Author: Nancy Horan
Publication Date: January 2007
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Pages: 400
ISBN: 9780345495006
This review is my opinion and I have not been compensated for it in any way.
Goodreads Synopsis:
"I have been standing on the side of life, watching it float by. I want to swim in the river. I want to feel the current.
So writes Mamah Borthwick Cheney in her diary as she struggles to justify her clandestine love affair with Frank Lloyd Wright. Four years earlier, in 1903, Mamah and her husband, Edwin, had commissioned the renowned architect to design a new home for them. During the construction of the house, a powerful attraction developed between Mamah and Frank, and in time the lovers, each married with children, embarked on a course that would shock Chicago society and forever change their lives."
My Thoughts:
I tend to read books blindly. Meaning, I don't do a lot of research or reading about a book before I read it.
I know I've already talked about my love for Goodreads. After that post, I started a virtual book group on Goodreads. (If you are interested in joining our group, click HERE).
The April book selection for the group was Loving Frank. So...I just ordered it on my nook and started reading it without much knowledge about it, outside of it being a story of a love affair between Frank Lloyd Wright and Mamah Borthwick Cheney.
The author, Nancy Horan, has an exquisite way with words. Her descriptions of scenes and situations are utterly delicious. But this is not a book to be devoured when famished. It needs to be savored.
This book took me a LONG time to finish. Or, at least, long in my reading timeline. It took me a month to read (not that I was moving while reading it or anything).
To be honest, at certain points I was a bit bored reading about the love between Frank and Mamah. I felt that there needed to be some 'hook,' some...climax...something.
Then I reached the end.
The tragic end to this love story absolutely blew me away. I had no idea it was coming. I mean, simple research into the lives and relationship between these two people will reveal all...but like I said, I read books blindly.
I'm trying not to let the intensity of the last few pages alter my thoughts of the book as a whole.
If I were to judge this book by Horan's beautiful prose and the final pages, this book would receive marks above most. However, the rest of the novel must be reviewed as well.
All in all, I enjoyed the book. I have many more books on my to read list now because of this one. I am truly glad I read Loving Frank. I am still reeling from this tale several hours later, and I'm not sure it will leave me any time soon.
I recommend this book; however, I think a majority of it can be skimmed.
I give this book 3 stars (I liked it but it wasn't insanely amazing).
