Othered Mother : Nine Pens Press : 9781739827472 : 1739827473 : 30 Sep 2022 : An Othered Mother is an innovative collection of existential panic (of sometimes Biblical proportions), in which the comfort of family and relationships still carry within them some unspoken threat; we do not know what it is, or if it will ever come to fruition, but this book walks the line between vigilance and acceptance of fate, be it good or bad. At times colloquial and confiding, Henderson uses shifting distances of tone which make visceral attempts at simulating fears of abandonment within the reader; you are loved and isolated, you are held and alone. There are places where childhood and adulthood converge, timelines interfering with one another, family trees and earth. An Othered Mother carries an important message through the magic and confessionalism found in Henderson's dry, uncynical tone: this book may not have the optimistic message or answer that you were hoping for, but that's life. We do not