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Tricks Every Boy Can Do
Frankie and Alvie, born on the eve of the Great Depression, are identical brothers—not twins, exactly; they’re the survivors of a set of triplets. Though they’re genetically indistinguishable, they’re different as oranges and avocados. Alvie, meek and thoughtful, frets every small decision and feels fairly certain his dead sister is haunting him. Frankie, brash and irrepressible, has a passion for bebop and five-card draw, and he isn’t above standing in for his brother when it suits him.
As the two boys grow into men, through deceptions, betrayals, and twists of fate, they bend each other’s destinies. But then they both fall for the same remarkable woman, Lydia—the one soul who sees them both for who they truly are. She’s also the woman who has to choose between them.
“Read this once, and you’ll read it a second time. Then you’ll put it on the shelf and keep it along with the rest of your favorite books. This is an absolutely authentic portrait of an era and a portrayal of characters whose entangled lives become as hauntingly real as the people you know.”
—James P. Blaylock, award-winning author of The Rainy Season
As the two boys grow into men, through deceptions, betrayals, and twists of fate, they bend each other’s destinies. But then they both fall for the same remarkable woman, Lydia—the one soul who sees them both for who they truly are. She’s also the woman who has to choose between them.
“Read this once, and you’ll read it a second time. Then you’ll put it on the shelf and keep it along with the rest of your favorite books. This is an absolutely authentic portrait of an era and a portrayal of characters whose entangled lives become as hauntingly real as the people you know.”
—James P. Blaylock, award-winning author of The Rainy Season
258 pages, Paperback
Published October 6, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
July 23, 2016
Spanning twenty years, Tricks Every Boy Can Do takes you through the lives of Alvie and Frankie Farrell, twin- well, two triplet- brothers who are exact opposites. Raised by their resourceful single mother, Rose, and competing for the attention of the stubborn Lydia, the boys grow to very different adulthoods, informed by injuries sustained in a sibling rivalry gone too far, and wartime and a love of jazz, respectively. Set against the backdrop of the a Southern California town from the 1930s to the mid-1950s, the novel unfolds as a series of short stories, relaying essential, defining moments in the lives of the brothers, some taking place as many as ten years from each other.
While the novel starts out in familiar, almost archetypal territory, pitting the brothers against each other- with sweet, sensitive Alvie always losing out to the bullying and boorish Frankie, as the novel progresses, the boys become men and take on their own separate lives. Lacking a father figure, Frankie and Alvie grow into twisted versions of masculinity, with Alvie’s sweet side morphing into unappealing softness and passivity, while Frankie's brutishness grows into unpredictability and immorality. Their mother, Rose, disappears into her own world of early onset dementia, and Alvie’s fiancée, the stern Lydia, grows closer to both brothers and their foibles. As things grow more complicated between the characters, it becomes more apparent that Lydia will have to choose between what is safe and what is wild; between Alvie and Frankie. But this is no mere love triangle; the story also takes time to touch on heavy concepts like tolerance, racism, sexism, and even body image issues, all wrapped in a palatable package as it relates to the main two characters. In many ways, the novel is like the jazz that Frankie loves so well, starting with the familiar and then playing with them. Frankie is not just a brute and a boor, but also a man of deep compassion for outcasts and love for creativity. Alvie is not just passive, but a man who longs to understand the world around him and its beauty and mystery. Rose is not just a single mother, nor a victim of circumstance, but a woman who longs for acceptance and belonging in a community that has shunned her. Lydia is not just a woman caught between two men, but a woman longing to be seen for her real worth, her real value. Even the side characters, such as the obese jazz singer, Fat Sadie, have personality and depth far beyond their assigned roles, with Sadie becoming the unexpected breakout character, in my opinion- for all that she’s only in the book two chapters. And that's not even mentioning the ghost.
Even the choice of era is played with in this way. While it would be easy for a lesser writer to be nostalgic for a bygone era, Tricks Every Boy Can Do presents both the innocence and the insidiousness wrapped up in the era’s facade of politeness. In fact, the book is forever subverting the easy, lazy way, even if it sometimes sacrifices satisfaction. In a different writer’s hands, this book would have ended predictably. Instead, it chooses to give the characters what they need to grow, rather than what the reader would crave for closure, and in constantly playing such riffs on what we thought we knew, it grows into a book that is so much more than its simple premise would suggest. Not unlike, as the title suggests, a sort of magic trick.
While the novel starts out in familiar, almost archetypal territory, pitting the brothers against each other- with sweet, sensitive Alvie always losing out to the bullying and boorish Frankie, as the novel progresses, the boys become men and take on their own separate lives. Lacking a father figure, Frankie and Alvie grow into twisted versions of masculinity, with Alvie’s sweet side morphing into unappealing softness and passivity, while Frankie's brutishness grows into unpredictability and immorality. Their mother, Rose, disappears into her own world of early onset dementia, and Alvie’s fiancée, the stern Lydia, grows closer to both brothers and their foibles. As things grow more complicated between the characters, it becomes more apparent that Lydia will have to choose between what is safe and what is wild; between Alvie and Frankie. But this is no mere love triangle; the story also takes time to touch on heavy concepts like tolerance, racism, sexism, and even body image issues, all wrapped in a palatable package as it relates to the main two characters. In many ways, the novel is like the jazz that Frankie loves so well, starting with the familiar and then playing with them. Frankie is not just a brute and a boor, but also a man of deep compassion for outcasts and love for creativity. Alvie is not just passive, but a man who longs to understand the world around him and its beauty and mystery. Rose is not just a single mother, nor a victim of circumstance, but a woman who longs for acceptance and belonging in a community that has shunned her. Lydia is not just a woman caught between two men, but a woman longing to be seen for her real worth, her real value. Even the side characters, such as the obese jazz singer, Fat Sadie, have personality and depth far beyond their assigned roles, with Sadie becoming the unexpected breakout character, in my opinion- for all that she’s only in the book two chapters. And that's not even mentioning the ghost.
Even the choice of era is played with in this way. While it would be easy for a lesser writer to be nostalgic for a bygone era, Tricks Every Boy Can Do presents both the innocence and the insidiousness wrapped up in the era’s facade of politeness. In fact, the book is forever subverting the easy, lazy way, even if it sometimes sacrifices satisfaction. In a different writer’s hands, this book would have ended predictably. Instead, it chooses to give the characters what they need to grow, rather than what the reader would crave for closure, and in constantly playing such riffs on what we thought we knew, it grows into a book that is so much more than its simple premise would suggest. Not unlike, as the title suggests, a sort of magic trick.
September 17, 2016
I'm not able to finish books as quickly as I'd like to right now--thank the toddler for that--but every time I returned to Tricks Every Boy Can Do I was immediately engaged. It drew me in, even if I only had time to read a page or two.
Early on I decided to tab lines that I liked, and now the book is full of tiny orange stickies. The writing has depth and complexity, but is incredibly clear at the same time. The story builds around Alvie, Frankie, and Lydia, as you get to know their history, their personalities, and their relationships. I found myself rooting for them not because I liked their life choices, but because they are so human. It was refreshing. Honest. My attachment to the characters built so steadily and quietly that the last chapter left me a little teary.
Go read it, enjoy it, and leave a review for me to read!
Early on I decided to tab lines that I liked, and now the book is full of tiny orange stickies. The writing has depth and complexity, but is incredibly clear at the same time. The story builds around Alvie, Frankie, and Lydia, as you get to know their history, their personalities, and their relationships. I found myself rooting for them not because I liked their life choices, but because they are so human. It was refreshing. Honest. My attachment to the characters built so steadily and quietly that the last chapter left me a little teary.
Go read it, enjoy it, and leave a review for me to read!
October 5, 2016
I won this book in a GR Giveaway in exchange for an honest review.
I enjoyed the characters and setting of this book. A single mother of triplets (one deceased) struggles to raise her family through the Depression. The characters are likeable, their situations interesting. I was entertained throughout this book, from first page to last.
Throughout, though, there were small things that didn't quite fit in, for me. The dead sister, for one. Her apparent presence was never really a part of the story. She's "there", she's not there. It seemed like a convenient thing for the author to insert occasionally but the purpose for the insertions alludes me.
The jumps in time were also bumpy. I liked hearing what was happening in Alvie and Frankie's life and seeing how they advanced over the years. But so many years were missed. What happened in them? The story lines had some big jumps in them. How did these jumps occur? Something happened....but what? I would have liked to know more details of their lives. It would have brought a richness to the story, I think. As interesting as the family is, we don't get to know them deeply.
Two episodes, in particular, that I felt were pivotal in the lives of Alvie and Frankie, would have been nice to have explored more deeply: the night of Alvie's first date and the incident in their mother's care home. These events happened and were over. But repercussions from such actions would have run deep and strong. We missed those, as readers.
All in all, I enjoyed this book but felt that it fell a bit flat in development of characters and story. At the end, it was somewhat predictable. I have many questions. None will be answered.
Despite that, an enjoyable read.
I enjoyed the characters and setting of this book. A single mother of triplets (one deceased) struggles to raise her family through the Depression. The characters are likeable, their situations interesting. I was entertained throughout this book, from first page to last.
Throughout, though, there were small things that didn't quite fit in, for me. The dead sister, for one. Her apparent presence was never really a part of the story. She's "there", she's not there. It seemed like a convenient thing for the author to insert occasionally but the purpose for the insertions alludes me.
The jumps in time were also bumpy. I liked hearing what was happening in Alvie and Frankie's life and seeing how they advanced over the years. But so many years were missed. What happened in them? The story lines had some big jumps in them. How did these jumps occur? Something happened....but what? I would have liked to know more details of their lives. It would have brought a richness to the story, I think. As interesting as the family is, we don't get to know them deeply.
Two episodes, in particular, that I felt were pivotal in the lives of Alvie and Frankie, would have been nice to have explored more deeply: the night of Alvie's first date and the incident in their mother's care home. These events happened and were over. But repercussions from such actions would have run deep and strong. We missed those, as readers.
All in all, I enjoyed this book but felt that it fell a bit flat in development of characters and story. At the end, it was somewhat predictable. I have many questions. None will be answered.
Despite that, an enjoyable read.
October 12, 2016
This is single-handedly the greatest book I have read in 400 years.
January 16, 2021
Excellent. Everything from the drama to the individual sentences perfectly stick the landing leaving a poignant, complicated impression.
February 16, 2017
Received book from from a Good Reads Giveaway.
Loved it.
Well written.
The story of Frankie & Alvie kept me interested, as I have 2 boys myself (not twins, altho, they do get mistaken as LOL). Their ups & downs & rivalries & reactions to such.
I wouldnt have minded learning more about Rose & about her situation, in a bit more detail. Altho, I got the gist of it.... Tis sad, about Rose. Learning that your loved one has Alzheimer's is heart-breaking, as my family & I went thru the same with my grandmother (R.I.P. always loved & remembered).
Alvie SHOULD have stepped-up & been a goddamn man.... But whatev's.... Altho, I do feel that he made the right choice in letting Lydia make her own choices & decisions....
Frankie, I think, did right, since HE stepped up AND put MORE effort into fighting for what & who he loves & SHOWED it....
And the ending's got me wondering if there'll be a sequel.... I'd LOVE to know how things will go between Alvie, Frankie & Lydia....
Thanks to Paul Buchanan for the opportunity to read his book. I truly enjoyed it.
Loved it.
Well written.
The story of Frankie & Alvie kept me interested, as I have 2 boys myself (not twins, altho, they do get mistaken as LOL). Their ups & downs & rivalries & reactions to such.
I wouldnt have minded learning more about Rose & about her situation, in a bit more detail. Altho, I got the gist of it.... Tis sad, about Rose. Learning that your loved one has Alzheimer's is heart-breaking, as my family & I went thru the same with my grandmother (R.I.P. always loved & remembered).
Alvie SHOULD have stepped-up & been a goddamn man.... But whatev's.... Altho, I do feel that he made the right choice in letting Lydia make her own choices & decisions....
Frankie, I think, did right, since HE stepped up AND put MORE effort into fighting for what & who he loves & SHOWED it....
And the ending's got me wondering if there'll be a sequel.... I'd LOVE to know how things will go between Alvie, Frankie & Lydia....
Thanks to Paul Buchanan for the opportunity to read his book. I truly enjoyed it.
January 8, 2025
Written the same way he taught me how to write: heartbreakingly human. I loved it, Buck!
March 21, 2017
Tricks Every Boy Can Do is a historical novel spanning 1932 to 1955. It focuses on the Farrell family living in California throughout the Great Depression and World War II era. Rose Farrell, a single mother, supports her sons Alvie and Frankie, the two surviving children from a set of triplets. Despite being identical, Alvie and Frankie are complete opposites. Alvie is a shy, nervous boy who constantly doubts himself. Frankie is compulsive, arrogant and always playing tricks on his brother by exploiting his submissive nature. As the boys mature their fights in turn become more serious, drawing an even starker contrast between the two, until one fight changes their relationship permanently. Fast forward to after World War II and Alvie is engaged to Lydia, a childhood friend. Frankie has returned from the war lacking direction or purpose. Rose develops a medical condition that unites the brothers and Lydia in taking care of her. Soon a love triangle develops between the brothers and Lydia further complicating the already strained family dynamic.
I was engrossed in the Farrell family's story from the very first page and couldn't put the book down. Then I realized the book was jumping through huge chunks of time - sometimes as much as 8 to 10 years - and I felt like I was missing out on pieces of the story I wanted to continue. The hurtling through time was off putting, but I had already fallen in love with the characters and needed to know the outcome of their story. While I enjoyed this book, I couldn't help but feel it slowly grew more and more predictable. The further in I got, the more I grew impatient waiting for the obvious to happen. I felt there were several parts of the story that, while they helped develop a character or describe the era, were left to fade away and never be revisited. This gave the book an empty feel, like a sketch instead of a full painting. Despite this, Tricks Every Boy Can Do is an absorbing read with great characters.
I was engrossed in the Farrell family's story from the very first page and couldn't put the book down. Then I realized the book was jumping through huge chunks of time - sometimes as much as 8 to 10 years - and I felt like I was missing out on pieces of the story I wanted to continue. The hurtling through time was off putting, but I had already fallen in love with the characters and needed to know the outcome of their story. While I enjoyed this book, I couldn't help but feel it slowly grew more and more predictable. The further in I got, the more I grew impatient waiting for the obvious to happen. I felt there were several parts of the story that, while they helped develop a character or describe the era, were left to fade away and never be revisited. This gave the book an empty feel, like a sketch instead of a full painting. Despite this, Tricks Every Boy Can Do is an absorbing read with great characters.
July 6, 2016
This book surpassed all my expectations and is perfectly described by a quote from within: "It was one of those rare fleeting moments of grace, when chemistry and chaos bring about something beautiful." While the thing described by this quote was a song, this book almost felt like a melody that left my heart aching for more as I turned the last page. It follows a family; Rose, Alvie, and Frankie, as they grow and experience the whole of human life. These pages contain birth, love, friendship, death, and the human plight of figuring out why any of it matters. The characters were riveting. Rose and her boys became real people, like dear friends, as I turned the pages and discovered more and more about their lives. This book is a delightful page turner full of surprises that will leave you wanting more of the story.
February 23, 2017
Tricks Every Boy Can Do follows two brothers over two decades of their lives, examining the people, places, beliefs, shared history, and future possibilities that impact them both.
By chapter 5, I was hooked, and unable to predict where the story was heading. The author has a gift for descriptive detail, making the reader feel present as the story unfolds. The characters are well-developed, and the way their stories intersect is fascinating.
This book is an insightful look at what motivates our choices and how each character's perception informs a shared reality in surprisingly different ways.
By chapter 5, I was hooked, and unable to predict where the story was heading. The author has a gift for descriptive detail, making the reader feel present as the story unfolds. The characters are well-developed, and the way their stories intersect is fascinating.
This book is an insightful look at what motivates our choices and how each character's perception informs a shared reality in surprisingly different ways.
November 13, 2016
I won this from Goodreads. I will definitely pass it on to my loved ones, so they can read it. I want to know how they like it! This was a beautifully written book that captured humanity in a perfect way - sometimes ugly, sometimes tragic, and often times beautiful. I found myself trying to slow down the progress of reading, so I could enjoy it longer - but it was hard because I wanted to pick it up every moment I had!
January 15, 2017
I found the story and characters compelling, and enjoyed every bit of this book. The weaving in of issues of racism, sexism, acceptance, body-image, masculinity and femininity from our recent history also come at an appropriate time relating to current events. Loved the book!
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews