Rachel Yoder’s “Nightbitch” is a striking exploration of motherhood, domesticity, and the search for self, framed through the lens of mythical ethnography. It masterfully blends humor and despair, inviting readers into the protagonist’s increasingly bizarre and isolating reality. The novel centers around a former artist who, after becoming a mother, grapples with the feeling of transforming into a dog while navigating the mundane routines of childcare. This transformation becomes a potent metaphor for the loss of identity and the struggles of modern womanhood.
The protagonist finds solace and a framework for understanding her experience in “A Field Guide to Magical Women,” a fictional ethnography by the elusive Wanda White. This book becomes her touchstone, a guide to understanding her potential transformation and a source of validation that she is not alone in her experiences. The other mothers she encounters at story time seem to have it all together, subtly adding to the protagonist’s sense of inadequacy and otherness.
Yoder’s prose effectively draws the reader into the minutiae of the mother’s life. The novel is a keen observation of the internal conflicts that arise from the tension between creative aspirations and the demands of motherhood. She yearns to create art again, resisting the pressure to conform to the entrepreneurial ventures of other mothers. Her journey becomes a quest to discover if other women also experience such profound transformations, both literal and metaphorical.
“Nightbitch” avoids the romanticization often associated with monster narratives. It offers a stark and honest portrayal of a woman grappling with her identity and the pressures of societal expectations. The novel is reminiscent of a collaboration between Leonora Carrington and Betty Friedan, creating something refreshingly original.
Ultimately, “Nightbitch” is a powerful commentary on the contemporary female experience. It tackles themes of loneliness, the pressures of upward comparisons, and the search for identity in a world that often overlooks the internal struggles of mothers. By weaving in elements of mythical ethnography, Yoder crafts a unique and thought-provoking exploration of womanhood and the magic, both empowering and terrifying, that lies within.
“Nightbitch” By Rachel Yoder Doubleday, 256 pages
Joshua Bohnsack
Joshua Bohnsack is the assistant managing editor for TriQuarterly and founding editor for Long Day Press. He is the author of the story collection “Shift Drink” and his work has appeared in The Rumpus, Hobart, SAND, and others. He lives in Chicago where he works as a bookseller.
