A review by coleyelizabeth
The Three Lives of Cate Kay by Kate Fagan

  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

i am definitely suspicious of any book compared to the seven husbands of evelyn hugo but i absolutely adored this. i found the memoir style so easy to read and the multiple povs seemed to really flowed together. i couldn’t put it down.

it follows a mysterious bestselling author who after years of hiding her identity comes out with a memoir detailing how she came to be the elusive ‘cate kay’. as the book progresses you learn more and more about the three women she’s been in her life and what caused her to run from who she is in the first place.

there’s so many elements of this that i loved—the blurring of platonic and romantic love, the experience of a woman with a disability, the importance of privacy and autonomy, the ability to reflect on your past mistakes etc. it felt like a love letter to young queer women worried about what lies ahead.

my only real criticism is that some elements introduced along the way couldn’t be properly wrapped up by cate herself. this, perhaps, being the single downside to the multiple viewpoints introduced. i also found the ending a tad rushed initially but upon reflection can understand why certain events weren’t explained in detail—some things cate wanted to keep just for herself. if this book teaches readers anything it should be the importance of just that.

thank you netgalley and atria books for the eARC in exchange for honest review.