The blurb on the back of this book, Norton’s fifth novel, states “We all have a story to tell. We just need to find the right person to tell it to…”, this is not only true for the main character this story is based around, but, for all of us.
I always enjoy Norton’s books, however, this one is different to the others. Maybe it’s because it touches on some cultural events and people that did/do actually exist, or maybe it’s because a lot of people have a similar life, but, this book hit harder than his other fiction books.
Frankie Howe was not a confident person, but, in her later years, as she recovers at home from a fall, Frankie finds herself reliving the memories of a life well lived with her carer, Damian. The story runs from 1950’s Ireland, through to London in the 2020’s, via the New York art scene in the 1960’s.
The twists and turns that Frankie’s life took kept me riveted and I read this book in less than two days. This was one of those books that I couldn’t stop thinking about even when I wasn’t reading it. I love Norton’s ability to write engaging characters and to pull you into their world.
Norton has a fantastic ability to include many characters in his books, but, it never gets overwelming as they all serve a purpose in driving the story along. I would highly recommend this book to anyone.
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