As the year begins to wind down, I’ve been looking back at some of the books I’ve read. This debut novel by Celine Saintclare was different from what I usually read, but left an impression that has made me curious to see what she writes next.
Sugar, Baby follows Agnes, a twenty-one year old cleaner working alongside her very religious mother and living in what she calls “The Wasteland” just outside of London. When she meets Emily, the daughter of one of her wealthy employers, Agnes is introduced to the world of “sugaring.” Although the lifestyle offers her more money than she’s ever had and the affection she craves, it also begins to make her question what exactly it is she wants out of life.
I picked up this book after first seeing it on Aardvark Book Club, and it’s a pretty good read that I almost read in one sitting. Despite what the title may suggest, it is more about identity, touching on race, privilege, and religion, and about finding yourself in your twenties. The premise however is there, and is a central part of the character’s journey.
What I like most is how Celine Saintclare does not turn this into a cautionary or purely salacious tale. Instead, she looks at all facets of Agnes’s new lifestyle and how it affects her — the luxuries she gets to experience for the first time, her relationship with her friends and family, the situations she gets herself into, but all as she tries to figure out her life. The connection to religion as well, especially her namesake Saint Agnes, is an interesting note that aligns with some of the themes and what Agnes goes through. The ending left me wanting to know more, but actually works in giving some closure to where this part of her life ends and where she may go from there.
If you’re looking to read something different that is messy, complex, and falls into the genre of navigating your twenties, Sugar, Baby is worth checking out.