My Evil Mother

My Evil Mother 

My Evil Mother is the latest short story to be checked off my to be read list. The title is what intrigued me. I grew up in a narcissistic household, and only recently found the strength to really tell my story and give it the name it deserves, which was abusive. 

“She looked like a dependable mother from a respectable neighborhood such as ours.” 

Margaret Atwood, My Evil Mother

This post contains affiliate links

I think that evil comes in many forms, and thought My Evil Mother deserved a read. 

Have you read My Evil Mother yet? Come on in and let me tell you about it! 

About My Evil Mother 

Life is hard enough for a teenage girl in 1950s suburbia without having a mother who may—or may not—be a witch. A single mother at that. Sure, she fits in with her starched dresses, string of pearls, and floral aprons. 

Then there are the hushed and mystical consultations with neighborhood women in distress. The unsavory, mysterious plants in the flower beds. The divine warning to steer clear of a boyfriend whose fate is certainly doomed. 

But as the daughter of this bewitching homemaker comes of age and her mother’s claims become more and more outlandish, she begins to question everything she once took for granted. 

Thoughts on My Evil Mother 

My Evil Mother is a short story, taking less than thirty minutes to read, and that is something I absolutely enjoy daily. A good short story with my morning coffee or before going to bed is far healthier than mindlessly scrolling through social media or reading the newspaper. 

“They may not like me, but they respect me. Respect is better than like.” 

Margaret Atwood, My Evil Mother

I had no real idea what I was getting into when I started reading My Evil Mother, but it was certainly entertaining. I was expecting something much darker, based on the title. But this was cute and at times funny. 

I can’t quite imagine a mother telling her daughter that she turned her absent father into a garden gnome who sits outside the front door. But it’s hilarious to think about, too. 

Final Thoughts on My Evil Mother 

“You were such a sensitive child. So easily wounded. So I told you those things. I didn’t want you to feel defenseless in the face of life. Life can be harsh. I wanted you to feel protected, and to know that there was a greater power watching over you. That the Universe was taking a personal interest.” 

Margaret Atwood, My Evil Mother

I think many parents can relate to this, and makes them think back to their teen years, before they became parents themselves. It is a fun and quirky quick read that I recommend to anyone with 30 minutes to spare. 

Discussion 

Have you read My Evil Mother or any other writing from Margaret Atwood? Are you a fan? Let me know your thoughts in the comments! 

About the Author 

Margaret Atwood is the author of more than fifty books of fiction, poetry and critical essays. Her novels include Cat’s Eye, The Robber Bride, Alias Grace, The Blind Assassin and the MaddAddam trilogy. 

Her 1985 classic, The Handmaid’s Tale, went back into the bestseller charts with the election of Donald Trump, when the Handmaids became a symbol of resistance against the disempowerment of women, and with the 2017 release of the award-winning Channel 4 TV series. ‘Her sequel, The Testaments, was published in 2019. It was an instant international bestseller and won the Booker Prize.’ 

Atwood has won numerous awards including the Booker Prize, the Arthur C. Clarke Award for Imagination in Service to Society, the Franz Kafka Prize, the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade and the PEN USA Lifetime Achievement Award. 

In 2019 she was made a member of the Order of the Companions of Honour for services to literature. She has also worked as a cartoonist, illustrator, librettist, playwright and puppeteer. She lives in Toronto, Canada. 

Purchasing My Evil Mother

If you are interested in buying the Kindle version of My Evil Mother, click here.

Click here for my favorite Kindle I currently own.

Amazon Notice 

The Reading Wife is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com, at no added cost to you.