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Why This Magical Story Wasn’t Believable
What didn’t work for me in The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto
Spoilers Ahead ⚠️
If you read magical realism, metaphysical fiction, or religious fiction, you may enjoy Mitch Albom’s The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto. The novel utilizes supernatural and mystical elements to recount the extraordinary life of the fictional “best guitarist of all time,” Francisco (Frankie) Presto. The voice or “spirit” of Music narrates Presto’s life story: from his birth, when he chose Music as his life passion, to his funeral, where Music returns to collect what was borrowed.
Although I enjoyed this novel, some incidents took me out of the story. I hung on until the end only to find it unsatisfying. I decided to take this opportunity to look into what makes it hard for readers to suspend disbelief.
What Makes A Story Believable?
To make a reader suspend disbelief, a writer needs to create a believable world with consistent rules, well-developed characters who react logically to situations, and provide enough detail to immerse the reader in the story, even if the premise is fantastical, by establishing clear internal logic within the story’s universe and respecting those rules throughout the narrative. Source…
