Reviews with content warning for Suicide - The Confessions of Frannie Langton

"No one knows the worst thing they are capable of until they do it."

Collins really put in the work to research and present a story that explored more than just plantation life and what it meant for slaves. That Frannie was chosen as a test subject by two white planters to see how far they could stretch and assess her intelligence. Using her as their instrument of torture against her own in a macabre dance of discovery to prove unfounded and incorrect perceptions about Black bodies.

We move from the plantation in Jamaica where Frannie is nothing more than a way for both Langton and his wife to exercise their spite and hateful beliefs to the manor of Benham and his madame where she is yet again positioned as a piece for either to use. Here, Frannie falls for the beautiful mistress of the house, ignoring all the signs that here lies her destruction and end.

These phases of her life are told to the reader by Frannie as she awaits trial for murder. Slowly, we uncover just what took place in the coachouse and how Frannie felt as she committed these unspeakable acts to how she maneuvered between a spoilt and depressed white woman and the man who wants to control both their lives.

A really well-written debut.

Content Warnings

bombalurina's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

The Confessions of Frannie Langton was my pick for my 52 in 52 prompt: book by a Caribbean author. Author Sara Collins slowly submerges you into the harsh unforgiving world of a young mulatto slave girl named Frannie. First impressions of Frannie is that she is an unreliable narrator trying to avoid a murder charge by writing her memories leading up to the charge in question as best as she recalls.. The mystery surrounding her time at the Langton’s and Benham’s fuels the narrative, but it is its underlying sense of foreboding that runs like a bleeding vein to the heart of the story. The 60% mark begins the unraveling. The free fall is delicious yet heartbreaking mix of truth, outrage, and despair. The injustices Frannie and the slaves at the plantation suffer due to the self serving whims of white men is both horrifying and reprehensible. Frannie’s disregard for social distinction, gender, and race mixed with her vulnerability and desires captures the innate essence of what we should all aspire to. Her addiction, helplessness, and subsequent guilt all combine to portray an all too real struggle. Ultimately though it is her “love” that proves to be both her saving grace and her fatal downfall.

Content Warnings

library_kb's review against another edition

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challenging dark mysterious sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

I read this book for bookclub, and it was one that I procrastinated on because I just didn't want to pick it up and read it (I finished it 10 minutes before the meeting). I never really connected with the main character and had a hard time really understanding her choices, especially in the round-about way that the story was told, with a lot of vague references. That may have been part of the author's intent, but didn't draw me to the book. This is also a story with a lot of darkness--historically accurate but hard to read.

Content Warnings

summerfireflies's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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becca9849's review against another edition

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dark mysterious sad slow-paced

Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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