Catherine Lepage

Catherine tries to toughen herself to impress the “princes” in her circle, who turn out to be more off-putting than charming. When all her dubious strategies fail, she must face the ultimate test: learning how to embrace her true nature. In Ultra Strong, a candid and self-deprecating autofictional story by Catherine Lepage, we’re invited to reexamine our youthful ideals—from Cinderella to Iron Maiden.

The hedgehog between balloons, the feline predator on the hamster wheel, the fish in the lifebuoy: A young woman portrays herself in the best possible light in her self-description.