I Am the Cage
Allison Sweet Grant
Dutton Books for Young Readers
Published February 18, 2025
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About I Am the Cage
Fish Creek, Wisconsin—Beautiful. Quiet. Isolated. Anonymous. It’s all that nineteen-year-old Elisabeth needs, and everything she wants. Cloistered in her tiny cabin, Elisabeth is determined to be alone, hiding from her memories and making sure that no one can ever hurt her again.
But when a massive snowstorm strikes, plunging the town into darkness, Elisabeth finally allows herself to accept help from her neighbor, Noah, the town’s young sheriff. Forced to show him more vulnerability than she ever intended, Elisabeth realizes she can no longer outrun the scars of her childhood, and facing the darkness might be exactly what she needs to let the light in.
In a searing own-voices story accented by poignant childhood flashbacks and stunning poetry, Allison Sweet Grant’s young adult debut is a quietly powerful portrait of a young woman’s journey to confront the medical trauma inflicted to “fix” her—and heal her heart in the process. An emotional coming-of-age story about a young woman running away from herself, yet grasping to find a way back. Deeply moving, authentically raw, and humming with the possibility of a new love.
“Grant’s YA debut emerges with a captivating sparkle… introspective and rhythmic prose…. outstanding character study…. powerful.” –Booklist starred review
“Artfully showcases the complicated back-and-forth between keeping oneself safe and staunching one’s own growth…. Crackles with tension and sincerity… cathartic.” –Publishers Weekly
My Review
Some really huge YA authors blurbed this book (Markus Zusak, John Green, and Kathleen Glasgow), so I went into the story already a little bit in awe.
The story alternates between two different times. In the present-day scenes, Elisabeth lives an anonymous life in a small coastal town, alone in a rented cabin. In the past, she endures a painful surgery and excruciating ongoing treatment while feeling emotionally isolated from her family.
She wrestles with these memories of her past and the idea that the only way to be safe is to be alone. This becomes more difficult in the snowstorm, and she reluctantly begins depending on help from the local sheriff. I liked the fact that the relationship doesn’t “fix” her. He doesn’t push her, but he doesn’t magically cure her, either. She has to figure out what she wants and what she needs and how to put that into words for herself.
The scenes showing the aftermath of her surgery and the adjustments to the brace on her leg are pretty rough at times. It’s also not emotionally simple. It’s far beyond the adage about “no pain, no gain.” I found myself questioning where the line is between treatment and torture. It made me think about the fact that children endure longterm medical treatment without the guarantee of a supportive family, and what those scars would look like.
I read the book really quickly, staying up far past my bedtime to finish the story. I loved the way that things resolve and the connections that were there from the beginning that Elisabeth didn’t know about until the end.
Fans of Kathleen Glasgow will enjoy this one.
Content Notes
Recommended for Ages 16 up.
Profanity/Crude Language Content
A couple F-bombs and profanity used very infrequently.
Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing.
Spiritual Content
None.
Violent Content
Some scenes show medical trauma and pain.
Drug Content
References to taking painkillers prescribed by a doctor.
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