Sludge Utopia
By Catherine Fatima
Book*hug, $20.00

In Sludge Utopia, Catherine Fatima captivates readers with an auto-fictional take of a woman’s journey discovering her place within the world’s definition of love and desire. Protagonist Catherine’s life seems typical of millennial Torontonians—studying, pursuing romances, and trying to keep grounded while maintaining friendships and social networks. However, she is simultaneously struggling to understand her dependence on sex and intimacy while moving through tumultuous relationships with close friends and new partners. Readers will be hypnotized by Catherine’s enigmatic observations about herself as she explores her frustrations. Fatima’s disjointed portrayal of her characters leaves you questioning your own definitions of fulfilling personal relationships throughout the entire novel.