A List of Cages

By: Robin Roe

Narrated by: Graham Halstead, Christopher Gebauer

Length: 8 hrs and 17 mins

Publisher's summary

When Adam Blake lands the best elective ever in his senior year, serving as an aide to the school psychologist, he thinks he's got it made. Sure, it means a lot of sitting around, which isn't easy for a guy with ADHD, but he can't complain, since he gets to spend the period texting all his friends. Then the doctor asks him to track down the troubled freshman who keeps dodging her, and Adam discovers that the boy is Julian - the foster brother he hasn't seen in five years.

Adam is ecstatic to be reunited. At first Julian seems like the boy he once knew. He's still kind hearted. He still writes stories and loves picture books meant for little kids. But as they spend more time together, Adam realizes that Julian is keeping secrets, like where he hides during the middle of the day and what's really going on inside his house. Adam is determined to help him, but his involvement could cost both boys their lives.

First-time novelist Robin Roe relied on life experience when writing this exquisite, gripping story featuring two lionhearted characters.

©2017 Robin Roe (P)2017 Recorded Books

just wow

I am pretty impressed with this one. Beautiful story about friendship and the true meaning of family.

Enjoyed this book.

It's a very emotional book with dark and disturbing scenes of abuse, so if that's a trigger you might skip it.

Julian is this painfully shy and emotionally traumatized young teen that you just want to wrap your arms around and tell him he matters and he is important.

Adam, I loved. His confidence and strength was delightful yet in the end it was that same self assured ness that became his weakness. His protective feelings toward Julian was beautiful and exactly what Julian needed.

This book takes you down a troubled teens home life that is so dark and depressing it will have you in tears. It's a path to finding family because family is not always blood.

The one thing I wasn't happy with is just about every adult in the book is bitter and hateful to the children. Teachers, policemen, nurses, are all hateful toward Julian when he's in the hospital recovering from abuse. I don't find this realistic. When a child as troubled as Julian is i think it is more likely that he would find warmth and kindness among these type of figures. However that is the only thing I disliked, and not enough to make me not enjoy the book.

Very enjoyable and I do recommend.

Beautiful in its subtlety

4.5 stars. This book drew me in and held me fast until the very end. Julian was written in such a way that you felt you were inside his mind and feeling every emotion as he felt them. Roe created an all-encompassing atmosphere that surrounded me completely. Beautiful, haunting, and written with a deft touch so that you knew and felt everything without being told outright. Great narration as well. Both narrators captured the true spirit of the characters.

Emerald ruined the story

Spoilers





The out of nowhere romance between Adam and Emerald really irritated me and brought the quality of the book down. Their relationship was forced and it distracted from the main story. Plus I just found Emerald's character to be extremely under developed and way too unlikable. And in the end it was hard not to blame her.

Gut wrenching you beautiful

This book will give you ALL the feels! Perfection! This book...I'm glad I own it! This is definitely re-read worthy!

Beautifully heartwrenching!

Would you listen to A List of Cages again? Why?

Yes, because it is such a wonderful story and performance.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I can't chose a favourite between Julian and Adam. They are both wonderfully developed characters.

What about Graham Halstead and Christopher Gebauer ’s performance did you like?

They both completely connected with the characters. Instead of just reading, they performed Julian and Adam flawlessly.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The ending, tears!

pretty nice

very nice the narrators were very nice the story and character were nice as well but it wasn't extraordinary

Great read

Super heart wrenching but extremely well written. Powered through this book. Julian and Adams story is deeply moving.

love the story

Not a fan of the narrator of Julian but overall it's fine. the story is good and something I love.

Heart wrenching!

Graham and Christopher did a beautiful job narrating the characters Julian and Adam, but the story itself is so heartbreakingly beautiful I found myself crying, shaking, and downright sobbing! The happy moments made me want to scream for joy. This is a must read in my book. I want so much more added to this book at the end because I want to know how their lives continue.

Julian lives with his uncle and has started his freshman year of high school. Adam is a senior at the same school and one of his classes is being a student aid. One day he is sent to bring a student to the school therapist and he recognizes Julian as a foster brother both he and his mother cared for deeply.

The book discusses so many topics that need to be discussed that I can't list them all here. Robin Roe, you have done a critically fantastic piece here and I can't wait to see what you do next!