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Saving Francesca Maier
'Moving and beautifully written ... explores the complex ties of family and friendship with insight and compassion.' Tracey Emerson
Can you leave the past in another country?
Francesca Maier knows little of her father's home country or her parents' life together before she was born. A summer in Berlin brings the past - and its secrets - alive. Adrift in a foreign city, she finds an unexpected friend in east Berliner Antonio - but what will he sacrifice to save her?
Saving Francesca Maier probes the secrets every family hides and the decisions we make in a volatile world.
Can you leave the past in another country?
Francesca Maier knows little of her father's home country or her parents' life together before she was born. A summer in Berlin brings the past - and its secrets - alive. Adrift in a foreign city, she finds an unexpected friend in east Berliner Antonio - but what will he sacrifice to save her?
Saving Francesca Maier probes the secrets every family hides and the decisions we make in a volatile world.
228 pages, Paperback
Published March 11, 2019
2 people are currently reading
8 people want to read
About the author
Claire Wingfield
5 books32 followersClaire Wingfield graduated from her English degree at Cambridge University in 2002, and has worked in books and publishing ever since. She lives in Scotland, where she runs a busy writing and editorial consultancy. She is the author of 'Saving Francesca Maier', first in the This City series and '52 Dates for Writers - Ride a Tandem, Assume an Alias and 50 Other Ways to Improve Your Novel Draft'.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
August 6, 2019
*I voluntarily reviewed this book from the author
A compelling story with engaging characters, SAVING FRANCESCA MAIER by Claire Wingfield is a story about familial relationships in all of their complexities.
Francesca doesn't know much about her father's home city of Berlin but she has the entire summer to explore it and get a feel for it as she travels with her mother. After a fraught journey to get there, their arrival doesn't exactly go to plan. But it isn't long before Francesca, in all of her youth and sometimes naivety, begins her own adventure, discovering places and people who will change her outlook and open her eyes to so much. Including secrets that may change everything.
From the beginning, we can sense that there is a fraught tension between Francesca's parents and as the story begins to evolve this becomes even clearer, and we, like Francesca, want to figure out just what exactly is going on. With a lot of freedom for a girl of her age, Francesca begins to search and explore Berlin all for herself, and the setting comes alive in this book, almost like a character all by itself, and the past and present converge in many ways which worked really well for me.
SAVING FRANCESCA MAIER by Claire Wingfield is the kind of story that slowly reveals its secrets to the reader and I found myself lost in the city with Francesca, looking at everything with fresh eyes - a very enjoyable story.
A compelling story with engaging characters, SAVING FRANCESCA MAIER by Claire Wingfield is a story about familial relationships in all of their complexities.
Francesca doesn't know much about her father's home city of Berlin but she has the entire summer to explore it and get a feel for it as she travels with her mother. After a fraught journey to get there, their arrival doesn't exactly go to plan. But it isn't long before Francesca, in all of her youth and sometimes naivety, begins her own adventure, discovering places and people who will change her outlook and open her eyes to so much. Including secrets that may change everything.
From the beginning, we can sense that there is a fraught tension between Francesca's parents and as the story begins to evolve this becomes even clearer, and we, like Francesca, want to figure out just what exactly is going on. With a lot of freedom for a girl of her age, Francesca begins to search and explore Berlin all for herself, and the setting comes alive in this book, almost like a character all by itself, and the past and present converge in many ways which worked really well for me.
SAVING FRANCESCA MAIER by Claire Wingfield is the kind of story that slowly reveals its secrets to the reader and I found myself lost in the city with Francesca, looking at everything with fresh eyes - a very enjoyable story.
May 29, 2019
Saving Francesca Maier relates the story of the summer holiday 14 year old Francesca spends in Berlin with her parents and their old friends. Her father is from Berlin but she has never been there and is looking forward to finding out what life in Germany is like. The trip gets off to a bad start when there is an incident at another airport meaning she and her mother almost miss their plane. Add this to the fact that her father is not at the airport in Germany to meet them and the story is already set up to be a tense one.
The thing which stood out for me in this book was the acutely observed relationships, particularly between the adults. The author creates a sense of uneasiness as I was aware there was tension between them but was not sure why, or what was causing that tension. The reader is put in a similar position to Francesca, not knowing the whole story. Slowly, some of their secrets come out with some very unexpected revelations. As the reader, you begin to understand events, realising there are secrets from her parents' past they would rather she didn't know. Francesca doesn't have this understanding meaning she is faced with some puzzling scenarios.
Francesca gets herself into some sticky situations with the bravado and impetuousness of youth. There were times I was cringing for her and times I was genuinely worried as she seemed to put herself in danger. With the four adults seemingly caught up in their own issues, she had much more freedom to explore what was an unknown city than I would have allowed my daughters at 14.
The author's own knowledge of Berlin really adds to the sense of place throughout the novel, showing how the city's past and present intertwine. Saving Francesca Maier is full of complex characters and is an intriguing and thought provoking coming of age story.
The thing which stood out for me in this book was the acutely observed relationships, particularly between the adults. The author creates a sense of uneasiness as I was aware there was tension between them but was not sure why, or what was causing that tension. The reader is put in a similar position to Francesca, not knowing the whole story. Slowly, some of their secrets come out with some very unexpected revelations. As the reader, you begin to understand events, realising there are secrets from her parents' past they would rather she didn't know. Francesca doesn't have this understanding meaning she is faced with some puzzling scenarios.
Francesca gets herself into some sticky situations with the bravado and impetuousness of youth. There were times I was cringing for her and times I was genuinely worried as she seemed to put herself in danger. With the four adults seemingly caught up in their own issues, she had much more freedom to explore what was an unknown city than I would have allowed my daughters at 14.
The author's own knowledge of Berlin really adds to the sense of place throughout the novel, showing how the city's past and present intertwine. Saving Francesca Maier is full of complex characters and is an intriguing and thought provoking coming of age story.
May 16, 2019
I found this to be a compelling coming of age drama, as we see the story of the Summer that 14 year old Francesca goes to Germany with her family who stay with friends, and watch as the past catches up with them and as she tries to come to terms with the complexities of the behaviour of the adults around her, while she herself is dealing with growing up and having some independence for the first time.
You notice an under current with Francesca's parents from the start - her mother, Imogen, seems set against spending a summer in Germany, while her father, Alex, is already over there and eager to share with his daughter more of his home country. They stay with their old friends, Anja and Richie, whose own lives has been touched by tragedy and they live a very different life to what Francesca has been used to so there's a lot for her to adjust to.
She's a very astute young girl in some ways, but naive in so many others and watching her trying to make sense of the way the grown ups in her life are acting is fascinating. The more they are wrapped up in their secrets and lies, the more she gets to discover for herself out and about in Berlin where she meets Antonio who doesn't treat her like a child.
I loved seeing the different relationships that Francesca has with various characters - different characters bring out different sides to her and life is confusing enough for any 14 year old, but for her especially dealing with things in a different country while picking up on arguments between the adults is a trying time for her.
It's a slow burner of a book that really comes into its' own as you begin to understand more about each character and the secrets that they've been trying to hide from. It really explores the complexities of human behaviour and relationships and I really enjoyed spending time with these characters so am glad to hear there'll be a book 2!!
You notice an under current with Francesca's parents from the start - her mother, Imogen, seems set against spending a summer in Germany, while her father, Alex, is already over there and eager to share with his daughter more of his home country. They stay with their old friends, Anja and Richie, whose own lives has been touched by tragedy and they live a very different life to what Francesca has been used to so there's a lot for her to adjust to.
She's a very astute young girl in some ways, but naive in so many others and watching her trying to make sense of the way the grown ups in her life are acting is fascinating. The more they are wrapped up in their secrets and lies, the more she gets to discover for herself out and about in Berlin where she meets Antonio who doesn't treat her like a child.
I loved seeing the different relationships that Francesca has with various characters - different characters bring out different sides to her and life is confusing enough for any 14 year old, but for her especially dealing with things in a different country while picking up on arguments between the adults is a trying time for her.
It's a slow burner of a book that really comes into its' own as you begin to understand more about each character and the secrets that they've been trying to hide from. It really explores the complexities of human behaviour and relationships and I really enjoyed spending time with these characters so am glad to hear there'll be a book 2!!
February 16, 2020
This novel is a thought provoking story of a young girl trying to find her way in life and the relationships surrounding her. As with most teenagers, she hasn't yet found herself and has some growing to do. While on holiday she makes some questionable mistakes and struggles with who she is. At the same time, there are secrets within her family that she's not aware of and which could change her family dynamic forever.
At times I felt really sorry for her, she is clearly struggling and in that difficult teenage place but her Mum doesn't seem to help much! At other times, I just wanted to give her a good talking to! She does some stupid things - some that could put her In unnecessary danger but she just doesn't seem to think (typical teenager?!). I found her Mum really suffocating but we find out why later on in the book; and felt really sorry for her Dad who seems to be quite controlled by his wife.
Fran is growing towards the end of the book and it will be good to see how she's progressing in the next one - and also whether the big family secret is unveiled and what impact this has.
This is a lovely story and the author does a brilliant job of conveying the tensions between the adults, that you can actually FEEL whilst you're reading. She really helps us to get to know the characters around Fran and how they all bring out a different side to her. The descriptions of Berlin are also wonderful, and helps you really picture the scene before you. Overall a lovely and enjoyable book!
At times I felt really sorry for her, she is clearly struggling and in that difficult teenage place but her Mum doesn't seem to help much! At other times, I just wanted to give her a good talking to! She does some stupid things - some that could put her In unnecessary danger but she just doesn't seem to think (typical teenager?!). I found her Mum really suffocating but we find out why later on in the book; and felt really sorry for her Dad who seems to be quite controlled by his wife.
Fran is growing towards the end of the book and it will be good to see how she's progressing in the next one - and also whether the big family secret is unveiled and what impact this has.
This is a lovely story and the author does a brilliant job of conveying the tensions between the adults, that you can actually FEEL whilst you're reading. She really helps us to get to know the characters around Fran and how they all bring out a different side to her. The descriptions of Berlin are also wonderful, and helps you really picture the scene before you. Overall a lovely and enjoyable book!
June 12, 2019
Wholeheartedly, I recommend this book. Saving Francesca Maier is a charming story and makes perfect summer reading athough I'd urge you to read it in any season. In essence it's a Bildungsroman, fittingly, being set in Germany. Francesca is learning a lot about life during a long overdue first visit to Berlin where her parents met.
The book does certain hard-to-do things particularly well. One is to take us back into the territory of adolescence - that strange land where we're oh so grown up yet still so child like and vulnerable. We see the world through Francesca's adolescent eyes and it never seems forced or unconvincing. It's revealing and refreshing to remember how adult lives seem through this lens.
Francesca's frustrations and wise-beyond-her-years take on her parents and the other adults show up in sharp contrast to her impulsive moments and frighteningly naive thoughts. It's this contrast which creates tension and suspense that drive the narrative on.
I love a book that takes me to places I've never visited without coming over all Lonely Planet guidebook. SFM does this perfectly, giving a sense of being in Berlin with subtle details that never call attention to themselves. You're there, immersed in the city, without having to face the Speedy Boarding scrum.
The novel's secrets are revealed with a deft touch, the suspense never faltering til the end. You've got to leave room for this book in your regulation sized cabin bag.
The book does certain hard-to-do things particularly well. One is to take us back into the territory of adolescence - that strange land where we're oh so grown up yet still so child like and vulnerable. We see the world through Francesca's adolescent eyes and it never seems forced or unconvincing. It's revealing and refreshing to remember how adult lives seem through this lens.
Francesca's frustrations and wise-beyond-her-years take on her parents and the other adults show up in sharp contrast to her impulsive moments and frighteningly naive thoughts. It's this contrast which creates tension and suspense that drive the narrative on.
I love a book that takes me to places I've never visited without coming over all Lonely Planet guidebook. SFM does this perfectly, giving a sense of being in Berlin with subtle details that never call attention to themselves. You're there, immersed in the city, without having to face the Speedy Boarding scrum.
The novel's secrets are revealed with a deft touch, the suspense never faltering til the end. You've got to leave room for this book in your regulation sized cabin bag.
June 29, 2019
Francesca Maier knows very little about her father’s home country, so a family trip to Berlin, where her parents first met, is destined to be an education. During the holiday she meets her parents’ old friends and makes some friends of her own. Through these encounters she learns a lot about herself and about life, and she unwittingly uncovers long-buried secrets.
I really admire how the author has brought Francesca to life. Her passions, her anxieties, her tendency to self-reflection and self-absorption, and her (sometimes charming, sometimes single-minded) naivety, feel completely authentic. Equally striking are the ways in which the author shows us Francesca’s watchful demeanour and under-the-spotlight sensitivities that are typical of some only-children.
I think I would have felt more involved in the storytelling if some of the scrapes and dramas had been more carefully handled, particularly those involving the sub-plot with Francesca’s new friend, Antonio; and fewer points of view would have helped too. Setting those issues aside, this is an engaging coming-of-age story. Its strength lies in the author’s ability to describe tensions that simmer beneath the surface of relationships between family members and between long-standing friends.
The final scene feels just right. I do like stories that give readers the space to allow their imaginations to take flight as they savour the very last line.
I chose to read and review Saving Francesca Maier based on a copy of the book kindly supplied by the author.
I really admire how the author has brought Francesca to life. Her passions, her anxieties, her tendency to self-reflection and self-absorption, and her (sometimes charming, sometimes single-minded) naivety, feel completely authentic. Equally striking are the ways in which the author shows us Francesca’s watchful demeanour and under-the-spotlight sensitivities that are typical of some only-children.
I think I would have felt more involved in the storytelling if some of the scrapes and dramas had been more carefully handled, particularly those involving the sub-plot with Francesca’s new friend, Antonio; and fewer points of view would have helped too. Setting those issues aside, this is an engaging coming-of-age story. Its strength lies in the author’s ability to describe tensions that simmer beneath the surface of relationships between family members and between long-standing friends.
The final scene feels just right. I do like stories that give readers the space to allow their imaginations to take flight as they savour the very last line.
I chose to read and review Saving Francesca Maier based on a copy of the book kindly supplied by the author.
September 12, 2019
In this book the author takes us on a trip to Berlin. We are able to get to know Francesca, a 14 year old girl who is in this city for the first time.
Not only does the author provides us with an interesting trip inside Francesca’s mind but she adds a bit of history too.
Francesca is a wonderful character. Although she is still very young, she does seem very mature on the one hand, but on the other hand she also keeps the innocense of a girl of her age.
All the other characters in this book are complex and the author gives hints about what is going on but never really reveals everything. It’s up to the reader to let their imagination take them where they decide it to go.
I wonder if this is where it ends or is the author planning on writing a sequel to let us know where her imagination takes her and giving the reader the opportunity to compare notes? Either way, I am happy to create my own happy ever after. 🙂 4 stars.
Thank you, Claire Wingfield
https://bforbookreview.wordpress.com
Not only does the author provides us with an interesting trip inside Francesca’s mind but she adds a bit of history too.
Francesca is a wonderful character. Although she is still very young, she does seem very mature on the one hand, but on the other hand she also keeps the innocense of a girl of her age.
All the other characters in this book are complex and the author gives hints about what is going on but never really reveals everything. It’s up to the reader to let their imagination take them where they decide it to go.
I wonder if this is where it ends or is the author planning on writing a sequel to let us know where her imagination takes her and giving the reader the opportunity to compare notes? Either way, I am happy to create my own happy ever after. 🙂 4 stars.
Thank you, Claire Wingfield
https://bforbookreview.wordpress.com
June 6, 2019
Saving Francesca Maier is a deceptively naive tale with a deep undertow of human complexity and fragility. I was hooked from the frantic start to the mile-high end. For the first time in a long time I couldn't put a book down.
Francesca Maier is visiting Berlin, the place of her fathers birth and her parents meeting. The complexities of the her parents and their friends stories, from their hedonistic youth to its current consequences, are compellingly told by Francesca as she wrestles with her own coming of age.
Wingfield captures teenage angst and arrogance exceptionally well. Francesca displays an intriguing mix of childish naiveté and adult astuteness as she she observes and gets tangled in the secrets and lies that are being woven and unpicked all around her.
Can't wait for the the authors next novel!
Francesca Maier is visiting Berlin, the place of her fathers birth and her parents meeting. The complexities of the her parents and their friends stories, from their hedonistic youth to its current consequences, are compellingly told by Francesca as she wrestles with her own coming of age.
Wingfield captures teenage angst and arrogance exceptionally well. Francesca displays an intriguing mix of childish naiveté and adult astuteness as she she observes and gets tangled in the secrets and lies that are being woven and unpicked all around her.
Can't wait for the the authors next novel!
September 6, 2019
Francesca is one of the best, most complete characters I have ever read. The reader slips effortlessly into her head and into her heart, understanding her emotions, seeing her naivety and relating to relationships. A teenager, trying to make sense of love, life and emotions, Francesca discovers herself, as she discovers Berlin and uncovers long lost secrets - it is totally absorbing, delightfully written and a sensitive, honest read that transports the to a time in life we have all been through. A great book.
May 15, 2019
I had a day to spare in Vienna, so I took this book to the park and didn’t put it down until later that night in the hotel (finished). Francesca Maier arrives at the airport heading for Berlin, and as family holidays go, this one didn’t disappoint.
Look forward the next book in the series.
Look forward the next book in the series.
April 30, 2019
An intriguing plot, complex characters and a mysterious atmosphere make Saving Francesca Maier a compelling read.
September 9, 2019
This book was a tonic to the soul.
Heartwarming, engaging, really well written.
Claire has a way of making the characters come alive, I was totally immersed in the characters lives.
Heartwarming, engaging, really well written.
Claire has a way of making the characters come alive, I was totally immersed in the characters lives.
May 13, 2021
Beautifully written
I was hooked on the first page by Francesca. Interesting characters and sensitive portrayal of a young girl finding her way.
I was hooked on the first page by Francesca. Interesting characters and sensitive portrayal of a young girl finding her way.
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May 15, 2019Saving Francesca Maier is a fantastically written book and a hugely enjoyable read. Claire Wingfield sets an intriguing coming of age tale against a summer in Berlin, shaping complex characters and a compelling plot. Vivid and insightful, this is a book I can highly recommend.
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