Frannie is an intelligent young Black woman brought to London by her former enslaver and father, John Langton, to be a servant in the house of his friend and rival, George Benham. She is the protagonist and narrator of the story, telling her tale in the form of a manuscript addressed to her defense attorney, written secretly in her jail cell. Throughout her narrative, she repeatedly shows her intelligence and desire to learn. Frannie was raised on a Jamaican sugar plantation where her interest in intellectual pursuits was often frowned upon. Whipping and being forced to eat a book until she vomited were immediate consequences for her so-called audacity in becoming literate. Her learning is used against her when Langton forces her to help dissect bodies and be his scribe for his eugenics experiments. Still, she maintains her desire for knowledge until the end, repeatedly expressing her love and enjoyment of novels and writing. This love of literature and philosophy is the start of her bond with Meg.

Frannie often feels pride in her knowledge and bearing. She admits a desire to be recognized for her intelligence.