Fannie

by Rebecca F. John

A feminist reimagining of the story of Fantine from Les Miserables, from Costa award shortlisted author. Montreuil-sur-Mer, 1815. Life is hard for Fannie working at the factory, with only sweet memories of her 'gentleman' and daughter to sustain her. But when she is revealed as an unmarried mother and fired, she is forced to take greater and greater risks to get money for her child. What can she sell? Who can she trust? Has she any escape? A story of desperation, but also of love and the soaring power of hope.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Retellings, Novella, Feminism, Historical, 19th Century

160 pages, Paperback

Published February 26, 2022

Reviews

[Katie Lumsden · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this – it's a clever reimagining of Fantine's story, skillfully executed.

[Dan Bassett · Rating 4 out of 5]

The year is 1815;
A young Grisette in Paris, Fantine falls for a rich student and soon becomes pregnant, and very much alone after the man she surrendered her heart and body to soon abandons Fannie and leaves her to raise their daughter, Cosette, on her own with no one to help carry the heavy burden; not a single soul to rely on and when times get beyond desperate, Fannie must send her daughter away to be cared for by others but it soon becomes apparent that being a factory worker shall no longer suffice and cover such costs as she is informed that Cosette is sick, getting worse by the day and therefor needing costly medicine to keep the shadow of death from her door…
Fannie isn’t particularly keen on what she does to earn her coin but is always eager to get extra hours to help and try to impress her slovenly supervisor, but soon finds herself out on the streets without income after an event leaves Fannie searching for swifter ways to make a living and when she encounters someone who can help, it soon becomes evident that she must give up everything and most of herself to keep her daughter safe and well.
From selling her hair and teeth, to whoring herself to those willing to throw money at such a creature, Fannie must do what she can to ensure a future for Cosette and herself.
As Fannie loses more of her old life, maybe she can fashion something more hopeful out of all that she has lost for the power of a mothers love is stronger than she can ever imagine lifting Fannie up to know her true worth in this unforgiving world.
Deeply moving, desperate, vivid, and at times truly upsetting, this novella cements the author as a true visionary in the literal world as Fannie immerses the reader in a world which you can feel, smell and lose yourself in.

[Beth Cunningham · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked - given I love les mis I couldn't not like. Not sure if I would call it a reimagining. 95% was les mis, certainly more raw, dark, descriptive and gritty. The last 5 or 6 pages went on the craziest tangent - not sure what I expected but definitely not that! It wasn't a believable end for me, more a dream end

[mrsbookburnee Niamh Burnett · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a massive fan of Les Miserablès, it’s my favourite musical, one of my favourite films and I have finally got round to reading the book this year. My husband and I also do a cracking (drunken) rendition of the songs 😏.

I am so grateful to receive this proof copy of the authors reimagining.

Fantine has always been a character of interest for me, her story is heartbreaking and I feel she is one of the most intriguing characters in the world of Les Mis.

You can feel the authors passion throughout this novella, this is a one sitting book and you really get to know Fannie. Whilst this contained sorrow, through the steps she takes to provide for ‘her little swan’ it also shows her courage and empowerment. Some of my favourite scenes were between her and the letter writer

[Jan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very short but quite enjoyable with a strange enigmatic ending.

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good novela, yes. However to compare it with Victor Hugo's is for me far fetched! Even though it reads as a classic, the quality of the writing is definitely not to be compared to any classics. The idea of having the main female character choose her circumstances instead of being forced to live because of them, was not really convincing. Maybe because a novela is too short. For me, the conclusion felt rushed. I would have needed something more and more subtle.

[Angharad Elin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heartbreaking and beautiful <3

[J.A.Birch · Rating 3 out of 5]

I bought Fannie becuase I really enjoy the film adaptation of Les Mis. Fantine has a brief but important role in the story but we don't ever really get to know her but in small moments, we know she has a daughter, and that her gentleman is no-longer around; from there nothing really improves.

Fannie offers an oportunity to shed light on Fantine's life and experiences from a "feminist" point of view. I however found this novella lacking. Is Fannie considered a feminist retelling because there are less than a handful of speaking male characters? Possibly. It is something that I enjoyed, the connection and respect between the female characters as Fannie's life unravels further from being dismissed from the Factory (something that annoyed me in that the other Factory women immediately assume Fannie is unmarried and has a child from wedlock, when it could just as easily have been she was a widow...I have no idea if this would have made any difference but still) to her first night down at the docks.

Then there's the mysterious Mother character. She's charming and caring, and sweet, and very much the idea of a Mother to all those who society has turned their noses up at. Mother seems to appear at key moments after Fannie has lost her job at the Factory, she's there to write a letter for her, she's the one who buys her hair and teeth, and she's the one who offers her a job, all of which she is careful about making sure Fannie truly wants what Mother is offering. After Fannie's first night at the docks, having already sold her hair and teeth she must have been in agony and possibly delerious, she is found by one of the other ladies but she's convinced that one moment they are Mother and the next the Rebel.

I take it to be shock or delerium, Fannie has been driven mad through all the trauma and turmoil her life has suddenly thrust upon her. For me I can accept the ending as Fannie turning mad but I cannot see this as a true retelling of Fantine's character, all that happens to begin with is in Les Mis; yes there are some sweet and interesting parts but all-in-all Fannie could be read as a companion novella for Fantine's descent into madness and illness.

A brief novella and interesting character study.

[Jennifer Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fannie tells the story of the character of the same name who if you have read/watched Les Miserables will know of her as Fantine. Some of you will know her journey already and it follows pretty much the same. The story follows her journey from beginning with her trying to pay for her daughter’s medical bills while keeping her a secret, to her leaving the workshop, to selling her hair and teeth at the slums to then being forced to sell her body to make money.

The book however concentrates more fully on Fantine by striping away some of the main male characters from Les Miserables. I would say that it shines a lot so much more on Fantine’s character.

We get to learn a lot more about her background and gain an insight into her feelings about her daughter and her daughter’s father as well as how her journey affects her.

Fantine, although not been featured in the original story as much was definitely one of the more layered characters and definitely one of the more heartbreaking. This retelling is just as heartbreaking and really delves into her character and her life story.

We learn a lot about her past and about how her life has changed over the years. I felt so much for her and the life that she had been dealt. It was hard to read what she had/was going through and how circumstances had put her in such a position.

I can’t say too much about the book and in particular the ending without spoiling it as obviously with it being a retelling it differs slightly but I will say that this one will definitely hit you hard.

If you like character driven stories or if you loved Les Miserables then you should definitely read this one.

[travelsalongmybookshelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fannie - Rebecca F John

‘She had tried to gift her child a better story.’

This is a reimagining of the story of Les Miserables Fantine.
I am still on my epic journeythroughlesmiserables and am now just over half way through. My heart has already been touched by my reading of Fantine’s story, so I was intrigued to read this short story which is a reimagining of Les Miserables Fantine.

‘Our names were the first things they took from us.’

In the original I felt that Fannie was not explored as a character enough, she is yet another downtrodden woman, left alone to fend for herself and her child, at the mercy of men. The desperation with which she tries to carry on and the lengths she goes to to support her child are heartbreaking.
In this story we get more detail and I loved how her story unfolds.

‘Start with your clothes and your hair.’

This was an unexpected little gem of a story, releasing Fannie from the shackles of the men who control her story to free herself and become the controller of her own fate. The men is the story are reduced to bit parts, the main show is Fannie herself. She is a lovely character who really blossoms in this retelling.
Words are not wasted, the descriptions are great and although it is sad and heartbreaking, it also felt positive and is a wonderful addition to the Les Miserables canon, giving me more understanding as I continue my journey.

✩✩✩✰

Thanks so much to Honno Welsh Womens Press, Rebecca F John and the Squadpod for my copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

[Nessa’s Book Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

What if Fantine from Les Misérables had the chance to tell her own story?

Fannie by Rebecca F. John is a brilliant feminist reimagining of this tragic character, offering a fresh and deeply emotional perspective on her life and suffering.

Set in Montreuil-sur-Mer in 1815, this novel dives into the heart of a mother’s desperation and the lengths she will go to for her sick child.

Fannie’s life is anything but easy. Working at a factory with only the memories of her lost love and her daughter to keep her going, she faces a harsh reality when she’s exposed as an unmarried mother and loses her job.

What follows is a powerful and heartbreaking journey as Fannie struggles to provide for her sick daughter. With every door seemingly closed, she’s forced to make impossible choices, selling what little she has and trusting people she shouldn’t.

The novel is both a tale of love and a searing critique of the societal constraints that bind her. Fannie’s unwavering hope, even in the darkest moments, is what gives this story its soaring emotional power.

Rebecca F. John’s writing is lyrical, capturing the raw emotions of a mother’s love and the brutal realities she faces.

Fannie is a beautiful, if bittersweet, exploration of survival, love, and the indomitable spirit of a woman fighting against all odds. This is a story that will stay with you long after the final page. Highly recommend!


Thank you to Honno Publisher for providing a copy of this great story in exchange for an honest review.

[Elisha Hagger · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Johns writing style throughout this entire book. Every inch is so delightfully described that it paints such a vivid image in your brain of what Fannies world would have looked like. It also helped me fall madly in love with Fannie. I was rooting for her every step of the way! She had every reason to give up and to fall victim to her circumstances but she never did. It never damped her spirits and that was so inspiring.

And how do I even begin with the ending of this book? Amazing! To not give anything away, all I will say is that the ending was everything this book needed and more. Very uplifting and joyful, despite all the doom and gloom.

There were a few quotes throughout this book that really spoke to me. I can’t fully explain why, but they’ve stayed in my brain ever since and I would love to share them with you;

“Her gentleman, after all, had not opened up a vast new world she might explore, but only made her smaller within the one she already inhabited.”

“Love, she knows, transforms even the most sensible people into fantasists.”

“to love is to embrace fear, isn’t it?”

Although this isn’t the type of book I would normally pick up in a bookstore, I am so glad I was given the chance to read it. It has truly changed my perspective on historical fiction and has encouraged me to want to read more, and I certainly want to read more by Rebecca F. John. If you are a fan of Les Mis or historical fiction please pick up Fannie by Rebecca F. John!!

[Rebecca Roberts · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was lucky to receive this ARC from Honno Press. It has been many, many years since I read (the abridged) or watched the film of Les Miserables, so I was not constantly comparing Fantine's original story to this 'feminist re-imagining' of her tale, and so I was appreciating it more as a standalone work.
The best part of this, undoubtedly, is John's prose. So vivid you feel as though you are in the moment with the characters. I'm not normally a fan of highly descriptive writing as I often feel it slows down the plot unnecessarily; but here, given the novella's short length and the fact that the plot covers just a few days in Fannie's life, the pacing and the amount of detail works beautifully. It was a joy to read. Each chapter felt like a very vivid dream.
I was curious about the ending, and look forward to hearing others' interpretation of it.

[Daisy · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a fan of Les Miserables, I was instantly intregued by this book when I found it in the clearance section for £1 in Waterstones. I'm so glad I picked it up because it was heartbreaking, beautiful, full of hope and sorrow and a lovely retelling of Fantine's story. For me, what let it down was the ending. I really didn't like it. At around 90%, there were hints that the story would end as her story ends in Les Mis. Though I didn't want that for this character, it felt fitting considering it is the story of Les Mis. However, it took a wildly different turn that, for me, was so farfetched it ruined the book. It was a nice (though unbelievable considering the harrowing lengths she had to go to throughout the book to provide for her daughter) way to tie the novella together as a seperate story but as part of the Les Mis universe I just think it ruined the book.

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a little wonder of a book and I devoured it in one sitting.
It tells the tale of Fantine or Fannie as she is called in the story from Les Miserables and what may have happened to her if things had taken a different path.
Fannie loses her position once they find out she is an unmarried mother and she needs to find alternative work to send money to the carers for her young daughter.
I loved the characters and the way the characters were developed.
This book is so well written and you really can’t put it down as the writing is a delight.
One of my favourite books of this year.
Thank you so much to Rebecca F John for sending me a copy to read.

[historic_chronicles · Rating 4 out of 5]

In 1815 Paris, Fannie is grieving the loss of her love, a man she surrendered herself to body and soul only to be abandoned with the sole responsibility of their young daughter to be raised in an unforgiving world.

Exploring hope and personal determination, this novella is dark and unflinching as John pulls the beloved character of Fantine (known as Fannie in this tale) from the pages of the Victor Hugo masterpiece to showcase her inner beauty and strength of spirit.

Written with evocative prose, the author's descriptions of the brutality and cruelties of living within the Parisian slums are vivid and haunting while the themes of loneliness and desperation weave effortlessly as a stark reminder of the harsh reality of the world in which Fannie lives.

Fannie is a beautiful character study of a woman who held so much importance to one of the greatest stories ever written, but was only ever given a fleeting glimpse of until now.

My greatest thanks to @gwasghonnopress for so kindly sending me a copy of this book to review.

[Zoe Radley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, what a gorgeous and heart wrenching and atmospheric book. A tale of love, hurt and betrayals made by men and how women such as Fannie are left to try and survive in a world that is unkind to any single women with a child. This touching and moving portrayal of a fictionalised version of a famous fictional character brings to life Fannie (Fontaine) and her life choices and the friends she makes to bring her hope in a dark and grey world. Read this book I beg you

[Alan Pottinger · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable read, even though I’d never read or seen les miserables - very dark tale. Sadly the last chapter went off the rails for me, was that part supposed to be a dream or prep for a sequel … Fannie on the high seas?

[Ellie Foster · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Linda Fallows · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful rendition of the “what if?” of Fannies story from Les Miserables.
A short but very powerful book.

[Hilary Mccarthy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book of despair but ultimately of hope .
Good characterisation and description of the place and time .
Would like to give it 3.5

[Sara Gethin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rebecca F John intricately weaves new threads of determination and hope through this much-loved tale to create an exquisite novella. The eloquence of her writing raises the character of Fannie above the cruelties she bears in the Paris slums and on the quaysides, and transforms her into a creature of sheer beauty, just like the elegant ballerina Fannie imagines herself to be. John paints heart-rending scenes in one moment, and gloriously awe-inspiring images in the next, and her beautifully crafted descriptions envelope the reader completely. It is powerful, evocative writing, narrative that is urgent and breathless, filled with the pain of loneliness and yearning. The most beautiful work of fiction I’ve read in a very long while.