DEBUT The first novel from
Draft literary magazine editor Yoder centers on an unnamed woman referred to as “the mother.” The mother used to be an artist and have a job that she loved, until she made the hard choice to quit and stay home with her son. Worn out by all the demands a young child presents, the mother is dismayed to discover a new patch of hair growing on the back of her neck. Soon this patch of hair is followed by sharper teeth and what looks like a tail on her lower back. While her husband laughs off her fear that she is turning into a dog, the mother is not so sure. Hoping to find out what’s wrong with her, the mother ventures to the library and checks out
A Field Guide to Magical Women. Within its pages are many examples of women like her, who discover their strength by ignoring society norms and embracing their animalistic side.
VERDICT Sharp as a dog’s teeth and twice as ferocious, Yoder’s novel is a searing indictment of the way mothers are undervalued and ignored and expected to conform to one way of being. Not for the faint of heart (but then again, neither is motherhood), this debut’s prose pulses with energy and wit. Highly recommended for all literary fiction collections.
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