June 6, 2018

The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto by Mitch Albom

Genre/Categories: Fiction, Music, Fable, Magical Realism

My Summary:

How many Mitch Albom books have you read? Do you have a favorite? Popular author Mitch Albom’s (Tuesdays With Morrie, The Five People You Meet in Heaven) release, The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto, is a modern fable about the power of music to change our lives.

Music is the unusual narrator telling the story of Frankie Presto, a gifted guitar player and singer, who changes six lives with his six magical blue strings. Born under tragic circumstances, abandoned as an infant, and raised by a music teacher in a small Spanish town, Frankie is sent to America alone at nine years old with his prized guitar (and six magic strings). His life touches many famous musicians on his journey to become a pop star himself. Because Frankie is troubled by his childhood experiences and tortured by his biggest mistake, he drops out of sight to reconcile with his past. He reappears just before his death to change one last life.

Amazon Rating: 4.7 Stars

My Thoughts:

The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto published in 2015 and I’m discovering it for the first time.

Music and Life: “All humans are musical,” and in a metaphorical sense, “everyone joins a band in this life.” This unforgettable story is one that explores our deepest connections (in the larger sense) and Frankie’s life (specifically).

“I am Music. And Music is in the connection of human souls, speaking a language that needs no words.”

Like the narrator (Death) in The Book Thief, Music as narrator tenderly tells the heartfelt life story of Frankie, a gifted musician. Using a touch of fantasy and magical realism, Mitch Albom’s story (fable) draws upon his own real life experience as a musician to add depth and credibility to Frankie’s story.

Musical Theme: Imaginatively told, cleverly constructed, and creatively written, there’s a lot to love about The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto and its theme that music has the power to affect us all. The most interesting, creative, and daring part of the writing is the technique of weaving real life musical icons into the story as characters. As a result, readers are treated to a survey of pop culture music history. There’s also a soundtrack to accompany the book!

Engaging and Inspiring: I love creative and innovative writing and the author definitely takes risks. Readers like myself will have to suspend belief at times to fully appreciate the fable that the author creates. This engaging story captivated me and gave me a “book hangover.”

Recommended: The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto is highly recommended for music lovers, for fans of Mitch Albom, and for readers who appreciate creative writing and a memorable story with unsuspected plot twists and a touch of romance. Book clubs might love this one!

***Update to include this review of Mitch Albom’s newest release, a heartfelt memoir: Finding Chika.

My Rating: 5 Creative Musical Stars

The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto Information Here

Meet the Author, Mitch Albom

Mitch Albom is an internationally renowned author, screenwriter, playwright, nationally syndicated columnist, broadcaster and musician. He is the author of six consecutive number one New York Times bestsellers–including Tuesdays with Morrie, the bestselling memoir of all time–and his books have collectively sold more than thirty-five million copies in forty-five languages. Four of his books have been made into Emmy Award-winning and critically-acclaimed television movies. He has founded eight charities in Detroit and Haiti, where he operates an orphanage. He lives with his wife, Janine, in Michigan. Learn more at http://www.mitchalbom.com and http://www.mitchalbomcharities.org

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QOTD:

Have you read The Magic Strings of Frankie Pesto? Have you read other titles by Mitch Albom?

***Edited to include my recent review of Finding Chika by Mitch Albom.

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Happy Reading Bookworms!

“Ah, how good it is to be among people who are reading.”
~Rainer Maria Rilke

“I love the world of words, where life and literature connect.”
~Denise J Hughes

“Reading good books ruins you for enjoying bad ones.”
~Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

“I read because books are a form of transportation, of teaching, and of connection!
Books take us to places we’ve never been, they teach us about our world, and they help us to understand human experience.”
~Madeleine Riley, Top Shelf Text

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Looking Ahead:

Friday, I’ll be highlighting book recs for Dads …… I’ll be in the process of reading Backman’s new release Us Against You……sequel to Beartown….. releasing 6/5)…my most anticipated new release of the year! My husband and I plan to “buddy read” it and a review will be coming some time in June. I’ve read some early positive early reviews.

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