Arms Around Frank Richardson by Sylvia Colley

 

Arms Around Frank Richardson by Sylvia Colley.

Published 16th June 2022 by Muswell Press.

From the cover of the book:

The impact of traumatic childhood experience reverberates into the grown-up world of Frank, Alice and Henry – children from three families suffering the fall-out from their early life. 

Frank, a working-class boy abused by his step-father, Alice, physically disabled and frustrated, Henry, the less clever son of wealthy ambitious parents. 

From a rundown estate in Eastleigh, a small town in Darlington and an affluent Cotswold home, each character grapples with the life fate has handed them. Until by chance they all come together in adulthood, the repercussions are explosive. 

Spanning 30 years the scope of this novel is ambitious and the writing beautifully honed. Character and sense of place are masterfully achieved.

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Spanning nearly thirty years, beginning in 1965, this is a story about three people who struggle with the impact of the trauma of their early lives. We meet Frank first, by being tipped headlong into a childhood filled with heart-breaking abuse and neglect; then become acquainted with Alice, who has a congenital hip condition that makes her feel she is forever out of step in more than just a physical way, although part of a loving family; and Henry, who feels under-valued by his wealthy parents and in the shadow of his 'perfect' brother. The book swaps back and forth between each of the three central characters, with occasional interjecting chapters from others, jumping forward in time as they make their way in the world. 

Frank's story is the most compelling, which given the title of the book, is not surprising. Many of the scenes described about his life, and that of his sister Kitty, are difficult to read and provoke a visceral response. There is so much in their part of the book that examines repeating, dysfunctional patterns of behaviour, and the difficulties of overcoming them to live a fulfilling and happy life. My heart bled for them, time and time again. The stories of Alice and Henry, are less powerful in comparison, but they still explore some interesting ground around the perception of disability, expectation, parenthood, and marriage.

For most of the book, the characters lives only touch briefly, sometimes in gorgeous emotionally charged scenes that have them meeting directly, or through connection with other characters. I really enjoyed how this builds up a frisson of suspense, as you wait for the moment when their storylines must surely come together.

I confess that there are things that I am in two minds about with this book though. Frank's story is the one that consumes you, as it has real impact, and the way the book is written means you are immediately tied to his fate in a way that simply does not come across in Alice and Henry's parts of the tale. At times, I thought this would be much better as two books - one which concentrates entirely on Frank and Kitty, and another which delves into the lives of Alice and Henry - which would have allowed for a truly deep exploration of how their childhoods affected the course of the lives, and their ability to form relationships. I very much enjoyed what Colley attempts to do in the three storylines, but this does sometimes feel rushed and superficial, especially given the big jumps forward in time. I wanted more. For me, this is one of those books that would work so much better in audio format, as it would allow the reader to forge a more intimate bond with Alice and Henry through their voices, which it needs to balance out the whole.

It is also fair to say that the length of time it takes for the three storylines to be resolved does seem an eternity, making you wonder quite where all this is going. I am not quite sure that the ending really does convey what Colley intends it to either, especially given the confusing 'love triangle' element, which does not come full circle to the promising prologue. There is too much hinted at, and it needs a more satisfying ending given the lengthy build up.

However, I love the way Colley writes, and what she gets across with her words about the pivotal moments that shape our ability to navigate the world is impressive. She offers so much about real lives, hard fought little wins, learning to deal with our pasts, and trying to find happiness, that is a joy to experience. There is a lot of pain and anguish in this story, but there are many moments of true love too, and it really does make you think about what family means.

Arms Around Frank Richardson is available to by now in paperback, and ebook formats.

Thank you to Muswell Press for sending me a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

About the author:

Sylvia Colley lives in Pinner, North London and spent many years as Head of English at the Purcell School. She has published a book of poetry, It’s Not What I Wanted Though and two novels, Lights on Dark Water and Ask Me to Dance. Her poetry and a documentary, The Tale of Three Daughters, about her life and the loss of two of her children, have been broadcast on BBC Radio 4.