Welcome to the world of sex, drugs, and disintegration. Frantic chronicles the crazy journey of Alice, an English girl, who somehow survives the insanity of the drug circles in San Francisco and London during the early seventies. There are many off-the-wall moments in Frantic, and Frances Lynn captures them with superb humor and amazing clarity.

Alice, like Alice in Wonderland, is on a trip. There are many colorful characters along the way. But there are many pitfalls as well, including trips to the mental hospital and attempted murder.  I would say more but I don’t want to give anything away.

Alice is a character that is very likeable, due to her resilience, passion, and knack for seeing through people.  Lynn exposes the shallowness and general attitude problems of her characters, while at the same time rendering them in a vulnerable desperate state.  There’s something ominous in the air which becomes more and more apparent as you read on.  Yet, I still found myself laughing through these moments.

Frances Lynn, who also wrote the book Crushed, is an extremely witty writer, whose character descriptions are unlike any that I have read before.  They are often merciless, but they are not cold blooded assassinations. There’s a ring of truth to them, which is what makes them so funny.  Regardless, I would hate to be at the receiving end of Frances’s pen.

Frantic is a great story that I highly recommend. Even for those who did not live through that period, this book will entertain you simply because it’s such a spirited and hilarious ride.

Copyright 2007 Brett Nicholas Moore