Review by Kadzo mae -- Can I Be Frank? by Rob Wyatt

Kadzo mae · Post by **Kadzo mae** » 13 Dec 2017, 23:23

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

4 out of 4 stars

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Can I Be Frank is one of the funniest books I've read. It's a story about a Catholic Priest, Father Francis Gold, who comes across as one of life's unfortunates, those for whom nothing seems to go right and I couldn't help but smile as I read the story. In fact, some parts caused me to laugh out loud, especially his interaction with the fire ants and its outcome. Even in church this evening, as the priest realised he'd put his robe on back to front, I had a little chuckle to myself and thought about Father Francis. Somehow I think that this practice is not going to go away soon.

Father Francis, or Frank as he would much prefer to be called, entered into the priesthood in England and much to the joy of his superiors he was offered a parish in America for a period of 1 year. He seems to overcome the trials and tribulations of the past as he settles into his new post but alas all is not as it seems. He is faced with new challenges and temptations and after coming across the town bully, a man of influence and wealth, he is tasked with having to defend his honour.

He is taken under the wing of Father William with whom he develops a really good rapport and I particularly liked the banter between them, again a good piece of humour. However, forces are at work to drive a wedge between them. Then we have Martha, the stalwart of the parish office. Her character brought back many childhood memories of the Mothers' Union in my church which always seemed to consist of ladies of a certain age who were able to give you that withering look, frightening. She has the ability to become his arch enemy or his strongest supporter.

As the storyline unfolds we enter into the realms of politics within the church and I couldn't help but reflect on what was happening in my own church and wondered how many priests were faced with the same situations as Father Francis. He not only has to fight off unwanted (or maybe not) advances of ladies but has to deal with man's inhumanity to man when he comes across some migrant workers. As a result he faces life-threatening consequences.

The book is well written with a good plot. I liked the style of writing and found myself easily drawn into the story. I particularly liked the quotes at the beginning of each paragraph which added a sense of what was coming up. I think it was really clever of the author to add these quotes but you need to read the book to appreciate them. It is suitable for audiences of 13 and above and I think it would appeal to anyone with a sense of humour and particularly Catholics who will spend many a Sunday with a smile on their face as they remember Father Francis. This is also the first book which I have read by the author but I will definitely add his name to the list of authors to follow. I have given the book 4 out of 4 stars.

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Can I Be Frank?
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