Be Frank with Me
A Novel
No se pudo agregar al carrito
Add to Cart failed.
Error al Agregar a Lista de Deseos.
Error al eliminar de la lista de deseos.
Error al añadir a tu biblioteca
Error al seguir el podcast
Error al dejar de seguir el podcast
$0.99/mes por los primeros 3 meses
Exclusivo para miembros Prime: ¿Nuevo en Audible? Obtén 2 audiolibros gratis con tu prueba.
Be Frank with Me
Compra ahora por $21.59
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrado por:
-
Tavia Gilbert
Acerca de esta escucha
Winner, 2017 APA Audie Awards - Best Female Narrator
A sparkling talent makes her fiction debut with this infectious novel that combines the charming pluck of Eloise, the poignant psychological quirks of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, and the pause-resisting spirit of Where'd You Go, Bernadette.
Reclusive literary legend M. M. "Mimi" Banning has been holed up in her Bel Air mansion for years. But after falling prey to a Bernie Madoff-style Ponzi scheme, she's flat broke. Now Mimi must write a new book for the first time in decades, and to ensure the timely delivery of her manuscript, her New York publisher sends an assistant to monitor her progress. The prickly 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 Noel Coward, the wardrobe of a 1930s movie star, and very little in common with his fellow fourth graders.
As she slowly gets to know Frank, Alice becomes consumed with finding out who Frank's father is, how his gorgeous "piano teacher and itinerant male role model", Xander, fits in to the Banning family equation - and whether Mimi will ever finish that book.
Full of heart and countless "only in Hollywood" moments, Be Frank with Me is a captivating and unconventional story of an unusual mother and son and the intrepid young woman who finds herself irresistibly pulled into their unforgettable world.
©2016 Julia Claiborne Johnson (P)2016 HarperCollins PublishersLos oyentes también disfrutaron...
-
The Brilliant Life of Eudora Honeysett
- A Novel
- De: Annie Lyons
- Narrado por: Nicolette McKenzie
- Duración: 10 h y 39 m
- Versión completa
-
General4.5 out of 5 stars 3,999
-
Narración:5 out of 5 stars 3,579
-
Historia4.5 out of 5 stars 3,554
Eudora Honeysett is done with this noisy, moronic world - all of it. She has witnessed the indignities and suffering of old age and has lived a full life. At 85, she isn’t going to leave things to chance. Her end will be on her terms. With one call to a clinic in Switzerland, a plan is set in motion. Then she meets 10-year-old Rose Trewidney, a whirling, pint-sized rainbow of sparkling cheer. All Eudora wants is to be left alone to set her affairs in order.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Just what I Needed
- De Angela Adams en 02-04-21
De: Annie Lyons
-
Better Luck Next Time
- A Novel
- De: Julia Claiborne Johnson
- Narrado por: David Aaron Baker
- Duración: 8 h y 52 m
- Versión completa
-
General4.5 out of 5 stars 303
-
Narración:4.5 out of 5 stars 267
-
Historia4.5 out of 5 stars 269
It's 1938 and women seeking a quick, no-questions split from their husbands head to the "divorce capital of the world," Reno, Nevada. There's one catch: they have to wait six weeks to become "residents." Many of these wealthy, soon-to-be divorcees flock to the Flying Leap, a dude ranch that caters to their every need. Ward spent one year at Yale before his family lost everything; now he's earning an honest living as a ranch hand. Admired for his good looks, Ward thinks he's got the Flying Leap's clients all figured out. But two guests are about to upend everything he thinks he knows.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
The Author and Narrator Nailed it!
- De Naunie en 02-17-22
-
The Library of Lost and Found
- De: Phaedra Patrick
- Narrado por: Imogen Church
- Duración: 10 h y 28 m
- Versión completa
-
General4.5 out of 5 stars 1,573
-
Narración:4.5 out of 5 stars 1,419
-
Historia4.5 out of 5 stars 1,413
Librarian Martha Storm has always found it easier to connect with books than people—though not for lack of trying. She keeps careful lists of how to help others in her superhero-themed notebook. And yet, sometimes it feels like she’s invisible. All of that changes when a book of fairy tales arrives on her doorstep. Inside, Martha finds a dedication written by her best friend—her grandmother Zelda—who died under mysterious circumstances years ago. When Martha discovers a clue within the book that her grandmother may still be alive, she becomes determined to discover the truth.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Fine Line between quirky and ludicrous.....
- De Jane M. en 04-10-19
De: Phaedra Patrick
-
The Cactus
- De: Sarah Haywood
- Narrado por: Katherine Manners
- Duración: 10 h y 30 m
- Versión completa
-
General4.5 out of 5 stars 6,313
-
Narración:4.5 out of 5 stars 5,724
-
Historia4 out of 5 stars 5,711
For Susan Green, messy emotions don’t fit into the equation of her perfectly ordered life. She has a flat that is ideal for one, a job that suits her passion for logic, and an “interpersonal arrangement” that provides cultural and other more intimate benefits. But suddenly confronted with the loss of her mother and the news that she is about to become a mother herself, Susan’s greatest fear is realized. She is losing control.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Adorable story, AMAZING Narration.
- De Monica Flock en 06-29-18
De: Sarah Haywood
-
Remarkably Bright Creatures
- A Novel
- De: Shelby Van Pelt
- Narrado por: Marin Ireland, Michael Urie
- Duración: 11 h y 16 m
- Versión completa
-
General5 out of 5 stars 51,988
-
Narración:5 out of 5 stars 47,684
-
Historia5 out of 5 stars 47,607
After Tova Sullivan’s husband died, she began working the night shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium, mopping floors and tidying up. Keeping busy has always helped her cope, which she’s been doing since her eighteen-year-old son, Erik, mysteriously vanished on a boat in Puget Sound over thirty years ago. Tova becomes acquainted with curmudgeonly Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus living at the aquarium. Marcellus knows more than anyone can imagine but wouldn’t dream of lifting one of his eight arms for his human captors—until he forms a remarkable friendship with Tova.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Hidden gem, incredible narration!
- De Christine T en 05-17-22
De: Shelby Van Pelt
-
Lessons in Chemistry
- A Novel
- De: Bonnie Garmus
- Narrado por: Miranda Raison, Bonnie Garmus, Pandora Sykes
- Duración: 11 h y 55 m
- Versión completa
-
General4.5 out of 5 stars 36,783
-
Narración:5 out of 5 stars 32,167
-
Historia4.5 out of 5 stars 32,091
Chemist Elizabeth Zott is not your average woman. In fact, Elizabeth Zott would be the first to point out that there is no such thing as an average woman. But it’s the early 1960s and her all-male team at Hastings Research Institute takes a very unscientific view of equality. Except for one: Calvin Evans; the lonely, brilliant, Nobel–prize nominated grudge-holder who falls in love with—of all things—her mind. True chemistry results.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Making my 3 adult daughters read this
- De Teresa H. en 04-07-22
De: Bonnie Garmus
-
The Brilliant Life of Eudora Honeysett
- A Novel
- De: Annie Lyons
- Narrado por: Nicolette McKenzie
- Duración: 10 h y 39 m
- Versión completa
-
General4.5 out of 5 stars 3,999
-
Narración:5 out of 5 stars 3,579
-
Historia4.5 out of 5 stars 3,554
Eudora Honeysett is done with this noisy, moronic world - all of it. She has witnessed the indignities and suffering of old age and has lived a full life. At 85, she isn’t going to leave things to chance. Her end will be on her terms. With one call to a clinic in Switzerland, a plan is set in motion. Then she meets 10-year-old Rose Trewidney, a whirling, pint-sized rainbow of sparkling cheer. All Eudora wants is to be left alone to set her affairs in order.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Just what I Needed
- De Angela Adams en 02-04-21
De: Annie Lyons
-
Better Luck Next Time
- A Novel
- De: Julia Claiborne Johnson
- Narrado por: David Aaron Baker
- Duración: 8 h y 52 m
- Versión completa
-
General4.5 out of 5 stars 303
-
Narración:4.5 out of 5 stars 267
-
Historia4.5 out of 5 stars 269
It's 1938 and women seeking a quick, no-questions split from their husbands head to the "divorce capital of the world," Reno, Nevada. There's one catch: they have to wait six weeks to become "residents." Many of these wealthy, soon-to-be divorcees flock to the Flying Leap, a dude ranch that caters to their every need. Ward spent one year at Yale before his family lost everything; now he's earning an honest living as a ranch hand. Admired for his good looks, Ward thinks he's got the Flying Leap's clients all figured out. But two guests are about to upend everything he thinks he knows.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
The Author and Narrator Nailed it!
- De Naunie en 02-17-22
-
The Library of Lost and Found
- De: Phaedra Patrick
- Narrado por: Imogen Church
- Duración: 10 h y 28 m
- Versión completa
-
General4.5 out of 5 stars 1,573
-
Narración:4.5 out of 5 stars 1,419
-
Historia4.5 out of 5 stars 1,413
Librarian Martha Storm has always found it easier to connect with books than people—though not for lack of trying. She keeps careful lists of how to help others in her superhero-themed notebook. And yet, sometimes it feels like she’s invisible. All of that changes when a book of fairy tales arrives on her doorstep. Inside, Martha finds a dedication written by her best friend—her grandmother Zelda—who died under mysterious circumstances years ago. When Martha discovers a clue within the book that her grandmother may still be alive, she becomes determined to discover the truth.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Fine Line between quirky and ludicrous.....
- De Jane M. en 04-10-19
De: Phaedra Patrick
-
The Cactus
- De: Sarah Haywood
- Narrado por: Katherine Manners
- Duración: 10 h y 30 m
- Versión completa
-
General4.5 out of 5 stars 6,313
-
Narración:4.5 out of 5 stars 5,724
-
Historia4 out of 5 stars 5,711
For Susan Green, messy emotions don’t fit into the equation of her perfectly ordered life. She has a flat that is ideal for one, a job that suits her passion for logic, and an “interpersonal arrangement” that provides cultural and other more intimate benefits. But suddenly confronted with the loss of her mother and the news that she is about to become a mother herself, Susan’s greatest fear is realized. She is losing control.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Adorable story, AMAZING Narration.
- De Monica Flock en 06-29-18
De: Sarah Haywood
-
Remarkably Bright Creatures
- A Novel
- De: Shelby Van Pelt
- Narrado por: Marin Ireland, Michael Urie
- Duración: 11 h y 16 m
- Versión completa
-
General5 out of 5 stars 51,988
-
Narración:5 out of 5 stars 47,684
-
Historia5 out of 5 stars 47,607
After Tova Sullivan’s husband died, she began working the night shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium, mopping floors and tidying up. Keeping busy has always helped her cope, which she’s been doing since her eighteen-year-old son, Erik, mysteriously vanished on a boat in Puget Sound over thirty years ago. Tova becomes acquainted with curmudgeonly Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus living at the aquarium. Marcellus knows more than anyone can imagine but wouldn’t dream of lifting one of his eight arms for his human captors—until he forms a remarkable friendship with Tova.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Hidden gem, incredible narration!
- De Christine T en 05-17-22
De: Shelby Van Pelt
-
Lessons in Chemistry
- A Novel
- De: Bonnie Garmus
- Narrado por: Miranda Raison, Bonnie Garmus, Pandora Sykes
- Duración: 11 h y 55 m
- Versión completa
-
General4.5 out of 5 stars 36,783
-
Narración:5 out of 5 stars 32,167
-
Historia4.5 out of 5 stars 32,091
Chemist Elizabeth Zott is not your average woman. In fact, Elizabeth Zott would be the first to point out that there is no such thing as an average woman. But it’s the early 1960s and her all-male team at Hastings Research Institute takes a very unscientific view of equality. Except for one: Calvin Evans; the lonely, brilliant, Nobel–prize nominated grudge-holder who falls in love with—of all things—her mind. True chemistry results.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Making my 3 adult daughters read this
- De Teresa H. en 04-07-22
De: Bonnie Garmus
-
The Overdue Life of Amy Byler
- De: Kelly Harms
- Narrado por: Amy McFadden
- Duración: 10 h y 17 m
- Versión completa
-
General4.5 out of 5 stars 7,973
-
Narración:4.5 out of 5 stars 7,044
-
Historia4 out of 5 stars 7,013
Overworked and underappreciated, single mom Amy Byler needs a break. So when the guilt-ridden husband who abandoned her shows up and offers to take care of their kids for the summer, she accepts his offer and escapes rural Pennsylvania for New York City. Usually grounded and mild mannered, Amy finally lets her hair down in the city that never sleeps. She discovers a life filled with culture, sophistication, and - with a little encouragement from her friends - a few blind dates.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Enjoyable narration. Story is an easy read.
- De Em Jay Reads en 07-18-19
De: Kelly Harms
-
The Maid
- A Novel
- De: Nita Prose
- Narrado por: Lauren Ambrose
- Duración: 9 h y 37 m
- Versión completa
-
General4.5 out of 5 stars 21,509
-
Narración:4.5 out of 5 stars 18,952
-
Historia4.5 out of 5 stars 18,868
Molly Gray is not like everyone else. She struggles with social skills and misreads the intentions of others. Her gran used to interpret the world for her, codifying it into simple rules that Molly could live by. Since Gran died a few months ago, twenty-five-year-old Molly has been navigating life’s complexities all by herself. No matter—she throws herself with gusto into her work as a hotel maid. Her unique character, along with her obsessive love of cleaning and proper etiquette, make her an ideal fit for the job.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Great narration. Dumb story.
- De Anne Bonny en 01-16-22
De: Nita Prose
-
The Covenant of Water
- De: Abraham Verghese
- Narrado por: Abraham Verghese
- Duración: 31 h y 16 m
- Versión completa
-
General4.5 out of 5 stars 9,941
-
Narración:4.5 out of 5 stars 8,692
-
Historia4.5 out of 5 stars 8,680
Spanning the years 1900 to 1977, The Covenant of Water is set in Kerala, on South India’s Malabar Coast, and follows three generations of a family that suffers a peculiar affliction: in every generation, at least one person dies by drowning—and in Kerala, water is everywhere. At the turn of the century, a twelve-year-old girl from Kerala’s long-existing Christian community, grieving the death of her father, is sent by boat to her wedding, where she will meet her forty-year-old husband for the first time.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Story Telling At Its Best
- De Regina en 05-06-23
De: Abraham Verghese
-
The Reading List
- A Novel
- De: Sara Nisha Adams
- Narrado por: Tara Divina, Sagar Arya, Paul Panting
- Duración: 12 h y 47 m
- Versión completa
-
General4.5 out of 5 stars 2,855
-
Narración:4.5 out of 5 stars 2,504
-
Historia4.5 out of 5 stars 2,496
Widower Mukesh lives a quiet life in the London Borough of Ealing after losing his beloved wife. He shops every Wednesday, goes to Temple, and worries about his granddaughter, Priya, who hides in her room reading. Aleisha is a bright but anxious teenager working at the local library when she discovers a crumpled-up piece of paper. It's a list of novels that she's never heard of before. When Mukesh arrives at the library, desperate to forge a connection with his bookworm granddaughter, Aleisha passes along the reading list…hoping that it will be a lifeline for him too.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Fabulous narrators!
- De Barbara S en 10-29-21
De: Sara Nisha Adams
-
Someone Else's Shoes
- A Novel
- De: Jojo Moyes
- Narrado por: Daisy Ridley
- Duración: 12 h y 21 m
- Versión completa
-
General4.5 out of 5 stars 5,963
-
Narración:5 out of 5 stars 5,362
-
Historia4.5 out of 5 stars 5,351
Nisha Cantor lives the globetrotting life of the seriously wealthy, until her husband announces a divorce and cuts her off. Nisha is determined to hang onto her glamorous life. But in the meantime, she must scramble to cope--she doesn’t even have the shoes she was, until a moment ago, standing in. That’s because Sam Kemp—in the bleakest point of her life—has accidentally taken Nisha’s gym bag. But Sam hardly has time to worry about a lost gym bag—she’s struggling to keep herself and her family afloat.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Bad language
- De Kerbear en 02-25-23
De: Jojo Moyes
-
A Fall of Marigolds
- De: Susan Meissner
- Narrado por: Tavia Gilbert
- Duración: 9 h y 48 m
- Versión completa
-
General4.5 out of 5 stars 3,406
-
Narración:4.5 out of 5 stars 3,020
-
Historia4.5 out of 5 stars 3,009
September 1911. On Ellis Island in New York Harbor, nurse Clara Wood cannot face returning to Manhattan, where the man she loved fell to his death in the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire. Then, while caring for a fevered immigrant whose own loss mirrors hers, she becomes intrigued by a name embroidered onto the scarf he carries...and finds herself caught in a dilemma that compels her to confront the truth about the assumptions she's made. Will what she learns devastate her or free her?
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Beautiful!
- De R. Burnham en 03-29-15
De: Susan Meissner
-
The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot
- A Novel
- De: Marianne Cronin
- Narrado por: Sheila Reid, Rebecca Benson
- Duración: 10 h y 53 m
- Versión completa
-
General4.5 out of 5 stars 3,852
-
Narración:5 out of 5 stars 3,424
-
Historia4.5 out of 5 stars 3,404
Seventeen-year-old Lenni Pettersson lives on the Terminal Ward at the Glasgow Princess Royal Hospital. Though the teenager has been told she’s dying, she still has plenty of living to do. Joining the hospital’s arts and crafts class, she meets the magnificent Margot, an 83-year-old, purple-pajama-wearing, fruitcake-eating rebel, who transforms Lenni in ways she never imagined. As their friendship blooms, a world of stories opens for these unlikely companions who, between them, have been alive for one hundred years.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A Must Read (Listen)
- De Patricia en 06-03-21
De: Marianne Cronin
-
Nothing to See Here
- De: Kevin Wilson
- Narrado por: Marin Ireland
- Duración: 6 h y 40 m
- Versión completa
-
General4.5 out of 5 stars 11,843
-
Narración:5 out of 5 stars 10,465
-
Historia4.5 out of 5 stars 10,430
Lillian and Madison were unlikely roommates and yet inseparable friends at their elite boarding school. But then, Lillian had to leave the school unexpectedly in the wake of a scandal, and they’ve barely spoken since. Until now, when Lillian gets a letter from Madison pleading for her help. Madison’s twin stepkids are moving in with her family, and she wants Lillian to be their caretaker. However, there’s a catch: The twins spontaneously combust when they get agitated, flames igniting from their skin in a startling but beautiful way.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Elevated art form.
- De KayMac en 10-30-19
De: Kevin Wilson
-
The Great Unexpected
- De: Dan Mooney
- Narrado por: Aidan Kelly
- Duración: 10 h y 39 m
- Versión completa
-
General4.5 out of 5 stars 249
-
Narración:5 out of 5 stars 217
-
Historia4.5 out of 5 stars 217
Joel lives in a nursing home, and he’s not one bit happy about it. He hates being told when to eat, when to sleep, when to take his pills. He’s fed up with life and begins to plan a way out when his new roommate, a retired soap opera actor named Frank, moves in and turns the nursing-home community upside down.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Really enjoyed this
- De Carmen K. Pollic en 04-10-23
De: Dan Mooney
-
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Book 1
- De: J.K. Rowling
- Narrado por: Jim Dale
- Duración: 8 h y 18 m
- Versión completa
-
General5 out of 5 stars 199,712
-
Narración:5 out of 5 stars 175,357
-
Historia5 out of 5 stars 174,843
Harry Potter has never even heard of Hogwarts when the letters start dropping on the doormat at number four, Privet Drive. Addressed in green ink on yellowish parchment with a purple seal, they are swiftly confiscated by his grisly aunt and uncle. Then, on Harry's eleventh birthday, a great beetle-eyed giant of a man called Rubeus Hagrid bursts in with some astonishing news: Harry Potter is a wizard, and he has a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. An incredible adventure is about to begin!
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A great reading of the wrong book
- De P en 11-24-15
De: J.K. Rowling
-
Where'd You Go, Bernadette
- A Novel
- De: Maria Semple
- Narrado por: Kathleen Wilhoite
- Duración: 9 h y 35 m
- Versión completa
-
General4.5 out of 5 stars 17,246
-
Narración:4.5 out of 5 stars 15,460
-
Historia4 out of 5 stars 15,441
Bernadette Fox is notorious. To her Microsoft-guru husband, she's a fearlessly opinionated partner; to fellow private-school mothers in Seattle, she's a disgrace; to design mavens, she's a revolutionary architect, and to 15-year-old Bee, she is a best friend and, simply, Mom.
Then Bernadette disappears. It began when Bee aced her report card and claimed her promised reward: a family trip to Antarctica. But Bernadette's intensifying allergy to Seattle - and people in general - has made her so agoraphobic that a virtual assistant in India now runs her most basic errands.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Misleading cover contains excellent novel
- De JillHen en 01-28-16
De: Maria Semple
-
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
- 50th Anniversary Edition
- De: Ken Kesey, Robert Faggen - introduction
- Narrado por: John C. Reilly
- Duración: 10 h y 32 m
- Versión completa
-
General4.5 out of 5 stars 8,717
-
Narración:5 out of 5 stars 7,936
-
Historia4.5 out of 5 stars 7,914
Boisterous, ribald, and ultimately shattering, Ken Kesey's One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest has left an indelible mark on the literature of our time. Turning conventional notions of sanity and insanity on their heads, the novel tells the unforgettable story of a mental ward and its inhabitants, especially tyrannical Big Nurse Ratched and Randle Patrick McMurphy, the brawling, fun-loving new inmate who resolves to oppose her.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Fantastic
- De Scott en 08-03-12
De: Ken Kesey, y otros
Reseñas de la Crítica
"Be prepared to put your life on hold once you start this audiobook.... [Narrator Tavia] Gilbert nails the rhythm of Frank's unique speech pattern while instilling his dialogue with charm and innocence. She transitions so seamlessly between Alice and Frank that listeners may forget there's only one narrator. Don't miss this outstanding production." (AudioFile)
Lo que los oyentes dicen sobre Be Frank with Me
Con calificación alta para:
Reseñas - Selecciona las pestañas a continuación para cambiar el origen de las reseñas.
-
Total4 out of 5 stars
-
Ejecución5 out of 5 stars
-
Historia4 out of 5 stars
- Mel
- 03-13-16
Frankly, Charming
As has been noted by almost every professional review -- yes, this is a bit derivative of the Salinger effect, and also a bit improbable, a little anachronistic in more ways than just the wardrobe choices -- but, Be Frank With Me has few comparisons when it comes to originality (the closest might be Where'd You Go, Bernadette), and don't we all need to read a little sweetness at times. It's clever in a fresh way, laugh-out-loud funny in a smart benevolent way, and at the same time there is something reminiscent of the struggling child in all of us and the enduring love of a mother that nudges this a little closer to your heart than true objectivity should. All of that is miraculously achieved without sentimentality or using the character's flaws alone to fuel the story. You never find yourself laughing at this group of oddities, you laugh with the human race and our inherent flaws. OK; I admit some of them are as out of central casting as Greta Garbo, Kirk Douglas, Buster Keaton, or at least a lot of stereotypes you'd expect from the Hollywood backlots.....and also, that feel-good books are not my wheelhouse.
The producers of this audio book cast a near-perfect narrator in Tavia Gilbert. If the advent of talkies could be blamed for the eventual careening careers of several silent super-stars, a poor narrator can instantly doom even the best written words. As wonderful as John Irving writes characters -- I mean I read A Prayer for Owen Meany and fell in love with Irving in 1989 -- Joe Barrett, whom narrated the audible version of that same book in 2009, endeared that poor little boy "with the wrecked voice," "the instrument of my mother's death," Owen, to me and created a place in my heart where Owen still vividly resides (as well as does one of the best opening sentences ever written in any book). Gilbert does a similar job with capturing the nuances of young Frank, who's monotone encyclopedic conversation makes all that is missing from this sweet little guy just scream at you. He also reminded me of another favorite child from a great novel, The Elegance of the Hedgehog's twelve-year-old genius, Paloma. The similarities are the intelligence and precocious nature of the child -- which in Frank's case I suspect is more attributed to a case of Tourette's Syndrome than just sheer genius. An excellent choice for a listen.
That said, Johnson's debut novel is a well-written winner, but doesn't exactly cross the finish line as such. At least Mary Poppins was lifted away with her parrot-head-handled umbrella after a job well completed. The family was intact, on track, and the cast was feeding birds, flying kites, and still dancing merrily (albeit dirtily) on the smoke-choked rooftops of London. Meanwhile, Johnson abandons such glorious curtain drops: Alice drives back to NY without ever resolving the antipathy of Mimi; Frank still has to outgrow his serious *quirks,* before his next outfit is chosen for him from "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest;" the reclusive and imperious Mimi seems about to have an unwanted meeting with DCFS; and the mysterious Xander will eventual find his philandering charms tarnished by his poverty. Left dangling on the trajectory that Johnson has her characters on (and very soon after the nanny and the agent disappear into the sunset) the story could become just another book capitalizing on Hollyweird. The ending is a little like having a book slammed in your face and leaving you wondering if there's another chapter. It may all be there between the lines, but I wasn't searching for deep innuendo between chuckles, and felt Johnson left us hanging a little too much. But there's probably no where else for these characters to go and still keep us smiling.
My personal little wish for some kind of wrap up wasn't enough to tarnish that 4th star I volleyed with. A great debut: well -written, original, fun, heart-warming. Thoroughly enjoyable, and I'm looking forward to Johnson's next book.
Se ha producido un error. Vuelve a intentarlo dentro de unos minutos.
Has calificado esta reseña.
Reportaste esta reseña
esto le resultó útil a 64 personas
-
Total5 out of 5 stars
-
Ejecución5 out of 5 stars
-
Historia5 out of 5 stars
- Judy
- 12-15-18
Wonderful voices
the story was interesting and the reader did a wonderful job. I will recommend the audible version.
Se ha producido un error. Vuelve a intentarlo dentro de unos minutos.
Has calificado esta reseña.
Reportaste esta reseña
esto le resultó útil a 1 persona
-
Total5 out of 5 stars
-
Ejecución5 out of 5 stars
-
Historia5 out of 5 stars
- Oregon Girl
- 03-11-21
Fun story
This is a fun and engaging story with endearing characters. Brilliant narration. I highly recommend!
Se ha producido un error. Vuelve a intentarlo dentro de unos minutos.
Has calificado esta reseña.
Reportaste esta reseña
esto le resultó útil a 1 persona
-
Total5 out of 5 stars
-
Ejecución5 out of 5 stars
-
Historia5 out of 5 stars
- TJ
- 07-26-19
engaging and different
I loved the novel. The narrator is incredibly talented and brought so much to the experience! it was interesting to me how there were never any "labels" put on the characters that were obviously dealing with issues that could be labeled- they just were who they were.
Se ha producido un error. Vuelve a intentarlo dentro de unos minutos.
Has calificado esta reseña.
Reportaste esta reseña
esto le resultó útil a 1 persona
-
Total4 out of 5 stars
-
Ejecución5 out of 5 stars
-
Historia4 out of 5 stars
- Kindle Addict
- 06-15-19
Truly great for audible - book cliche otherwise
Love people for who they are and laugh with them not at them. Beautiful theme executed by perfect narration. A must read.
Se ha producido un error. Vuelve a intentarlo dentro de unos minutos.
Has calificado esta reseña.
Reportaste esta reseña
-
Total5 out of 5 stars
-
Ejecución5 out of 5 stars
-
Historia5 out of 5 stars
- Dot
- 11-04-18
Excellent listening book
The voices in this book are excellent. If you could not heard Frank you would miss out on the book. Very well presented.
Se ha producido un error. Vuelve a intentarlo dentro de unos minutos.
Has calificado esta reseña.
Reportaste esta reseña
-
Total5 out of 5 stars
-
Ejecución5 out of 5 stars
-
Historia5 out of 5 stars
- mabelsmom
- 02-18-16
Great story!
I really enjoyed this story and the performance of the narrator. Very original.
Looking forward to her next book!
Se ha producido un error. Vuelve a intentarlo dentro de unos minutos.
Has calificado esta reseña.
Reportaste esta reseña
-
Total5 out of 5 stars
-
Ejecución5 out of 5 stars
-
Historia5 out of 5 stars
- DSG
- 02-22-16
I loved this book
If you could sum up Be Frank with Me in three words, what would they be?
Truly a gem
Who was your favorite character and why?
Frank because I started out annoyed and fell in love with him
Which scene was your favorite?
When Frank shows Alice the hidden space in his closet and his mothers manuscript
Any additional comments?
Great new author. I look forward to reading more from her
Se ha producido un error. Vuelve a intentarlo dentro de unos minutos.
Has calificado esta reseña.
Reportaste esta reseña
-
Total5 out of 5 stars
-
Ejecución5 out of 5 stars
-
Historia5 out of 5 stars
- R. Belanger
- 06-21-17
Quite frankly, better than the book!
Travis Gilbert nails this ensemble cast perfectly. While I often choose to read a book in times when I can't listen (politely), I found that I missed Frank's voice and MiMi's tone of voice when I picked up the book. Only the recording sufficiently covers the range of characters and their personalities--my imagination failed!
Se ha producido un error. Vuelve a intentarlo dentro de unos minutos.
Has calificado esta reseña.
Reportaste esta reseña
-
Total5 out of 5 stars
-
Ejecución5 out of 5 stars
-
Historia5 out of 5 stars
- Niteshade
- 01-20-20
Magical
This story was truly magical. The story was so well crafted that I longed to listen to it when I was at work...distracting me from my tasks. The characters are so well developed that I felt like they were friends. Ya is Gilbert was an excellent narrator - breathing life into each star.
An truly marvelous listen.
Se ha producido un error. Vuelve a intentarlo dentro de unos minutos.
Has calificado esta reseña.
Reportaste esta reseña