Every generation, 10 goddess-touched girls must compete to the death in the Culling for a chance to become queen and marry the crowned prince. Monroe Benson, a white Erydian, was born goddess-touched with the ability to control fire. Afraid to die a pointless death in the arena, Monroe does everything she can to escape the Culling. But when she is forced to participate, she begins to fall in love with Prince Cohen—a kind prince who promises a brighter future for Erydia than his mother, the evil queen. The unique premise is fascinating, and the first two parts of the book are captivating, but the last part diverges into an all-too-familiar plot of politics, rebellion, and betrayal. The character development is exceptional, as each character is complex and surprising. Readers are likely to question how believable the main characters' choices are at the end of the book, but nevertheless, will be rooting for them and eager to read the next installment. VERDICT Although the pacing is slow at first, the intriguing plot, complex characters, and brilliant writing make this a page-turner to the very end.—Candyce Pruitt-Goddard

School Library Journal