Full of simmering tensions, Katherine Allum’s award-winning debut novel, The Skeleton House, pulls back the layers on a seemingly perfect family, exposing the complexities of marriage and motherhood when you are fighting to keep your own identity, no matter the cost.
Meg’s life is woven into the fabric of St Stephens. It’s a tapestry made of two precious children, a hidden truth and a husband whose ideas of a perfect wife do not match her own. When Meg puts her foot down on a third kid, gets a job and is empowered by the same book group that was meant to keep her in her place, her marriage begins to disintegrate. Set in a tiny Mormon community, this is a novel about resilience and courage – the fierceness of mother-love and the power that comes with never forgetting who you really are.
(4/5)
Not long after finishing Katherine Allum’s The Skeleton House, American footballer, Harrison Butker, gave a disturbing commencement speech that was reminiscent of the novel’s antagonist, Kyle, rising from these 300 pages, a wilted stain of a man that peeled itself from our imaginations and imprinted on our retinas. Meg’s anguish and frustration, her screaming entrapment is a current and constant anthem being chanted on a global stage. Like *that* speech, The Skeleton House is difficult to get through but not because of any clumsy prose. The story is our reality, and we are slogging through it every day. I wanted to escape the narrative because Meg’s truth was too real, too close, too loud. In Allum’s debut novel, not enough happens and too much happens at the same time. The psychological anguish is deeply uncomfortable for the reader in its realistic depiction of abuse, gaslighting and coercive control. The novel won’t be for everyone but keep reading in search of hope and be reassured that Meg is reminded of her magic.
(4/5)
Normally I avoid literary novels, but this one sounded interesting and it was. Meg is married to Kyle who ‘rescued’ her and paid off her debts as she had a young baby, they have gone on to have a child of their own as well. Kyle is building his dream home so they are living in a trailer on the block, this is challenging for them all, especially with two young children and a new puppy.
Kyle comes from a Mormon background and therefore expects Meg to do as she is told. Meg does not come from that background and has a very independent streak. However, the cracks begin to show when Kyle cuts off her credit cards and controls her. She takes up a temporary job at a local high school which he is not happy with. They eventually move into their unfinished house which helps but puts more pressure on the family. She joins a local book club where she can meet and mix with other females who are also mums. She builds up friendships which help.
This novel has themes of motherhood, female friendship, domestic violence, and others. Recommended for readers of women’s fiction. An impressive debut novel.
Many thanks to Good Reading magazine and Fremantle Press for a copy of this book for review purposes.
(4/5)
The Skeleton House gives a peek into a small Mormon community and how it affects the lives of the people in it. I found that the author, Katherin Allum, wrote very descriptively and you could imagine yourself there.
Her main character, Meg, is easy to sympathise with as she experiences all the emotions described so well by the author, even if you personally haven’t experienced these events yourself.
A cleverly constructed story that show the cracks of Meg’s marriage begin to take shape, as the additional stress of living in close quarters helping to amplify the existing problems, in contrast to the ‘Skeleton House’ being built into a strong, solid structure.
A well written debut novel that covers all aspects of family life and a mother trying to keep her identity.
(5/5)
Once I started The Skeleton House, I was so absorbed, I just kept reading. A great novel about women’s lives and so relatable…. my favourite type of novel. I’m sure this bookl will be a real hit… it deserves to be. Loved it.
(4/5)
This book challenged me as it is something that I would not normally read. Once I began to understand the writing I became very invested in Meg’s life and what she endures. It describes the challenges of being a young Mum and meeting society’s expectations on how she should behave while still wanting to be herself. Her first love does not work out and she marries a man who turns out to be abusive.
The writing was very descriptive and flowed into different time lines of Meg’s life and family. It’s about the community she lives in and how she manages to create friendships and self worth. Definitely worth the read.
(3/5)
I do not usually read this kind of book. Nevertheless I found the subject quite interesting.
I learnt a lot about the Mormon culture, but I found the book quite slow going.
I think book clubs would enjoy this book.
(4/5)
At first I was thinking, this book isn’t for me, but I persevered, and figured out the author was just setting the scene!
Katherine Allum tells a story of a harsh desert environment and an equally harsh marriage for Meg.
It was a joy to get to know Meg, and feel her resilience, and ultimately her independence. Without giving too much away, this book told a story, one I have partly lived through, it made me smile, gasp and cry – well sob really!
(4/5)
The Skeleton House written by Katherine Allum is set vividly in the harsh sandy desert – a world where you are blinded by bright sunlight and dark shadows, with scorching high temperatures, roadkill and abandoned mine shafts making the environment oppressive and confronting from the first chapter. We are introduced to Meg and her young family and her memories, as well as the cultural niche that is Mormon America.
The character development is enjoyable and our sympathies are with everyone trapped in this difficult and imperfect desert life. The image of a half-built timber skeleton house frame is a strong anthropomorphic one, and when the family moves into its carcass, we can feel things begin to unravel. Meg shares the story of her life bit by bit and we slowly begin to understand the importance of her son Finn’s imaginary friend.
She introduces us to the story of her life now as an OTM (other than Mormon) wife in this Mormon world: how she navigates its rules alongside her strong personality and emotions. It is a sad and confronting story but shows the kindness of people and the journey Meg takes with them.
(4/5)
“You know you’re allowed to be happy?” Meg’s friend asks. It sounds so simple unless you are married with 2 small children, a half built house and little family support. What starts out as an old fashioned relationship quickly shows crumbling foundations with financial, emotional & physical abuse. A book that tugs at your heart but makes the intellectual & financial struggle real.
My only criticism is the chopping in and out of reality, to fantasy, to past and present seems to add little value except trying to make the book more complex. A thought provoking read!
(3/5)
The book is beautifully written, but the story is not my cup of tea. So much conversation between her and her husband and their children, I wondered where the story is going or is it going anywhere.
There were many words about how she made her kid a sandwich with four raisins because the kid likes raisins and number 4 … I forced myself to read it but at the end I gave up. I don’t feel I am connected with the book or the people in the book. I am sure other people will love this kind of story, but it’s not for me.
(5/5)
This is a story of the strength of a mother’s love and addresses coercive control and its effects.
The Skeleton House is set in a Mormon community just outside Las Vegas, Meg is a devoted mother of two small children, outwardly happily married to Kyle. It soon becomes clear that there are issues in the marriage and the tension builds as life becomes more difficult for Meg, the desert setting with its weather extremes and dangers contributes to the tension and in the background is always the Mormon church and its teachings. Kyle becomes more controlling financially, emotionally and sexually. He encourages her to join a book club but is horrified that instead of limiting her it leads Meg to try to be more independent. Kyle is building their first home, but they have to move in when its partly completed, Meg refers to it as the Skeleton House and she worries about the dangers of young children living in what in places is still a building site.
The Skeleton House is an outstanding debut novel from Katherine Allum which focuses on many issues that women all over the world are dealing with today.
(4/5)
The Skeleton House is a beautifully written book based on Meg and her family and the life she is trying to settle into but doesn’t want. Meg is such a likeable character who has lost her voice in her marriage and life in general.
Your heart breaks for her and the life she finds herself in and roots for her as she finds the courage to make changes and speak up.
It is a heartbreaking story that will stay with you for days. I look forward to reading more by Katherine Allum.
(4/5)
Meg is stuck in a marriage that is suffocating her. She struggles under the coercive control of her husband. Her community says she must stick by her husband, be a good mother and wife. It takes an unthinkable event before she is able to stand up to her husband.
The story is engaging and emotional. I quietly shed tears for Meg. For most readers, this book will open your eyes to a lesser known side to domestic violence.
(4/5)
It’s not the type of book I would normally read but it was well written.
It gave an insight into the Mormon Community and how the women are expected to behave, including being a good mother and a dutiful wife.
I felt sorry for Meg and the challenges she had to endure which included living in a caravan and then the unfinished “Skeleton House” and the way Kyle treats her and expects her to behave.
It was good to see her resilience shine through.
(3/5)
An easy read, although at time you may get frustrated at Meg, at least I know that I did. The story of a mother, wife, daughter and friend whose expectations in life don’t coalesce with the expectations of those around her. The story is split between a future event, the present and flashback memories; it took a few chapters for me to get used to the style of writing, especially the bedtime story but it all comes together. An emotional twist at the end may bring tears, so have some tissues at the ready.
Thank you Fremantle Press and Good Reading Magazine for the opportunity to read Skeleton House.
(4/5)
The Skeleton House was an emotional roller-coaster. It had it’s up and downs and the twist put me into shock. It took several re-reads of this section for what happened to sink in. There were great depiction of scenes and emotions throughout. The author really sets Meg’s feeling out clearly and, as the reader, we know how she is feeling every step of the way.
However, I did find it a little confusing to keep up with. Some of the flashbacks and recalls were difficult to understand. I found I had to re-read parts to work out where we were and what part of time we were up to.
I loved it for the emotion. Loved the depictions of scenes and environment but found the shifts of time somewhat confusing.
(5/5)
Heartbreaking and intimate, Meg’s story will stick with you for days after finishing this exquisitely written novel. You can see why it won the Fogarty Literary Award. There’s a perfect balance of humour and warmth among the tension and devastation. Highly highly recommend.
(4/5)
I wanted to reach into the book, grab Meg and scream ‘he’s gaslighting you!!’. I rarely dislike characters, but I really disliked Kyle and had to keep reading to ensure he didn’t live happily ever after – I won’t ruin the ending!
This book needs a sequel, I want a Neeley and Meg reunion, or to know the connection Finn makes with his dad.
An easy read, would be great for book clubs as so much to unpack.
(3/5)
Thanks for sending me this book to review.
I found it to be an interesting read, though it tended to flit back and forth a bit, which made it a book that took me a while to read.
I think any woman who has been in a controlling marriage/relationship could relate to this book.
I thought it ended where it needed to.
(4/5)
The Skeleton House is the debut novel by Katherine Allum, who has concreted a solid foothold in the fiction genre. Her debut novel examines the Motherhood journey and associated highs and lows in such a relatable manner that keep the reader turning the pages. This novel examines the complex and evolving relationship of Meg and her husband Kyle. The character of Meg is shown to be complex as she develops her voice and a new role in her family. She has to overcome her husbands strong Morman beliefs which seem to only emerge during conflicts between the two main characters. This is a powerful novel that will take the reader on an emotional rollercoaster. I look forward to reading more books by this author