Motherthing is a dark, twisted, and surprisingly funny psychological horror novel that kept me hooked from start to finish. Ainslie Hogarth delivers a gripping and unsettling story about grief, trauma, and the terrifying ways motherhood (and mother figures) can shape us.

The protagonist, Abby, is both deeply relatable and incredibly unhinged as she navigates her husband’s crippling grief after the death of his cruel, overbearing mother. The writing is sharp, immersive, and at times so unnervingly intimate that it made me squirm. I especially loved the blend of horror and dark humor—it gave the story a unique, offbeat energy that reminded me of Otessa Moshfegh meets Shirley Jackson.

That said, the novel leans heavily into Abby’s spiraling psyche, which might not be for everyone. Some sections felt a bit repetitive, and the surreal aspects of the narrative occasionally made it hard to tell what was real and what wasn’t. But honestly, that’s part of what makes it so compelling—it’s an intense, claustrophobic descent into madness.

Overall, Motherthing is a wild, unsettling ride that I’d recommend to fans of psychological horror and dark literary fiction. It’s weird, funny, and deeply disturbing in all the best ways.

I love weird books that explore toxic relationships.

Motherthing won’t work for everyone. I know that. It might even upset some people. I know that, too. But let me tell you why it worked for me.

I’ve encountered more than enough people (and one is more than enough, although I’ve encountered more than that) who have used threats of a suicide as a tool for manipulation. It is a hard call to make, deciding that their words are meant to control me, and not an authentic plea for help. And if they do take action, does that mean I misunderstood or was the end result the consequence of spite? Ainslie Hogarth wondered the same thing, I suppose, and with some bitter blood in her veins, she opens this story already knowing what she wants us to believe.

So, yeah, the concept of a (probably) spite driven suicide by a manipulative mother spoke to me.

It’s not just that, though. The story also centers around the way mother is socially synonymous with caretaker, nurturer, and love, when there are so many of us out there who do not associate those words with our own mothers. But we’re expected to, aren’t we, by both the crowd who did have mothers that fit the mold and those folks who are in denial of their own poisonous experiences?

Motherthing made sense to me on multiple levels.

I found this absolutely addictive and deliciously odd. It was not at all what I’d expected, but I loved what I received. Hogarth hosts a number of topics here and all are done well, although the content might easily offend. If you’re not cool with black humor, avoid this at all costs, because this is the starless sky of comedy.

Motherthing is about mothering, and every angle you look at it from is disturbing. The narrator‘s (Abby) mind is an uncomfortable place to settle within, and it just pinches the nerves as she tells her volatile story. Hogarth lets us know (and not so subtly) that becoming a mother is not the void fill Abby needs, and things sure do get messy as we recognize something that Abby never will!

This book has earned every adjective imaginable as you meet Abby, Ralph and the mother-in=law from hell, Laura. Dark, funny, creepy, unbelievable.....just keep reading. An original story line with a clear line between good and evil, Abby's story is a great one!!!!

I could not love this book more if I tried. At no time did I know what to expect next, and that is one of the best parts of Motherthing. I don't even know what to classify this book as - it carries so many heavy things inside it. Grief, of many kinds. Feminine rage. What it means to be a mother. To have a mother. To need a mother. To want a mother. Love and loss cover every page in some form or another. It's well-written, shocking, and at times so tender it hurts. A must for horror fans.

Motherthing by Ainslie Hogarth is a darkly comedic, unsettling, and utterly unique exploration of grief, motherhood, and mental unraveling.

Hogarth’s writing is sharp and immersive, balancing biting humor with eerie, gothic undertones. Abby’s voice is unforgettable, quirky, unreliable, and deeply human, making her descent into madness both chilling and oddly relatable. The blend of psychological horror and absurdity creates a story that’s equal parts horrifying and hilarious.

This book isn’t for everyone, but if you enjoy sharp social commentary, dark humor, and stories that push boundaries, Motherthing is a must-read. It’s unsettling in the best way possible and left me thinking about it long after the final page.

This was fun and weird and a quick read. It's an interesting look at depression... and obsession, but in a funny way? The characters are flawed but also hilarious. I really enjoyed this. The ending is absolutely bonkers and I flew through the second half of the book because of that. There are so many fantastic quotes that I love from this as well.

This is a story for anyone who's experienced complicated conditions with family members. We all want to make a good impression on the people that matter most to our loved ones, and it can be debilitating to feel like we don't measure up. While there are very strong themes dealing with suicide, family dynamics, and motherhood, this book still managed to keep it comedic and even light-hearted at times. This reminded me of the TV shows Crazy Ex-Girlfriend and Santa Clarita Diet...I can just see Rachel Bloom playing the part of Abby so beautifully!

My only annoyance with the book came with my feeling towards Abby...Abby is truly codependent with Ralph and I personally can't relate to her deep devotion. It seems to border on manic or bipolar, so I found myself rolling my eyes with how obsessed Abby is with Ralph. It does make sense that this is her personality once you gain the sense of the entire book. This is really the only reason I gave the book 4 stars instead of 5 because that part became too repetitive and boring to me. Other than this, great book!

If you do not like stream-of-consciousness book, you will not like this one. Motherthing is told in Abby's POV as she slowly goes mad. She's very unhinged and I loved it! Abby definitely gave my 'untrustworthy narrator' vibes and those are some of my favourite types of books. Ainslie Hogarth's writing is sooo good and kept me hooked for the whole book, it has hard to put down at times!

If you like a little bit of horror (tw some gruesome descriptions) and a wild FMC narrator, you'll love this book.

I’ve never read anything by this author but will definitely read more moving forward. Such a unique story and I couldn’t put it down. Need more new voices in horror

This is a hilarious and dark look at a woman’s descent into madness, told from Abby’s POV in an unhinged stream-of-consciousness. It’s not a narrative choice I usually like, but here it works because Abby’s perspective on literally everything is so wild and unexpected, and that gives it a fascinating charm and compulsive readability.

Decidedly, this is not going to be for everyone. It is quirky and different, bold and bleak. It explores subject matter that is serious and sensitive in the most unhinged way, but a snark that diffuses it and leaves you feeling so many confusing things. This requires a reading audience who embrace the unconventional in horror novels and don’t mind having their opinions on jellied salmon challenged.

I love Ainslie Hogarth's writing. It's smart, witty, propulsive. And I loved this story, which was strong on the merits of a horror plot but also contained such emotional depth. I'll be reading anything Hogarth writes!

What in the world did I just read?? This was bizarre and hilarious and honestly, I can't think of a word to describe it other than "unhinged."

Wow!

That was quite a read. It never, ever went where I thought it would.

I loved Abby and, in his way, loved Ralph (though I found him a little frustrating).

I absolutely did NOT expect what happens in the end. It was quite shocking, though perfect for the read.

A unique, sad, funny and quite remarkable read! (Also, may I never, ever be fed jellied salmon.)

Rating: 2 stars
This book failed to win me over. While it initially held promise, the erratic behavior of the main characters left me disconnected. The narrative felt scattered, making it difficult to engage with. I couldn't help but sympathize with the husband amidst the chaos.

WHAT IN THE WORLD DID I JUST READ?!?!

Motherthing is about as unhinged as a novel can get! In this you follow Abigail and her husband Ralph. Abigail's mother in law dies in their basement and the couple is left to pick up the pieces. Ralph is struggling to manage his grief and is suffering from mental health issues. This book is very much a stream of consciousness inside of Abigail's head. She is doing what she can to keep Ralph happy and try to rid their lives of her mother in law's ghost. Strap in for a wild ride!

Overall, I enjoyed this! There were definitely moments where I was confused about what was happening. Abigail's lies and her irrational thoughts were so frustrating, but that is part of the story. If you love unhinged, female characters then I think that you will love this story. If you like concrete characters and a concrete plot than this may not be for you.

When I requested this book… over two years ago… I thought it sounded great, I really wanted to read it, and I was sure it would be a priority read. Alas, no.
When I finally did pick it up recently, I was still optimistic but I found it quite hard to get into, not what I expected at all, and it took me a month to finish!
I expected a dark comedy about a couple being haunted by a dead mother-in-law. That’s not completely wrong, but it’s not a great summary either. Was there even a haunting? I’m not sure – no one in this book is very credible and the first-person narrative slips between describing what’s happening and what she’s only imagining.
My biggest obstacle to enjoying this book was its lack of focus, I was never very sure what the aim was; the dead mother-in-law seemed beside the point. Neither was there cohesion in the structure; there are sections written like a script and the change in format as well as POV was disorienting.
Finally, I simply didn’t care what happened to the characters. Not because they’re unlikeable but because the lack of focus in plot meant I didn’t fully understand their motivations.
I did appreciate the writing in parts – there were some sharp, witty observations, but it wasn’t enough to make this a good read for me and I struggled to finish.
Thanks, NetGalley!

Enjoying this book requires you to imagine that a spite-suicide can be an excellent foundation for a comic romp. I was there for it. I was hooked from the first clause of the first sentence,

This was an ultimately disappointing read for me. A little underbaked, though the characters were interesting.

WHAT DID I JUST READ?!?!?!?!

Abigail has completely lost her mind. An unhinged female character with severe mommy issues, dealing with the grief of other people’s mothers. She is absolutely descending into madness while having no idea that she is doing so. That’s what this book is.

What it is not? It is not quite a horror story. It is also not a ghost story.

It was a wild ride and if readers are not disturbed by gruesome descriptions and bodily fluids, they may be into this one.

“My Mother In-Law is driving me crazy,” is usually a figurative statement people make, but for Laura it becomes quite literal after the Mother In-Law’s sudden and extreme death. Motherthing is relatively tame for its classification as a horror story, but isn’t that how most horrific events happen? Seemingly normal until that penultimate moment of pure insanity.
The layers of normalcy slowly shed away as Laura slips gradually into insanity. The horror that is held back throughout the first ¾ of the story is unleashed in a tidal wave in that final ¼. The slow descent into the macabre allows for the atrocious ending to be more shocking and unhinged than I could have expected.