Frannie in Pieces

by Delia Ephron, Chad Beckerman (Illustrator)

What does you in—brain or heart? Frannie asks herself this question when, a week before she turns fifteen, her dad dies, leaving her suddenly deprived of the only human being on planet Earth she feels understands her. Frannie struggles to make sense of a world that no longer seems safe, a world in which one moment can turn things so thoroughly for the worse. She discovers an elegant wooden box with an Frances Anne 1000. Inside, Frannie finds one thousand hand-painted and -carved puzzle pieces. She wonders if her father had a premonition of his death and finished her birthday present early. Feeling broken into pieces herself, Frannie slowly puts the puzzle together, bit by bit. But as she works, something remarkable begins to She is catapulted into an ancient foreign landscape, a place suspended in time where she can discover her father as he was B.F.—before Frannie. Delia Ephron makes you laugh and makes you cry—often at the same time!

Genres: Young Adult, Realistic Fiction, Fiction, Teen, Middle Grade, Audiobook, Contemporary

384 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2007

About the author

Bestselling author and screenwriter Delia Ephron's most recent novel is Siracusa. Her other novels include The Lion Is In and Hanging Up. She has written humor books for all ages, including How to Eat Like a Child and Do I Have to Say Hello?; and nonfiction, most recently Sister Mother Husband Dog (etc.). Her films include You’ve Got Mail, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, Hanging Up (based on her novel), and Michael. Her journalism has appeared in The New York Times, O: The Oprah Magazine, Vogue, and Vanity Fair. Her hit play Love, Loss, and What I Wore (co-written with Nora Ephron) ran for more than two years off-Broadway and has been performed all over the world. She lives in New York City.

Reviews

[Emma · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book started out strong; the characters were unique and intriguing, but as the novel went on, it kind of flopped around. Rather than the main character, Frannie's, grief over her father's death being endearing or heartwrenching - it got annoying. I kept on telling her to shut up and stop being such a jerk to her mom. She just wasn't a very likeable girl. Even the deceased father figure became annoying from beyond the grave!

The supernatural elements were really out of place in a novel set up to be a real-life story, and while there doesn't always need to be an explanation for supernatural elements, in this story, there really should have. The ending was also quite frustrating, not because it was negative - I even liked the little romance component (but I'm a universally proclaimed sap)- but because it came together too quickly. After struggling for so long, Frannie was suddenly hunky-dory? She suddenly received insight into her father's life because of some cryptic communication from beyond the grave with little to no dialog with her mom? I don't think so.

Overall, the book was a bit of a disappointment, but I picked it up while chasing my nephew around the library in a moment of haste, so I wasn't expecting a lot either. Oh well.

[Kelly Holmes · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was loving this for about the first 100 pages--the main character's grief over losing her father was real and honest. But when a bit of the supernatural cropped up, I had a hard time accepting it. Maybe if it had been hinted at earlier in the novel, it wouldn't have jarred me so much. But I did connect with the main character, and I enjoyed the writing. And it has one of the best first pages I've read in a while!

[Oliwia · Rating 1 out of 5]

Na prawdę chciałam polubić tę książkę, jednak tak się niestety nie stało. Zacznę od tego, że sam zamysł na historię i fabułę był niezły, ale wykonanie zepsuło tutaj wszystko. Główna bohaterka (z której perspektywy poznajemy tę historię) opisuje mnóstwo nieistotnych rzeczy, które nic nie wnoszą do fabuły, a jedynie męczą czytelnika. Rzecz, która najbardziej mi doskwierała w tej książce to płytcy, nudni i denerwujący bohaterowie. Żaden z bohaterów mnie nie zaciekawił, nie znalazłam ani jednej postaci, do której zapałałabym sympatią. Nie wspomnę nawet o głównej bohaterce, która przez całą książkę zachowuje się jakby miała mentalnie 5 lat. Bardzo ciężko było mi się wkręcić w tą historię, gdy cały czas czułam się zażenowana jej „przemyśleniami”. Wszystkie wątki zakończyły się bardzo przewidywalnie, nic tutaj nie było zaskoczeniem. Jak dla mnie ta książka jest tylko i wyłącznie stratą czasu, chociaż uważam, że niektórzy ludzie faktycznie mogą znaleźć w niej coś dla siebie, jednak ja nie zaliczam się do grona tych osób.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three-minus. I know it's not fair to judge a YA book on 'adult' books' literary standards, but while this book might appeal to someone who's 14, it was a tough (although swift) read.

I have read other books by Delia Ephron where her tone--the overly precocious, never-shut-up rambling--is kind of amusing. But here, after awhile, it was just grating. And 'grating' isn't the kind of narrative you want to read about a girl whose father died, a girl trying to find herself and her place in her radically altered family. Frannie had a lot to say, but the repetition and diversion grew tedious.

I actually liked the touches of surrealism--I thought they improved the book greatly, giving it some wonder and mystery, appropriate for a young teenager who has experienced tragedy at an early age. Overall, an average read.

[Emily Voss · Rating 4 out of 5]

15 year old Frannie has just lost her father unexpectedly. As the people in her life try to push her back into normalcy, Frannie discovers something her father left behind—a birthday gift for her? A 1000 piece puzzle with her name on it. Convinced that there is something important hidden in the puzzle, Frannie works feverishly on it day and night, determined to unlock the secrets of her father’s death.

This is by no means a “fast-paced” novel. I wanted to read it in one sitting, but I felt like it was better digested slowly. As it deals with Frannie’s grief process after losing her dad, it is very introspective and tangential. A big part of why I enjoyed this book is the very relatable and realistic glimpses into the grieving process.
For example: “Will I ever get bummed out over something so silly again, or am I permanently bummed out about something colossal?”

Frannie was very lovable and reading this book after having lost my own father was a poignant and cathartic experience.

Content/trigger warnings:
-a couple religious swears (taking the Lord’s name in vain)
-a couple of characters have a conversation about someone supposedly having “wild sex” with someone else.
-a character stumbles upon a man and a woman giggling and “romancing” nothing graphic.
-lots of reflection on divorce and why it happens
-lots of reflection on death and what causes it, the main character finds her dead father…it is not terribly graphic, but a little disturbing

[Chrisinny · Rating 2 out of 5]

The author has a good sense of humor, and she gets how teens torture their parents, and there are even some psychologically insightful portions. But then she glops on these personal revelations (I know characters are supposed to change and grow but this doesn’t seem organic/authentic.) There is too much that is fantastic/fantasy for those YA readers that like realistic fiction and not enough fantasy/paranormal stuff for those kinds of readers. I think the author was a bit to ambitious and she didn’t nail this one.

[Joan · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fantastic story about a young girl’s dad dying suddenly and unexpectedly. How she processes the loss in her own way is wonderful. I loved the reunion with her dad in the fantasy/dream sequence. It had me sobbing with tears that needed to be released. I can’t say enough about the comfort this book brought to me at the end. The story brought out some deep feelings in me as any truly great book should!

[Anya Vandandaigue · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book. The only issue I had was that Simon and Frannie's relationship was started at the end of the book, but I wanted to hear about the continuation of their relationship. I loved it and despised it at the same time. But I would still recommend it to people who aren't afraid to read about death.

[M.A. Wohl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I simply could not put the novel down.

A truly heartwarming story, about the many paths through loss and grieves. Loads of laughter, a very intriguing mystery box and yes, many tears too.

I'm sooo thankful for libraries, otherwise, I would have had the great pleasure of reading this wonderful novel.

[Carson hall · Rating 4 out of 5]

I keep thinking about this one. Not sure if it is 4 or 5 stars. I really liked it and cried a bit during the near-ending because I know what it feels like to lose a father that you absolutely love and admire. The thing that completely kept this from being a solid 5 stars was the ending, I found it very unsatisfying, but I did love the book and would recommend it overall.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quotes:

Maybe if I'm dead, I won't be afraid I'm going to die. It would be such a relief not to worry so much.

***

"You can't control things after you die." That bugs me and I can't explain why. I throw myself back in my chair and glare.

***

"Anyway, worrying is a waste because there's no predicting."
"What?"
"Anything."

[Amy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Made it halfway through. Could not bear another moment. Sorry. Gave it up.

[Aileen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Liked the beginning but the story line weakened later in the book. Didn't finish reading.

[Katrina Harding · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't know why I stuck with a book where I disliked every character. I think the only characters I liked were the young campers, especially Rocco.

[bookthief]

Stolen from the ward…hardly worth stealing.

[Arminzerella · Rating 3 out of 5]

Frannie and her father are both artistic people – they can spend an hour just noticing how the light changes as afternoon becomes evening. They have a special bond. And that makes it particularly terrible when Frannie is the one who finds him dead in his bathroom one afternoon. She is lost after that. Nothing seems very important in comparison with her father’s death. Frannie isolates herself and spends most of her time fretting about all of the normal things that can be potentially dangerous and deadly – like dishwasher detergent. That stuff can kill you.

After visiting her father’s house one last time to collect the things she wants to keep, Frannie discovers a puzzle among his belongings with her name carved into the wooden box that houses it. She figures it is a birthday present for her, and wonders if he knew something was going to happen to him – because he’s always late, never early. As she pieces it together, the puzzle becomes her new obsession. She spends all night, every night, working on it. And one night she falls into the puzzle and learns that her father is somewhere inside of it. She becomes desperate to find him.

Frannie’s mother will do anyhing to help her daughter overcome her grief, so she gets her a job at a day camp as the arts and crafts director. Frannie’s first project with the kids is a poison collage. The kids all bring in stuff from their homes that can kill you. The project gets the axe after a number of parents complain. Frannie and the kids are encouraged to find something a bit more fun.

Frannie makes a final trip into the puzzle and is able to find her father in its pieces. Death has given him perspective, and his new insight leads Frannie to see things about her parents’ relationship that she’d missed before. She learns that she can’t go back into the puzzle, but finds that she can go back to her life and make more sense of it all.

When I started reading this I thought I’d fallen into yet another one of those languid, depressed-girl novels that only make me impatient. But Frannie grew on me. I think her grief was pretty normal – considering the circumstances – and the things that she did to combat it were normal for her. It’s not a state she could have remained in indefinitely, and her mother understood that and tried to shake her out of it. Her interactions with the kids at camp were great – very lifelike and amusing. Kids will say and do the most amazing and shocking things.

Falling into the puzzle was a bit fantastical. Did Frannie actually fall in and meet her father? Or did she hallucinate? Does it matter? Whatever she found there helped her find herself again and see things that she’d never noticed before:

“The puzzle and the box were for Mom. An act of love, as Jenna said. He carved my name, Frances Anne, because I happened there. Me. Their creation.

“They had me because they were happy together. It’s comforting to know that my parents loved each other, even if it wasn’t forever.” (p. 357)

I think this quiet and quirky book will attract quiet and quirky readers, who will come to appreciate Frannie and the way she finds out of her grief.

[Stefanie Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

""

[Jody · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very creative story

[Kellee Moye · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think that this is one of those times where listening to the audio took away from the book. A lot of the reviews I read stated that the illustrations and design were the best aspects of the book and you miss that with the audio book. I also was not a big fan of the narrator. She never sounded sad, which is Frannie's emotion almost all the way through the book. I also felt that she didn't differentiate between people's voices enough, but tried to. If you are going to do different voices, own it.

*Some minor spoilers maybe*

I had trouble with this book. I really liked it at the beginning. It felt like we were going to go through the grieving process with Frannie who's father died 2 months ago, right before her birthday. The exposition of this book is devastating. Frannie is who finds her father after his heart attack and she is traumatized by his death (as she should be). All of her behaviors at the beginning of the book seemed to fit the potential plot, but then the puzzle entered the story. Although it seems to fit the story at the beginning, Frannie then begins "falling" into the puzzle and seeing her father there. At first I thought it was going to be a dream, but then it became such a large part of the story and it was just... weird. It was here in the middle that the book really lost me. It just was not drawing me in.

In the end, it turns out that we have gone through the grieving process with Frannie, because it ends with such a positivity; however, we had to go through her weird trips into the puzzle and talking to her dead father to complete the process. If I take out all of the puzzle business, I really enjoyed the writing, humor, and process of this book; but, I just can't get past the weirdness.

This book shows, once again, that I am just not a fan of magical realism. I'd like you to pick either fantasy or realistic fiction please.

[Myra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another good work of YA fiction. However, not worth a five-star rating. I'm a true fan of YA fiction, but this was not the best I've read. Don't get me wrong, it's still good, but not one of the best.

This book follows Frannie (Frances) through the grieving process after the death of her father. Her grieving takes her on quite an adventure. The narration is done from Frannie's point of view, which I much prefer, because we get to see things from her perspective, hear her throughts, and experience her feelings and emotions without them being assumed by a narrator who only is watching Frannie.

Ephron has done a wonderful job of creating the character of Frannie - she is quirky, vibrant, talkative, and quite smart. She also tells Frannie's tale just exactly like a teenager would, which if done correctly, can make all the difference in the world - Ephron masters this with Frannie.

My main reason for bringing a 3-star review to this book is that the plot kind of lags in the middle of the book. It becomes a little stagnant, and doesn't seem to move forward at the pace that it should. However, Ephron does pick the pace back up and finish the book on a wonderful note.

[Erica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had its moments... good, bad, and otherwise. But, as far as I am concerned, the good far outweighed the other. There is a definitite fanciful element, but that really doesn't get in the way of the very realistic (for my money) portrayal of a young girl dealing with the death of her father.

I appreciate the fact that this book deals with divorce as well as death. I have heard comments to the effect that in the opinion of certain experts, divorce is somehow more difficult for children to deal with. Granted I have no experience with divorce, but I find it difficult to understand that claim. But then, I have never been one to put pain on a continuum.

Interestingly enough, while reading this novel, I happened to be working on a jigsaw puzzle myself.

I was in tears two or three chapters from the end. Really hit a tender spot. But, there is a pleasant balance of humor so that the sad does not overwhelm.

[PinkAmy loves books, cats and naps · Rating 2 out of 5]

Frannie's grieving her father's unexpected death when she discovers he left her a 1000 piece handmade wooden puzzle. Additionally, she's developed obsessive-compulsive thoughts and behaviors. Her mom, who has been divorced from her dad for ten years, isn't much help, nor is her boy-obsessed best friend. When Frannie hits her head and is catapulted to the past she gets a chance to see learn about who her father was before he was her father.

Pros: combining obsessive-compulsive disorder, divorce, and grief gives us a unique narrator dealing with very real, topical issues. Frannie has a unique, sometimes amusing voice/narration.

Cons: Frannie isn't an easy character to root for as her grief is so narcissistic and she doesn't treat others well. FRANNIE IN PIECES was long for a YA novel and not a particularly compelling read.

I was glad to have got this as a library book and that I didn't pay money. Definitely not a book I'd read again.

[Kricket · Rating 3 out of 5]

frannie has inherited all of her artist father's belongings after his unexpected death. she finds a box with her name engraved on it, and inside is a jigsaw puzzle he made. as she puts it together, she falls into the world portrayed by the puzzle, and discovers things about both of her parents she never realized. meanwhile, her mother is forcing her to work at a day camp for children, and her best friend is being a ninny about her first boyfriend.

this book was sweet and funny. i liked ephron's portrayal of frannie's grief and her ability to make me laugh out loud despite the subject matter. sometimes, however, the fantasy element was difficult to swallow. there's just something a bit cheesy about falling into a jigsaw puzzle. i would recommend this one to younger teens or teens who prefer lighter "clean" reads.

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is about Frannie (Frances Anne) and the grieving process she goes through after the death of her father whom she was really close to. Two weeks before her 15th birthday, Frannie discovers her father dead in his bathroom after a heart attack. When going through her fathers belongings, she comes across a 1000 piece puzzle hand made by her father that she believes was for her birthday. Frannie becomes obsessed with the puzzle and the story becomes a journey into her father,s and mother,s early years together and helps Frannie to heal.

Ephron tells Frannie's tale just as a teenager would. She does a great job of it, although I do get a little tired of Frannie's selfishness (I don't believe all teens are completely selfish). The story slows down a bit in the middle but I liked the ending.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sixth graders and up will enjoy this book. It's probably a little tame for older high-schoolers. Frannie is a fourteen-year-old girl who not only experiences her parents' divorce and her mother's remarriage, but then she goes to her father's house one afternoon only to find that he has died of a heart attack at the age of 45. Frannie and her father were extremely close, so we ride through the waves of grief with her as she deals with such wrenching blows. Sean, the father, was an artist in the truest sense of the word, a legacy he has passed on to his daughter. The final gift she discovers forms the heart of the plot, and the end has a final surprise twist - and, of course, a bit of a young love story, too. Great for middle-grade readers. I enjoyed it, too!

[Susan Dunn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just gets a shrug. Premise was great, but I didn't think the book held up. Frannie's father dies suddenly of a heart attack when she is almost 14. She is the one who finds the body, and this really traumatizes her. As she is going through his things she finds a handmade puzzle that she realizes must have been her upcoming birthday present. As she begins to put the puzzle together she reflects upon her relationship with her father, and also the relationship between her divorced parents. Up until this point the book was OK, but I really lost interest when Frannie started falling into the puzzle and going back into time. I finished it b/c I kept waiting to see if it got any better, but it really didn't. Oh well.

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

When Frannie's beloved, artist father dies she becomes fixated on finishing the puzzle she believes he made for her for her birthday before he died. Frannie's adjusting to the loss of her father, to living solely with her mom and step-dad, to her best friend's new chef boyfriend, and to her job as an arts and craft counselor at a summer camp. While working on the puzzle Frannie finds herself transported to Italy during a vacation her parents took there. All of these experiences bring Frannie to new insights about herself and relationships.
The book felt a bit like it was "in pieces," just like Frannie. The time-travel element was treated as an everyday event, and seemed an odd element of the plot.

[Deb · Rating 3 out of 5]

Frannie's dad died and when cleaning out his house(her parents are divorced)she discovers an intricately carved box with her name carved in it. When she gets it home she discovers it's a 1,000 piece handmade jigsaw puzzle of a town she thinks is in Ireland. She gets to work on it right away and every once in a while falls into the puzzle and discovers more about herself and her dad.
Meanwhile, in the real world, she pushes everyone away until she finishes the puzzle.
My problem with this book, and it may have been the reader of this audiobook, was that I didn't like Frannie. I know she was in mourning, but she was truly bitchy to anyone who wanted to help her in any way. Not my favorite book.

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

A relatively well-written quick read about a 15 year old girl working through the sudden death of her father. Frannie rings true to life as she wrestles with the whole death thing, noticing and being worried about all the "warning" labels on everyday household items like dishwashing detergent, mouth wash, and batteries, among other things. Part of the plot focuses on the summer camp Frannie's mom forces her to help at, and the other part is about a puzzle she finds at her dad's house and starts putting together. While I like time/space travel themes, the way the puzzle "transports" Frannie back in time is not really well explained, and readers are left a bit confused on if it's real or just imaginary, since the whole rest of the book is very "reality-based."

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this! I think it was very well written and had an exciting, page-turning plot. However, how Frannie got annoyed with her mom kind of annoyed me. I understand what she was feeling, but she was just trying to comfort Frannie. I think Frannie even stated that she hated her mother. Even if she was just angry, that made Frannie a tad bit unlikeable. Also, I feel that the end could've been a little more conclusive. Will Frannie see Simon after the camp? Will she give her mom the puzzle-and what will happen? On a positive note, I was very glad that Simon and Frannie ended up together, and I adore the love she shares with her dad. I'm still a tad bit confused on how the dad was in the puzzle, though. But overall, I really enjoyed this! :)