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| Plot Summary of A Potion For A Widow |
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"
Berkley, Dec 2001, 6.50, 288 pp.
ISBN 0425183653
By 1354, the plague has finally ebbed in Europe. In Girona, Isaac, a blind Jew, serves as the physician to Bishop Berenguer. Isaac's protégé Yusuf is a ward of King Don Pedro who is fighting in Sardina. A malicious person threatens Yusuf so his patrons feel it is safer for him to leave the area.
The Bishop has a packet for the king so Yusuf joins the party escorting it. Before they reach the gates, Pasqual Robert arrives with a knife in his chest. He shortly dies but the man who posed as a cleric for years was really acting as an agent for the king. On the road to their destination, Yusuf and his companions meet a girl, Clara, who is obviously of aristocratic stock. She accompanies the envoy to Sardinia where they search the records to find out who Pasqual's wife is and where she lives so they can notify her of her husband's death. How Clara is connected to Pasqual makes for a fairy tale.
It is very obvious that Caroline Roe has done meticulous research on late Medieval Spain so that the reader will gain a better understanding of the callousness of the leadership along with their politics and social mores. Although Isaac plays a secondary role in this tale, he is a pivotal person to the story line. There are various sub-plots that return to the main story line so that no loose threats remain dangling. A POTION FOR A WIDOW is a colorful and appealing historical mystery.
Harriet Klausner
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Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar
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| Review Analysis of A Potion For A Widow |
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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 - 10%
How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 50%
Time/era of story:
- middle ages
Spying/Terrorism Thriller
Yes
Cloak & Dagger Plotlets:
- investigating murder of politician(s)
- power struggle within govt between two factions
Kid or adult book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Main Character
Gender
- Male
Profession/status:
- doctor
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:
- 40's-50's
Profession/status:
- mastermind
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- a moderate amount
Motive of antagonist
- power
How sensitive is this character?
- mean, arrogant
Sense of humor
- Cynical sense of humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- average physique
Setting
Europe
Yes
European country:
- Spain
Style
Person
- mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death?
- generic/vague references to death/punishment
How many deaths?
- 1
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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