I was gifted this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
About the Book
“Would you mind terribly, old boy, if I borrowed the rest of your life? I promise I’ll take excellent care of it.”
Frederick Fife was born with an extra helping of kindness in his heart. If he borrowed your car, he’d return it washed with a full tank of gas. The problem is there’s nobody left in Fred’s life to borrow from. At eighty-two, he’s desperately lonely, broke, and on the brink of homelessness.
Fred’s luck changes when, in a bizarre case of mistaken identity, he takes the place of Bernard Greer at the local nursing home. Now he has a roof over his head, three meals a day, and, most importantly, the chance to be part of a family again. All he has to do is hope that his poker face is in better shape than his prostate and that his look-alike never turns up.
As Fred navigates life in Bernard’s shoes, he learns about the man’s past and what it might take to return a life in better condition than he found it.
Bittersweet and remarkably perceptive, The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife is a feel-good, clever novel about grief, forgiveness, redemption, and finding family, from an exciting new voice in fiction.
My Take
There is no way this is a debut album! I fell in love with Fred immediately and then cheered his successes, cried his losses and cheered again for other wonderful things that happen! I found the book moved beautifully from the beginning to the end. I was particularly happy with all the characters and how Anna Johnston made each of the lovable with all their flaws. I wanted the book to end so I'd know the story, but then, I didn't want the book to end. My life is a little less hopeful without Fred. Fabulous humor.
About the Author
Anna Johnston is a former baby, aspiring octogenarian and emerging Australian author with a love for the heartfelt and hilarious. She grew up in country Victoria before moving to Melbourne where she lives joyously with her husband and daughters by the beach. Anna left an imminent career in medicine to follow her heart into her grandfather's nursing home where she became the social support coordinator, taking great delight in shaking up the usual program. When injury left her unable to continue working in aged care, she began to write about it, channelling her love for older people onto the page. Anna has enjoyed a lifelong passion for theatre, screenplay, travel, and creative writing.
