Dorothea Benton Frank is one of my all time favorite authors. I discovered her when I found her first novel, Sullivan's Island, in 2000. Her stories take place mainy in South Carolina, one of my favorite places to visit. In 2000, I hadn't been to SC yet but recognized a couple of locations she mentioned in the book since my niece was living in that area at the time.
I sent a message, via her website, after her second book, to let her know how much I loved her writing. I figured this would be lost in cyperspace but she emailed me back thanking me for the note. And so began my love for "Dot" Frank.
In 2005, Chuck and I visited Cindy in South Carolina. I was charmed and thrilled. We took the Dot Frank tour, visiting all the places she had written about at that time-Sullivan's Island, Pawley's Island, Shem Creek, Charleston. Seeing the sweet grass baskets sold at the roadside stands on Rt 17....I was in heaven.
Her newest book, Folly Beach: A Lowcountry Tale is added to my favorites. I've told you before that I tend to pull back from authors who write with a "cookie cutter" mentality, in an effort to pump out novels for a publishing schedule. This book is NOT one of those. Dot takes a different route with this story. It starts in New Jersey and then moves to Folly's Beach where Cate Cooper discovers the history behind a quaint little cottage. It's not time travel but the story is told with some retrospective, in the form of play. The scenes from the play start each chapter.
I have to say, I loved this. It's so different it made me think and really absorb the story and the characters, rather than a typical beach read that I can finish in 1-2 days. There were some pieces that were written a little "light", I thought. Some areas that could have been more detailed but really didn't take away from my enjoyment of the book.
And, as a nurse, I'm usually disappointed when there are medical references. That's an area that's usually lacking when it's not the main focus of the story, maybe lack of research. Not so in this case. Just another reason why Dot continues to win me over.
It wasn't until after I finished Folly Beach that I actually read some reviews by other readers. I was surprised that many were disappointed by the change in how the story is told. I couldn't disagree more, it brings a freshness and helps to connect past with the present.
If you haven't read Dorothea Benton Frank, you should. If you've been to South Carolina and love it like I do, you have to read this.
Happy reading,
Pauline
