A Cage of Bones

by Jeffrey Round

First published in England to international acclaim in 1997, Jeffrey Round’s classic novel, A Cage of Bones, now appears in a new edition.“Warden went to the hallway and stood before the mirror. He... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0981060609
• ISBN13: 9780981060606
• Release Date: July 2008
• Publisher: Not Avail
• Length: 289 Pages
• Weight: 1.00 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Beautifully Written

Round, Jeffrey. "A Cage of Bones", Rounder Publications, 2008. Beautifully Written Amos Lassen Warden is a Toronto gay man who is a professional model and hailed on European catwalks. He is the hero of "A Cage of Bones", a novel by Jeffrey Round which was originally published in 1997 but now comes to us in a new edition. We follow Warden whose enters a world of passion and sensuality yet is drawn into political intrigue due to his love affair with a British rock star. The theme of the novel is the fashion industry as well as political activism and the characters are beautifully drawn. I can picture Warden with his smoldering good looks and his naiveté as he is pulled into the politics of something he seems to be totally unfamiliar with. There is plenty of drama when Warden begins his affair with Joshua, the pop star with radical ideas who drags his lover into more trouble than he could have ever thought about. Although Warden knew he was gay he was not out. His first love affair was with an Italian from Milan but when he is transferred to London, Warden's life begins to change. Round's descriptions are gorgeous and give the reader a feel for what he is reading. His prose is immaculate and his narrative shows literary strength. There is, of course, some eroticism but it is written in a way that is sublime. The story is realistic as we watch Warden learn about the world as he comes of age. His experiences bring him to terms with many of the issues that we all face--friendship and love, the way of the world and the right to be free. He survives it all as a mature, happy yet scarred man who does not lose hope or the ability to love. Jeffrey Round knows how to write and does so with class. His vision is strong and strongly moral. This is a sexy novel that above all is highly intelligent. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

Ian Young for Torso Magazine, Los Angeles, April 1999

Published in Britain, A Cage of Bones is an impressively mature first novel by Canadian Jeffrey Round. The naive, or repressed, Anglo-Saxon who experiences an erotic awakening on a trip to sunnier climes is a familiar literary figure, from Melville through Gide and Forster to The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone and beyond. In A Cage of Bones, the traveller is a young Canadian fashion model, Warden Fields, gay but not yet out, who finds himself working for an agency in Milan. There, he becomes lovers with an Italian boy before being transferred to rainy London where his involvement with a young left-wing pop singer takes his hitherto charmed life on a dark and unexpected detour. There are some charming Durrellesque descriptions here: "Under the canopy of night, Florence glowed like a tiny music box built with tiny, bejeweled fingers. The sky stretched overhead like a net covered in thousands of tiny fish, their scales winking and twitching as they strained to be free." Yet for the most part, Round's prose is smoothly transparent, giving his narrative a quiet strength and authority. Erotic scenes (which even experienced writers often botch) are deftly rendered here, avoiding the pitfalls of coyness on the one hand and pornography on the other. Though set in the milieu of male fashion modeling, this is neither a glamorization nor an exposé, but rather a thoughtful, realistic story of one gentle young man's coming of age. Before the novel is over, Warden learns some essential truths about himself, friendship, freedom, and the often unfair ways of the world. He emerges from his travails matured, scarred, and, happily, still able to love and hope.

Kamal Al-Solaylee for The Toronto Star Online, Dec 97

Sexy and intelligent novel mixing fashion with politics. Jeffrey Round's A Cage of Bones follows the experiences of Warden, a Toronto gay man who makes it big on the catwalks of Europe. I found Round's writing to be both seductive and insightful. The novel reveals a writer whose life experience has enriched his outlook on life; someone who is now in a position to share some of this with his readers. Round's novel is permeated by this sense of confidence and strong moral vision. A Cage of Bones is A Room with a View for the gay 90s. It is hilariously funny but its social and political philosophy is astute. The fashion and alternative rock worlds, the two main settings for the novel, are described with meticulous but loving details. Highly recommended.

Romance, action and adventure - what more could you ask for?

What more could you ask for? The writing is graceful and stylish and the plot leads us down the catwalks of Europe and into the bedrooms of rock stars. Round explores these topics with a literary astuteness seldom seen. The fashion and rock music worlds can be trashy but Round expertly avoids letting the prose follow suit. Instead he uses these settings only as a backdrop for a wonderful, and often moving coming-of-age story.A definite keeper and perfect gift for that special someone.

Sexy and intelligent novel mixing fashion with politics

Jeffrey Round's A Cage of Bones follows the experiences of Warden, a Toronto gay man who makes it big on the catwalks of Europe. I found Round's writing to be both seductive and insightful. The novel reveals a writer whose life experience has enriched his outlook on life; someone who is now in a position to share of this experience with his readers. Round's novel is permeated by this sense of confidence and strong moral vision. A Cage of Bones is also A Room with a View for the gay 90s. It is hilariously funny but its social and political philosophy is astute. The fashion and alternative rock worlds, the two main settings for the novel, are described with meticulous but loving details. Highly recommended.