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Who Is Frances Rain?
In this 20th-anniverary edition of the novel by Margaret Buffie, it's going to be a long, hot summer for 15-year-old Lizzie. Normally a vacation at her grandmother's northern Manitoba cottage is the highlight of the year, but this summer the whole family is going along, including her new stepfather whom she detests. To escape the family's bickering, Lizzie explores a nearby island, where she finds the remains of an old cabin and uncovers a pair of spectacles. When she tries on the old glasses she is surprised to find herself watching a woman and girl from the past. Lizzie is determined to find out who these ghosts are, and why they are appearing to her. Enlisting the help of her grandmother's teenage neighbor, Alex, she puts together clues about the ghosts' identities and in doing so, finds a way to help her estranged family reunite. It's a compelling story, carrying young readers from the present to the past and back again.
184 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1987
19 people are currently reading
326 people want to read
About the author
Margaret Buffie
14 books47 followersAward winning author, Margaret Buffie, was born and grew up in the west end of Winnipeg, attended various schools - graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Manitoba. An artist for many years, Margaret decided to write a YA novel and Who Is Frances Rain? was published by Kids Can Press. It quickly became a bestseller after appearing in bookstores in 1987. Since then Margaret has published nine more YA books. She works at her home in Winnipeg during the winter and on the veranda of her cottage in Northwestern Ontario in the summer months. Margaret's books have been published in the United States, Norway, Italy, Sweden, Australia, Great Britain, Germany, China and other countries. Margaret is the recipient of the prestigious Vicky Metcalf Award for Body of Work (For writing inspirational to Canadian Youth); The Young Adult Canadian Book Award; is a two time winner of the McNally Robinson Book for Young People award and has been shortlisted for many other awards and honours.
Here are a few reviews of my first novel and most recent novel. To see more reviews for my other books go to http://margaretbuffie.com and click on each title.
WHO IS FRANCES RAIN?
REVIEW: Who is Frances Rain? is as distinctly Canadian as the intoxicating lure of silent woods and wind-whipped lakes. The textures of the narrative and the well-rounded characters are just as haunting as the ghosts Lizzie finds on Rain Island. It’s a ghost story with much to reveal to the thoughtful reader about the turbulent emotions at work within families. It’s a novel that makes us grateful for a strong new voice in Canadian literature for young people, a voice we’ll want to hear again soon. QUILL AND QUIRE
REVIEW:Who is Frances Rain? will probably be devoured by its young adult readers in one sitting. It deserves to be; this is an excellent book. TORONTO STAR
REVIEW:Buffie’s story is moody and atmospheric – the lake and the island are pungently, perfectly evoked. Lizzie’s encounters with ghosts are beautifully handled, with just the right balance of eerie and emotional moments. PUBLISHERS WEELY
WINTER SHADOWS
REVIEW:Vicky Metcalf Award-Winner MargaretBuffie returns with a breathtaking novel that is part realism, part time-travel fantasy,
and part coming of age tale. Winter
Shadows focuses on two young women who
live in the same Manitoba home a century and a half apart.....
This communication across time obviouslydraws on the conventions of fantasy, but these elements
arenever forced or implausible, and there is plenty of suspense and energy to sustain the two alternating narratives." QUILL AND QUIRE, DECEMBER 2010:
REVIEW: Buffie is a master of the ghost story, carefully allowing Cass and Beatrice to drift in and out of each other's lives in convincing fashion. The convention of the diary allows Cass to connect the dots and learn more about her ancestors. The dialogue both in past and present is authentic, revealing character and moving the action along. CANADIAN MATERIALS
REVIEW: The alternating narratives are gripping, and the characters are drawn with rich complexity; even the stepmothers are finally humanized. Readers will be pulled in by the searing history of bigotry as well as the universals of family conflict, love, and friendship. Grades 7-10.
AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOC. BOOKLIST: January 2011
THE DARK GARDEN
REVIEW: a first rate blend of ghost story and problem novel about Thea, 16, struggling to recover from traumatic amnesia after a bike accident. Buffie creates a tightly knit, evocatively written, and lushly (but chastely) romantic thriller. The protagonists - living and dead - are distinctly characterized; a once beautiful, now weed-choked garden is simultaneously setting and symbol of lost happiness. vivid sensory writing makes the fluctuations in Thea’s state of consciousness perfectly convincing. KIRKUS
Here are a few reviews of my first novel and most recent novel. To see more reviews for my other books go to http://margaretbuffie.com and click on each title.
WHO IS FRANCES RAIN?
REVIEW: Who is Frances Rain? is as distinctly Canadian as the intoxicating lure of silent woods and wind-whipped lakes. The textures of the narrative and the well-rounded characters are just as haunting as the ghosts Lizzie finds on Rain Island. It’s a ghost story with much to reveal to the thoughtful reader about the turbulent emotions at work within families. It’s a novel that makes us grateful for a strong new voice in Canadian literature for young people, a voice we’ll want to hear again soon. QUILL AND QUIRE
REVIEW:Who is Frances Rain? will probably be devoured by its young adult readers in one sitting. It deserves to be; this is an excellent book. TORONTO STAR
REVIEW:Buffie’s story is moody and atmospheric – the lake and the island are pungently, perfectly evoked. Lizzie’s encounters with ghosts are beautifully handled, with just the right balance of eerie and emotional moments. PUBLISHERS WEELY
WINTER SHADOWS
REVIEW:Vicky Metcalf Award-Winner MargaretBuffie returns with a breathtaking novel that is part realism, part time-travel fantasy,
and part coming of age tale. Winter
Shadows focuses on two young women who
live in the same Manitoba home a century and a half apart.....
This communication across time obviouslydraws on the conventions of fantasy, but these elements
arenever forced or implausible, and there is plenty of suspense and energy to sustain the two alternating narratives." QUILL AND QUIRE, DECEMBER 2010:
REVIEW: Buffie is a master of the ghost story, carefully allowing Cass and Beatrice to drift in and out of each other's lives in convincing fashion. The convention of the diary allows Cass to connect the dots and learn more about her ancestors. The dialogue both in past and present is authentic, revealing character and moving the action along. CANADIAN MATERIALS
REVIEW: The alternating narratives are gripping, and the characters are drawn with rich complexity; even the stepmothers are finally humanized. Readers will be pulled in by the searing history of bigotry as well as the universals of family conflict, love, and friendship. Grades 7-10.
AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOC. BOOKLIST: January 2011
THE DARK GARDEN
REVIEW: a first rate blend of ghost story and problem novel about Thea, 16, struggling to recover from traumatic amnesia after a bike accident. Buffie creates a tightly knit, evocatively written, and lushly (but chastely) romantic thriller. The protagonists - living and dead - are distinctly characterized; a once beautiful, now weed-choked garden is simultaneously setting and symbol of lost happiness. vivid sensory writing makes the fluctuations in Thea’s state of consciousness perfectly convincing. KIRKUS
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
June 30, 2024
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“Who Is Frances Rain?” is a very special novel I want everyone to know. I was enchanted with “The Guardians” 1989, recently; excited that it took place in Winnipeg. Thereafter, I recognized Margaret Buffie’s name and bought three more books, including this award-winning, rightfully popular 1987 début.
All of our authors instinctively know they need to showcase our province in their work. Our extremely varied terrain of major marshes, forestland, lakes, prairie, and city span from the United States border, to the Arctic of seals and polar bears. There is an excellent sampling in literature but Margaret surprised me with a northern island and lake setting that were completely foreign to me, even though I could picture them well. Or maybe, it was the impact of her touching, unforgettable, ‘paranormal mystery’ that was chilling in places.
My complaint of youth novels is wasting time on bickering and why authors don’t just write the mysteries. Characters do not need absent parents as a pretext to walk in nature. Happy kids too, would go crazy for pure adventuring; in novels and as their readers. When Lizzie explores an abandoned island next to her Grandma’s cottage, something I have had fun doing with my spouse; the pace, intrigue, and wonderful originality earn all the stars.
Old-timers knew Frances Rain and the Aboriginals who delivered messages by canoe 60 years ago. She rowed between the islands and land too but wanted privacy. Interviewing them and experimenting with island artifacts made Lizzie an active sleuth, with unexpected insight from wearing glasses!
I wish their purpose and magic had been explained but we learn Frances’ history, which we are relieved Lizzie could at least brighten. As odd as it sounds, I really believe compassion in the present can reach someone in the past and bring easement.
“Who Is Frances Rain?” is a very special novel I want everyone to know. I was enchanted with “The Guardians” 1989, recently; excited that it took place in Winnipeg. Thereafter, I recognized Margaret Buffie’s name and bought three more books, including this award-winning, rightfully popular 1987 début.
All of our authors instinctively know they need to showcase our province in their work. Our extremely varied terrain of major marshes, forestland, lakes, prairie, and city span from the United States border, to the Arctic of seals and polar bears. There is an excellent sampling in literature but Margaret surprised me with a northern island and lake setting that were completely foreign to me, even though I could picture them well. Or maybe, it was the impact of her touching, unforgettable, ‘paranormal mystery’ that was chilling in places.
My complaint of youth novels is wasting time on bickering and why authors don’t just write the mysteries. Characters do not need absent parents as a pretext to walk in nature. Happy kids too, would go crazy for pure adventuring; in novels and as their readers. When Lizzie explores an abandoned island next to her Grandma’s cottage, something I have had fun doing with my spouse; the pace, intrigue, and wonderful originality earn all the stars.
Old-timers knew Frances Rain and the Aboriginals who delivered messages by canoe 60 years ago. She rowed between the islands and land too but wanted privacy. Interviewing them and experimenting with island artifacts made Lizzie an active sleuth, with unexpected insight from wearing glasses!
I wish their purpose and magic had been explained but we learn Frances’ history, which we are relieved Lizzie could at least brighten. As odd as it sounds, I really believe compassion in the present can reach someone in the past and bring easement.
January 9, 2024
I loved this book! It works so well, and quickly gets the mystery underway. The question of who Frances Rain is makes for compelling reading, and I was delighted with the story as I read. The writing is very good, but more than that it feels like that is something about the book that is unique and special. I greatly enjoyed reading it as an adult, but also wish I had known of this book when I was younger, and I am sure it would have been one of those books I read over and over.
I liked the insights into the past, when Frances Rain lived isolated on the island, I found the present day storyline fun too, as was the way things came together later on.
This book also introduced me to elements of the Canadian landscape that were entirely new to me. I felt I could picture the island and the land around it, which was interesting. I always appreciate when a novel makes me feel like I have actually been to a place I have never even seen in a picture.
Thank you for sending it to me, Carolyn!
I liked the insights into the past, when Frances Rain lived isolated on the island, I found the present day storyline fun too, as was the way things came together later on.
This book also introduced me to elements of the Canadian landscape that were entirely new to me. I felt I could picture the island and the land around it, which was interesting. I always appreciate when a novel makes me feel like I have actually been to a place I have never even seen in a picture.
Thank you for sending it to me, Carolyn!
November 16, 2024
Rating: 3.5
For fifteen-year-old Lizzie McGill and her siblings, the last couple of years have been challenging. Her high-powered lawyer parents divorced two years before the novel opens. Her father was seldom around anyway, even when the family was supposedly intact, and when he left, her icy and aloof mother Connie’s workaholic tendencies became even more pronounced. Lizzie took on almost all domestic duties (cooking and cleaning). But that pattern has recently been disrupted by the arrival of Tim, the McGill siblings’ new stepfather. The kids didn’t even know of his existence until their mother announced her intention to remarry a mere three months before.
Erica, the youngest McGill, has taken to Tim, a potter who works from home and who more or less wrested responsibility from Lizzie. The older siblings (Lizzie and her brother, Evan) resent Tim’s presence, doing all they can to make life difficult for him. The latest blow for them is that Connie and Tim will be accompanying them for the summer to their beloved grandmother Terry’s island camp in northern Manitoba. This is a trip that the McGill kids have always made on their own.
Once at Gran’s camp and seeking refuge from her unhappy family, Lizzie begins canoeing to nearby Rain Island, a location the kids have been barred from boating to, ostensibly because the sharp rocks along the shoreline could badly damage a watercraft. At the centre of the rocky island, among a stand of pines, Lizzie discovers the remains of a long-collapsed cabin, now covered in moss. When she removes some of the overgrowth, she discovers a decorated table and a mug containing a pair of wire-framed spectacles. When she dons the glasses, she has a window into the early part of the twentieth century, becoming acquainted with a mysterious woman named Frances Rain, who, Lizzie learns, fled to the island and shunned interaction with the local folk. In time, the spectacles also allow Lizzie to watch a young, sickly girl arrive on the island to live with Frances. Frances, Lizzie soon finds out, died long ago. Now her ghost has a task for the teenager.
Buffie’s novel for middle-school students was published in the 1980s. Although some of the cultural references are dated, the domestic tension and the supernatural elements of her story remain engaging. I believe younger adolescents would still enjoy Lizzie’s story, which concerns coping with family issues and delving into a mystery that turns out to be connected with her family’s history.
For fifteen-year-old Lizzie McGill and her siblings, the last couple of years have been challenging. Her high-powered lawyer parents divorced two years before the novel opens. Her father was seldom around anyway, even when the family was supposedly intact, and when he left, her icy and aloof mother Connie’s workaholic tendencies became even more pronounced. Lizzie took on almost all domestic duties (cooking and cleaning). But that pattern has recently been disrupted by the arrival of Tim, the McGill siblings’ new stepfather. The kids didn’t even know of his existence until their mother announced her intention to remarry a mere three months before.
Erica, the youngest McGill, has taken to Tim, a potter who works from home and who more or less wrested responsibility from Lizzie. The older siblings (Lizzie and her brother, Evan) resent Tim’s presence, doing all they can to make life difficult for him. The latest blow for them is that Connie and Tim will be accompanying them for the summer to their beloved grandmother Terry’s island camp in northern Manitoba. This is a trip that the McGill kids have always made on their own.
Once at Gran’s camp and seeking refuge from her unhappy family, Lizzie begins canoeing to nearby Rain Island, a location the kids have been barred from boating to, ostensibly because the sharp rocks along the shoreline could badly damage a watercraft. At the centre of the rocky island, among a stand of pines, Lizzie discovers the remains of a long-collapsed cabin, now covered in moss. When she removes some of the overgrowth, she discovers a decorated table and a mug containing a pair of wire-framed spectacles. When she dons the glasses, she has a window into the early part of the twentieth century, becoming acquainted with a mysterious woman named Frances Rain, who, Lizzie learns, fled to the island and shunned interaction with the local folk. In time, the spectacles also allow Lizzie to watch a young, sickly girl arrive on the island to live with Frances. Frances, Lizzie soon finds out, died long ago. Now her ghost has a task for the teenager.
Buffie’s novel for middle-school students was published in the 1980s. Although some of the cultural references are dated, the domestic tension and the supernatural elements of her story remain engaging. I believe younger adolescents would still enjoy Lizzie’s story, which concerns coping with family issues and delving into a mystery that turns out to be connected with her family’s history.
August 1, 2015
So THE HAUNTING OF FRANCES RAIN is neither cheesy nor all that horror-filled but it was actually a pretty good story that had me tearing up at the end of it.
Buffie does a good job of setting scenes and pumping up the book with some good ambiance. I really felt the isolation and pseudo-gloominess of the lake Lizzie was staying at and it added to the creepy vibe of Rain Island, where her ghostly troubles started happening. She also took her time setting up Lizzie’s family situation, and Lizzie herself. Nearly half the book is spent hashing out her mom’s marriage issues, her dad leaving, her relationship with her siblings and just how Lizzie herself all around feels about everything. Sure she’s a bit of a bratty teenager but you actually get to see her grow as a person from one end of the book to the other and it’s definitely a nice change from the stock cheese I’ve been reading.
Maybe I didn’t look at the cover closely enough but I was under the impression this had something to do with the late 60s and hippies based on the glasses. Turns out they’re far older than that. That tidbit didn’t turn me on the story one way or another but fair warning it has nothing to do with hippies.
I was also amused by the Canadianness of the book. No surprise because the author is Canadian and the story is set in Canada so a lot of ‘eh’ going on and the spellings of some words aren’t US English but it only added to the character of the story. Not that Canada is all that different from the US but it added to the setting and the feel of the story that it was someplace other than the US but at the same time still relatable and easy enough to picture.
For the supernatural aspect of the story I liked how it was approached. Lizzie was afraid at first (how could she not be?) but once she adjusted to what was happening the fear changed to something of a curiosity and then a minor obsession. Luckily she had Alex on her side so didn’t think she was absolutely insane and actually aided her without impeding her. He was one of the lesser-developed characters and acted as a bit of a love interest for Lizzie but he grounded what was happening to her in reality and legitimized what she was seeing. These ghosts were never presented as frightening; just the act of seeing them was scary. Lizzie was, more often than not, a casual observer of something happening in the past. They did invade her space just once and it was a bit creepy but again, it wasn’t meant to be a frightening experience.
I liked how the ending wrapped everything up and didn’t really leave any threads hanging. The conflict between Lizzie’s mom and her step-dad was resolved, the issue with her grandmother was good to go, the sibling rivalry was getting smoothed out, and her relationship with Alex was settling in. But it didn’t feel like a hokey, Lifetime ending. It just felt really resolved and final and it fit with the whole mood of the book. That’s not to say the ending was perfect (or I should say the characters at the end weren’t perfect and smiley and happy) but it was definitely a solid ending.
Overall a pretty good book that I think transcends time. It’s a solid story with well-developed characters, excellent scene-setting, and a hint of the supernatural that can be a little creepy but is largely almost soothing and wholly interesting within the grander scheme of the story. I’d recommend THE HAUNTING OF FRANCES RAIN to people even today, I liked it that much.
5
Buffie does a good job of setting scenes and pumping up the book with some good ambiance. I really felt the isolation and pseudo-gloominess of the lake Lizzie was staying at and it added to the creepy vibe of Rain Island, where her ghostly troubles started happening. She also took her time setting up Lizzie’s family situation, and Lizzie herself. Nearly half the book is spent hashing out her mom’s marriage issues, her dad leaving, her relationship with her siblings and just how Lizzie herself all around feels about everything. Sure she’s a bit of a bratty teenager but you actually get to see her grow as a person from one end of the book to the other and it’s definitely a nice change from the stock cheese I’ve been reading.
Maybe I didn’t look at the cover closely enough but I was under the impression this had something to do with the late 60s and hippies based on the glasses. Turns out they’re far older than that. That tidbit didn’t turn me on the story one way or another but fair warning it has nothing to do with hippies.
I was also amused by the Canadianness of the book. No surprise because the author is Canadian and the story is set in Canada so a lot of ‘eh’ going on and the spellings of some words aren’t US English but it only added to the character of the story. Not that Canada is all that different from the US but it added to the setting and the feel of the story that it was someplace other than the US but at the same time still relatable and easy enough to picture.
For the supernatural aspect of the story I liked how it was approached. Lizzie was afraid at first (how could she not be?) but once she adjusted to what was happening the fear changed to something of a curiosity and then a minor obsession. Luckily she had Alex on her side so didn’t think she was absolutely insane and actually aided her without impeding her. He was one of the lesser-developed characters and acted as a bit of a love interest for Lizzie but he grounded what was happening to her in reality and legitimized what she was seeing. These ghosts were never presented as frightening; just the act of seeing them was scary. Lizzie was, more often than not, a casual observer of something happening in the past. They did invade her space just once and it was a bit creepy but again, it wasn’t meant to be a frightening experience.
I liked how the ending wrapped everything up and didn’t really leave any threads hanging. The conflict between Lizzie’s mom and her step-dad was resolved, the issue with her grandmother was good to go, the sibling rivalry was getting smoothed out, and her relationship with Alex was settling in. But it didn’t feel like a hokey, Lifetime ending. It just felt really resolved and final and it fit with the whole mood of the book. That’s not to say the ending was perfect (or I should say the characters at the end weren’t perfect and smiley and happy) but it was definitely a solid ending.
Overall a pretty good book that I think transcends time. It’s a solid story with well-developed characters, excellent scene-setting, and a hint of the supernatural that can be a little creepy but is largely almost soothing and wholly interesting within the grander scheme of the story. I’d recommend THE HAUNTING OF FRANCES RAIN to people even today, I liked it that much.
5
January 30, 2021
Yes, yes, it's YA but. This was my favorite book growing up and I just found it! Since middle school, all I remembered about this was a girl put on magic glasses and saw a girl, a lake, and a house. I've Google'ed every possible keyword combination but never came close. I read this for nostalgia sake but you know what? It's still a great book.
April 15, 2007
This is absolutely one of my favorite children's books. It was very imaginative interesting story.
October 17, 2022
Obviously this was a reread x 4 or 5. In 1985 I read it for the first time, and was obsessed with it. I picked up a used copy and forgot how much I loved it .
I loved the concept of travelling back in time with a magical pair of spectacles. Margaret Buffie provides her reader with a real family struggling to deal with the unexplained abandonment by their father. Evan, Lizzie and Erica’s mother remarries a man named Tim who seems to be everything their father isn’t, but Evan and Lizzie take out their anger toward their father on Tim, refusing to let him into their lives.
A summer with their Gran changes everything though as Lizzie in particular learns the meaning of family and begins to see things from different perspectives. Her time-travelling experiences show her the tragedy of miscommunication and inspires her to apply what she has learned in her own life with positive results.
Even after finishing the book, I still have questions about who Frances Rain actually is. I know what she did for a living, and that she had a daughter, but I’m not sure why she didn’t speak much and why her father was such a jerk. Also, who was Teresa’s father?
As for Lizzie’s family, I have questions there too. If their father decides to leave them and only contacts his kids on their birthdays, why would he start calling up their mother again? Simply because she found someone else?
Buffie does do a thoughtful job of portraying a family who is grieving, as well as the very real pull Connie has to her ex-husband even though she knows Tim is better for her. Who Is Frances Rain? exemplifies how challenging it is to learn to trust again after being wounded.
My favourite character was Gran because of her no nonsense attitude and her ability to cut things to the quick. She may have been at odds with her daughter Connie at times, but she always loved her. Fiercely independent to a fault, she models strength and love to her granddaughter Lizzie when she needs it most, helping her to open up to the good Tim brings to all of their lives and naming the truth of Lizzie’s father’s actions.
I liked the happy ending and the fact that Lizzie was able to give Frances Rain some peace, as well as the resolution of the mystery.
I loved the concept of travelling back in time with a magical pair of spectacles. Margaret Buffie provides her reader with a real family struggling to deal with the unexplained abandonment by their father. Evan, Lizzie and Erica’s mother remarries a man named Tim who seems to be everything their father isn’t, but Evan and Lizzie take out their anger toward their father on Tim, refusing to let him into their lives.
A summer with their Gran changes everything though as Lizzie in particular learns the meaning of family and begins to see things from different perspectives. Her time-travelling experiences show her the tragedy of miscommunication and inspires her to apply what she has learned in her own life with positive results.
Even after finishing the book, I still have questions about who Frances Rain actually is. I know what she did for a living, and that she had a daughter, but I’m not sure why she didn’t speak much and why her father was such a jerk. Also, who was Teresa’s father?
As for Lizzie’s family, I have questions there too. If their father decides to leave them and only contacts his kids on their birthdays, why would he start calling up their mother again? Simply because she found someone else?
Buffie does do a thoughtful job of portraying a family who is grieving, as well as the very real pull Connie has to her ex-husband even though she knows Tim is better for her. Who Is Frances Rain? exemplifies how challenging it is to learn to trust again after being wounded.
My favourite character was Gran because of her no nonsense attitude and her ability to cut things to the quick. She may have been at odds with her daughter Connie at times, but she always loved her. Fiercely independent to a fault, she models strength and love to her granddaughter Lizzie when she needs it most, helping her to open up to the good Tim brings to all of their lives and naming the truth of Lizzie’s father’s actions.
I liked the happy ending and the fact that Lizzie was able to give Frances Rain some peace, as well as the resolution of the mystery.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 13, 2007
I just hit this one up again when I found my old copy and it's still good, thank god.
December 16, 2009
scared the hell out of me!!!!
January 2, 2017
A "classic." :) I used to re-read it every year when I was younger, but it had been many years since the last read. Still enjoyable....
July 2, 2013
This is a book from my childhood that I recently read again. I loved it as a child, I must have read it more than ten times, and I enjoyed again as an adult.
November 14, 2015
ONe of my the favorite books I read during my childhood. It still resonates with me. I really want to read it again to get an adult perspective.
December 5, 2015
One of my favorite books. I'm re-reading it for the millionth time.
May 4, 2011
I am working my way through a young adult supernatural/paranormal reading list. Prior to picking up this book, I was suffering through a very popular series that I won't mention by name. Suffice it to say that, while the series was imaginative, I found myself wondering what was so great about these books. The writing was stiff and felt forced in places, which, of course, made the storyline feel stiff and forced. I decided to take a break from the series - in part, because I was tired of struggling with it, but mostly because I remember reading Buffie as a teen and I loved her.
Sometimes, as an adult, I find that I am not as entertained by books/authors that I loved as a kid. But I was absolutely enthralled by this book. Both the story and the writing flowed so beautifully that I paused to wonder why this author isn't given more attention. This book was deliciously spooky - not in a way that makes you afraid of the dark, but in the way that makes you stop and think about how much effect our actions have on others, especially our loved ones. Once I started reading, I couldn't stop until I turned the last page.
Sometimes, as an adult, I find that I am not as entertained by books/authors that I loved as a kid. But I was absolutely enthralled by this book. Both the story and the writing flowed so beautifully that I paused to wonder why this author isn't given more attention. This book was deliciously spooky - not in a way that makes you afraid of the dark, but in the way that makes you stop and think about how much effect our actions have on others, especially our loved ones. Once I started reading, I couldn't stop until I turned the last page.
September 16, 2008
Lizzie travels with her family to visit her grandmother in a remote place in Canada. Lizzie's mother is recently remarried, and there is tension in the family over the new step-dad. Evan is Lizzie’s older brother and there is a younger sister. The younger sister adores the new dad, but Lizzie and her brother do everything possible to make his life uncomfortable.
Mom is a lawyer and her new marriage is rocky, so the family goes on a two week visit to grandma's house. To get to grandma's house you have to take a boat, which provides a great setting for the ghost story part of the book.
Lizzie spends her vacation in a mini canoe visiting a nearby island where she discovers spectacles, when she puts them on they take her back in time to when Frances Rain lived on the island. Who exactly is Frances Rain and why she was alone on an island, so long ago, are questions that Lizzie tries to find out.
The story is happily resolved and it is an enjoyable read for pre-teens or young teens who like a tiny bit of romance, ghosts and families with troubles.
Mom is a lawyer and her new marriage is rocky, so the family goes on a two week visit to grandma's house. To get to grandma's house you have to take a boat, which provides a great setting for the ghost story part of the book.
Lizzie spends her vacation in a mini canoe visiting a nearby island where she discovers spectacles, when she puts them on they take her back in time to when Frances Rain lived on the island. Who exactly is Frances Rain and why she was alone on an island, so long ago, are questions that Lizzie tries to find out.
The story is happily resolved and it is an enjoyable read for pre-teens or young teens who like a tiny bit of romance, ghosts and families with troubles.
May 4, 2012
I first read this book in the 4th Grade. The school Book Fair wouldn't sell it to me. My Mom had to argue with them, and explain that while only 9 years old, I was reading on a high school level. So she bought me the book. I've put talley marks in the cover each time I read it. I think the last count was something like 37 times. I love this coming of age book. It's a little dated for teens now, but definitely worth the time.
January 29, 2014
I hate this book so much. As a required reading novel study in junior high, this was so painful to read. I found the characters bland and the plot boring and a failed attempt on the authors behalf of writing suspense and paranormal.
Perhaps it was because at the time of reading this I was already reading supernatural esque books from Stephen King, but I do not find a trace of well executed paranormal events in this book.
Others may disagree but I do not like this book a single ounce.
Perhaps it was because at the time of reading this I was already reading supernatural esque books from Stephen King, but I do not find a trace of well executed paranormal events in this book.
Others may disagree but I do not like this book a single ounce.
December 9, 2014
A really interesting book.
January 30, 2017
This was a pretty good book. Slow at times but a good ending. I liked that it was written by a Canadian author.
December 16, 2014
It was okay. Nothing spectacular, very predictable, but a passable way to kill an hour or so.
March 27, 2025
Overall Rating 5 ⭐
This book was my "I am a reader" awakening during my pre-teen years, so it will forever be 5 stars for me!
The story still holds up remarkably well for a book written in the late '80s. It offers just the right balance of mystery and thrill for young adult readers, and revisiting these characters gave me all the nostalgia I was hoping for.
I borrowed this book from my cousin when I was young and I guess after reading it, I loved the story but over time forgot the title, though the plot stayed with me. After years of searching for the title, I finally found it thanks to someone on Reddit who recognized my description. I immediately downloaded the ebook (though I wish I could have found a hard copy—it seems to be quite out of print).
Reading it again was like rewatching a cherished childhood movie—I was instantly transported back to the setting I remembered so vividly.
This book was my "I am a reader" awakening during my pre-teen years, so it will forever be 5 stars for me!
The story still holds up remarkably well for a book written in the late '80s. It offers just the right balance of mystery and thrill for young adult readers, and revisiting these characters gave me all the nostalgia I was hoping for.
I borrowed this book from my cousin when I was young and I guess after reading it, I loved the story but over time forgot the title, though the plot stayed with me. After years of searching for the title, I finally found it thanks to someone on Reddit who recognized my description. I immediately downloaded the ebook (though I wish I could have found a hard copy—it seems to be quite out of print).
Reading it again was like rewatching a cherished childhood movie—I was instantly transported back to the setting I remembered so vividly.
December 29, 2019
Once again, it's the atmosphere that gets you into the book. The setting, the bickering during a summer stay at the cabin, and the creepy Rain island that houses a secret. I loved the three dimensional characters, their lines were perfect and the idioms were spot on, everything felt so real, as if you were an eavesdropper who wanted in! This, I think, is also a great coming of age story. Recommended for both young and adults alike, especially on a gloomy day.
April 13, 2021
This is by far the WORST book I've ever read, the only part that interests me was Lizzie's family. I hated Lizzie she is the worst character there is, I didn't like it one bit, when she "travelled through time" it was horrible. The only reason I finished this book was that it was for a school project, I know everyone says "Don't judge a book by its cover" but the second I saw it I knew I was gonna hated it, I don't know how anyone can like this book.
January 5, 2022
I re-read this book religiously in middle school and I still do every summer, so I think I'm obligated to write a review.
This book is so well written, and short enough that you can read it in one sitting. The writing will have you hooked from the moment you start and the little bit of romance inclded makes it so hard to put it down. I reccoment this book to anyone who wants a short but spectacular read!
This book is so well written, and short enough that you can read it in one sitting. The writing will have you hooked from the moment you start and the little bit of romance inclded makes it so hard to put it down. I reccoment this book to anyone who wants a short but spectacular read!
December 12, 2024
I discovered this atmospheric ghost story as a teen while working in my aunt's bookshop and was thrilled to rediscover it in this 20th anniversary re-release. It's still as haunting as the first time I read it. I really related to the main character Lizzie, as she wanted to be an artist/writer/archaeologist like me, and I loved the mystery of both Frances and the spectacle wearing girl. A nostalgic read for me, but has a timeless appeal.
November 14, 2017
I really enjoyed reading this book. Several Issues were addressed in Frances Rain, from family, relationships, behaviors, acceptance of differences. This book is a wonderful read for the developing mind of a teenager. Well done Margaret Buffie! I look forward to reading more books by you.
December 3, 2018
The beginning of the book is a bit of slog, but you get into it. I love the amount of times someone ends their sentence with the word, "eh". It is truly CanLit. Holds up well and the writing is pretty good, especially considering some of the tripe for teens that is currently on the market.
April 18, 2020
Lizzie McGill and family spend summers with Gran on Rain Lake. Family conflict sends Lizzie to escape to Rain Island where she finds an old pair of glasses which allow her to see into Frances Rain's past. Good story, flows well with a surprise ending.
December 11, 2024
I need to own a copy of this book.
Pros:
Little Lisa, that's me but younger, loved the crap out of this book. I don't remember much but I remember loving it. If I find a print copy for myself, I am definitely going to have to re-read it.
Cons:
Can't remember any.
That's all for now.
Pros:
Little Lisa, that's me but younger, loved the crap out of this book. I don't remember much but I remember loving it. If I find a print copy for myself, I am definitely going to have to re-read it.
Cons:
Can't remember any.
That's all for now.
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