Book Review for Henry Franks by Sonja Wolter

Last year, I read 26 books, and although that was pretty good, I noticed that I hadn’t read any “Indie” novels. So, I thought I’d explore the world of independently published stories by doing reviews for them on the Headwaters’ blog.

My first review is for Henry Franks by Peter Adam Salomon.

Published in 2012, this YA novel is a quick read. It was recommended to me by one of our other members, Patricia Bird, who seems to have the lucky touch when it comes to winning books. So, on her recommendation, I gave this one a go.

Initially, the story moves along at a slow pace. There’s a lot of repetition of description and events for the first twelve chapters, with a few smatterings of foreshadowing, but by chapter thirteen the story starts to pick up and roll.

Henry is a lost soul. The first 16 years of his life have been erased by amnesia from an “accident” in which his mother died. He bears the scars, all four thousand three hundred and seventeen stitches, which constantly remind him of all that he has forgotten. His obsession with pricking himself with push pins to test his ability to feel pain in his limbs leads him to the conclusion that parts of him are dying, as numbness creeps further and further into his limbs.

The sense that he is alone is magnified by the ineffectual psychological treatment of Dr. Saville and the continually absent and emotionally unavailable presence of his father, whose behaviour is decidedly bizarre. Add in to this a series of murders and an impending hurricane and you have the setting for a mystery that reveals horrific conclusions.

With his one and only friend Justine, he finally takes matters into his own hands to unravel the clues left to him in photos and reoccurring dreams. Discovering more and more the lengths his father has gone to in order to hide the truth from him.

When the hurricane hits, all hell breaks loose, and in the aftermath, Henry learns who he really is. The question left with us is whether or not he will continue his father’s legacy.

All in all the story was certainly interesting and kept me guessing until the end. A true modern day Frankenstein story with a twist.