Friends in Funchal

by KG Fleury

It is 1811 and Dr Robert Willan, a Quaker, leaves his practice in London, where he has dedicated his life to treating the poor, for Funchal, Madeira. There, he hopes that the year-round warm climate will help improve his health and enable him to return to his work and the service of God.

During his harrowing course of treatment, he meets a group of unforgettable characters whose warmth, eccentricity and kindly humour provide medicine for the soul.

Now known as ‘the father of dermatology’, Willan’s life is recounted in KG Fleury’s witty, often humorous style while vividly describing an island occupied by military forces, the ravages of consumption and the traumatic remedies that Willan must endure.

At heart this is not a story of illness and suffering; rather it is a gentle, heart-warming tale of the power of true friendship and love.

245 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 25, 2022

Reviews

[Ana · Rating 1 out of 5]

1/5 stars
DNF at 21%

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher

Set in 1811 the book follows Doctor Robert Willan, a doctor suffering from tuberculosis who goes on a trip to the portuguese island of Madeira to improve his health. This story is a fictionalized account of a real person and everything he went through back then.

I could not finish this. It is dry and dull. I even skimmed ahead to see if it ever picked up the pace but I couldn't find anything that caught my eye. It's dense, but not in an interesting way. I read almost 10 chapters and they were just repetitive: Doctor Willan wakes up, mentions his body functions related to his disease, describes everything in detail, someone calls him for meal time, he chats with another character and is awkward, rinse and repeat.

There is so much description in this book that the action gets lost or never turns up. I will say this, you can tell that the author has put a lot of research into the historical period/event and the island of Madeira/portuguese culture. The prose isn't so bad either when it's not paragraphs and paragraphs of descriptions.

[Jodi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Als ich von diesem Buch erfuhr, musste ich es mir logischerweise sofort bestellen. Ein akkurat recherchierter historischer Roman, der auf Madeira spielt? Muss ich haben!

Leider hat KG Fleury meine Hoffnungen nicht erfüllen können. Zwar ist "Friends in Funchal" ein Roman, der mit herzlichen Figuren und schönen, detaillierten Beschreibungen aufwarten kann, aber die eigentlichen Wünsche meinerseits an das Werk wurden tunlichst ignoriert.

Erhofft hatte ich mir Informationen über die Geschichte der Insel, ihre Traditionen, Bräuche, Lebensweisen... Davon gibt es ein klein wenig etwas, vor allem die landestypische Küche findet stete Erwähnung. Aber sonst passiert leider nicht viel. Es ist fast so, als würde man ein Tagebuch lesen, keinen Roman. Das Leben zieht so an einem vorbei, mal passiert dies, mal jenes. Höhepunkte oder Handlung sind nicht vorhanden.

Schade um die Figuren, die ich eigentlich allesamt ziemlich mochte. Auch wenn das Buch sehr männerlastig daherkommt. Auch die Stimmung und der Erzählstil sind angenehm und wie das Wetter auf Madeira sehr gut verträglich. Hätte Fleury entweder mehr Handlung oder mehr Informationen, oder vielleicht sogar beides!, in das Buch eingearbeitet, wäre ein solider und guter Roman dabei herausgekommen.

[Megz · Rating 2 out of 5]

Oh my. Oh MY. How many times can one read about a man’s excrement? And how many different ways can he find to describe it?

This is NOT a book about how Willan founded dermatology (which is fine - it never claimed to be). This is a book about how he traveled to Madeira to recover from Tuberculosis, while trying to occupy himself with ocean-gazing and nature walks, working on a compendium of dermatological disease (which he did well), and taking a whole lot of naps and soup. Also, by religiously recording his bodily functions.

The novel touches lightly on Portuguese and Madeiran cultures, and the history of Madeira, and briefly reflects on colonialism, though not enough to make an impression. But mostly I found Friends in Funchal to be quite mundane.

Thank you to Netgalley and The Book Guild for providing this eARC.

[Robin Price · Rating 5 out of 5]

This beautiful novel is second to none I have read this year. What a story. All at once it is thought-provoking, life affirming, original, clever, exquisite and heartbreaking. I have never read a story with so much courage ... so much hope ... and so much love. It challenges all my perceptions of friendship and demands I give more to those I love.
I wanted to hug each and every character in this book. I wanted to taste the soup. I wanted to be there - in Funchal - in Madeira - in 1811.
This is a perfectly poised book, with heart and depth, and such tender moments, when the silence of the characters spoke louder than any words.
Put this book at the top of your shopping list. Buy it now. You won't regret it.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given this book as a present as I am a frequent traveller to Madeira. Although it taught me a lot about the history, what really made it for me was the portrayal of the characters. Willan, the protagonist, starts as an uptight, socially inept OCD sufferer but his treatment, both for TB and from the friends he makes, mellows him. And the other characters are a delight - very like my experience of the people of Madeira, in fact. Don't read this if you want thrills and spills, but if you enjoy a gentle read about kind, decent people, and want to learn a little in the process, then this is for you.

[Angela Gostling · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book on holiday in Madeira. I sat by the pool reading the final chapters in tears. A most heartwarming story and the depiction of the characters is warm and encouraging.
It’s true that there is much account of the bowel movements of the main character but I attribute this to his illness and the need to keep a close watch on his symptoms. I was moved to look up the treatments he was prescribed and can’t help thinking they hastened his ending. I enjoyed the account and the characters very much, despite the sad ending.

[Polly Krize · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Not really realizing the content of this book, I was enchanted with the writing and the characters. Suffering from tuberculosis, Willan journeys to Madeira for rehabilitation and healing from his disease. He encounters many colorful characters on his disease journey, as well as developing new friendships along the way. Well written and enjoyable reading.

[Liz Edmundson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a gift as I’m heading to Funchal on holiday. I’m afraid to say I hadn’t heard of Dr Robert William, yet he was an important figure in the treatment of skin disease and is known as ‘the father of dermatology’.
I found this a story of heartwarming friendships, although it starts slowly and its pace is well-matched to this account of a real pioneer.
Not my usual read, but I’m glad I was given it and lived in the world of 17th century Funchal for a while.

[Gabrielle · Rating 1 out of 5]

There are very few books which I won't read to the end, and this book is one of them. I wanted to learn more about Madeira and Funchal, and a tidbit was thrown in every now and then, but more than anything, this book focus on discussing all too in-depth the toilet and bowel movement habits of the character - which is not something that I needed to waste my time reading about.

[Jeannie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I bought it in Madeira whilst on holiday there but although I enjoyed learning about the island and its history, what made it for me was the wonderful characters. The story unfolds gradually amidst a sense of goodness and gentle humour. I can highly recommend it.

[repton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Goodness. What to say? Boring as hell? More detailed descriptions of faeces than the delicious soup? Paragraphs regarding monoglots sitting at a table? Innocent, bordering naive, understanding of friendship?
But then, why did I enjoy the narrative? Why can’t I stop thinking about Willan? Why am I visiting his grave at the British Cemetery in Funchal? Many questions.

[Dilys · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a story about the development of friendships during the early 17th century. It is based on a true story about a physician, Dr Robert Willan who is still known as the father of Dermatology. He was sent to Madeira to recover his health.

This is a sedate book (not appropriate if you like to read about action, adventure, mystery etc) with quaint language. Both the narrative and the phraseology remind me of Jane Austen's tales which is apt because she was writing about her 'present day' which is in exactly the same time frame.

Dr Willan was a very methodical and detailed diarist and I suspect that the author has consulted Willan's notes in order to provide such a detailed description. It was sad to read about the doctor's increasing depencence on laudanum (opium in alcohol) but this was typical of the time. What makes up for this is the gradual dawning that it is possible to be a devout Christian yet still have 'permission' to laugh and be happy with your friends.

I found this the perfect book for bedtime reading - short chapters and a 'feel good' frame of mind.