3 out of 4 stars
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Can I Be Frank, a novel by Rob Wyatt, takes on an unconventional outlook on priesthood. Told in the first person narrative by Father Francis Gold, whose humorous plights richly imbue the storyline, it’s enhanced by a significantly religious and somewhat political tone. This story walks in the avenue of comical fiction, while exploring the challenges a young priest faces as the responsibilities of an assignment to a parish are thrust upon him. With 70 chapters of amusing scenarios and frequent tests of devoutness, Can I Be Frank is delivered with promising likability and relatable characters.
When Father Francis Gold – his preferred name ‘Frank’ remains mostly unused, much to his chagrin – is assigned to a parish at the invitation of the Diocese of Central Florida, more than 4000 miles from the comforting familiarity of London, his most pressing concerns are acclimating to the persistent heat of an alien country, getting through Mass with his congregation relatively unscathed and not setting the altar cloth aflame. His wishes are realized for the most part, though in between fending off Mrs. Robinson-esque advances and sampling American beers under the tutelage of the Mopar-loving Vicar General, Father William, he recognizes being disaster-prone may not be his sole challenge. Enter Gene Charmois, local bigwig and oppressor, who, as a result of his efforts to buy and subsequently control Father Francis being snubbed by the latter, attempts to undermine the priest’s reputation and alienate him from his parishioners. Consequently, during his endeavours to erase the damage caused by Charmois’ machinations, Frank inadvertently stumbles on a farm of secrets that threaten to unravel the businessman’s plans. With the help of his parish administrator, Martha Moro, the delightful nonbeliever, Dr. Ginny Pierce, and judge-slash-car dealer, Karl Matthews, Frank uncovers the truths behind Charmois operations that, in effect, help to better the lives of immigrant workers and clear Frank’s name.
The story drew me in from the first, what with the central character’s seemingly endless dilemmas and the nature of his reaction to them. Not so devout a Christian, but with a permanently instilled belief in the religion, I found Frank’s take on religion to be remarkably refreshing and akin to how I view these matters. There were instances that were so ludicrous I couldn’t help but laugh, the least of which was Frank’s apparent inability to avoid some measure of trouble. The novel itself was well-written, and the brevity of the chapters kept the humour aspect alive. I liked the quoted scriptures at the beginning of each chapter that, to some extent, foretold the contents of said chapter. There was special attention to detail, though it sometimes bordered the line between creative writing and superfluous words.
One of the most interesting theories proposed in the novel described the attractiveness of the forbidden. The context used described how women viewed men termed ‘off-limits’ as a challenge, and were more inclined to pursue such men rather than ‘easier’ pickings. I toyed with this supposition for a while, and thought it to be well-founded. The tale of Eve and the forbidden tree raised its ironic head to support the argument, so that was cemented.
A single misspelling was noted in the first sentence of chapter 46, where all-to-familiar should be all-too familiar. There were no less than two instances marking an overuse of commas. Otherwise, spelling and punctuation were on par and the writing style spectacular.
I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. With the above errors in mind, as well as considering the somewhat far-fetched situations the main character often found himself in, I consider this book good, rather than excellent. I recommend this read to those needing a laugh, and not to any age group in particular.
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Can I Be Frank?
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