Review by So Nice -- Can I Be Frank? by Rob Wyatt

[So Nice]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Can I Be Frank?" by Rob Wyatt.]

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2 out of 4 stars

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Can I Be Frank by Rob Wyatt is a fictional narrative of the experiences of a British Catholic priest after he was transferred across the continent to the United States to go oversee a local parish situated at Palmetto Lake, Florida; owing to the shortage of priests in that area. The author tells the story through the eyes of the priest; Father Francis who loves to be addressed as "Father Frank" or simply "Frank" and who is the main character of the book.

Father Frank is a young, eccentric, clumsy and timid character. He lacks self-confidence, quick to mess things up and quick to get himself in trouble. At Florida, he is received by the diocesan Vicar-General-cum-administrator, Father Williams, who introduces him to his new parish, the Saint Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, Palmetto Lake.

He gets to meet his parishioners but soon realizes that they despise him. They all desert the church shortly after his arrival, as masterminded by their paymaster, a man known for his manipulative tendencies called Gene Charmois. Charmois is a businessman and owns most of the local businesses in the area. In a gargantuan show of affluence, he solely sponsors the local parish and the diocese in general with part of the money from his ill-gotten wealth. Charmois is a puppetmaster, who does well at exploiting everybody around him to his advantage. He soon becomes Father Frank's major opposition.

With the turnout of events; Charmois posing as a major challenge, no parishioners, no support from the diocese, no one to turn to for help, Father Frank becomes very distraught as he tries to figure out a solution to his predicaments.

However, a short while into his stay, he stumbles upon one of Charmois' hideous activities which put the health of immigrant laborers at risk. This discovery soon leads to the downfall of the highly esteemed businessman, at the same time, marking a new beginning for Father Frank's parish.

I will give this book a rating of 2 out of 4 stars because I did not enjoy the narration of the plot from a solo perspective, there was very little suspense, some trivial parts were unnecessarily elaborated (for instance his movements around the airport on his arrival in Florida), most of the characters were not likable and some of the conversations appeared stiff and unfriendly. To say the least, I was displeased with the behavior exhibited by the major characters and I was disappointed that they remained the same throughout the plot.

Nonetheless, I appreciated the author's unique style of introducing every chapter with a Bible verse that precisely summarised that chapter. I liked the subtle comparison between the British and American English as well as lifestyle within the story. The book was well-edited with only a few minor errors.

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Can I Be Frank?
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