The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto: A Novel

Mitch Albom has become a go-to author for me. Although this book is listed as “Christian Fantasy” on Amazon, it’s also categorized as “Christian Historical Fiction.” I’ve been an avid fan of music all my life, dumping an insane amount of $$$ into MP3’s, albums, cassettes, and even eight-tracks (yes, I’m old enough to remember them) over the years. The premises of the novel—the story of a genius guitarist in possession of six blue “magic” guitar strings—naturally appealed to me.I’ll start off by saying the story is exceptional. And because it’s Albom, it’s unique with a capital “U.” The Christian element, however, is minimal, and I did find that a bit disappointing. BUT… bear with me on that thought until the end.We follow the life of Frankie Presto from his birth in a church—soon to be consumed by flames¬—through his death, marked as “strange” by many observers. The book starts at Frankie’s memorial service, with the POV character and others reflecting on his life.And who exactly is the POV character? Ready for this—it’s Music.Albom’s work is always “different,” but this one elevated his creativity to a new plane. I was enthralled as Music told Frankie’s tale—from his beginning as an orphan, to his mentorship under a blind guitar teacher (who becomes so much more), through his meteoric rise to fame and the intrusion of those six magic blue strings.There is an eventual downfall, followed by a reinvention for a final near-mystical performance as Frankie’s life (and the strings) come full circle.I’m kind of at a loss how to describe this book.It’s part mystery, part love story, and part family/character drama, with a healthy dose of history and mystical elements intertwined. One of the highlights for me, was the people who look back on Frankie’s life through interview chapters and retrospection. These include (among others) Burt Bacharach, Roger McGuinn of The Byrds, Lyle Lovett, Paul Stanley of Kiss, and Tony Bennett, to name a few. In the acknowledgements, Albom relays how each of the musicians he uses in the story, allowed him to weave fictional encounters with Frankie Presto into their lives and careers. It’s all cleverly done. From the days of Elvis Mania to Woodstock, and so much more, Frankie’s life and the lives of others intersect like threads on a loom.Multiple surprises happen along the way—bomb drops that start via small explosions, then morph into larger denotations. Much like a musical composition that moves through frenzied moments into softer pauses and sweeping crescendos, Albom takes his reader on a journey fraught with emotion. It isn’t until the very end that I found myself contemplating the Christian elements. They won’t hit you over the head as you read, but when all is said and done, you’ll realize this is a story about God’s hand in our lives. About forgiveness and trust. The purity of true love.And those blue strings?Pure magic!Fans of music will not want to miss this one. Whether pop culture, classical, or twined with historical elements, music has been a driving, creative force throughout time. Step into this book and let Albom sweep you into a symphony that will linger long after the final curtain drops.

A wonderful story that travels at a busy pace. Filled with wonder and travel and of course music! It is music that narrates the story and tells us how everything is connected. It kept me wanting more of the story. And now I can't wait to read another wonderful story from this great author. Thanks Mr. Albom.

I liked this book very much and I say it was a journey to read because of the various lives Frankie Presto led throughout his life. I have a feeling that Mitch Albom did quite a bit of research in order to make the musical aspect of this story authentic, believable and enticing. Mentions of familiar musicians is a thrill in recognition. Frankie was a mysterious fellow, hugely talented, tutored by a master. He was haunted by his one true love, a girl, then woman, he loved beyond compare. Seeing how his longing for her played out is a big part of the enjoyment of this novel. The narration is of great creativeness. How many novels have you read that were told from the perspective of Music? Yes, Music is the narrator. I use the capital letter to illustrate that the narration was extraordinary and deserves to be called what it is by name. It is the most inventive narrator I have ever come across in decades of reading fiction. Prepare to be enthralled.

This nook certainly engaged me in Frankie’s life story. Primarily his search for himself and the idea of “bands” - the different people surrounding us in our world at a given time - and how that helps define who we are. Thought provoking.

It was easy to order this book, and I was very pleased with it when I received it

I don't often listen to audiobooks - mostly because I tend to doze off, and then I lose my place. Or I get distracted and stop listening for a moment, and lose my place. Well, some books are just meant to be heard rather than read, and The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto is definitely one of them. Read by the author but featuring a few famous names as themselves and other people (including Roger McGuinn, Ingrid Michaelson, John Pizzarelli, and Paul Stanley), it's a brilliant tale that meanders through the history of modern music.In this novel narrated by music, who introduces us to Frankie at the time of his death, Frankie Presto is a Spanish war orphan who is abandoned in a river. He goes on to become a musician comparable in fame to Elvis, the best guitarist who ever lived. Traveling to America in the bottom of a boat at the age of nine, his only possession is a guitar with six magic strings, and his only friend is a hairless dog who refuses to leave his side.When I first bought the ebook, I flipped through the first few pages and had to force myself to stop reading (since it wasn't that book's turn yet, and I try to stick to my list). The use of personified Music as narrator is really interesting stylistically, and I was fascinated with the musical terms that are used to describe the tempo of a day, the crescendo of an emotion and the pause of a rest. It gives the book a magical tone that meshes well with the magical realism of the unlikely coincidences that frame Frankie's life.Beginning at Frankie's funeral, I loved the intervals in which the people who knew him most intimately share the ways in which he affected their lives. Albom actually connected with the famous people whose lives he has inserted this fictional character into, and a lot of them contributed their own words to those sections to make them more authentic. It gives an added layer of richness to the story, and also gives a sense of the community of musicians that came together and played together and created the music that we know today.Towards the end, however, I felt that the story began to drag a little. As Frankie's career rises and then begins to fall, the denouement became depressing. However, right at the very end, Albom brings in an interesting device that ties everything together. It was neatly done, although I think that it could have been done a bit sooner. I don't want to give much away, but I was surprised by the ending, and my own predictions proved to be wrong - it was very clever.This is a brilliant audiobook, and the many voices who tell the story of Frankie Presto give it a richness and a variety that makes it a thrilling story to listen to. A book about music, narrated by music, is absolutely a book that should be heard rather than read, and I would recommend this to anyone who enjoyed The Book Thief, All The Light We Cannot See, and the music of the 1950s-1980s.