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| Plot Summary of Die Upon A Kiss |
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"
Barbara Hambley
Bantam, Jun 2001, 23.95, 336 pp.
ISBN: 0553109243
Two and a half years ago Benjamin January returned to New Orleans following the death of his beloved wife. Benjamin still finds it difficult to deal with the fact that as a freeman of color the city hierarchy treats him as a second class citizen. Paris taught him the meaning of freedom and watching the slave trade and the other inequities angers Benjamin, but France also contains fond memories that require distance for him to live.
When two thugs attack opera impresario Lorenzo Belaggio in a dark alley near the American Theater, Benjamin intervenes and saves the Italian's life. For his efforts, one of the assailants slashes Benjamin's arm with a knife. Benjamin believes that the attack is racially motivated as Lorenzo is bringing Othello with its black man kissing a white woman to the stage. Lorenzo insists his rival John Davis of a competing opera house hired the “killers”. As the piano player at Belaggio's opera company, Benjamin decides to investigate the attack not yet prepared for the depth of hatred and avarice that threatens anyone who gets too close to the truth.
The fifth January historical mystery continues the tradition of bringing a flavor of 1830s New Orleans to vivid life so that the reader feels transported to that era. The hero is a complex person struggling to contain his anger and his desire to avenge the atrocities he sees and feels every day. The current mystery is cleverly designed, but Barbara Hambley's novel belongs to the bygone era she poignantly portrays in DIE UPON A KISS and in the series previous well-written novels.
Harriet Klausner
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Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar
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| Review Analysis of Die Upon A Kiss |
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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
Time/era of story:
- 19th century
Spying/Terrorism Thriller
Yes
What % of story relates directly
to the mystery, not the subplot?
- 40%
Kind of investigator
- amateur citizen investigator
Kid or adult book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Crime Thriller
Yes
Murder Mystery (killer unknown)
Yes
General Crime (including known murderer)
Yes
Who's the criminal enemy here?
- finding a known killer
Main Character
Gender
- Male
Profession/status:
- teacher
How much violence does he/she use?
- none
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:
- 40's-50's
Profession/status:
- wealthy
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- an average amount
Motive of antagonist
- insanity
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:
- Deep South
Style
Part of a series?
Yes
Accounts of torture and death?
- generic/vague references to death/punishment
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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