A review by random_spider
The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto by Mitch Albom

emotional informative inspiring mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Just casually tried a Mitch Albom book since its always on the bookstore. And well, what do you know! It's now my Top 1 book 😳, as in RANKED FIRST IN MY WHOLE COLLECTION!!!

------Stat Score------

Plot/Content: 9/10
Characters/POVs: 10/10
Prose/Style: 10/10
Themes/Messages: 9/10
Enjoyability/Impact: 10/10

OVERALL RATING: 10/10 (Perfect)

And then I asked, "When was the last time you were home?"
And he said, "I don't really have one."
And I said, "Everyone has some place they call home."
He held his guitar.
"All I ever had was this," he said, "and her."


Synopsis and/or Premise:
This is a personal epic of Frankie Presto.

Born out of a burning chapel, he is an orphan music prodigy who tackled all the bitterness and sweetness life could offer. He trained under a blind master, sent off as a lost boy, rose to stardom as a musical legend, and struggled to make peace with his identity.

And as dramatic as he entered this world, he performed a worthy finale of his symphonic life.

The Good and The Bad:
I don't even know if I have enough words to praise this thing. What a masterpiece 👏

This book was magic ✨ (literally and figuratively). There’re no other words that accurately describe it better. Just the prose itself was pure immaculate. Fun fact! This book gave me the most 'feels' reading for them words hit hard. The way the author lay out his sentences, many of which were clues to later events, as well as utilizing stark juxtapositions of some chapters (of book and of protagonist's life, simultaneously) was an impressive display of skills. And how many of those chapters were in an interview format gave a whole new layer of mystery vibes to the plot. The book had some brief romance within, but it is mainly a love story of Frankie between his passion and the people of his life. Regardless, I ate them all up.

This book was about music 🎶. Of course, that's expected from the title. Heck, even the narrator within was this godly entity with an entertaining ego who called himself Music. One can't go wrong with some fantastical elements. I even found myself memorizing exacts moments when the titular strings glowed because of Frankie's ability to change lives. Moving on, I just adore how much research the author did to integrate music historical facts to the story. Lots of string instrument mechanics were present as well, but they were just enough to not bore the readers with technicalities. And the prose was most lyrical. Smooth, rich, and emotionally compelling. This wonderful trio was one of the reasons why I rated it highly.

This tale of Music's disciple had everything, and I know making a list of those topics/themes is excessive and unnecessary...but funny 🤣. So here we go:
1. Student-Teacher relationship dynamic
2. Passion
3. Companionship and connections
4. People with Disabilities
5. Stepping up to expectations and responsibilities
6. War occupation
7. Drugs
8. Returning to roots
9. Gifts and curses of fame and ambition
10. Talent vs Industry
11. Troubled past, Inner peace, and Forgiveness
12. Focusing on what matters most
13. Essence of a Career
14. Being an influence
15. Being lost, and etc... (ok I'll stop here lol)

The last part of this section is usually where I write my criticisms and problems. But for some reason, this book had almost none. And for whatever it was, it's justified or simply out of my personal taste. The time jumps and pacing was a bit jarring at first, but it's just the nature of literary fiction and the book's unique method of storytelling. Also, I personally am not a fan of the 'mini' twist reveal in the end, though slowly I understand how it perfectly fits the growth and closure of the protagonist.

Final Thoughts:
The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto by Mitch Albom is SOOOOOOOOO GOOD. Halfway through 2024 and I finally found my first 5⭐ of the year. Definitely gonna try the other works of this author.

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Links to my ratings and reviews:
Goodreads reviews
The StoryGraph