Strange, beautiful, alarming, endearing, a little dark, comical, and wholesome. Motherhood or Nightbitch by Rachel Yoder? I’m no mother, so I can’t really answer that, but from what I can see, this book resonates with a lot of readers -- mothers and non-mothers alike.

Our MC is unnamed in this book, and at the opening, she is reconciling losing a dream of being an artist to look after her child full-time, while her husband works out of town all week. Alone every day with a 2-year-old and a whiny cat, she’s anxious, stressed, and overwhelmed. But one day, she feels like she’s turning into a wolf, slowly, she grows hair, a tail, a little bit of rage, and a desire for meat, and eventually gives us the only name we are ever given for her: Nightbitch. I don’t want to say too much, but this book is not a horror or a thriller. It is about a woman finding her identity and connecting with her child outside the societal expectations placed on mothers. It has some weird scenes, but even more often I found myself smiling at an endearing scene, and urging Nighbitch to lean into the change and find the peace in it. 

Is it insanity, magical realism, or an allegory? We don’t know. But what we get to see is the positive change to her life, relationships, confidence, and friendships wrought by Nightbitch as she works through this transformation. This book was popular at book club and amongst my internet friends. Regardless of whether you’re a parent or not, this book will have appeal and make you laugh, smile, and squirm just a bit.