Katherine Attwell is the main protagonist and narrator of Daisy Buchanan’s chick lit comedy novel, Pity Party. While the novel is packed with wit, sharp humor, and laugh-out-loud moments, it also tackles weightier themes – grief, divorce, mental health, and the struggle to embrace one’s true self.
Katherine is a millennial British woman who lost her mother at a very young age and was raised by a strict grandmother. That upbringing instilled in her a deep-seated perfectionism and the belief that happiness must be earned. She’s obsessive about sustainability and tries to micromanage every aspect of her life – until it all starts to fall aprat.
The novel opens at the funeral of Katherine’s husband, Ben, who died in an accident. Katherine is overwhelmed by grief and mood issues, which culminate in a meltdown at work. Pressured by her bosses to take a break, and gently nudged by her best friend and mother-in-law, she agrees to attend a wellness retreat. It’s far from the peaceful “pity party” she expected.
The story unfolds through two parallel timelines: the present-day chaos of the retreat, where Katherine meets a bunch of quirky, moving, and unforgettable women; and the past, tracing her relationship with Ben from its beginning to his tragic end. Through the latter, we learn a key part of Katherine’s journey: she’s bi.
At first, Katherine can’t admit this to herself. Despite being progressive and accepting of queerness in others, she gaslights her own feelings. Her attraction to Lou, a co-worker she connects deeply with when her marriage falters, is rationalized away: “Everyone dreams about women,” she tells herself. “It’s just stress. Or a vitamin deficiency. Or maybe I’m just embracing my feminine power.”
Eventually, when Ben ends their relationship, Katherine turns to Lou. They spend a night together — unexpected, joyful, freeing. As Katherine puts it, “In the last ten hours, nothing and everything had happened.”
But the moment is shattered when she receives the call: Ben is dead.
Wracked with guilt, Katherine breaks things off with Lou, blaming herself for everything. Still, her bisexuality is never portrayed as the cause of her family’s collapse. Instead, it’s part of her complex personality — one she has long denied while trying to be a people pleaser.
The retreat becomes a turning point. Through the laughter, mess, and connection she experiences there, Katherine finally begins to accept herself. The novel ends with her reconnection with Lou and a powerful declaration of self-worth:
“I’m just a girl, standing in front of a girl, deciding she doesn’t have to be good anymore. Because she is good. Good enough to live a big, bright life.”
As far as bisexual representation goes, Katherine is a nuanced and important example of a married woman coming to terms with her bisexuality later in life. She represents a common truth: that even well-informed, accepting people can struggle to accept themselves. For bi readers — especially those who live by the rules and put others first – her story resonates deeply. It’s a celebration of honesty, authenticity, and the courage it takes to live a full, unfiltered life.