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As with several of Binchy’s books, it’s set in a small town where some of the minor characters appeared previously in other novels. Many of them live in the same street; I didn’t entirely remember who was whom, but was at least familiar with the twins Maud and Simon (now adults, and running a catering company), and the doctor Declan. I also remembered Clara, who featured prominently in ‘Heart and Soul’, which I re-read last month. It’s not necessary to have read previous novels by this author, but I like the continuity, and hearing more about people who had started to feel quite real to me in earlier books.
However the main storyline involves a young man called Noel Lynch. His parents are very religious, and had hoped that he might become a priest one day. But Noel has mostly thrown off his Catholic roots. He disliked school, and left as soon as he could, joining a local company as a kind of office boy. He’s a secret drinker, too, hoping to hide it from everyone else, but increasingly making trouble…
Noel’s cousin Emily comes to visit from the United States. She has never been to Ireland, and doesn’t know anyone. But she’s the kind of person who listens without judgement, and takes action where she sees a need. She encourages Noel’s parents to think about new activities and ways to earn money, and she also gently confronts Noel. Her father was an alcoholic, so she knows the signs.
Noel learns something startling about a former casual girlfriend called Stella who is in hospital, terminally ill. And around the time he’s deciding that he should be becoming alcohol-free, he has to make another huge decision which will affect the rest of his life.
The bulk of the story involves the fate of a baby girl called Frankie. The entire street rallies round, taking turns looking after her when her father has to work. Emily organises a rota, and it all seem to work extremely well. Frankie is well-fed, and meets expected milestones with ease. She’s comfortable with everyone around her. However her social worker, Moira, is convinced that she would be better off in foster-care.
There are a lot of gently interwoven subplots, as is typical for Maeve Binchy novels. Gradually we learn about Moira’s childhood, and the way she has grown up to be quite bitter. Even when she thinks she’s being friendly, people find her abrupt and irritable. She keeps appearing through the book, trying to find problems. She’s treated as a villain, at times; but underneath she’s very insecure and troubled.
Lisa is another young woman whom we meet for the first time. She has lived with her parents much longer than expected, although her sister moved out and has married. Lisa works for a graphic art organisation where she’s doing quite well, until she falls for a handsome chef called Anton, who admires and flatters her. Then Lisa discovers something shocking about her rather cold parents, and is forced to move out quickly.
There are some quite poignant threads in the novel, too. I liked Stella, who only comes into a few scenes, but whose influence and decisions affect the rest of the story. She has a lot of courage, but her story is moving and very sad - even if she does insist on secret cigarettes in hospital. There’s an even more poignant storyline involving a delightful man who has been in several of the earlier books, whom everyone likes enormously. He discovers that he doesn’t have long to live, and his family and friends are devastated.
There are some low-key romances, too, though the author wisely omits details of bedroom scenes, as well as bad language. Some of them are perhaps a tad too neat and tidy; people pair off rather easily, it seems. But I quite like it, particularly as a plot device to ensure that folk stay around rather than moving away.
Once I’d started ‘Minding Frankie’, I found it difficult to put down. I thought it a wonderful book, full of courage, friendship and believable, likeable people. I already look forward to reading it again in another decade or so.
Review copyright 2025 Sue's Book Reviews