‘A dazzling, decades-sweeping story about love, bravery and what it means to live a significant life.‘
– Frankie (Publisher Quote)
[ About Frankie ]
Always on the periphery, looking on, young Frankie Howe was never quite sure enough of herself to take centre stage – after all, life had already judged her harshly. Now old, Frankie finds it easier to forget the life that came before.
Then Damian, a young Irish carer, arrives at her London flat, there to keep an eye on her as she recovers from a fall. A memory is sparked, and the past crackles into life as Damian listens to the story Frankie has kept stored away all these years.
Travelling from post-war Ireland to 1960s New York – a city full of art, larger than life characters and turmoil – Frankie shares a world in which friendship and chance encounters collide. A place where, for a while, life blazes with an intensity that can’t last but will perhaps live on in other ways and in other people. But as Frankie’s past slowly emerges, her spirit and endurance are revealed as undeniable . . . and unforgettable.
[ My Review ]
Frankie by Graham Norton published September 12th with Coronet and has become an instant bestseller for all the right reasons. I have read a number of Graham Norton’s book and have always enjoyed his writing but with Frankie I felt something more. I had a real sense of being immersed in a really beautiful and heart-warming story, and was able to connect with all of the main characters.
Ireland, 1950 was the year that Frankie Howe’s life changed forever setting her on a trajectory that she could never have imagined possible. A very tragic accident placed Frankie in a traumatic situation as a very young girl, one that pulled the rug out from under her and resulted in her having to be more self-sufficient and mature than most her age. Living in West Cork, Frankie had a very sheltered but cold upbringing. She was quite naïve and clueless about the world around her. Frankie learned to protect herself by never really standing out in the crowd. As her journey took her from London to 1960s New York, Frankie always followed in the shadow of others but, unbeknownst to herself, Frankie was carving her own very unique path.
Now, as an older lady recovering from a fall, Frankie needs support and a care assistant is organised for her by a close friend. Damien is a young Irish man dealing with his own personal struggles and together the pair establish a very warm friendship. As the days roll by, Frankie slowly reveals her story of how she came to be living in this flat in London surrounded by an eclectic collection of artwork and furniture. She peels back her memories recounting her earlier years and how she left West Cork for the art scene of New York.
Wrapping carefully researched historical elements with fiction, Graham Norton transports the reader to another time and place, conjuring up the smells and sounds of a different era. Frankie Howe, by any standards, had an exceptional life and I was completely involved in her world as I turned the pages of this gorgeous novel. Graham Norton acknowledges the fact that he took on a lot more when writing Frankie stating that ‘this is probably my most ambitious book to date and I’ve loved following Frankie’s extraordinary journey through life. It’s the story of a woman who survives and even thrives despite everything that is put in her way.’
Frankie is a captivating and immersive exploration of the life and times of this remarkable woman. A novel containing so many absorbing characters, which made the story feel all the more real, Frankie is an enriching tale, one that I thoroughly and full-heartedly recommend to anyone looking for a warm and inspiring read.
** Thank you to Hachette Ireland for a copy of Frankie in exchange for my honest review
[ Bio ]
Graham Norton has written four other novels, all Sunday Times bestsellers, in the UK and Ireland. His fiction writing has won him critical acclaim from across all media and the literary community. Holding won the An Post Irish Book Award for Popular Fiction. A Keeper was shortlisted for both the Specsavers Popular Fiction Award and the Irish Book Award for Popular Fiction. Home Stretch won the Irish Book Award for Popular Fiction and has been optioned for a major TV series. Holding was made into a high-profile ITV drama, directed by Kathy Burke, and Forever Home was shortlisted at the 2022 Irish Book Awards.
