43 pages 1 hour read

Rachel Yoder

Nightbitch

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2021

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Before You Read

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Super Short Summary

In Nightbitch by Rachel Yoder, a frustrated stay-at-home mother of a two-year-old becomes concerned that she is transforming into a dog. As she begins to identify more with her new canine tendencies, she finds unexpected joy in her maternal role. Eventually merging her primal urges with her lost passion for art, she creates a performance piece that reconciles her identities as both mother and artist. The book depicts a character killing their cat.

Reviews & Readership

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Review Roundup

Rachel Yoder's Nightbitch has received a mix of praise and critique. It is celebrated for its bold exploration of motherhood, blending surrealism with raw, emotional honesty. However, some readers find Yoder's narrative style disjointed and challenging. Overall, it’s appreciated for its originality and thought-provoking themes, even as it garners mixed responses on execution.

Who should read this

Who Should Read Nightbitch?

Readers who enjoyed the visceral and transformative narrative of Otessa Moshfegh's My Year of Rest and Relaxation or the dark domestic surrealism of Helen Phillips' The Need will be captivated by Rachel Yoder’s Nightbitch. This novel appeals to those intrigued by themes of motherhood, identity, and the primal self.

RecommendedReading Age

18+years

Book Details

Genre

Magical Realism

Satire

Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction

Topics

Gender / Feminism

Relationships

Women's Studies (Nonfiction)

Themes

Relationships: Family

Society: Community