Books: The Condition by Jennifer Haigh
I first heard about Jennifer Haigh’s novel in a book review magazine I subscribe to. The Condition introduces us to the McKotch family: Workaholic science obsessed father Frank, weirdly prudish and “proper” wife Paulette, distant, private Billy, runaway, haphazard Scotty, and finally Gwen, their middle child.
At the beginning of the novel we discover that something is not quite right with Gwen. When the McKotches discovery she has Turner Syndrome — a condition that means she will never go through puberty and will end up a woman stuck in a girl’s body — it seems to be the end of their family.
The rest of the novel takes us through the adult years of the children, and the older years of Frank and Paulette. We watch them all struggle with various aspects of their lives, keeping their hurts from each other while at the same time managing to heap more on each other as well.
Surprisingly little is said about Gwen’s Turner Syndrome beyond the insecurities and social issues it causes her. She struggles to fit in and find her place in a world that is not set up for her either physically or emotionally. I can relate to that.
But ultimately, that can be said for all of the McKotches, none of them feeling quite comfortable in their own skin.
Haigh write a wonderful story about a very compelling, yet very normal, family. The Condition was a pleasure to read.