Rachel Yoder: Nightbitch

That which is most personal is most creative. Nowhere is that more true than in "Nightbitch," a werewolf tale delving into our most primal urges. In this novel, the author pours all her fears, resentments, depression, and rage into a bloody power fantasy about motherhood and self-expression.

Full of striking prose and a graciously hopeful ending, this book is well worth reading. Though as a parent, I have to admit I found it somewhat challenging to get through. I remember too clearly the early years of parenthood and the tedious, exhausting monotony that defines those years. While Rachel Yoder's vivid telling could be cathartic for some, for me it added a sense of drudgery to every page.

I was also particularly affected as the arguments and emotions in the book align too closely with my own marriage and life. I happen to be married to a stay-at-home mom who can barely contain her rage at the world these days. It's an important story to tell, but hardly an escape.

Ultimately, though, it is a hopeful book. It shows how pent-up emotions can be channeled into something productive and illustrates how much our modern life tries to separate us from our most primal urges. The narrative embraces the fantasy of returning to our animalistic roots and the joy of living an authentic life.

It's telling that the most primal, animalistic passages are also the happiest—both for the protagonist and her son. While I'm not sure what lessons we can directly apply to real life, it's refreshing to see these domestic struggles explored in a new way. Highly recommended.