“Femme Feral” by Sam Beckbessinger is the book I needed while entering perimenopause. It is definitely more entertaining than a self-help book, and it features an antiheroine I could oddly identify with.
Ellie has a lot on her plate: her father-in-law’s care, a daughter who once had an eating disorder, her husband and his dreams, and her career. Add to that a strange mix of symptoms that—surprise, surprise—can only mean menopause is right around the corner. Or could they be a sign of something else?
Brenda, a senior living alone and going blind, finds her cat dead one day. Then she learns that other animals in her neighborhood are also dying or going missing. Is it a fox? A stray dog? Or something more legendary?
I enjoyed this book a great deal, and it is definitely due, in part, to my own stage of life. The narration switches mostly between Ellie and Brenda, and it was refreshing to have two women at the center of the story. Ellie’s evolution felt real, and I was right there with her.
A note: The author admits to using AI to create some content in the book that is supposed to be generated by a fictional AI. I am generally against the use of AI in fiction. I understand this use, however, and I’ll give the author a pass.
I would recommend Sam Beckbessinger’s “Femme Feral” to readers of werewolf horror; it’s a good addition to the genre. It’s a fun read as far as women’s fiction goes as well, if the reader can stomach the gory bits. I received a copy from NetGalley.
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