Motherthing by Ainslie Hogarth

Motherthing was unusual in the sense that it really tackles the idea of wanting to be a mother and also wanting to be mothered. It's a super interesting juxtaposition with the horrific element of your mother-in-law's ghost possibly living in the dark corners of your basement. That in itself is an absolutely scary thought, but coupled with the eerie descriptions of your husband slowly spiraling into a mental crisis after his mother dies, completely shifting from the person he once was to quite literally morphing into someone you didn't marry, that is also bone-chilling. 

It's been a month since I actually read the book, but if my memory serves me right, Abigail, our main character, lives with both her husband and her mother-in-law. Girl, run!!! Laura, the mother-in-law, has her own issues—she doesn't really treat her son, Ralph, well. She’s needy, overbearing, manipulative and has it out for Abby. Laura thinks no one will ever be good enough for her son, especially Abby. Overall, not my ideal living situation as a newly wed. 

Abby's backstory is also very tragic. Her mother loved a good drink, a "good" man, and couldn't care less about her daughter, neglecting her in hopes of locking down the perfect partner. So, when she started dating Ralph, she hoped that his mother might fill the maternal hole in her heart, but instead got her worst nightmare. 

This book was so witty and the writing was enticing. The sentences really ripped when they needed to, and it's funny in itself that a book with themes this horrific can also make you kinda laugh.

So when Laura commits suicide, Abby thinks they're finally free. No more mother-in-law, no more problems. You'd think that'd be the case, but no. Ralph begins spending more and more time in the basement. Abby, trying to be a good wife, makes him (disgustingly described) jellied, outdated meals for dinner, doting on him and his depression—until she finds him in the basement with who he claims is "Mother." I would’ve left him. 

This book was so witty and the writing was enticing. The sentences really ripped when they needed to, and it's funny in itself that a book with themes this horrific can also make you kinda laugh. The creepier elements, definitely the ones in the basement, made my skin crawl. The thought of coming home to Ralph whispering to his dead mother in their dingy basement at night was enough for me to pause and check if there was anyone hiding in my closet. Ew!

Overall, it  was a fun read. It flips motherhood on its head and rightfully so. It addresses a lot of complex feelings surrounding being a mother, wanting to be a mother, and how our relationship with our mothers affects our lives in more ways than we're willing to admit. I guess the moral of the story for me is: be careful of who you marry, because you're essentially marrying their family, and don't buy a house with a basement. Oh, and leave the jellied salmon at home.