“Would you mind terribly, old boy, if I borrowed the rest of your life? I promise I’ll take excellent care of it.”–Anna Johnston, The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife
Anna Johnston has given the world a gift with the character of Frederick Fife. Everyone needs a Fred Fife in their life! He is kind, thoughtful, loyal, and loves deeply but at age 82, life isn’t going so well for Fred. His beloved wife has been gone for ten years. He’s broke and about to be evicted from his apartment. As he goes for a walk to think about what to do, his life changes when he is mistaken for Bernard Greer, a missing resident of a nearby care center. Suddenly Fred has a place to stay, food, and even friends–as long as the real Bernard doesn’t come back.
Denise Simms is a caregiver at the facility and her life is falling apart. Her marriage is over and her daughter’s health concerns are overwhelming. She is bitter and disappointed with life, vowing to never let a man deceive her again. She is suspicious of Fred from the beginning. Fred is kind and friendly. Bernard was prickly and difficult. The more kindness Fred shows to everyone he associates with, the more suspicious Denise becomes.
This is a bittersweet story about broken lives, grief, redemption, friendship, and what it means to be a family. Anna Johnston’s humorous and perceptive debut novel is definitely worth your time.
Content Advisory: some language, death,