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A review by ariellesbookreviews
The House of My Mother by Shari Franke
dark
emotional
sad
fast-paced
An interesting read. This book is much more religious than the synopsis implies. When relaying the trauma and abuse Sheri Franke experienced through the hands of her mothers, Franke heavily relies on God to help her through dark times. I cannot help but wonder if the religious aspect of this memoir was not used in its marketing, because Franke is Mormon, rather than Christian. I’ve read other memoirs where the author is speaking about abuse they suffered and how their religious beliefs helped them preserve, but was surprised at Franke’s connection to her Mormon upbringing due to the lack of references in the summary.
The book was paced well in the beginning and I liked Franke outlining what she comfortable in discussing in regards to her siblings. Franke makes several artistic decisions such as only referring to her parents as their given names, Ruby and Kevin. Towards the end of the book there are several time jumps that cause portions of the story to be missing, such as Franke’s reconnection to her eldest brother and Kevin. As well as the disappearance of her new found family, at one point she stop referencing them.
Franke only slightly connects religion as a factor into the abuse she and her siblings suffered; however, she quickly dismisses it. She does however, attempt to psychoanalysis Ruby Franke as narcissus after criticizing others who do the same, and then continues to say she will leave the analysis of Jodi Hilderbrandt to the professional. It was a rather odd moment in the book. There is also a part where Franke is criticizing the media and societies interest in the Franke family and her want of people to stop talking about the abuse. I couldn’t help but see similarities between this and religious cover ups of abuse that happen in the book.
Overall, I think the book could have been better if Franke had written it in another 10 years. The events of Ruby and Franke’s arrest happened only a little over a year ago, September 2023. It feels like there was a push to publish (probably by the publisher) while the arrest is still on people’s mind. I do hope writing the book , helped Franke heal from the trauma she experienced at the hands of Ruby and Jodi.
The book was paced well in the beginning and I liked Franke outlining what she comfortable in discussing in regards to her siblings. Franke makes several artistic decisions such as only referring to her parents as their given names, Ruby and Kevin. Towards the end of the book there are several time jumps that cause portions of the story to be missing, such as Franke’s reconnection to her eldest brother and Kevin. As well as the disappearance of her new found family, at one point she stop referencing them.
Franke only slightly connects religion as a factor into the abuse she and her siblings suffered; however, she quickly dismisses it. She does however, attempt to psychoanalysis Ruby Franke as narcissus after criticizing others who do the same, and then continues to say she will leave the analysis of Jodi Hilderbrandt to the professional. It was a rather odd moment in the book. There is also a part where Franke is criticizing the media and societies interest in the Franke family and her want of people to stop talking about the abuse. I couldn’t help but see similarities between this and religious cover ups of abuse that happen in the book.
Overall, I think the book could have been better if Franke had written it in another 10 years. The events of Ruby and Franke’s arrest happened only a little over a year ago, September 2023. It feels like there was a push to publish (probably by the publisher) while the arrest is still on people’s mind. I do hope writing the book , helped Franke heal from the trauma she experienced at the hands of Ruby and Jodi.