Review: Outstanding!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 07 12, 2013
Losing Francesca is about a girl who may or may not be who she believes herself to be. But it's also about the journey she takes to find out who she really is - not literally, as in what her true name is, but who she is in her heart. It's also about the damage done when people experience profound loss. How it affects them and the ways in which they cope.Rather than spending her last summer before college enjoying herself, Francesca finds herself spending it with a family who insists she's their long long daughter/sister. Although she has no memory of them, Francesca, whom they call Fiona, finds herself able to settle in quickly as the Sullivans provide her with things she's never had and never wanted.Brody Mason is the town bad boy. He's also known since he was a little boy that Fiona Sullivan is his soulmate. He was destroyed when Fiona went missing. He spent years looking for her in the woods between their homes. And when he gave up hope, he so so angry. He spent many years staying in trouble. Now that Fiona is back, and he wholeheartedly believes Francesca is Fiona, he's not letting her go.I went into Losing Francesca thinking I knew what the story was about. I thought it was about unraveling the mystery of who Francesca is. And it is to a certain extent. But this story is just as much Brody's as it is Francesca/Fiona's. The story is told in a dual POV, both Fiona's and Brody's. This format adds so much depth to the story. Getting glimpses inside both Fiona and Brody's heads allowed me to feel what they were feeling as they discovered things about themselves and their lives.Brody was the real shocker for me. The depth of emotion this young man feels and conveys is incredible. I cried with him, ranted with him, laughed with him and loved with him. I felt all his emotions just as strongly as he did. The confusion Francesca/Fiona feels over loving the man she considers her father but wanting the life the Sullivans and Brody offer - it's mindboggling. But watching her figure out what she wants for herself, for her life, even as these startling revelations about her life were made, was something to behold.Along with Francesca/Fiona and Brody, I also enjoyed the other characters populating this story. Sean, Fiona's brother, was adamant in his belief that Francesca is his sister. His protectiveness of her was so touching. Frank Sullivan, Fiona's adoptive father, was a pleasure getting to know. To see the hope he's always held that his daughter would return to him is astounding. Learning about the man who raised Francesca, too, was illuminating.Obviously, Losing Francesca evoked some intense emotions from me. And that's the hallmark of a fantastic book in my opinion. Ms. Huss continues to rise in my esteem. I don't think I've done justice to the story in my review. It's a very powerful book. So I'll just say read Losing Francesca NOW! You won't be disappointed.