A review by amrsalehduat
The Skeleton Flute by Damara Allen

5.0

The Skeleton Flute is exactly the type of book I used to love reading growing up. It’s a middle-grade horror but not in the cheap “oh, look, a scary jump scare” kind of way. Quite the opposite. Damara Allen’s debut creates its horror aspect by putting our protagonist in an impossible situation he can’t even fully understand let alone find a way out of. The horror aspects of the story were wonderfully complimented with a fantastical twist that was incredibly imaginative. I won’t say what it was exactly because of spoilers but I’ll say that I was happy to see a concept that usually falls flat in other stories executed here in a way that not only elevates the story but also highlights the themes the author wants to discuss. 

 

Speaking of themes, The Skeleton Flute deals with heavy topics that I’m glad to see in the MG space. Themes like divorce, friendship, and allowing ourselves to express our feelings and not be afraid to show our true emotions around the people we love. This was all masterfully shown through our protagonist Sam who is probably one of the most relatable protagonists I’ve read in general and not just in a middle-grade story. 

 

 

Overall, The Skeleton Flute is an incredible debut by Damara Allen and I definitely recommend it to all readers of all ages.