On Talk of the Bay, host Suki Wessling speaks with local author Claire Oshetsky about her new book, Chouette. In the book, the narrator literally, or perhaps metaphorically, gives birth to an owl-baby. The mother is fiercely protective of her unusual child, and perceives others as trying to “fix” a child who is not broken. The book can be seen as a metaphor for how a feminist has to give up work to raise a child with special needs, clashing with her husband in a struggle to appreciate who her child is, and finally needing to set the child free into the life that suits her best. But it can also be seen as a fantastic tale of a woman who produces an unusual child with her owl-lover, and has to navigate the perilous journey of raising an owl-child amongst happy dog-people. Suki and Claire discuss mothering as artists, raising non-neurotypical children, the expectations of feminism, and setting our children free. Join us!
Chouette is available at Bookshop Santa Cruz and Two Birds Books.
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