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Motherthing

Written by: Ainslie Hogarth
Narrated by: Adina Verson
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Publisher's Summary

A NEW YORK TIMES BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR • A darkly funny take on mothers and daughters, about a woman who must take drastic measures to save her husband and herself from the vengeful ghost of her mother-in-law.

“A quirky, gruesome, utterly original feminist horror experience.”—The New York Times Book Review

When Ralph and Abby Lamb move in with Ralph’s mother, Laura, Abby hopes it’s just what she and her mother-in-law need to finally connect. After a traumatic childhood, Abby is desperate for a mother figure, especially now that she and Ralph are trying to become parents themselves. Abby just has so much love to give—to Ralph, to Laura, and to Mrs. Bondy, her favorite resident at the long-term care home where she works. But Laura isn’t interested in bonding with her daughter-in-law. She’s venomous and cruel, especially to Abby, and life with her is hellish.

When Laura takes her own life, her ghost haunts Abby and Ralph in very different ways: Ralph is plunged into depression, and Abby is terrorized by a force intent on destroying everything she loves. To make matters worse, Mrs. Bondy’s daughter is threatening to move Mrs. Bondy from the home, leaving Abby totally alone. With everything on the line, Abby comes up with a chilling plan that will allow her to keep Mrs. Bondy, rescue Ralph from his tortured mind, and break Laura's hold on the family for good. All it requires is a little ingenuity, a lot of determination, and a unique recipe for chicken à la king…

©2022 Ainslie Hogarth (P)2022 Random House Audio
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What the critics say

A New York Times Notable Book the Year • A Cosmopolitan Best Horror Book of All Time • A New York Times Editors’ Choice

“A quirky, gruesome, utterly original feminist horror experience.”The New York Times Book Review

“Creepy, hysterical, emotionally complex.”The New York Times, 7 Audiobooks to Listen to Now

“This haunting is deliberate, unsettling, and reads like the sensation you get after licking a battery—sharp and bitter but intriguing. Turn to it when you want something different, when you’re done with the traditional ghost story and need something unusual to sink your teeth into.”The Big Thrill

What listeners say about Motherthing

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Jarring, Exciting and Masterful

Motherthing is a fascinating, jarring and incredibly creative book. It’s very rare to come across a narrative like this and it can disorient some readers who might be unfamiliar with literary norms. Abby, the main character is an unreliable narrator whose mental and psychological capacity is sort of stuck. As a result of the deep trauma she has endured. She does her best to “blend” and mimic those around her but ultimately she not a person you might describe as conventionally well adjusted. It’s very important to grasp this concept quickly in the story otherwise you might mistakenly think of her as a “one dimensional character”. This book was so much fun to listen to, the voice actor captures the eerie ness of it all very well. I can’t recommend it enough. It’s a trip, to say the least! 5/5

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  • Overall
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A weird scare!?!

Although I've read and watched a ton of true crime, scary documentaries and read biographies, This was the first time I've listened to a ghost story; there were some edge-of-the-seat parts. I enjoyed this novel!

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  • Overall
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deliciously twisted!

this Story presents a style of writing but I have never seen before and I love it! you can really feel the characters mind slipping with how the author writes, I found myself even wincing at a few parts with how graphically She Wrote but it also was refreshing and new. the performance was awesome too her voice really betrayed the character fighting with her inner demons and finally giving into them.

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Fresh & lightly funny

I enjoyed the narrator and having a fresh story concept kept me listening whenever I could. The only downside were the protagonists tangents... although generally funny they sometimes rambled a little too long.

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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not a great book, no appealing characters

This was a strange book, did not enjoy at all. jarring dialogue, 2 dimensional characters, heavy handed. listened as it was featured on CBC but ended up disappointed. Had potential to explore interesting themes of motherhood, mental health and trauma but missed the mark in a big way.

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