Frankie - by Graham Norton (Paperback)

About the Book

"Always on the periphery, looking on, young Frankie Howe was never quite sure enough of herself to take centre stage - after all, life had already judged her harshly. Now old, Frankie finds it easier to forget the life that came before. Then Damian, a young Irish carer, arrives at her London flat, there to keep an eye on her as she recovers from a fall. A memory is sparked, and the past crackles into life as Damian listens to the story Frankie has kept stored away all these years..."--

Book Synopsis

"Warm and wise, Frankie is a woman worth getting to know."--Bonnie Garmus, New York Times-bestselling author of Lessons in Chemistry

From the internationally bestselling author and host of The Graham Norton Show, a dazzling and decades-sweeping story about love, bravery, and what it means to live a significant life.

Always on the periphery, looking on, young Frankie Howe was never quite sure enough of herself to take center stage--after all, life had already judged her harshly. Now old, Frankie finds it easier to forget the life that came before.

Then Damian, a young Irish caretaker, arrives at her London flat, there to keep an eye on her as she recovers from a fall. A memory is sparked, and the past crackles into life as Damian listens to the story Frankie has kept stored away all these years.

Traveling from post-war Ireland to 1960s New York--a city full of art, larger-than-life characters and turmoil--Frankie shares a world in which friendship and chance encounters collide. A place where, for a while, life blazes with an intensity that can't last but will perhaps live on in other ways and in other people.

Review Quotes

"'Norton's sharp, engaging prose and his ability to craft complex, relatable characters are on full display." - Glamour

"Another beautifully empathetic story ... Frankie is one of the most wonderful characters I've come across in a long time." - Good Housekeeping

"This feel-good story of an unlikely friendship soothes and surprises with its tenderness." - Kirkus Reviews

"Warm and wise, Frankie is a woman worth getting to know." - Bonnie Garmus, New York Times-bestselling author of Lessons in Chemistry

"I was enthralled by Frankie from page one. It's a beauty. A warm, deeply moving, life-enhancing novel." - Sarah Winman, author of Still Life

"Norton's character work is top-notch as Frankie perseveres through one challenge after another. Readers will be glad to go along for the ride." - Publishers Weekly

"Richly told and portraying an unforgettable protagonist, Frankie will appeal to readers of character-driven historical fiction." - Booklist

"Graham Norton handles everything with a deft hand and a quiet narrative that manages to sneak up on you when you least expect it." - Bookreporter.com

"Frankie is a perfect song of a book, and everyone who likes human beings should read it." - Andrew O'Hagan, author of Caledonian Road

"Immersive, stunningly written, and very emotional--this is a triumph." - Jennie Godfrey, author of The List of Suspicious Things

"A great sweep of a novel, full of unexpected twists." - Lissa Evans, author of Crooked Heart

"Fascinating, funny, sad ... Every page is intriguing. Once again, Graham shows his class as a writer." - Jo Brand, actress and comedian

"The new novel by Graham Norton is his best yet! Frankie is about a quiet woman who's dismissed and disrespected but lives an extraordinary life. Packed with surprises, it's moving, riveting and enriching. And it's bound to cement Norton's reputation not just as a great storyteller but a hugely accomplished writer." - Matt Cain, author of Becoming Ted

"I couldn't stop reading it, but feel bereft now that I've finished." - Nigella Lawson, author of Cook, Eat, Repeat