Intense, funny, and highly relevant, Nightbitch is one of the best novels I have read recently. If all literature is derivative, then Nightbitch finds a clear lineage with Angela Carter (The Bloody Chamber especially) and the Gothic more generally. However, Yoder is also heavily indebted to de Beauvoir's The Second Sex. At the heart of Nightbitch is the question of how a woman should define herself once her life changes as a mother. Yoder contends that one's perceived “relevance” to society is recategorized post-birth; potential is neutered and value is seen only through parenting. Yet, as Yoder highlights, possibly the most magical (her choice of word) thing a woman ever does is give birth. The unnamed protagonist of the novel (originally “The Mother”, then “Nightbitch”) rediscovers magic by morphing — whether literally or metaphorically (this is left up to the reader) — into a canine. She is empowered and becomes a different being; redefined with previously unknown strength. Society (eventually) begins to regard her in a different light. Sometimes Yoder's satire (particularly of small-town parenting cliques) can be a little heavy-handed, but she generally strikes a good balance between the sublime and the banal. An urgent and relevant read with much for literature classes and students of gender theory to discuss.
By Rachel Yoder