The Call Out

In The Call-Out, Cat Fitzpatrick introduces readers to a vibrant and complex world within Brooklyn's queer community, revolving around the lives of six captivating women: Anvi, Kate, Bette, Keiko, Gaia, and Day. As these mostly trans women navigate their lives, they encounter everything from picnics and literary readings to health conferences, drag shows, and punk houses. They also face more challenging moments through community accountability processes and Grindr hookups. Set against the backdrop of 21st-century Brooklyn, this novel captures the essence of what it means to survive and thrive amidst both the joys and struggles of queer existence.

Written entirely in verse, The Call-Out merges poetic elegance with the raw reality of contemporary issues. The narrative delves into the complexities of economic precarity, sexual consent, racism within queer spaces, and feminist theory. These pressing concerns are woven into the story, raising thought-provoking questions about what it takes to build or destroy a marginalised community. The novel's structure and style bring to mind the Russian literary classic Eugene Onegin, yet it pivots to address modern conflicts with a distinctly 21st-century tool: the online call-out, a hallmark of cancel culture.

This tragicomedy of manners strikes a compelling balance between humour and heartache. Fitzpatrick's prose is literary and philosophical, underpinned by wit and wisdom. The narrative's tone can be both bitchy and heartbreaking, offering an unflinching look at the dynamics within queer circles. The characters use their sharp wit and social media platforms as weapons, navigating a passionate tangle of modern relationships where a barbed tweet can wreak as much havoc as an old-fashioned duel.

In The Call-Out, Cat Fitzpatrick creates a vivid and dynamic portrayal of a cultural underground, providing readers with a glimpse into a world that is as insightful as it is entertaining. This debut novel is a testament to the power of community, the complexity of identity, and the enduring importance of finding one's voice in a cacophonous world. It is a must-read for those interested in the intersections of queerness, literature, and social justice.