125Pages

Frannie and Tru by Karen Hattrup
Published by HarperTeen on May 31, 2016

Frannie and Tru by Karen Hattrup was so much. Like, it’s actually hard to put into words the full depth of this story. A classic coming of age tale narrated by a teen girl, Frannie, who longs to experience the world. She gets that chance when her older cousin Tru comes to stay with the family one summer. Declaring herself his sidekick, she tags along on a journey of self discovery and discovers that the world may not be what she thought, but that it also has much more to offer than she realized.

Frannie and Tru was very rich. Seeing the world through Frannie’s young eyes, the plot took on a richness that I don’t normally see. The daily facets of life took on a fresh sheen and I loved how the focus remained true throughout. Karen Hattrup wrote with a gentleness that is not often seen. She was nuanced and wrote with a very consistent tone. I had a few small issues with the pacing where the story jumped a bit too far, but it did not hamper my enjoyment. The world built was nicely detailed and had many small touches that made it real. The emotions ran high, as any tale told by a teen girl is seen through her emotional filter. I loved most of the characters. Frannie was sweet and gentle, Tru had his issues but really cared deep down. The adults, however, were sadly typical YA awful.

Frannie and Tru made me feel so much during the reading. I really connected with the narrator and loved the journey she took me on. Karen Hattrup crafted a read that I enjoyed cover to cover. This is her debut and I can only see great things in her future. Hattrup is an author to watch and Frannie and Tru is quite a first effort.

I received this book for free from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.