The House Built on Alligator Bones by Sophia Huneycutt
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
**3.5-stars rounded up**
When she was growing up in Georgia, it was just Dartrine Beaumont and her Mom. Her father was never a part of her life, and her Mom didn’t have any family left. At least that’s what her Mom told her.
After her Mom’s sudden passing, Dart comes across a letter, hidden by her Mom prior to her death, that appears to be from Dart’s Grandmother, a Grandmother she was led to believe was dead. How could this be, and why would her Mom keep her family a secret?
Dart has so many questions, but of course her Mom isn’t there to answer any of them. Dart needs answers. She honestly can’t live without them. Thus, she ends up replying to the letter. She doesn’t know what her Mom’s beef was with her family, but she’s gonna find out.
After she makes contact, Dart is invited to visit her Grandmother’s stately Gilded Age mansion, Greer House, on Amelia Island on the Florida Coast.
As it turns out, even though she and her Mom have struggled for years, her Mom actually comes from a very wealthy family. Their fortune was built in an unusual way, an alligator farm that is now one of the largest in the U.S.
Oddly enough, Dart seems to have unexpectedly arrived just in time to stake a claim at an inheritance: the farm and all that goes with it. This wasn’t her intention. She honestly knew nothing about the farm, or Greer House.
She didn’t even know her Grandmother existed, but now that she does, it’s an intriguing prospect. It’s not going to be as easy as stepping onto the scene though. Her Grandmother already has an heir selected and is hostile to Dart’s presence. It’s clear Dart is going to have to gain her Grandmother’s approval, but that won’t be easy.
We follow Dart as she meets her extended family for the first time, learns their history, and tries to navigate the dangerous world of the farm, and Greer House itself.
I was excited for The House Built on Alligator Bones mainly because it was pitched as a Southern Gothic, and I fell in love with this gorgeous cover. I actually didn’t realize it was a debut novel for this author, and holy heck, it’s a great debut.
It checked off all the boxes I look for in regards to being a Southern Gothic novel. The sense of place at Greer House was very well done, as well as the inclusion of a dark history for the property and some deeply-held family secrets. These elements really set the tone for the entire novel, and I was in hook, line and sinker.
Dart was an interesting MC as well. She lived such an isolated life prior to traveling to Greer House, and we got to learn why that was and a bit more about her relationship with her Mom. I felt for her and enjoyed going on this journey of growth and self-discovery along with her.
The alligator farming aspect was tough to read at times. I would caution Readers sensitive to animal topics that this is a true farm, not an alligator farm that has visitors that learn about alligators and get to hold the babies. This is them harvesting the skins for fashion products.
As someone who is sensitive to these topics, I would say this might not be a good fit for everyone. However, with this in mind, I do think the author has done her research, and I feel like she’s done a good job of challenging some of the practices that occur here at the Greer family farm.
It’s clear she takes this topic very seriously, and is aware that it’s a difficult topic for many, but farming is a reality and she does put it all on display here. The good, the bad and the very, very ugly.
It did drag a little for me in some places. If I’m being honest, I think it could have been cut down a bit, but yeah, overall a great story with well-developed characters and an intriguing, unique premise.
I would recommend this to people who love a Southern Gothic novel, or intense family dramas. Huneycutt is a great writer and she can definitely deliver the drama.
Thank you so much to the publisher, Dutton, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I’m excited to read more from this author. It’ll be interesting to see if she remains in this same Southern Gothic lane. I certainly hope so!