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| Plot Summary of Back From The Dead |
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"
Knopf, Apr 2001, 23.00, 258 pp.
ISBN: 0679451277
Once a rock and roll icon, but now more a golden oldie, McMahon begins receiving a letter a week signed by a woman dead for well over a decade. When the missives start to turn uglier and threatening, McMahon hires disillusioned New York City police detective Youselli to investigate the source and why. The rock idol informs Youselli that Leah baby-sat for the child of a now dead band member, but died in Paris fifteen years ago.
Youselli begins questioning those close to McMahon and quickly realizes that his employer has not been totally truthful with his information. Soon Youselli becomes obsessed with the investigation and wonders if Leah actually still lives. His own life in emotional shamble, Youselli begins to live through the weekly letter even as he seeks the truth.
BACK FROM THE DEAD is at times an engaging mystery due to its fascinating but gloomy characters that readers will actually detest. However, the story line takes to long to develop and will lose those in the audience whom prefer a faster pace. Chris Petit shows flashes of a top talent, especially with the cast and their dialogue, but needs to tighten the plot so that the reader will not feel like they hit the wall of a marathon.
Harriet Klausner
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Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar
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| Review Analysis of Back From The Dead |
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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 - 70%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 10%
How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 10%
Kid or adult book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Crime Thriller
Yes
General Crime (including known murderer)
Yes
If story PRIMARILY about main chr. being hunted...
- hunted by killer/stalker
Main Character
Gender
- Male
Profession/status:
- private investigator
Age:
- 20's-30's
How much violence does he/she use?
- just the right amount
How sensitive is this character?
- middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- average physique
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Male
Age:
- 20's-30's
Profession/status:
- wealthy
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- an average amount
Motive of antagonist
- revenge
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:
- Northeast
Misc setting
- fancy mansion
Style
Person
- mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death?
- no torture/death
Amount of dialog
- significantly more descript than dialog
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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s). | |
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