contemporary fiction
Cate Kay is the most successful author of her generation. The problem?
She doesn't exist. Cate Kay is the pseudonym of a young woman on the run
from a past tragedy. This fictional memoir is about how she reclaims
her name and her past to find her way home again.
The Three Lives of Cate Kay has been in my to-be-read queue for a while, but a couple glowing reviews from friends inspired me to bump it to the top. I'm glad I did because I really enjoyed this novel by Kate Fagan.
I've seen people compare this to the Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo - I don't think it has much in common other than the fictional memoir aspect. I've also seen comparisons to Daisy Jones & the Six, which is slightly more accurate as Cate's story unfolds through multiple viewpoints, with each character's perspective coming together to reveal the complete picture of events. Often, we see the same event through multiple character's eyes and it helps unravel what is, ultimately, a series of miscommunications and misdirections run amok.
I don't generally love stories based around miscommunication. I mean, really people, use your words and TALK to one another. Certainly in The Three Lives of Cate Kay there was one character in particular who made me want to throw my Kindle across the room on more than one occasion because the truth is that without her scheming, would this story even exist? No. So, I hated her as I was supposed to, but I decided to enjoy the characters and the story for what it was.
There's a lot of foreshadowing in the novel and I found myself frequently flipping back to earlier sections of the book to reread and verify a connection or a thread - so be prepared. That desire to flip back and forth is what kept me from listening to the audiobook as I read, though the few chapters I did listen to were fascinating as there is a full cast of narrators representing all the different characters in the book. I imagine it would be a wonderful audiobook for people who don't like to go back and revisit sections they have previously read.
Ultimately, The Three Lives of Cate Kay is a story about love, friendship, self-acceptance and the possibility of second chances. Lots of good stuff in these pages - I recommend you add it to your reading list.
The Three Lives of Cate Kay has been in my to-be-read queue for a while, but a couple glowing reviews from friends inspired me to bump it to the top. I'm glad I did because I really enjoyed this novel by Kate Fagan.
I've seen people compare this to the Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo - I don't think it has much in common other than the fictional memoir aspect. I've also seen comparisons to Daisy Jones & the Six, which is slightly more accurate as Cate's story unfolds through multiple viewpoints, with each character's perspective coming together to reveal the complete picture of events. Often, we see the same event through multiple character's eyes and it helps unravel what is, ultimately, a series of miscommunications and misdirections run amok.
I don't generally love stories based around miscommunication. I mean, really people, use your words and TALK to one another. Certainly in The Three Lives of Cate Kay there was one character in particular who made me want to throw my Kindle across the room on more than one occasion because the truth is that without her scheming, would this story even exist? No. So, I hated her as I was supposed to, but I decided to enjoy the characters and the story for what it was.
There's a lot of foreshadowing in the novel and I found myself frequently flipping back to earlier sections of the book to reread and verify a connection or a thread - so be prepared. That desire to flip back and forth is what kept me from listening to the audiobook as I read, though the few chapters I did listen to were fascinating as there is a full cast of narrators representing all the different characters in the book. I imagine it would be a wonderful audiobook for people who don't like to go back and revisit sections they have previously read.
Ultimately, The Three Lives of Cate Kay is a story about love, friendship, self-acceptance and the possibility of second chances. Lots of good stuff in these pages - I recommend you add it to your reading list.
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