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The Skeleton House
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.
- GenresAudiobook
320 pages, Paperback
Published June 4, 2024
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211 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
July 11, 2024
EXCERPT: 'I started this group because we need to set a good example to 0ur children. And it's a shame. A shame that, for many of us, we stop reading and educating ourselves outside of parenting. We complained about school when we were teenagers, but I look back on those days fondly.' Mindy looked at each of us.
I remembered. I'd been the one to carry and lead the projects, and when I shuttled to the front of the class with my completed worksheets and pigtails, age eight, asking for more, I was tasked with assisting the stragglers.
Brandie was talking to me.
'Sorry, I was reminiscing with the rest of you,' I smiled.
I was horrified I was looking at her the same way Lindsay and her witchy friends used to simper at me in my hand-me-down flannel shirts and scuffed sneakers, and then ask for my help on their projects and homework. All that maintenance on their looks, but they were constantly mixing up alliteration and simile, missing subtext, mislabeling the Christ figure in the metaphor.
'Classic Meg, lost in her little dreamworld,' Lindsay laughed.
I remember those stories you used to write.' Brandie ignored her. 'The one about the man and the donkey? Or when you rewrote a scene of Hamlet to take place in the Australian Outback with that boy, your friend who moved here at the end of high school? Do you still write?'
She smiled at me with true warmth, her eyes crinkled at the corners.
The kindness was offered as a gift, not a debt.
ABOUT 'THE SKELETON HOUSE': Tumbleweeds, roadrunners, no stoplights: welcome to St Stephens, Nevada, the desert town Meg has been trying to escape since her teens.
As Meg's husband, Kyle, builds the perfect home for his young family, Meg finds herself facing a future she never wanted, with dreams that aren't her own.
Resistance comes in increments: joining a Mormon book club, coaching her high school debate team, telling bedtime stories about the past to her son. But what happens when your ticket out has become the key that locks the door?
MY THOUGHTS: I struggled with this book in the beginning. The timeline jumps about with no warning, the writing style is a little erratic. But as I read the book grew on me. I could relate to Meg, to the situation she found herself in - talk about jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire! A few chapters from the end I was reading with tears coursing down my face, great ugly sobs heaving my chest. I can see why this novel won a literary award.
The Skeleton House of the title is the unfinished frame of the house Meg's husband Kyle is building, seemingly in the middle of nowhere. Meg should be excited, right? Because it must be better to live in that, even unfinished, than a small trailer with two active children. The progress on the building of the house runs parallel to the disintegration of their marital relationship.
Allum portrays the sacrifices and compromises of marriage, demonstrates how easily one partner can dominate the other, and how a sense of self can be lost in the daily minutiae of raising children. It is a complex read, and one that avoids the cliches so common in this scenario. It is written with a raw honesty of emotion.
The characters are well drawn. Meg is complex, loving her children but feeling lost in her relationship and within herself. Kyle is a product of his upbringing. Finn is an absolute delight, and Hallie a firecracker of a child.
The Skeleton House is a slow-paced book, but the tension builds incrementally to a dramatic and heartbreaking climax - hence the tears. I felt all the emotions reading this - despair, anger, frustration, trepidation, sorrow and, occasionally, joy.
I can't honestly say that I enjoyed this read, but I did appreciate it.
⭐⭐⭐⭐.1
#SkeletonHouse @FremantlePress
THE AUTHOR: American born, Katherine grew up in four different states and has the strongest ties to regional southwest Nevada and Portland, Oregon. After spending several years in London, she now lives in Perth, Western Australia, with her husband. She does her best story plotting while swimming.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Fremantle Press for providing a copy of The Skeleton House by Katherine Allum for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
I remembered. I'd been the one to carry and lead the projects, and when I shuttled to the front of the class with my completed worksheets and pigtails, age eight, asking for more, I was tasked with assisting the stragglers.
Brandie was talking to me.
'Sorry, I was reminiscing with the rest of you,' I smiled.
I was horrified I was looking at her the same way Lindsay and her witchy friends used to simper at me in my hand-me-down flannel shirts and scuffed sneakers, and then ask for my help on their projects and homework. All that maintenance on their looks, but they were constantly mixing up alliteration and simile, missing subtext, mislabeling the Christ figure in the metaphor.
'Classic Meg, lost in her little dreamworld,' Lindsay laughed.
I remember those stories you used to write.' Brandie ignored her. 'The one about the man and the donkey? Or when you rewrote a scene of Hamlet to take place in the Australian Outback with that boy, your friend who moved here at the end of high school? Do you still write?'
She smiled at me with true warmth, her eyes crinkled at the corners.
The kindness was offered as a gift, not a debt.
ABOUT 'THE SKELETON HOUSE': Tumbleweeds, roadrunners, no stoplights: welcome to St Stephens, Nevada, the desert town Meg has been trying to escape since her teens.
As Meg's husband, Kyle, builds the perfect home for his young family, Meg finds herself facing a future she never wanted, with dreams that aren't her own.
Resistance comes in increments: joining a Mormon book club, coaching her high school debate team, telling bedtime stories about the past to her son. But what happens when your ticket out has become the key that locks the door?
MY THOUGHTS: I struggled with this book in the beginning. The timeline jumps about with no warning, the writing style is a little erratic. But as I read the book grew on me. I could relate to Meg, to the situation she found herself in - talk about jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire! A few chapters from the end I was reading with tears coursing down my face, great ugly sobs heaving my chest. I can see why this novel won a literary award.
The Skeleton House of the title is the unfinished frame of the house Meg's husband Kyle is building, seemingly in the middle of nowhere. Meg should be excited, right? Because it must be better to live in that, even unfinished, than a small trailer with two active children. The progress on the building of the house runs parallel to the disintegration of their marital relationship.
Allum portrays the sacrifices and compromises of marriage, demonstrates how easily one partner can dominate the other, and how a sense of self can be lost in the daily minutiae of raising children. It is a complex read, and one that avoids the cliches so common in this scenario. It is written with a raw honesty of emotion.
The characters are well drawn. Meg is complex, loving her children but feeling lost in her relationship and within herself. Kyle is a product of his upbringing. Finn is an absolute delight, and Hallie a firecracker of a child.
The Skeleton House is a slow-paced book, but the tension builds incrementally to a dramatic and heartbreaking climax - hence the tears. I felt all the emotions reading this - despair, anger, frustration, trepidation, sorrow and, occasionally, joy.
I can't honestly say that I enjoyed this read, but I did appreciate it.
⭐⭐⭐⭐.1
#SkeletonHouse @FremantlePress
THE AUTHOR: American born, Katherine grew up in four different states and has the strongest ties to regional southwest Nevada and Portland, Oregon. After spending several years in London, she now lives in Perth, Western Australia, with her husband. She does her best story plotting while swimming.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Fremantle Press for providing a copy of The Skeleton House by Katherine Allum for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
June 15, 2024
Another gem unearthed from the Indyreads catalogue.
Unfortunately for the novel's hero Meg, life in her small Mormon community in her 'skeleton' house is anything but sparkling. The story centres on Meg's inability, as a non-Mormon, to abide by the dictates of the religion and the repercussions for her and her son Finn (what an amazing little boy he is!) and her daughter Hallie. Meg is a complex and remarkarkably strong character especially when pitted against her husband Kyle who uses his Mormon religion, when it suits him, to make
demands of, restrict and dominate his family.
The Skeleton House is a compelling, sad, often disturbing portrait of a modern day marriage and a powerful portrayal of the challenges and rewards of Motherhood.
Recommended
Unfortunately for the novel's hero Meg, life in her small Mormon community in her 'skeleton' house is anything but sparkling. The story centres on Meg's inability, as a non-Mormon, to abide by the dictates of the religion and the repercussions for her and her son Finn (what an amazing little boy he is!) and her daughter Hallie. Meg is a complex and remarkarkably strong character especially when pitted against her husband Kyle who uses his Mormon religion, when it suits him, to make
demands of, restrict and dominate his family.
The Skeleton House is a compelling, sad, often disturbing portrait of a modern day marriage and a powerful portrayal of the challenges and rewards of Motherhood.
Recommended
March 15, 2024
If anything in this review raises issues for you,
contact Beyond Blue or White Ribbon Australia.
Winner of the 2023 Fogarty Literary Award, The Skeleton House is the debut novel of Katherina Allum — American born but now settled in Perth, W.A.
Set in the American Bible Belt, The Skeleton House is not a novel about zombies. It's about a shaky marriage that frays under the stress of living in a half-built house in the desert town of St Stephens, Nevada, and ultimately it's about how certain religions are complicit in what we now call coercive control of women.
Meg was denied sex education because of the power of the Mormon religion in her state, got pregnant in what was just a holiday romance for an Australian, and, still a teenager, married a man looking for a compliant wife to belong in his Mormon community. Things went okay-ish for a while, but soon she found herself with two small children living in a caravan while he built the house of his dreams. They move in while it is still unfinished, a 'skeleton house' that makes it even harder to be the kind of wife he expects. It's not just inconveniences, it's not just that there are no doors and she has no privacy and can't keep an eye on the children all the time — it's also dangerous for small children. Not least because there isn't a gun safe for his guns. (There hadn't been in the caravan either, but there they were kept outside in a locked shed.)
Not to mention that there is no prospect of peace and quiet for her to write, a substitute ambition for the tertiary education she yearned to have.
While all this is going on, the alert reader will see the 'loving', 'caring' husband exhibiting the signs of coercive control, listed here at Relationships Australia Victoria:
Isolating you from your support system. An abusive partner will cut you off from friends and family, or limit your contact with them so you don’t receive the support you need.
Monitoring your activity throughout the day.
Denying you freedom and autonomy. A person exerting coercive control may try to limit your freedom and independence. For example, not allowing you to go to work or school, restricting your access to transportation, stalking your every move when you’re out, taking your phone and changing passwords, etc.
Gaslighting, where the abuser makes you doubt your own truth, experience and sanity, by insisting that they are always right, and instils their narrative of a situation, even if the evidence points against this. Gaslighting in essence, is based on lies and manipulation of the truth.
Name-calling and severe criticism, as well as malicious put-downs which are all extreme forms of bullying.
Limiting access to money and controlling finances. This is a way of restricting your freedom and ability to leave the relationship. Financial abuse is listed above as a specific form of abuse but, within the context of coercive control, financial control is a tactic to keep a person disempowered, by utilising strategies such as:
placing you on a strict budget that barely covers the essentials such as food or clothes
limiting your access to bank accounts
hiding financial resources from you
preventing you from having a credit card
rigorously monitoring what you spend.
Coercing you, to take care of all the domestic duties such as cleaning, cooking and childcare without sharing the responsibility and tasks involved to undertake these duties.
Turning your children against you. If you have children either with the abuser or someone else, they may try to weaponise the children against you by making comments that are critical of you, belittling you in front of the children, or telling them that you’re a bad parent. Sometimes the techniques are very subtle and insidious, involving slow drip-feeding of a narrative that regards you as abnormal.
Controlling aspects of your health and your body. The abuser will monitor and control how much you eat, sleep, exercise, or how much time you spend in the bathroom. They may also control where you go for medical help, and the medications you take.
Making jealous accusations about the time you spend with family or friends, either in person or online, as a way of phasing out all your contact with the external world, except for them.
Regulating your sexual relationship, for example making demands about the amount of times you engage in sex each day or week, and the kinds of activities you perform.
Threatening your children or pets as an extreme form of intimidation. When physical, emotional, or financial threats do not work for the abuser as desired, they may make threats against others such as your loved ones, children and pets, who are also beloved members of the household.
In chapter one, we see the first sign of gaslighting.
To read the rest of my review please visit https://anzlitlovers.com/2024/03/15/t...
July 6, 2024
The Skeleton House by Katherine Allum was the 2023 winner of the Fogarty Literary Prize which is awarded to an unpublished manuscript by a Western Australian author aged between 18 and 35 for a work of adult fiction, narrative non-fiction or young adult fiction.
The novel is set in America in the Mormon religion heartland outside of Las Vegas. Meg is a non-Mormon whose life has been shaped by the religion that controls her home town. She becomes pregnant as a teenager and soon marries a Mormon man keen for a compliant wife. Before she knows it her dreams of a college education are replaced by marriage and two young children and a family living in a caravan while her husband Kyle builds their dream house out in the desert. When circumstances mean they need to move into the unfinished house this “skeleton house” exacerbates the shakiness of Meg and Kyle’s marriage. As Meg pushes the boundaries of her freedom, Kyle’s coercive control and gaslighting intensifies leading to tragic consequences.
This was a quietly compelling book. Meg shows such courage to push back against the controls that her husband and the wider community place on her. This was a slow paced book but this allows the tension to build. I thought this was a really well done debut novel that had me rooting for Meg and her children to come out the other side.
Thank you to @fremantlepress for my #gifted copy.
The novel is set in America in the Mormon religion heartland outside of Las Vegas. Meg is a non-Mormon whose life has been shaped by the religion that controls her home town. She becomes pregnant as a teenager and soon marries a Mormon man keen for a compliant wife. Before she knows it her dreams of a college education are replaced by marriage and two young children and a family living in a caravan while her husband Kyle builds their dream house out in the desert. When circumstances mean they need to move into the unfinished house this “skeleton house” exacerbates the shakiness of Meg and Kyle’s marriage. As Meg pushes the boundaries of her freedom, Kyle’s coercive control and gaslighting intensifies leading to tragic consequences.
This was a quietly compelling book. Meg shows such courage to push back against the controls that her husband and the wider community place on her. This was a slow paced book but this allows the tension to build. I thought this was a really well done debut novel that had me rooting for Meg and her children to come out the other side.
Thank you to @fremantlepress for my #gifted copy.
May 20, 2024
Winner of the 2023 Fogarty Literary Award, The Skeleton House by Katherine Allum is an impressive debut truly worthy of its award-winning status.
Inspired by real regional towns in the American Southwest, Allum’s novel observes a life on the margins of a devoutly Mormon town. The main character, Meg, confronts her inner turmoil of portraying the ‘perfect’ wife and mother while remaining true to herself. The underlying misogyny of the community coupled with a controlling and manipulative husband reveals a shaky marriage that frays under stress as Meg struggles to defy both gender norms and religious expectations.
The novel includes a couple of intriguing Easter eggs that add layers of depth and interconnectivity to the story. For instance, the narrative begins and ends with chapters titled “The Helicopter,” creating a cyclical structure that invites readers to reflect on the journey the characters have undergone. The presence of the helicopter in the first chapter serves as an eerie foreshadowing, casting a shadow over the events that follow and hinting at deeper significance. The careful placement of such Easter eggs not only rewards attentive readers but also enriches the overall storytelling, providing a sense of cohesion and resonance that elevates the novel's impact.
Allum’s work explores the sacrifices and compromises made in the name of love and duty. As the narrative progresses, Meg grapples with the delicate balance between her familial roles and her personal aspirations. The novel ultimately serves as a poignant reminder that even the most picture-perfect families have their own hidden struggles and unresolved conflicts, which shape their relationships and their identities.
Reading The Skeleton House is like swallowing a seed that settles deep in your gut, quietly germinating until it twists and unfurls and nestles within you, long after you’ve consumed it. I can’t wait to see what’s next from Allum.
Inspired by real regional towns in the American Southwest, Allum’s novel observes a life on the margins of a devoutly Mormon town. The main character, Meg, confronts her inner turmoil of portraying the ‘perfect’ wife and mother while remaining true to herself. The underlying misogyny of the community coupled with a controlling and manipulative husband reveals a shaky marriage that frays under stress as Meg struggles to defy both gender norms and religious expectations.
The novel includes a couple of intriguing Easter eggs that add layers of depth and interconnectivity to the story. For instance, the narrative begins and ends with chapters titled “The Helicopter,” creating a cyclical structure that invites readers to reflect on the journey the characters have undergone. The presence of the helicopter in the first chapter serves as an eerie foreshadowing, casting a shadow over the events that follow and hinting at deeper significance. The careful placement of such Easter eggs not only rewards attentive readers but also enriches the overall storytelling, providing a sense of cohesion and resonance that elevates the novel's impact.
Allum’s work explores the sacrifices and compromises made in the name of love and duty. As the narrative progresses, Meg grapples with the delicate balance between her familial roles and her personal aspirations. The novel ultimately serves as a poignant reminder that even the most picture-perfect families have their own hidden struggles and unresolved conflicts, which shape their relationships and their identities.
Reading The Skeleton House is like swallowing a seed that settles deep in your gut, quietly germinating until it twists and unfurls and nestles within you, long after you’ve consumed it. I can’t wait to see what’s next from Allum.
July 17, 2024
Thank you Fremantle Press for sending us a copy to read and review.
A home is where the heart should be, not an oppressive prison.
A place where dreams can be confined and quashed.
Behind closed doors often the toxicity and dysfunction start to reveal themselves in marriages and unions.
Meg is emotionally and physically stuck in her hometown in the desert of Nevada.
Her husband Kyle is determined to complete the home he is building for his family.
Her escapism was a Mormon Bookclub, a job coaching the high school debate team a memory from younger days that bears a permanent legacy.
First the control over money and then her activities and then a betrayal that shattered any hope of reconciliation.
Heartbreak, trauma and resolution erupt from the cracks of a shattered marriage.
A powerful read showing the volatility of life and how emotional manipulation can dominate.
The Aussie thread was great and illustrated the differences in our politics with gun control and compulsory voting.
If only the walls could talk.
A home is where the heart should be, not an oppressive prison.
A place where dreams can be confined and quashed.
Behind closed doors often the toxicity and dysfunction start to reveal themselves in marriages and unions.
Meg is emotionally and physically stuck in her hometown in the desert of Nevada.
Her husband Kyle is determined to complete the home he is building for his family.
Her escapism was a Mormon Bookclub, a job coaching the high school debate team a memory from younger days that bears a permanent legacy.
First the control over money and then her activities and then a betrayal that shattered any hope of reconciliation.
Heartbreak, trauma and resolution erupt from the cracks of a shattered marriage.
A powerful read showing the volatility of life and how emotional manipulation can dominate.
The Aussie thread was great and illustrated the differences in our politics with gun control and compulsory voting.
If only the walls could talk.
July 7, 2024
CW: Abuse, SA
This is a family/friendship drama that triggered me to feel some very intense emotions. I was so emotionally invested in this book I was weeping at the end. We see everything from the awkwardness of making new friends, moving forward from betrayal, healing after conflict, complicated parental relationships, surviving through increasingly intense abuse, and intense motherly love. The depiction of many types of mothers and the affects of invisible labor is astute and uncomfortable to see in such clarity. There is a lot of truth in the emotion of this book and you can feel it throughout.
We got to see truly how Meg was feeling, including the background of why she had certain reactions or deep mistrust. I was happy to see a realistic depiction of how difficult it is to truly build yourself back up after experiencing abuse and depression. Even while actively engaging in activities where she could have some autonomy and sense of independence, Meg still felt like she was stuck, unable to escape. If I'm being totally honest, the depiction of a spouse making finances difficult and restricting access to money was some of the most gut wrenching parts to read, as I have seen it happen all too often in real life (gotta love the patriarchy!).
In addition, I really appreciated the discussion of religion and its affects on people, especially when there is a religious majority in a community. We get to see how even if government and religion are officially separate, a community can create a hostile or welcoming environment to entice people to align with the religious majority. While there are clear criticisms of Mormon faith in this book, there is also a hopefulness, one example is Meg's best friend Carly who is religious, and in a healthy relationship with her family, religion, and community. Carly is able to respect Meg and support her friend even though it would be easy to align herself with more judgmental portions of the community.
All in all, I love a book with healthy female friendships so this one is an easy recommendation. Just be prepared to bring your tissues.
This is a family/friendship drama that triggered me to feel some very intense emotions. I was so emotionally invested in this book I was weeping at the end. We see everything from the awkwardness of making new friends, moving forward from betrayal, healing after conflict, complicated parental relationships, surviving through increasingly intense abuse, and intense motherly love. The depiction of many types of mothers and the affects of invisible labor is astute and uncomfortable to see in such clarity. There is a lot of truth in the emotion of this book and you can feel it throughout.
We got to see truly how Meg was feeling, including the background of why she had certain reactions or deep mistrust. I was happy to see a realistic depiction of how difficult it is to truly build yourself back up after experiencing abuse and depression. Even while actively engaging in activities where she could have some autonomy and sense of independence, Meg still felt like she was stuck, unable to escape. If I'm being totally honest, the depiction of a spouse making finances difficult and restricting access to money was some of the most gut wrenching parts to read, as I have seen it happen all too often in real life (gotta love the patriarchy!).
In addition, I really appreciated the discussion of religion and its affects on people, especially when there is a religious majority in a community. We get to see how even if government and religion are officially separate, a community can create a hostile or welcoming environment to entice people to align with the religious majority. While there are clear criticisms of Mormon faith in this book, there is also a hopefulness, one example is Meg's best friend Carly who is religious, and in a healthy relationship with her family, religion, and community. Carly is able to respect Meg and support her friend even though it would be easy to align herself with more judgmental portions of the community.
All in all, I love a book with healthy female friendships so this one is an easy recommendation. Just be prepared to bring your tissues.
May 19, 2024
Not long after finishing Katherine Allum’s The Skeleton House, Taylor Swift's boyfriend's teammate 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.
(Early Bird Reviewer for Good Reading Magazine)
(Early Bird Reviewer for Good Reading Magazine)
June 11, 2024
This depiction of the subtle and not so subtle subjugation of women in a mid western US religious community makes for an unsettling read. The manipulative and controlling Kyle is a vile creature. Allum perfectly describes Meg’s searing hatred for her gaslighting husband. The tension is visceral. Her writing is pitch perfect when describing this toxic relationship however at other times her writing wanders off into unrelatable territory and switches between timelines making it difficult to follow. Whilst the final twist is shocking, it seems a far too convenient way to wrap up the novel. Nevertheless a devastating and intense read, 3.5 ⭐️
December 26, 2024
DNF at 32% read. Could have been good, but I really disliked the writing style. The story jumped all over the place, through different times and characters without any warning or explanation, so I spent more effort trying to figure out who/ what/ when, rather than becoming absorbed in the story.
October 13, 2024
I don't know how I feel about this book. Mostly sad. It was heartbreaking. I enjoyed it but at the same time wish I could go back to when I hadn't read it and it made my heart feel heavy. 💔 At the same time, it also made me smile and laugh. The character development is on point. Still sad.
December 8, 2024
3.5. I was completely engaged in the story, but I found the writing annoying at times. I dont mind creative writing, but not when it gets cryptic and I have to second guess what is going on.
June 23, 2024
Having spent her teens in a small town in the 'Mormon Corridor' in Nevada, Katherine Allum, draws on her upbringing as an OTM (other than Mormon) in a close knit deeply caring yet conservative community to shed a light on a marriage gone wrong.
In a world in which traditional family structures abound, and where young people marry in their teens, it's a story of mismatched ideas about adulthood, parenting and worldview.
It is told from the perspective of Meg who, as a top student and debate captain at school, dreamed of a bigger life outside her small town. Her husband Kyle meanwhile wants a more traditional life and is (slowly) building their forever home. She's increasingly unsure this is the life she wants. Kyle, of course is caught up in belief systems handed down by generations before him. And there are secrets and complexity built in that makes it hard for Meg to spread her wings.
Well-structured and resolved, this debut will keep you flipping the pages and would be an outstanding book club pick (oh, and it features a book club!).
In a world in which traditional family structures abound, and where young people marry in their teens, it's a story of mismatched ideas about adulthood, parenting and worldview.
It is told from the perspective of Meg who, as a top student and debate captain at school, dreamed of a bigger life outside her small town. Her husband Kyle meanwhile wants a more traditional life and is (slowly) building their forever home. She's increasingly unsure this is the life she wants. Kyle, of course is caught up in belief systems handed down by generations before him. And there are secrets and complexity built in that makes it hard for Meg to spread her wings.
Well-structured and resolved, this debut will keep you flipping the pages and would be an outstanding book club pick (oh, and it features a book club!).
July 17, 2024
This is a beautiful poignant book. New novelist, Kathryn Allum, is a wonderful storyteller who infuses humanity into this novel about a brave young woman who faces a challenging path. I was emotionally drained in all the best ways by the end.
May 18, 2024
An interesting debut novel. 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.
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.
August 12, 2024
3.5 - 4
I found this book difficult to get into, and somewhat confusing at the start with its setting in a Mormon town, and use of unfamiliar terminology and cultural references. But it grew on me, and by the end I was highly invested in the outcome. Meg, the main character from whose perspective the story is told is complex and believable.
I found this book difficult to get into, and somewhat confusing at the start with its setting in a Mormon town, and use of unfamiliar terminology and cultural references. But it grew on me, and by the end I was highly invested in the outcome. Meg, the main character from whose perspective the story is told is complex and believable.
August 20, 2024
The more I read, the more I enjoyed this story. It was slow paced, but the tension builds to a heartbreaking climax.
I did struggle at the beginning with a jumpy timeline, but it all came together beautifully towards the end, which brought tears to my eyes.
This was an emotional, raw, and honest portrayal of sacrifices and compromises in a marriage.
I did struggle at the beginning with a jumpy timeline, but it all came together beautifully towards the end, which brought tears to my eyes.
This was an emotional, raw, and honest portrayal of sacrifices and compromises in a marriage.
January 3, 2025
The Skeleton House is a chilling domestic drama that explores one family's life in a desert Mormon town, as the dynamic quietly shifts from protection and bliss to control, isolation, and suffering.
Growing up in a tight-knit Mormon community, Meg dreams of one day escaping and building a life of her own. Falling unexpectedly pregnant wasn't part of that dream, but charming Kyle sweeps in, taking Meg and her new baby under his wing. Kyle is a family man with very old-fashioned views, expecting his wife to look after him and raise their children. Trapped within the bones of the 'skeleton house', Meg starts to lose herself, wanting to be more than just a mother and housewife. But disobeying her husband has serious consequences.
I DNF'd this one at first, unable to concentrate on the timeline that jumped around without explanation. I'm so glad I picked it back up and started again though, as it turned out to be one of my favourite reads of 2024.
Meg is a complex character who refuses to live up to her husband's expectations of a model Mormon wife. She wants to move away from their suffocating small town and work towards a career, but Kyle believes her place is firmly in the family home. I loved her strong will and courage as she fought back against her husband, much to the disapproval of everyone in the community.
The character development in this book makes for a really interesting read. Kyle is sweet-natured at first but also has a need to be the dominant man of the house. This control soon turns abusive, but in a way that he (and many others) probably perceive as standard behaviour for husbands with out-of-control wives. If I didn't know any better, I'd say the book was set 60 years ago.
Once I was into the story, I couldn't put the book down. It has a slow and steady pace until it doesn't... the author really knows how to make an impact. The ending practically broke me.
Allum is a worthy winner of the 2023 Fogarty Literary Award. I can't recommend this book highly enough.
Rating breakdown
Plot/narrative - 4.75
Writing style/readability - 4
Characters - 4.5
Diverse themes - 4.5
Ending - 4.5
Overall - 4.5
Growing up in a tight-knit Mormon community, Meg dreams of one day escaping and building a life of her own. Falling unexpectedly pregnant wasn't part of that dream, but charming Kyle sweeps in, taking Meg and her new baby under his wing. Kyle is a family man with very old-fashioned views, expecting his wife to look after him and raise their children. Trapped within the bones of the 'skeleton house', Meg starts to lose herself, wanting to be more than just a mother and housewife. But disobeying her husband has serious consequences.
I DNF'd this one at first, unable to concentrate on the timeline that jumped around without explanation. I'm so glad I picked it back up and started again though, as it turned out to be one of my favourite reads of 2024.
Meg is a complex character who refuses to live up to her husband's expectations of a model Mormon wife. She wants to move away from their suffocating small town and work towards a career, but Kyle believes her place is firmly in the family home. I loved her strong will and courage as she fought back against her husband, much to the disapproval of everyone in the community.
The character development in this book makes for a really interesting read. Kyle is sweet-natured at first but also has a need to be the dominant man of the house. This control soon turns abusive, but in a way that he (and many others) probably perceive as standard behaviour for husbands with out-of-control wives. If I didn't know any better, I'd say the book was set 60 years ago.
Once I was into the story, I couldn't put the book down. It has a slow and steady pace until it doesn't... the author really knows how to make an impact. The ending practically broke me.
Allum is a worthy winner of the 2023 Fogarty Literary Award. I can't recommend this book highly enough.
Rating breakdown
Plot/narrative - 4.75
Writing style/readability - 4
Characters - 4.5
Diverse themes - 4.5
Ending - 4.5
Overall - 4.5
September 3, 2025
It is not the book that is irritating me, I have no idea how far I can get into this or if I can even finish this, and here’s why.
The narrator introduces the book and author in a pleasant, and, probably, her own voice and accent, to me I think she is Ausie.
The problem comes straight after that.
Honestly, I’m not joking, but it then sounds literally to me as if she’s actually trying to read the book in another accent? And she really doesn’t sound right and only 5 minutes in, I absolutely can’t stand this.
What is the publisher thinking? I think she’s trying to imitate an American accent? But whatever it is, it just sounds awful.
Hey I know, growing up totally blind, we were just often greatful for the book, so have had to have some terrible narrators in my life, just thankful they read the book.
I even had to have one, it was my fault for giving them a very boring non-fiction book, they actually were falling asleep and waking up, and unfortunately they left those sections in the recording.
But this one is also not great and lucky it isn’t for exam or anything to read, so I think I’m rather going to listen to a different book instead because I don’t feel like this.
Could whoever produced this book really just not have told the narrator to not mind and just read it in her normal absolutely fine Ausie accent, or got someone else who just did the whatever accent as a native speaker?
The narrator introduces the book and author in a pleasant, and, probably, her own voice and accent, to me I think she is Ausie.
The problem comes straight after that.
Honestly, I’m not joking, but it then sounds literally to me as if she’s actually trying to read the book in another accent? And she really doesn’t sound right and only 5 minutes in, I absolutely can’t stand this.
What is the publisher thinking? I think she’s trying to imitate an American accent? But whatever it is, it just sounds awful.
Hey I know, growing up totally blind, we were just often greatful for the book, so have had to have some terrible narrators in my life, just thankful they read the book.
I even had to have one, it was my fault for giving them a very boring non-fiction book, they actually were falling asleep and waking up, and unfortunately they left those sections in the recording.
But this one is also not great and lucky it isn’t for exam or anything to read, so I think I’m rather going to listen to a different book instead because I don’t feel like this.
Could whoever produced this book really just not have told the narrator to not mind and just read it in her normal absolutely fine Ausie accent, or got someone else who just did the whatever accent as a native speaker?
February 21, 2025
The Skeleton House is a deserved winner of the Fogarty Literary Award 2023. A compelling read from debut author Katherine Allum.
Set across multiple time lines in the predominantly Mormon town of St Stephens, Nevada, we follow Meg's journey from outgoing teenager to dominated housewife and mother of two.
Meg's strength and defiance grows throughout the book as she strives to both find herself and protect her children from the anger and outrageous demands made by her gaslighting husband, Kyle.
Meg meets Carly at the Mormon book club Kyle has forced her to attend and establishes an unlikely friendship. Carly soon becomes Meg's only outlet from the life she leads in her isolated half renovated "skeleton house". Together they push against the Mormon boundaries and expectations set by their insular society.
Meg's parents are heavily involved in her life and want the best for their girl, but they lack the ability to recognise or understand the issues in Meg's marriage until it is too late.
This is a story of coercive control and manipulation. It had me grimacing, laughing, fuming and ultimately sobbing. It is a riveting read, which at times had me wanting to shake the protagonist into action, such was the empathy Allum was able to garner for Meg. I look forward to reading more books by Katherine Allum.
Set across multiple time lines in the predominantly Mormon town of St Stephens, Nevada, we follow Meg's journey from outgoing teenager to dominated housewife and mother of two.
Meg's strength and defiance grows throughout the book as she strives to both find herself and protect her children from the anger and outrageous demands made by her gaslighting husband, Kyle.
Meg meets Carly at the Mormon book club Kyle has forced her to attend and establishes an unlikely friendship. Carly soon becomes Meg's only outlet from the life she leads in her isolated half renovated "skeleton house". Together they push against the Mormon boundaries and expectations set by their insular society.
Meg's parents are heavily involved in her life and want the best for their girl, but they lack the ability to recognise or understand the issues in Meg's marriage until it is too late.
This is a story of coercive control and manipulation. It had me grimacing, laughing, fuming and ultimately sobbing. It is a riveting read, which at times had me wanting to shake the protagonist into action, such was the empathy Allum was able to garner for Meg. I look forward to reading more books by Katherine Allum.
July 24, 2024
Meg has been trying to escape desert town St. Stephen’s, Nevada since she was a teen. As her husband builds the perfect home for their young family, Meg realises she’s in a life she never wanted and dreams that are not hers.
.
Wow. This book. It took a moment to get into the authors writing style, but once I did, I was engrossed. This raw and compelling dive into the inner most thoughts of a mother is so real, it’s haunting. It’s a story of a mother finding herself. It’s a story of a mother doing what she needs to do to survive. It’s a mother making sacrifices. It’s impactful. Not very often you read something which causes you to stop and know that book has taken a piece of you - causing you to hold onto those pages for a long time. This is one of those rare books. I’m sure every mother would see a part of themselves on these pages.
Be aware of potential triggers with the content. If you’re a lit fic lover, be sure to add this to your list!
.
Wow. This book. It took a moment to get into the authors writing style, but once I did, I was engrossed. This raw and compelling dive into the inner most thoughts of a mother is so real, it’s haunting. It’s a story of a mother finding herself. It’s a story of a mother doing what she needs to do to survive. It’s a mother making sacrifices. It’s impactful. Not very often you read something which causes you to stop and know that book has taken a piece of you - causing you to hold onto those pages for a long time. This is one of those rare books. I’m sure every mother would see a part of themselves on these pages.
Be aware of potential triggers with the content. If you’re a lit fic lover, be sure to add this to your list!
August 28, 2024
3.6/5 stars
As an OTA (Other Than American)(that’s an in-joke for those who have read the book) it’s always interesting to learn about that weird and wonderful part of the world. “Mutton bustin’”? Debate nerds and teachers together in a bubble of obsessive, reciprocated adoration? I won’t go on. This book was written in what seemed to be a careless style. Jumping from place to place, you often didn’t know who the “we” was referring to. I thought it was due to poor editing, but by the last few chapters, when I was crying, I thought it’s possible that it was a deliberate decision to allow the book to feel like a journal and speak directly into the reader’s heart. I wouldn’t recommend doing it again though- almost every reviewer said they struggled with the writing style.
As an OTA (Other Than American)(that’s an in-joke for those who have read the book) it’s always interesting to learn about that weird and wonderful part of the world. “Mutton bustin’”? Debate nerds and teachers together in a bubble of obsessive, reciprocated adoration? I won’t go on. This book was written in what seemed to be a careless style. Jumping from place to place, you often didn’t know who the “we” was referring to. I thought it was due to poor editing, but by the last few chapters, when I was crying, I thought it’s possible that it was a deliberate decision to allow the book to feel like a journal and speak directly into the reader’s heart. I wouldn’t recommend doing it again though- almost every reviewer said they struggled with the writing style.
September 6, 2024
Allum has described the small Nevada town well in this novel. I liked her descriptions of the desert heat and ever present red sand, the suffocating aspects of the main religion on women's autonomy and the limited choices available in an isolating community. She builds tension adeptly with dialogue between the main character and her husband, and lays out the frustrations of parenting young children in an honest fashion. I felt let down with the climax however. Even though there is plenty of foreshadowing, it was too much all at once. I felt cheated of the main character having her epiphany and then putting in place a plan for a much deserved better life.
April 12, 2025
Profoundly sad.
Characters I disliked: Kyle and Meg's mother.
Characters I loved: Carly and Meg's Dad.
Characters I liked: Carly's husband. Meg's old teacher. Her bookclub friends.
I wanted more on Fin's dad. I would have hated it if it had been tied up neatly at the end and they got back together and had a happily ever after.... but I still wanted it. I know 🤦
I felt so frustrated for Meg and I'm so glad she walked away, I'm just devastated it took what happened to 'allow' her to. And even then some (hello absent mother) just doesn't let up.
Was recommended this by a friend and I'm glad I read it but I need something cheery to read next.
Characters I disliked: Kyle and Meg's mother.
Characters I loved: Carly and Meg's Dad.
Characters I liked: Carly's husband. Meg's old teacher. Her bookclub friends.
I wanted more on Fin's dad. I would have hated it if it had been tied up neatly at the end and they got back together and had a happily ever after.... but I still wanted it. I know 🤦
I felt so frustrated for Meg and I'm so glad she walked away, I'm just devastated it took what happened to 'allow' her to. And even then some (hello absent mother) just doesn't let up.
Was recommended this by a friend and I'm glad I read it but I need something cheery to read next.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 6, 2024
2.75
What an ending.
The book starts off feeling a little disorderly. Flashback and bits and pieces narrated didn’t seem to have a connection BUT then it all comes together about 20% way in. The writing style is interesting and is not bad. I think how it was done conveyed how Meg was feeling really.
Pacing was dead slow. As much as details are important that centre chunk of the story had zero oomph for me and the plot just seemed too small for that.
Allum does a great job at really developing Megs character and the raw truths of marriage, expectations - enculteration - of where she was.
What an ending.
The book starts off feeling a little disorderly. Flashback and bits and pieces narrated didn’t seem to have a connection BUT then it all comes together about 20% way in. The writing style is interesting and is not bad. I think how it was done conveyed how Meg was feeling really.
Pacing was dead slow. As much as details are important that centre chunk of the story had zero oomph for me and the plot just seemed too small for that.
Allum does a great job at really developing Megs character and the raw truths of marriage, expectations - enculteration - of where she was.
September 20, 2024
This story is so heavy, but so very good, and extremely pertinent to the political climate that we women are finding ourselves in currently in the USA. No wonder Ms Allum appreciated the support of her family and friends around her as she wrote. I would say that she is a very astute observer of a section of Mormon and of patriarchal culture. I hope it sheds light on women who are trapped by marriages, culture, and social norms. Well done, Kate!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 26, 2024
Sad woman, bad man, buggered relationship, aka the usual fare and something of which I have become very wary. The Skeleton House, however, avoids the the easy cliches, and has a complexity and courage that (probably?) better reflects the experience of women who find themselves in this situation. Not for the faint-hearted but a mighty read.
October 26, 2024
3.5 ⭐️ at times the book felt a little disjointed - I would go back a page or 2 to check I hadn’t missed something important and would need to actively think to fill in the gaps. Characters could have been developed more and the protagonists husband was annoying but wet. The book was not what I expected and overall I would recommend.
December 19, 2024
I would rate this about a 3.5 book - the initial part is hard to get through but after about 50 pages the story takes off. Could have done with a bit more context for people not living in this region of the US but otherwise a very interesting insight into a tight-knit religious community and the treatment of women.
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