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A review by sarahholliday
Nightbitch by Rachel Yoder
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I will readily admit that this book, fantastic though it is, is not for everyone.
If you like straightforward storylines and clearcut resolutions, this is probably not the story for you. I would also avoid it if you're at all squeamish, or if motherhood can be an overwhelming or sensitive topic for you.
But if you love digging into the odd & surreal, especially as a means of examining the most mundane elements of day-to-day life, Nightbitch has a lot to offer.
Yoder does an amazing job balancing between fantasy and reality. Is Nightbitch actually turning into a dog? Is her art just a cover for a more fantastic transformation? Where does the physical self end and the spiritual self begin?
In the midst of all these fascinating questions about the real & the uncanny, there are sharp, powerful insights into motherhood and womanhood. What begins as a relatively bleak story of an exhausted mother who is, quite possibly, becoming unhinged, becomes a hopeful and inspiring look at what's possible when we stop hiding and demand something of the world around us.
If you like straightforward storylines and clearcut resolutions, this is probably not the story for you. I would also avoid it if you're at all squeamish, or if motherhood can be an overwhelming or sensitive topic for you.
But if you love digging into the odd & surreal, especially as a means of examining the most mundane elements of day-to-day life, Nightbitch has a lot to offer.
Yoder does an amazing job balancing between fantasy and reality. Is Nightbitch actually turning into a dog? Is her art just a cover for a more fantastic transformation? Where does the physical self end and the spiritual self begin?
In the midst of all these fascinating questions about the real & the uncanny, there are sharp, powerful insights into motherhood and womanhood. What begins as a relatively bleak story of an exhausted mother who is, quite possibly, becoming unhinged, becomes a hopeful and inspiring look at what's possible when we stop hiding and demand something of the world around us.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Gore, and Blood
Moderate: Excrement and Vomit