A Comprehensive Guide: Nightbitch
Nightbitch by Rachel Yoder
Publisher: Doubleday
Publication Date: July 20, 2021
256 pages, 8 hours and 52 minutes
Buy Now
Book Description
In this blazingly smart and voracious debut, an artist turned stay-at-home mom becomes convinced she’s turning into a dog.
One day, the mother was a mother, but then one night, she was quite suddenly something else…
An ambitious mother puts her art career on hold to stay at home with her newborn son, but the experience does not match her imagination. Two years later, she steps into the bathroom for a break from her toddler’s demands, only to discover a dense patch of hair on the back of her neck. In the mirror, her canines suddenly look sharper than she remembers. Her husband, who travels for work five days a week, casually dismisses her fears from faraway hotel rooms.
As the mother’s symptoms intensify, and her temptation to give in to her new dog impulses peak, she struggles to keep her alter-canine-identity secret. Seeking a cure at the library, she discovers the mysterious academic tome which becomes her bible, A Field Guide to Magical Women: A Mythical Ethnography, and meets a group of mommies involved in a multilevel-marketing scheme who may also be more than what they seem.
An outrageously original novel of ideas about art, power, and womanhood wrapped in a satirical fairy tale, Nightbitch will make you want to howl in laughter and recognition. And you should. You should howl as much as you want.
Why We Picked This Book: When we heard about Nightbitch, it went on our list of potential book picks immediately. After finding a patch of hair on the back of her neck and realizing her canines look ever so slightly sharper than they used to, an ambitious mother attempts to keep her alter-canine-identity a secret.
This satirical fairy tale is at the top of our lists for summer and we can't wait to read it together.
What to Drink While Reading: Head inside to escape that heat, bump the AC or fan and pour yourself a heaping glass of bold red wine. It pairs perfectly with a filet, but we do not recommend eating it raw.
Articles to Read: This article and this article both are great reflections of Nightbitch and having a postpartum mom serve as the narrator. Plus, not sure if you saw, but Amy Adams is set to start in the film adaptation!
