Initially I thought this book would be right up my alley — feminine rage, horror, finding yourself in a patriarchal landscape. Instead I found it to be a performative exercise in feminism — not looking to raise up fellow women, but criticize and feel superior to them. While I agree with some of the messaging, things like how being the default stay-at-home parent are unfair and, frankly, bullshit — I can’t fathom the route we took to get there, which just felt to me like belittling women who choose different life paths. Our main character is flawed but she doesn’t grow, she’s cruel to animals including her pet cat, she communicates poorly and has lofty expectations for everyone else in her life. Beyond that, the one plot thread I found interesting, wherein she reaches out to an occult specialist about her concern she’s turning into a dog, has absolutely no payoff.

3/5 for a handful of insightful, feminist nuance, but overall? Meh.