Review
When he was nineteen, Frank Mackey decided to run away from his poor Dublin neighborhood with his sweetheart, Rosie Daly. Although Rosie never showed up, Frank decides to leave anyway rather than return to his dysfunctional family. When Rosie’s suitcase is found stuffed in an abandoned house, Frank, now a detective, finds himself returning to his home on Faithful Place after 22 years.
Faithful Place is a very character driven story, and is as much about Frank coming to terms with his past as it is about Rosie’s disappearance. Frank is both a likable and realistic protagonist, and it is easy to sympathize with him even as he circumvents his police colleagues to investigate on his own. French’s characters are excellent, and all the supporting characters come off as real people.
Although the mystery deepens, the story remains on an intimate scale, never going far beyond the neighborhood surrounding the titular street. Parts of the story are told through frequent flashback, which further enhance the characterization. Although the story drags at times, the solution unfolds naturally, and the ending is believable and satisfying for the reader.
A finished copy was provided through the goodreads.com first reads program.
Faithful Place is a very character driven story, and is as much about Frank coming to terms with his past as it is about Rosie’s disappearance. Frank is both a likable and realistic protagonist, and it is easy to sympathize with him even as he circumvents his police colleagues to investigate on his own. French’s characters are excellent, and all the supporting characters come off as real people.
Although the mystery deepens, the story remains on an intimate scale, never going far beyond the neighborhood surrounding the titular street. Parts of the story are told through frequent flashback, which further enhance the characterization. Although the story drags at times, the solution unfolds naturally, and the ending is believable and satisfying for the reader.
A finished copy was provided through the goodreads.com first reads program.
0
