New Haven Register (Sunday) (New Haven, CT)
A woman’s quest for revenge dominates novel
Money — everyone needs green to survive, but some work to earn more than they need to live a luxurious life filled with expensive food, brand-name clothing and to deck themselves out in all the glitz and glamour money can buy. However, what lengths would a person go to when they find themselves robbed of the life they worked for? Our latest read takes us to the upper crust world of Stockholm society.
The Golden Cage by Camilla Läckberg
Living in the world of Stockholm’s 1 percent can have its drawbacks, as Camilla Läckberg’s latest novel “The Golden Cage” tells the story of Faye, a wealthy housewife whose world is turned upside down when her beloved husband cruelly kicks her out of the life they built together. Faye, who has a mysterious past, refuses to take Jack’s horrendous cruelty lying down after she gave up everything to help him build his company and care for their young child.
When Jack leaves Faye high and dry and refuses to give her any money in the divorce, Faye is gutted by her ex’s aggressive behavior and finds herself completely shattered by the end of her marriage. Läckberg’s novel bounces back and forth through time, revealing Faye and Jack’s history while also highlighting his disgusting behavior in the present. The author also hints at Faye’s dark childhood and about a horrific crime that befalls her family in the future.
While the thriller has a slow start, the novel finds its groove toward the second half of the novel, Läckberg takes her time in setting up the disastrous relationship between Faye and Jack to make Faye’s personal growth all the more satisfying when she seeks revenge against her scumball ex.
Läckberg’s psychological thriller rapidly picks up the pace once Faye rediscovers herself and offers readers a sensational vengeance plot where she takes no prisoners in this “Gone Girl”like tale.
From the book jacket…
Faye has loved Jack since they were students at business school. Jack, the perpetual golden boy, grew up wealthy, unlike Faye, who has worked hard to bury a dark past. When Jack needs help launching a new company, Faye leaves school to support him, waitressing by day and working as his strategist by night. With the business soaring, Faye and Jack have a baby, and Faye finds herself at home, caring for their daughter, wealthier than she ever imagined, but more and more removed from the excitement of the business world. And none of the perks of wealth make up for the fact that Jack has begun to treat her coldly, undermining her intelligence and forgetting all she sacrificed for his success. When Faye discovers that he’s having an affair, the polished façade of their life cracks wide open. Faye is alone, emotionally shattered, and financially devastated—but hell hath no fury like a woman with a violent past bent on vengeance. Jack is about to get exactly what he deserves—and so much more. In this splashy, electrifying story of sex, betrayal, and secrets, a woman’s revenge is a brutal but beautiful thing.
If you enjoy…
Readers looking to fall into more vengeance-filled plots may also enjoy reading Liane Moriarty’s “Big Little Lies.” The book follows a group of mothers in an affluent town who find themselves all involved in an accident ... or perhaps a murder.