The Annunciation of Francesca Dunn

By Janis Hallowell

Book Overview

A remarkable debut novel that 'dares us to imagine mystery in our lives, in our time㿠book that sends us away refreshed, with the potential to see the sacramental in the everyday' - Boston Globe

Told from the viewpoints of four unforgettable characters, The Annunciation of Francesca Dunn is the story of an ordinary girl who is believed to be a modern-day Holy Virgin. At the heart of the story is Francesca: a shy and moody teenager hungry for her absent father's love, she is frightened and intoxicated by her sudden elevation to the rank of divine. Chester is a visionary homeless man who first 'discovers' Francesca and makes himself her protector. Anne is Francesca's no-nonsense mother, whose religion is Darwin and biology. Sid is Francesca's troubled friend, who keeps a few secrets of her own.

Tender and tragic, their intersecting stories probe the need to believe, and the relationship between divinity and madness. Beautifully crafted, here is a compelling first novel that heralds the arrival of a powerful new talent.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0060559209
• ISBN13: 9780060559205
• Release Date: March 2005
• Publisher: William Morrow & Company
• Length: 336 Pages
• Weight: 0.56 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 4.8" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

A great read for anyone!

Some say that this book is hard to read because of the different characters telling the story, however, there are only four narrators telling the story which I thought made the book more interesting to read. The Annunciation of Francescia Dunn tells the story of a 14 yr old who suddenly finds people are worshiping her. Throughout the book you feel for her, and you feel for her mother and the people around her. The book keeps you hoping that she really is the virgin mother, with each chapter you wait to see what new developments take place. Not until the very last chapter does the full picture come together.

Not what I expected...

This book was not what I expected but was wonderful nevertheless.. Francesca Dunn is a 14 year old girl on the cusp of becoming a woman but still very much a child, her parents have recently divorced and she feels abandoned by her previously doting father whose dream it was for Francesca to be a famous celloist.. She begins to realize she is not the prodigy her father had hoped for, at about the same time as a homeless man at the soup kitchen where she works announces that she is the virgin mother.. a frenzy of adulation ensues.. making Francesca feel special once again and her mother doubt her daughters sanity.. told in the alternating pov's of Anne the mother, Francesca, her bestfriend Sid and the homeless man Chester.. Excellent I highly recommend this book.

Audio CD version - a great unabridged listen

This audiobook on CD was a great listen. It is unabridged on 8 CDs and runs for 8 hours. The narrators do an excellent job of reading; the narrators each seemed to really understand their character's personalities, and it helped me enjoy the book more, hearing it read aloud. My only complaint about the book or the narration was that the narrator's voices sounded much too alike, and I often got confused as to which character's point of view I was listening to at any given time. It was easy to figure out within a moment, but I would have preferred it to be clearer. As to the plot and writing itself, I found the book very thought provoking and engaging. I cared about the characters and could see even the conflicting points of view. I'd recommend this book highly, either on audio or in a hard copy.

Fabulous first novel

I could not put this book down. It is the first novel from a new and exciting author. Her insights into the essence of the mind a teenage girl and the mania that is caused when her life is turned upside down by the assertion that she is a miraculous reembodiment of the virgin Mary are intriguing. At once one feels the out-of-control external aspects of Francesca's situation and the interior issues of identity that we all feel as humans - particularly teenage humans. I strongly recommend this book to young and old and look forward to more from this new writer.

A great, solid novel with engaging characters

I'm a literature student and read so much for school that I can be picky when it comes to books for enjoyment. I thought this was a great novel. The characters were engaging and the plot kept me reading. I just had to finish it in one sitting! I had no problems with the multiple narrators and it added much more depth to the book. The writing flowed and the story had great character development. I highly recommend and definitely plan on reading it again.