title: My Evil Mother by: Atwood, Margaret published: 2019 read: 2023-06 preview

Atwood has the style that suits me: down-to-earth, simple, straightforward. And the same in this short novel. Story, really, with only about 30 pages. Apparently and aptly, the book was written by Atwood shortly after her mother died. It describes the mother of the main character, a nameless girl growing up with her mum in the 1950s in suburban Canada. It is not the easiest of times.

“You’re so evil,” I said to my mother. I was fifteen, the talk-back age. “I take that as a compliment,” she said. “Yes, I’m evil, as others might define that term. But I use my evil powers only for good.” “Yeah, tell me another,” I replied. We were having an argument about my new boyfriend, Brian. “Anyway, who gets to say what’s good?”

Brian, the boyfriend, has been gone soon.

There was no sense in going head-to-head with my mother. Nor could I try sneaking around behind her back: she had eyes in the back of her head, and little birds told her things.

It is not a surprise the daughter thinks her mum is a witch. She behaves oddly, wears strange clothes, performs mysterious rituals, and claims to have magical powers. Like how she did in the father.

The mother often tells the girl that she must protect her from evil forces, and she even makes strange concoctions to ward off bad spirits. The girl’s life is confusing and sometimes embarrassing because of her mother’s odd behaviour. This makes her fitting in at school hard… why can’t she have a normal mother?

Naturally, as a she grows up, she begins to understand that her mum’s behaviour is to protect and guide her daughter. The story ends her understanding her mother’s actions a form of love and protection, even when unconventional.

The shift in the daughter’s perception highlights the complexity of the mother-daughter relationship and the theme of growing understanding and acceptance. In this the book, balancing between mystery and humour, is really a guide for a mother–daughter relationship. And in particular, how it should not be. Or perhaps, how it should?