‘House Fires’ Review: A Stunning Addition to Connor Franta’s Trilogy
New York Times best-selling author Connor Franta has released his latest book House Fires.
House Fires chronicles a much different journey than A Work in Progress and Note to Self. Now, Franta is approaching his thirties and while he finds it fascinating, he’s still very much confused about the direction he’s supposed to take. Expressing a whirlwind of thoughts like confusion, loneliness, romance, despair, and more. House Fires is a challenge to not just himself, but readers alike, to ponder humanity and their own place in it.
The very first thing I noticed was how on brand aesthetically the book is. It certainly fits in well with both of its predecessors. The vibrant photographs and short poems would fit perfectly on any Tumblr dashboard or Instagram feed. Franta has a unique ability to connect and relate to his audience which is likely why he has for the better part of a decade. In all of Franta’s books, he tackles different eras of his life, what was going on at those times. He’s not afraid to discuss the good, the bad, and even the ugly.
Many times I found myself nodding and shouting “Yes!” because much of what he’s talking about, I’ve dealt with personally. Let’s face it, everyone’s been there. Stuck between following the path they’re comfortable with or doing away with it to start anew can be scary.
Put simply, if your wise older brother was a book, it would be House Fires. Franta may be on the brink of turning 30 and vacating the experimental times of his life to venture into the wholly unknown but he’s at least got a semblance of an idea of how to circumnavigate it. House Fires is reminiscent of catching up with an old friend after some time apart; a warm hug reminding you that it’s okay not to have all the answers in a world full of infinite possibilities. Who does?
House Fires is available now! Follow Franta on Twitter and Instagram to keep up to date with his future projects. Franta is also heading out on a six stop book tour starting today.
