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3.77 AVERAGE
3.77 AVERAGE
This was a cute read, but ultimately I hated Alice and Xander way too much for the book to be saved by Frank's character. I hope Mr Vargas was paying Alice an obscene amount of money for this terrible job.
I absolutely loved this book. Frank is the most precocious nine year old - everything that came out of his mouth made me laugh (except when it made me want to cry). Hard to belief this is a first novel. The author does a great job of keeping Frank a child, despite his unusual intelligence and amazing memory for facts. Funny and whip-smart. 4.5 stars and one I'd recommend for anyone.
Love the book! It's quirky and eccentric, just like the characters inside. Was almost sad seeing it had to end.
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I'm not sure how to rate this book. It kept me on a roller-coaster ride-I loved Frank, but was heart-broken by things that happened to him over the course of the book. I wanted to stop reading, but then things started falling into place and I began thinking what a fun, quirky movie this could be. The ending felt like an opening to write a sequel.
"Reclusive literary legend M. M. “Mimi” Banning has been holed up in her Bel Air mansion for years, but now she’s writing her first book in decades and to ensure timely completion her publisher sends an assistant to monitor her progress. Mimi reluctantly complies—with a few stipulations: No Ivy Leaguers or English majors. Must drive, cook, tidy. Computer whiz. Good with kids. Quiet, discreet, sane. When Alice Whitley arrives at the Banning mansion, she’s put to work right away—as a full-time companion to Frank, the writer’s eccentric nine-year-old, a boy with the wit of Noël Coward, the wardrobe of a 1930s movie star, and very little in common with his fellow fourth graders. As she gets to know Frank, Alice becomes consumed with finding out who his father is, how his gorgeous “piano teacher and itinerant male role model” Xander fits into the Banning family equation—and whether Mimi will ever finish that book."
"Reclusive literary legend M. M. “Mimi” Banning has been holed up in her Bel Air mansion for years, but now she’s writing her first book in decades and to ensure timely completion her publisher sends an assistant to monitor her progress. Mimi reluctantly complies—with a few stipulations: No Ivy Leaguers or English majors. Must drive, cook, tidy. Computer whiz. Good with kids. Quiet, discreet, sane. When Alice Whitley arrives at the Banning mansion, she’s put to work right away—as a full-time companion to Frank, the writer’s eccentric nine-year-old, a boy with the wit of Noël Coward, the wardrobe of a 1930s movie star, and very little in common with his fellow fourth graders. As she gets to know Frank, Alice becomes consumed with finding out who his father is, how his gorgeous “piano teacher and itinerant male role model” Xander fits into the Banning family equation—and whether Mimi will ever finish that book."
I like Frank. This is a book about autism that doesn't say it.
A book club book - not my usual fare, but I enjoyed this. I feel it's along the lines of "the Rosie Project", although not quite as funny. It's the sort of book described as "charming", and it was sweet and eccentric. Very close to a 4 star, but I'm stingy with the stars!