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| Plot Summary of A Fine and Bitter Snow |
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"
St. Martin's, June 2002, 24.95, 244 pp.
ISBN 0312205481
Now that the Republicans are back in the White House, there is an intense interest in exploring the Alaskan wilderness for oil reserves. The natives of the state are torn between the need for new jobs and preserving the beauty of their untamed land. Chief park ranger Dan O'Brien is on the record for wanting to preserve the environment and as a result was asked by his superiors to take an early retirement.
Kate Shugak, a homesteader in the Park, is rallying the people to save Dan's job. When two elderly radical conservationists that Kate spoke to about the problem are found dead, Alaska state trooper Jim Chopin arrests a Vietnam vet, covered in blood and holding the murder weapon. Although it looks like an open and shut case, both Kate and Jim find that things seem too pat and decide to investigate, a decision that puts Kate in deadly danger.
Although A FINE AND BITTER SNOW is a great mystery, the author puts more emphasis on the strange but very real courtship of Kate and Jim. Kate's efforts to avoid Jim and his honest bewilderment about his feelings for the prickly investigator make for some funny episodes. As always, Dana Stabenow brings the beauty and the danger of the Alaskan frontier alive, but also provides insight into the oil rigging environmental controversy This exciting novel will leave readers excited yet bushed from a wonderful reading experience.
Harriet Klausner
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Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar
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| Review Analysis of A Fine and Bitter Snow |
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Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about books by breaking them down into many different literary elements, all of which are searchable (click here).
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Composition of Book
descript. of violence and chases - 10%
Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 30%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 50%
How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 10%
Tone of story
- suspenseful (sophisticated fear)
How difficult to spot villain?
- Very difficult--no foreshadowing/clues
Time/era of story:
- present (2000-2010)
What % of story relates directly
to the mystery, not the subplot?
- 60%
Special suspect?
- chronically deranged person
Misc. Murder Plotlets
- Proving innocence of very obvious suspect
Kind of investigator
- skilled citizen investigator
Kid or adult book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Any non-mystery subplot?
- feelings towards lover
Crime Thriller
Yes
Murder Mystery (killer unknown)
Yes
Main Character
Gender
- Female
Profession/status:
- private investigator
How much violence does he/she use?
- a little
How sensitive is this character?
- sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Cynical sense of humor
Intelligence
- Very much smarter than other characters
Physique
- very athletic
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Female
Age:
- 20's-30's
Profession/status:
- mastermind
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- a moderate amount
Motive of antagonist
- money/treasure
How sensitive is this character?
- hard edged
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- average physique
Setting
United States
Yes
The US:
- Alaska
Style
Person
- mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death?
- generic/vague references to death/punishment
How many deaths?
- 1
Amount of dialog
- roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
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Dana Stabenow Resident Scholar Profiles
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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s). | |
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