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marieintheraw's review
3.0
I know Frankie is angry, but that doesn't mean her voice is supposed to be difficult the whole time. Also the big spoiler that happens is very easy to predict which sucks.
I received an ecopy of this book through Netgalley; however, my opinions are my own.
I received an ecopy of this book through Netgalley; however, my opinions are my own.
jazz_maree's review
5.0
I got the vibes of Melina Marchetta's Saving Francesca (Not just because the protaganists share the share same!) and John Green's Looking for Alaska.
A beautiful story of a young girl, filled with anger and hurt searching for her younger brother, whom she just met, when really she should be searching for herself.
The whole world (Exept Vinny!) may have given up on Frankie but she is an adorable character filled with so much heart, I love her so much.
A beautiful story of a young girl, filled with anger and hurt searching for her younger brother, whom she just met, when really she should be searching for herself.
The whole world (Exept Vinny!) may have given up on Frankie but she is an adorable character filled with so much heart, I love her so much.
morgan_22's review
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
mmardybum's review
3.0
Well,
I keep finding things I want to bury.
It started good - like, really good. I loved Frankie, loved the story, loved the dark Marchetta vibe going on. Then I got distracted - other books were coming my way, a rereading of a real Marchetta book or two. Then I got back to Frankie because no matter what, I still wanted to know what's going to happen to her and Xavier.
At times this book is amazing, at times it's kind of silly - I mean, going in the middle of the night to a guy you barely know and getting yourself almost knifed to death? Not so smart. But then again, the plot was promising, fast-paced and utterly enjoyable, so I'm willing to overlook that (still taking a half-star for it, though).
I didn't really like Mark and couldn't quite get what he was up to and what he actually wanted. I didn't really like Nate either, but then again he wasn't put there to be liked. Although I guess by the end I kind of warmed up to him. (The rational mind in me still thinks this was a very bad idea and a very bad decision and a very unbelievable plot line and I get that it's probably very stupid out of context, but I did enjoy it and kind of wanted it to happen. It's probably because of the way it's written - draws you in.)
I can't get over the ending, though. I knew from the beginning that this is how Frankie ends, because I always read the last page first - a very bad (and very spoilery) habit, I know. But I still am not convinced that we needed exactly this kind of ending. Didn't feel right - not quite forced, but still a little bit off.
I keep finding things I want to bury.
It started good - like, really good. I loved Frankie, loved the story, loved the dark Marchetta vibe going on. Then I got distracted - other books were coming my way, a rereading of a real Marchetta book or two. Then I got back to Frankie because no matter what, I still wanted to know what's going to happen to her and Xavier.
At times this book is amazing, at times it's kind of silly - I mean, going in the middle of the night to a guy you barely know and getting yourself almost knifed to death? Not so smart. But then again, the plot was promising, fast-paced and utterly enjoyable, so I'm willing to overlook that (still taking a half-star for it, though).
I didn't really like Mark and couldn't quite get what he was up to and what he actually wanted. I didn't really like Nate either, but then again he wasn't put there to be liked. Although I guess by the end I kind of warmed up to him. (The rational mind in me still thinks this was a very bad idea and a very bad decision and a very unbelievable plot line and I get that it's probably very stupid out of context, but I did enjoy it and kind of wanted it to happen. It's probably because of the way it's written - draws you in.)
I can't get over the ending, though. I knew from the beginning that this is how Frankie ends, because I always read the last page first - a very bad (and very spoilery) habit, I know. But I still am not convinced that we needed exactly this kind of ending. Didn't feel right - not quite forced, but still a little bit off.
tismlogswithember's review against another edition
2.0
This storie was, in my opinion, a very late middle grade early high school type read. Although you follow a girl in her later years of high school, it honestly feels like a book i would have read in 8th grade and still be like this is kinda meh.
I would like to say this book made me laugh here and there and I did enjoy the character of Frankie because it was rather relatable her situation and her life. However, the ending was not the best and the plot to this book was kinda simple and not that great. Why you would kinda like the charters, the plot was not that appealing simply because it was so scattered. I didn't even really care at the end of the book and you never learn enough about the brother to be invested really. And the random throw ins to romance was stupid and not worth it. I understand she is a teen and will have past relationship drama but this had nothing really to do with the book or plot what so ever and could have easily been written out for more important content. But then again i do get what they where going for with the whole teens banded together over a mystery fall into love bs.
I do however love that they covered the lesser added topics of child abuse, parental abandonment, homelessness and over all how hard it is to get over things like that. And had the book had given more time for you to know the characters or better show why you should be invested in these characters then maybe i would have liked this more.
Overall this was just a meh kind of read for me but i am sure had I read this as a young teen I would have given this a higher rating but as a 'new adult' im giving it a 2 and call it a day.
I would like to say this book made me laugh here and there and I did enjoy the character of Frankie because it was rather relatable her situation and her life. However, the ending was not the best and the plot to this book was kinda simple and not that great. Why you would kinda like the charters, the plot was not that appealing simply because it was so scattered. I didn't even really care at the end of the book and you never learn enough about the brother to be invested really. And the random throw ins to romance was stupid and not worth it. I understand she is a teen and will have past relationship drama but this had nothing really to do with the book or plot what so ever and could have easily been written out for more important content. But then again i do get what they where going for with the whole teens banded together over a mystery fall into love bs.
I do however love that they covered the lesser added topics of child abuse, parental abandonment, homelessness and over all how hard it is to get over things like that. And had the book had given more time for you to know the characters or better show why you should be invested in these characters then maybe i would have liked this more.
Overall this was just a meh kind of read for me but i am sure had I read this as a young teen I would have given this a higher rating but as a 'new adult' im giving it a 2 and call it a day.
bronwynheeley's review
4.0
after a few days/weeks, I have only one critique to make, and that's the ending, I feel it would have been a lot better if we got more detail about the aftermath, her night out with Nate, her getting back to best friends with Cara. I feel how it ends made the overall story more about her half-brother and less about her and her overcoming herself.
cdala's review
4.0
Spoilers ahead.
This book had me at the first chapter, where Frankie meets up with a 14 year old kid who claims to be her half brother. Now, maybe the music references aren't for everyone, but I'm into books that find a way to share music within the story. I enjoy discovering new music through books, and I also appreciate it when they talk about music that I already love. In this case, it's the latter.
When Frankie starts talking about Joy Division and The Smiths, she's speaking my language. These are iconic cult bands, and to people who know and listen to them, such as myself, the fact that she likes these bands says something about her character. It's not just about music, it's a whole subculture that involves these bands and so the fact they are mentioned tells me a lot about Frankie. It's also a clever way to do it, because while most current pop culture references will feel dated in a few years, these bands will never be irrelevant. You'll still get it, no matter if you're reading this book now or in years to come.
Xavier and his dimples don't appear in the book for long. We get to know him just as Frankie is getting to know him, and then he disappears, which is the event that sets off the story for the rest of the book. Although he's missing for most of it, the few initial chapters he gets are more than enough to make us like him, and to ensure we're invested in what happens to him.
I also really liked Frankie. She does stupid stuff, and she has her fair share of violent tendencies, but I could always sympathize with her. I liked her relationship with her Aunt Vinnie, with her best friend Cara, and her blossoming relationship with Nate. Her character's main driving force though is her abandonment issues that come with being left by her mom at age 4. Therefore she has developed a coping mechanism that involves burying her emotions and her thoughts, until she explodes with anger.
Close to the end of the book I started to really worry. There just weren't enough pages left, this was not going to have a happy ending. I don't think any book with a protagonist who loves Joy Division really could. Suffice it to say, the ending, though predictable, still managed to make me cry. The epilogue felt a bit rushed, but it does the trick of turning things around and letting the story end on a somewhat hopeful note. And hope is a beautiful thing.
This book had me at the first chapter, where Frankie meets up with a 14 year old kid who claims to be her half brother. Now, maybe the music references aren't for everyone, but I'm into books that find a way to share music within the story. I enjoy discovering new music through books, and I also appreciate it when they talk about music that I already love. In this case, it's the latter.
When Frankie starts talking about Joy Division and The Smiths, she's speaking my language. These are iconic cult bands, and to people who know and listen to them, such as myself, the fact that she likes these bands says something about her character. It's not just about music, it's a whole subculture that involves these bands and so the fact they are mentioned tells me a lot about Frankie. It's also a clever way to do it, because while most current pop culture references will feel dated in a few years, these bands will never be irrelevant. You'll still get it, no matter if you're reading this book now or in years to come.
Xavier and his dimples don't appear in the book for long. We get to know him just as Frankie is getting to know him, and then he disappears, which is the event that sets off the story for the rest of the book. Although he's missing for most of it, the few initial chapters he gets are more than enough to make us like him, and to ensure we're invested in what happens to him.
I also really liked Frankie. She does stupid stuff, and she has her fair share of violent tendencies, but I could always sympathize with her. I liked her relationship with her Aunt Vinnie, with her best friend Cara, and her blossoming relationship with Nate. Her character's main driving force though is her abandonment issues that come with being left by her mom at age 4. Therefore she has developed a coping mechanism that involves burying her emotions and her thoughts, until she explodes with anger.
Close to the end of the book I started to really worry. There just weren't enough pages left, this was not going to have a happy ending. I don't think any book with a protagonist who loves Joy Division really could. Suffice it to say, the ending, though predictable, still managed to make me cry. The epilogue felt a bit rushed, but it does the trick of turning things around and letting the story end on a somewhat hopeful note. And hope is a beautiful thing.
_zahra_'s review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
aw_reads's review
4.0
Disclaimer: I received an ARC copy from Netgalley and Flatiron Books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
This isn’t usually the type of book I’d pick up, but the cover is stunning and so I couldn’t help myself. I was so happy to have had the chance to read this book because it turned out to be surprisingly funny as well as heartbreaking.
Frankie Vega is certainly angry, but she has good reason to be. Her mom’s a deadbeat, her boyfriend cheated on her, her classmates make jokes about her, the police think she’s no good, her aunt’s losing her patience, and she’s just discovered she has a half-brother. Does this excuse her violent behavior and string of questionable actions/decisions? Of course not. But Frankie’s story is written in such a way that makes it easy to understand her frustrations and to sympathize with her despite her various forms of acting out.
Despite the anger within her, Frankie is an easy protagonist to care for. She’s got a kick-ass sense of humor, she’s assertive and sarcastic, she’s clever, and best of all, she acknowledges her mistakes (especially towards the end). There were times when I was really frustrated with her decisions, but it was all a part of her journey which, unfortunately, involves getting suspended, trying to come to terms with why she physically lashed out at her classmate, meeting her brother for the first time, and then trying to find him upon his sudden disappearance. The story then becomes a quirky mix of black comedy and mystery, an effective combination that kept me engrossed from beginning to end.
While the ending was surprisingly heart-breaking, I’d have to say it would have had more impact if we were given a chance to know Xavier, her half-brother, a bit more. He seemed to be an interesting fellow with quite a few demons of his own, and I would have liked to know more about his side of the story, but he was only present in the beginning and mentioned here and there throughout the rest of the story, so it was a bit hard to connect to and care for him as a character. We had to rely solely on Frankie’s feelings for him and at times, it was not sufficient enough.
Also, the romance between Frankie and Nate was rushed and not entirely believable. And even it it was, I’d have a hard time supporting the romance as Nate is an atypical bad boy with some charm, a tired trope if there ever was one. He’s rude to Frankie more than half the time, and his constant mistreatment of her should not have been forgiven and forgotten so quickly, in my opinion of course.
Besides those two aspects, I’d have to say Frankie is an excellent read. I had a very hard time putting it down. It was a well balanced mix of dark humor and hopeful themes, and because of that, I’d recommend this book in a heartbeat.
This isn’t usually the type of book I’d pick up, but the cover is stunning and so I couldn’t help myself. I was so happy to have had the chance to read this book because it turned out to be surprisingly funny as well as heartbreaking.
Frankie Vega is certainly angry, but she has good reason to be. Her mom’s a deadbeat, her boyfriend cheated on her, her classmates make jokes about her, the police think she’s no good, her aunt’s losing her patience, and she’s just discovered she has a half-brother. Does this excuse her violent behavior and string of questionable actions/decisions? Of course not. But Frankie’s story is written in such a way that makes it easy to understand her frustrations and to sympathize with her despite her various forms of acting out.
Despite the anger within her, Frankie is an easy protagonist to care for. She’s got a kick-ass sense of humor, she’s assertive and sarcastic, she’s clever, and best of all, she acknowledges her mistakes (especially towards the end). There were times when I was really frustrated with her decisions, but it was all a part of her journey which, unfortunately, involves getting suspended, trying to come to terms with why she physically lashed out at her classmate, meeting her brother for the first time, and then trying to find him upon his sudden disappearance. The story then becomes a quirky mix of black comedy and mystery, an effective combination that kept me engrossed from beginning to end.
While the ending was surprisingly heart-breaking, I’d have to say it would have had more impact if we were given a chance to know Xavier, her half-brother, a bit more. He seemed to be an interesting fellow with quite a few demons of his own, and I would have liked to know more about his side of the story, but he was only present in the beginning and mentioned here and there throughout the rest of the story, so it was a bit hard to connect to and care for him as a character. We had to rely solely on Frankie’s feelings for him and at times, it was not sufficient enough.
Also, the romance between Frankie and Nate was rushed and not entirely believable. And even it it was, I’d have a hard time supporting the romance as Nate is an atypical bad boy with some charm, a tired trope if there ever was one. He’s rude to Frankie more than half the time, and his constant mistreatment of her should not have been forgiven and forgotten so quickly, in my opinion of course.
Besides those two aspects, I’d have to say Frankie is an excellent read. I had a very hard time putting it down. It was a well balanced mix of dark humor and hopeful themes, and because of that, I’d recommend this book in a heartbeat.
angelreads's review
5.0
You can see this review and more at Angel Reads
Frankie by Shivaun Plozza was one of my most anticipated books this year by an Australian author, it just sounded like my kind of book and it was. Frankie was a heartbreaking, heart-warming and absorbing contemporary that captures the reader from the first page.
Frankie follows protagonist Frankie Vega as she goes on a journey of self-discovery, more heartbreak and finding her place. Frankie is a usual protagonist, she is mean, rude, hard-headed and feisty, but not in the way that makes you want to put the book down and stop reading, no it is quite the opposite, her attitude makes you want to keep on reading.
When a kid shows up saying that he is Frankie’s half-brother, she doesn’t know what to do. Does she trust him and let him in her and let him break her like everyone else? Or she let him go now? But it’s Frankie we are talking about and she cannot let things, so when he goes missing, she does everything in her will power and power to find out where he is.
I adored Frankie, I would not want her to be my best friend because we would clash all the time, but she was such a fascinating protagonist. Frankie is fierce and strong and if I went missing, I would want her out there looking for me. She has had a tough life and she channels that and comes off as this ‘bad’ girl that is always getting into trouble.
She lives with her Aunt Vinne above her aunt’s Kebab shop, she has been kicked out of school and doesn’t want anyone to know and her supposed brother has just gone missing, oh and you know what this gorgeous boy with stupidly blue eyes comes into the mix. Lets’ just say that Frankie has a lot on her plate.
There were parts in the book where all I wanted to do was hug Frankie, but I felt that she might punch me in the face if I did that. There were parts that also made me cry, right near the end – arrg my heart.
I enjoyed the relationship between Frankie and her Aunt. Even thought at times it was a bit strained, it worked quite well for the situation that they were both in.
The romance was such a little piece of Frankie, but it was beautifully done. There wasn’t a need for a bubbling romance, but the way that Plozza handle it was perfect. Nate was intense and intriguing and capture Frankie in a way no way else had before. It was slightly there, but it did add to both the story and the characterisation of Frankie.
I adored that Frankie was set in Melbourne. It’s my home, and sometimes it does get boring when books are all set in the same place or places that I have no clue about. Even though I don’t live in Collingwood, I know how it looks and feels so it was truly interesting. Plozza has captured Melbourne perfectly.
Overall, Frankie by Shivaun Plozza is a brilliant debut novel that captured my heart. It’s a story of heartbreak, belonging, finding yourself and what it is to be a family. It captures Melbourne as Melbourne from the language to the setting, it brings to light that sometimes when you think that you are alone, you are not alone and all that you need to do is let them in. Frankie by Shivaun Plozza is a must read.
Frankie by Shivaun Plozza was one of my most anticipated books this year by an Australian author, it just sounded like my kind of book and it was. Frankie was a heartbreaking, heart-warming and absorbing contemporary that captures the reader from the first page.
Frankie follows protagonist Frankie Vega as she goes on a journey of self-discovery, more heartbreak and finding her place. Frankie is a usual protagonist, she is mean, rude, hard-headed and feisty, but not in the way that makes you want to put the book down and stop reading, no it is quite the opposite, her attitude makes you want to keep on reading.
When a kid shows up saying that he is Frankie’s half-brother, she doesn’t know what to do. Does she trust him and let him in her and let him break her like everyone else? Or she let him go now? But it’s Frankie we are talking about and she cannot let things, so when he goes missing, she does everything in her will power and power to find out where he is.
I adored Frankie, I would not want her to be my best friend because we would clash all the time, but she was such a fascinating protagonist. Frankie is fierce and strong and if I went missing, I would want her out there looking for me. She has had a tough life and she channels that and comes off as this ‘bad’ girl that is always getting into trouble.
She lives with her Aunt Vinne above her aunt’s Kebab shop, she has been kicked out of school and doesn’t want anyone to know and her supposed brother has just gone missing, oh and you know what this gorgeous boy with stupidly blue eyes comes into the mix. Lets’ just say that Frankie has a lot on her plate.
There were parts in the book where all I wanted to do was hug Frankie, but I felt that she might punch me in the face if I did that. There were parts that also made me cry, right near the end – arrg my heart.
I enjoyed the relationship between Frankie and her Aunt. Even thought at times it was a bit strained, it worked quite well for the situation that they were both in.
The romance was such a little piece of Frankie, but it was beautifully done. There wasn’t a need for a bubbling romance, but the way that Plozza handle it was perfect. Nate was intense and intriguing and capture Frankie in a way no way else had before. It was slightly there, but it did add to both the story and the characterisation of Frankie.
I adored that Frankie was set in Melbourne. It’s my home, and sometimes it does get boring when books are all set in the same place or places that I have no clue about. Even though I don’t live in Collingwood, I know how it looks and feels so it was truly interesting. Plozza has captured Melbourne perfectly.
Overall, Frankie by Shivaun Plozza is a brilliant debut novel that captured my heart. It’s a story of heartbreak, belonging, finding yourself and what it is to be a family. It captures Melbourne as Melbourne from the language to the setting, it brings to light that sometimes when you think that you are alone, you are not alone and all that you need to do is let them in. Frankie by Shivaun Plozza is a must read.