Pearl Cage

Swept #1

by Kaylin Hughes

After spending her whole life in the strict and sheltered community of her Pod, Meena Sparrow’s world shifts when her brother is exiled without explanation. Years later she makes a split second decision to try and visit him, leading her to become infected with a virus that makes her impossibly strong, enhanced in every way.

Exiled herself, Meena is thrust into a world she never could have imagined, finding that tensions between the Pods and the communities outside of them have been straining for years. As she somehow finds herself a key player in a grand rebellion, she must quickly decide who to trust, for her decisions have life and death consequences for countless others.

Kindness is not weakness...

324 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 22, 2022

Reviews

[jazmin ✿ · Rating 4 out of 5]

"I should have known it wouldn’t last. War has a way of sneaking behind you and cutting you off at the knees."

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

⇢Thoughts

I wasn’t initially sure what to expect from this book; dystopian isn’t one of my most-read genres, and I’ve only read the most popular dystopian novels as a result of this. I was nervous that this book would remind me too much of the dystopian stories we all know and love, because I find that the rules around dystopians lead to them all sharing certain traits.

So, I was extremely glad that right from the start, this book felt unique. Sure, it featured some of the traits that most dystopians do, but it still brought a refreshing perspective to the genre. The concept of the pods was both interesting and well executed! I was a bit surprised at how quickly the story picked up, often times the first book in dystopian series are set in the “normal” aspect of the world and it isn’t until the end of the book that the rebellion/ dismantling of the “normal” comes into play, but I mean, I won’t complain about things being too fast! Just adds to the excitement.

⇢The Characters

Meena was a good protagonist. When books are in first person, I think it’s very important for the main character’s voice to be one you enjoy, because otherwise, being in their head can get tiring. And I definitely liked being in Meena’s head. She was almost a blend of different character types; not too strong or too smart, but a mix of various traits. I like that, it made her feel more real. I particularly enjoyed her ability to connect with people. It really seemed like everyone she met was important to her in some way, and that meant that even when a character hadn’t yet grown on me/ become a key player in the story, it still felt like their presence was necessary. Overall, I’m excited to see what happens to Meena next!

One thing I noticed pretty quickly are that there are a lot of characters in this book. It was a bit overwhelming at first, but I got used to it pretty quickly. But if you’re someone who likes lots of characters, this book is for you!

⇢The Writing

Now, I can’t end this review without mentioning how great the writing was, especially for a debut novel. It was easy to get adjusted to this style of writing (which I mention because sometimes I just can’t adapt to certain writing styles no matter how hard I try), and I liked how most of the chapters got right to the point: short chapter supremacy!

ALSO that ending!!! WOW:

I shoot to my feet. “That was not your choice to make!” I scream. “You traded lives! People are dead!

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

my carrd ❦

[Sarita Day · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story was a fun ride. The twists and turns kept me up at night. The Pods are such an interesting concept. I'm excited to see what happens in the next book!

[Jolin (twentycharm) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. This story was a breath of fresh air in the increasingly repetitive dystopian scene, and while there were occasional inconsistencies, it was overall well-paced and just kept getting better.

Without spoiling too much, Pearl Cage included many core concepts in dystopian novels like rebellion, oppression, post-apocalyptic settings, and more, so I have to commend Hughes’ ability to weave all these components into a logical plotline.

Another thing I particularly liked about this was the terminology, such as the authorities phrasing exile as Defecting, meaning one voluntarily choosing to leave, as opposed to the reality of being forced out. Hughes also made great use of dreams and flashbacks later in the book to move away from a chronological timeline which, in the context of this novel, was a very smart move.

Though there was the usual hint of romance, it developed slowly and comfortably, and I was happy to see Meena form sweet friendships which I feel is underrated in this genre. She was also far from annoying as a first-person protagonist; even with the imperfect writing, I found her character arc strong and logical.

Looking past its imperfections, Pearl Cage had an overall soothing aura along with an original dystopian rebellion storyline. This is my first cliffhanger-ish series in a while that I genuinely feel excited to continue. Thank you again to the author for sending me this review copy. All thoughts are my own.

[Anthony Sasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Pearl Cage (Swept: Book One) is a compelling dystopian sci-fi novel that blends personal loss, political tension, and survival. Meena’s transformation from a sheltered life in her Pod to an exiled figure caught in a growing rebellion felt both emotional and intense. The enhanced-strength virus adds urgency to the story, while the strained relationship between Pods and outside communities creates constant tension. The stakes feel real, and every decision carries weight. I’m giving this and would recommend it to readers who enjoy action-driven sci-fi with strong characters and moral choices.

[Jenni · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dystopian drama

Similar to The Hunger Games, Divergent, and The Giver, Meena breaks a rule and is cast out of her futuristic society- a society that exists in protected structured bubbles and exiles those who don't fit into the wilderness where a contagious disease spreads, killing many and leaving some survivors with more than average human strength.
On the outside she finds outcasts like herself and more who have been outside longer, generations who were never on the inside.
When her family is threatened by her mere existence, the Pods and outcasts society of Posts clash.

[Mitzi D. Layton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story, lacking a bit in execution

The story is great, but the emotion is awkwardly written and lacking in conviction. I think the author was aware of this, and near the end it was getting better.

[T.S. Night · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was excellent! I read it, recommended it to my high school daughter, she read it, recommended it to her friends, and they loved it! Many surprise plot twists and jaw dropping moments. Beautiful world building. Can't wait to see what's next!

[Alayna Maldonado · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good! Can’t wait to read the second!

[Mappy BookGirl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It was different than a lot of the mainstream books that are out there and I really liked the writing style of the author. Can't wait to dive into the second one!

[Rachel Novak · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you like false utopia/dystopian books this is an absolute must read!

[Becca Bateman Rios · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really think this could have been benefitted from having an editor. Self-publishing is not an easy feat, but I do think if you’re going to pursue writing, there are steps you need to take in order to be successful; one of those steps being editing.

There were typos and grammatical errors on almost every page of this book, to the point that it was difficult to engage myself in the story. There were awkward breaks in chapters and poorly flowing syntax. I think the book has potential to be good, but the quality needs to be improved.