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| Plot Summary of A Good Soldier |
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"
Silver Dagger, Feb 2003, 23.95
ISBN 1570722153
The Civil War has been over for six months but General Ulysses S. Grant remains the hero who won the war and preserved the nation. Everyone agrees that Andrew Johnson is a one-term president and that General Grant will in all probability be the next president. Grant tours the county, campaigning to win the presidency if he chooses to run. On his way to Cincinnati, he stops at the small Ohio town of Bethel where five of his childhood friends reside.
All five of the men spent time in Andersonville, a horrible prison where federal inmates lived in horrific conditions. Grant attends one friend's funeral and before long two other pals are dead. His son finds gold coins in the home of the widow and it isn't long before one of the two remaining friends tell him they returned with gold that was part of the confederate treasury. The two survivors don't know where the booty is hidden and somebody else knows about the loot and will kill to keep the others from having it.
In A GOOD SOLDIER, readers observe Ulysses S. Grant, as a person who has known the horrors of war and still grieves for the men that were killed and the nation that remains divided in principle. The audience also sees an individual who adores his wife and youngsters. The audience also sees glimpses of the general who once committed to a cause sees it through to the bitter end. Though a strong historical mystery, the key character enables the author to make his mark as a gifted storyteller who makes history come alive.
Harriet Klausner
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Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar
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| Review Analysis of A Good Soldier |
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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 - 60%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 20%
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:
- 19th century
What % of story relates directly
to the mystery, not the subplot?
- 60%
Special suspect?
- best friend
Kind of investigator
- skilled citizen investigator
Kid or adult book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Any non-mystery subplot?
- life in that culture
Crime Thriller
Yes
Murder Mystery (killer unknown)
Yes
Main Character
Gender
- Male
Profession/status:
- champion of justice
Age:
- 40's-50's
How much violence does he/she use?
- none
Ethnicity/Race
- White/American
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
- very athletic
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Female
Age:
- 40's-50's
Profession/status:
- homemaker
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- a moderate amount
Motive of antagonist
- revenge
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
- very athletic
Setting
United States
Yes
The US:
- Midwest
Style
Person
- mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death?
- generic/vague references to death/punishment
How many deaths?
- 3-4
Amount of dialog
- significantly more dialog than descript
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