Nightbitch: A Novel

By Rachel Yoder

In this blazingly smart and voracious debut novel, an artist turned stay-at-home mom becomes convinced she's turning into a dog. - "A must-read for anyone who can't get enough of the ever-blurring line between the psychological and supernatural that Yellowjackets exemplifies." --Vulture

 

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.

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Published Jul 5, 2022

256 pages

Average rating: 6.01

419 RATINGS

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Community Reviews

What Bookclubbers are saying about this book

✨ Summarized by Bookclubs AI

Readers say *Nightbitch* offers a raw, unique exploration of motherhood, caregiver burnout, and female identity through bold, creative storytelling bl...

Bea Melanie
Jul 13, 2025
1/10 star
Terrible waste of time for me. It seemed to have no plot other than motherhood is hard. I kept waiting for something to happen but nothing really happens. The writing can be confusing at times. It is told third person which was fine but lacked direction. I felt it had plot holes that left the reader unsure or unclear about what was actually happening. Is the story literal or hypothetical, it is never really clear. Very open to Interpretation, which is perhaps what the author wanted. I only chose this book because it was a Goodreads challenge choice, wish I had chosen another, any other book. I could have stopped and not finished it but I hate leaving anything unfinished, so I finish every book I start. Always hoping it will surprise me. This one did not.
Sara
Apr 06, 2026
10/10 stars
As a massive fan of Kafka and Murakami. I loved this book.

This is a masterpiece. I applaud you Rachel Yoder!!!

A brutal honest fantastical bloody book. *chefs kiss *
Morgie27
Mar 02, 2026
5/10 stars
I genuinely don't know how I feel about this book. Creativity, 5 stars. Weirdness, 5 stars. The rest has left me feeling, confused. I understand the feminist theme and how it's meant to be empowering, but it's just.... weird.... unique.... disturbing.... I am just at a loss of how I feel and how to rate it.
Elena Domas
Feb 08, 2026
10/10 stars
This book is EXACTLY how I would feel motherhood would be. She is crazy and I love it
Brash08
Jan 22, 2026
1/10 star
This one was DNF’d. Holy mother of God, the repetition in the first few chapters. I get it, I’m a mom, I lost who I was, but found someone better at the end of baby/toddlerhood. I just cannot on this one. Also, never got to the part where she kills a cat, but WTAF? There is no reason to have that as a part of the story.

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