Francesca, Don Tassone's contemporary and futuristic drama, explores the importance of being true to one's purpose. As a young girl, Jessica Hanks spent Saturdays working with her mother at a food pantry for people in need. Later she saw a man in the woods who called her by name and said "Follow me." She realized he was Jesus. Both experiences led her to serve poor people, as Jesus and Saint Francis of Assisi did. From her home in Springfield, Missouri, to the Vatican in Rome, Jessica pursued her purpose: "Bringing God to life in the world."
Francesca has elements similar to Esther, the Old Testament book of the Holy Bible. Like Esther, Jessica rose from obscurity to positions of unique power and authority. She exhibited godly character and compassion. With wise and self-sacrificing leadership, she challenged the status quo successfully. Her strong faith guided her around political, religious, and cultural barriers while risking death to glorify God by uplifting poor people worldwide.
Jessica rose to power as Pope Francesca with a top-notch supporting cast, featuring her understanding husband Michael Simon, mentor Father John, and spiritual director Teresa Das. Several talented staffers served Jessica the politician and the prelate. Like skilled ensemble players in a theater or film production, each character helped her navigate the road to the Vatican. Her supporters and antagonists are authentic individuals.
If there's a weakness aside from her workaholic habit, it's that Jessica is too good. She wasn’t a problem child, wild teenager, or vice-laden adult. She never had a blow-out argument during her forty-year marriage. She never had a bad hair day. While in one instance Jessica blamed herself and God, exposing her raw emotions more often when opportunities arose (no spoilers here) would have enhanced her rich persona.
Tassone presents secular, religious, and cultural challenges in a thought-provoking adult drama. Readers don’t need to hold any spiritual belief to enjoy this story and appreciate its characters. Francesca addresses universal issues, including coping with evolving values, managing difficult parent-child relationships, and maintaining a life-work balance.
Jessica’s love of Jesus and desire to live His commandment shine through the entire book. She proved that faith, hope, and loving service to others can bring lasting change in people and communities. Francesca by Don Tassone begins and ends in the future. Updated from its 2021 publication, it's a perfect novel for the world today.
