Is Mother Dead is a stark, visceral novel about obsession, perception vs. reality, and the toxic relationship between a mother and estranged daughter (Johanna).

Is Mother Dead reads as very stream-of-consciousness, like diary entries, full of run-on and nonlinear sentences. I don't know that I ever fully got into the rhythm of this read, but I think the writing style captured the sense of overthinking and constant questioning that stems from extreme anxiety and guilt.

I loved that Johanna was the ultimate unreliable narrator. From safely outside the pages, the reader looks at her actions and sees all the red flags, but Johanna's point of view shows that she truly thinks of herself as a victim who is trying her best to do what's right, despite everything and everyone trying to stop her. Johanna's initial escalations from obsessive thoughts to actions happened so seamlessly that I found myself rereading passages and having to pause to figure out whether the events I was reading about were happening in Johanna's imagination or in the real world. As Johanna's obsession grew, her actions continued to escalate without warning, keeping me on my toes.

Though on the shorter side, I found the book to be a bit repetitive - but I suppose obsessive thoughts are.

Hjorth definitely has a gift for character-based psychological drama and for baring the souls of her characters. If you enjoy complex reads that explore the twisted inner workings of emotion and that are more vibe than plot, consider checking this one out!