Annunciation of Francesca Dunn: A Novel

By Janis Hallowell

A remarkable debut novel that 'dares us to imagine mystery in our lives, in our time㿠book that sends us away refreshed, with the potential to see the sacramental in the everyday' – Boston Globe

Told from the viewpoints of four unforgettable characters, The Annunciation of Francesca Dunn is the story of an ordinary girl who is believed to be a modern–day Holy Virgin. At the heart of the story is Francesca: a shy and moody teenager hungry for her absent father's love, she is frightened and intoxicated by her sudden elevation to the rank of divine. Chester is a visionary homeless man who first 'discovers' Francesca and makes himself her protector. Anne is Francesca's no–nonsense mother, whose religion is Darwin and biology. Sid is Francesca's troubled friend, who keeps a few secrets of her own.

Tender and tragic, their intersecting stories probe the need to believe, and the relationship between divinity and madness. Beautifully crafted, here is a compelling first novel that heralds the arrival of a powerful new talent.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Release date: Oct 6, 2009
• ISBN: 9780061982859

Janis Hallowell

Janis Hallowell, author of The Annunciation of Francesca Dunn, is a MacDowell Fellow, and her short fiction has been published in Ploughshares. She lives in Colorado with her husband and daughter.

Reviews for Annunciation of Francesca Dunn

[etjrbach · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The book had me from the beginning, and my only reasoning behind 4 stars vs. more was I wanted more. I felt that author started with a great concept, pulled me into caring and then rushed the ending. I loved reading the different points of view through Chester, Sid & Anna, but sadly the author denied me the one first person point of view I wanted... Francesca's. I'd love to pick the author's brain as to why she withheld what I thought the most important piece of the puzzle. With it, and just a bit more of a push at the end, I would easily have given this book a 4.

[catien_3 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A homeless man, Chester, living on the streets in Boulder, Colorado, is an ex-professor and present-day schizophrenic. Ronnie owns a restaurant in Boulder and serves free meals to Chester and many other homeless men and women. Ronnie's next-door neighbors are Anne and Francesca Dunn. Francesca helps out at the restaurant. Anne is recently divorced from Francesca's father who has moved to Italy with his new girlfriend. Francesca, 14, misses him desperately and has been exhibiting some concerning behaviors that land her in a "special" school where she meets Sid. Sid is a "cutter," and Sid's mother is an alcoholic and has poor taste in men, and Sid spends a lot of her time care-taking. Chester has a vivid dream where Francesca is shown to him as the Virgin Mary, pregnant with the Christ child. The story of what follows is told through the eyes of Anne, Francesca, Sid, and Chester. The author did an excellent job of bringing the characters to life, and I came to care about all of them, warts and all. The ending is shocking and mundane all at the same time. Very enjoyable and unique read.

[theeccentriclady · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I purchased this book at a library sale. It sounded like something different. It was, but I enjoyed it. She touches on several subjects that give you thought and that is what I enjoy in a book. It says it is a book that explores the seductive and distructive power of belief. That pretty much sums it up.

[sonyau_2 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Strong plot, but ultimately unsatisfying. I did not ever connect with any of the characters. I found some of the narrative sections too short, and particularly, the character Anne was there solely to provide a counterpoint to the religious aspect of the book. She was a skeptic with a capital S. The main character, Francesca, was enigmatic. I guess like Mary. Hmmm. All in all, I was interested enough to keep going, but I never was "inside" the book at all.

[mindytieken_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Surprisingly, a good read about a young girl who becomes the Virgin Mary and savior to people in her town.

[julenebair · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

An Allegory for Our TimesJanis Hallowell’s The Annunciation of Francesca Dunn takes a surprisingly convincing leap of imagination into the lives of saints, or ordinary people who might be construed as such. I found myself wanting Francesca to be holy, a miracle, just as much as the book’s many needy of heart and/or body did. This wise book, by causing me to recognize that wish in myself, expanded my understanding of the religious impulse. It is not a mindless drive toward mass hypnosis, as I’ve sometimes suspected, but a need to love, surrender and revere. While the writing is as particular and the characters as real as in any realistic novel, the story is also an allegory, showing us, through the homeless Chester, the self-transcendence possible through worship, while also dissecting the corruption that often tempts those closest to worship’s object. Francesca’s best friend Sid is as tragically bound to betray her as Judas was Christ.

[tanyatomato · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I liked this book it had a good story that drew me in despite the religious aspect. Is she the new virgin, but pharmaceuticals and the abandonment of devotees ended it or was it a delusion?