The Sapling Cage by Margaret Killjoy

Book Description

Lorel has always dreamed of becoming a witch: learning magic, fighting monsters, and exploring the world beyond the small town where she and her mother run the stables. Even though a strange plague is killing the trees in the Kingdom of Cekon and witches are being blamed for it, Lorel wants nothing more than to join them. There’s only one problem: all witches are women, and she was born a boy.

When the coven comes to claim her best friend, Lorel disguises herself in a dress and joins in her friend’s place, leaving home and her old self behind. She soon discovers the dark powers threatening the kingdom: a magical blight scars the land, and the power-mad Duchess Helte is crushing everything between her and the crown. In spite of these dangers, Lorel makes friends and begins learning magic from the powerful witches in her coven. However, she fears that her new friends and mentors will find out her secret and kick her out of the coven, or worse.

Review

The Sapling Cage by Margaret Killjoy brings a breath of fresh air to the fantasy genre. In it, we follow Lorel, a trans girl who defies societal norms, as she pursues her dream of becoming a witch.

Like in Somewhere Beyond the Sea, Lorel’s story brings in another much-needed perspective to the genre. In The Sapling Cage, Killjoy blends classic fantasy elements with a modern, thoughtful take on identity and acceptance.

One thing I enjoyed about The Sapling Cage was how Killjoy challenged and flattened traditional gender roles. It’s funny how often the fantasy genre leans on and perpetuates traditional gender roles!

In Cekon women aren’t restricted to the sidelines or expected to stick to “acceptable” paths. They can be knights, wield swords, and step right into roles typically dominated by men.

This isn’t a world where female characters simply “prove” they’re as capable as men; it’s a world where women pursuing power, strength, and skill are just as natural as becoming a healer or a witch.

Lorel’s story, in particular, embodies this freedom to shape one’s own destiny. I found it refreshing to read a fantasy where the societal norms didn’t fence in its female population.

Listening to the NetGalley-provided audiobook of The Sapling Cage was a real treat! The performance by Jackie Meloche brought a lot of personality to the story, adding another layer to Lorel’s journey.

If you’d like to spend time in a beautifully built world on a journey worth taking, you may enjoy The Sapling Cage.

Content Warning

Animal Death, Blood, Bullying, Classism, Death, Dysphoria, Fire, Injury, Misogyny, Murder, Transphobia, Violence, War

The header photo is a composite image. Base image by Vero Manrique on Unsplash