Review of Can I Be Frank?

[Wesley Friday]

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

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4 out of 4 stars

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Being Frank is quite easy. Just show up with an outstretched hand and say, “hi, I’m Frank.” But being frank in the middle of temptations is quite the opposite. Especially, if you have taken a vow to do so, like Francis Gold.

As a teenager, Francis Gold was banned from being an altar boy after several accidents. He set fire to cloths, broke his priest’s favorite mug, and poisoned the pigs at the parish farm by feeding them fertilizer. He definitely was not living up to the expectations that being the namesake of St. Francis of Assisi had brought upon him. Despite all this, he decided after university that he wanted to become a Catholic priest, and so he did.

Father Francis Gold’s missionary work starts on the worst note and in a place far away from home; Florida. His first 48 hours on American soil aren’t the best; from dealing with airport security over his immigration status, to his first night and morning at his new parish. Everything reeked of disaster. To make matters worse, the vicar general sent to welcome him to Palmetto Lake’s St. Francis of Assisi Church constantly ignores his preference to be called Frank instead of Francis. The only thing reminiscent of his homeland is the tea he drinks.

Things start to go downhill when Frank gets into a misunderstanding with one of the major benefactors at his new parish. Ghastly newspaper publications begin to pop up about him, his new church starts running low on funds, and his parishioners desert the masses he holds. With an Annual Fall Festival coming up soon, will Father Francis be able to redeem his reputation, win over his parishioners back, and organize a Fall Festival that impacts the lives of the poor in his community? Find out how the story progresses in Rob Wyatt’s Can I Be Frank?

I would give Rob Wyatt’s Can I Be Frank? a rating of 4 out of 4 stars. The novel offers a unique perspective on the importance of the religious community and the positive changes it can affect in modern living.

One positive aspect I found about the book has to do with the themes that the author explored. The novel explored the theme of the expectations placed on religious leaders. This is shown in the double meaning of the title and how the main character prefers to be called Frank instead of Francis.

Can I Be Frank, is simply the author’s way of asking that religious leaders be treated as mere and fallible human beings and not arrogated to some unachievable godly status. This is reflected in how Father Francis prefers to be called Frank so that he isn’t stereotypically compared to Saint Francis of Assisi. I also enjoyed the humor that the author put across as a result of the differences in American and the British forms of the English language.

I did not find anything negative to report about this book. It contained a few errors, however, they did not detract from the readability and enjoyment of the book. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in enjoying a good story, as well as persons interested in books that adopt a casual approach to the topic of the Christian religion.

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Can I Be Frank?
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[Brett Linette]

I just did a review on this book, though it isn't half as thorough as this one is. I love how you touched on the altercation between Frank and his parish's primary provider; that scene was something!