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| Plot Summary of A Feast of Poisons |
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"
St. Martin's, June 2004, 23.95, 256 pp.
ISBN 0312310145
In 1472,, Canterbury physician Kathryn Swinbrooke and her bridegroom Colum Murtagh are doing the King's business in the English village of Walmer, but also spending time alone in a place of their choice. Lord Henry is a close confident of King Edward IV and he has invited three of the French King's advisors to his manor house to see if they can agree to terms for a peace treaty between the two countries. Colum and Kathryn are investigating a claim that Lord Henry killed his wife.
In Walmer, someone is poisoning the villagers who killed the three Lancaster supporters who came to the village after the Yorkists won the war. None of the victims are innocent, most are criminals but Kathryn knows murder is illegal no matter the motive. She investigates, but almost gets herself killed by an archer with a deadly arrow. The murders in the village spread to the manor house where one of the French delegates is poisoned. To avoid a possible war between the two countries, Kathryn uses her skills to identify who is behind the Walmer murders. Now she just has to live long enough to prove it.
Fans of Sharon Kay Penman and Roberta Gellis will appreciate the storytelling abilities of C.L. Grace and the meticulous research that found its way into the plot, making it an entertaining as well as educational reading experience. The protagonist is a strong willed independent in an era when females were considered chattel of their men folks. C.L. Grace makes the aftermath of the War of the Roses come alive to appreciative readers.
Harriet Klausner
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Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar
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| Review Analysis of A Feast of Poisons |
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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 - 40%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 40%
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:
- middle ages
What % of story relates directly
to the mystery, not the subplot?
- 70%
Kind of investigator
- skilled citizen investigator
Kid or adult book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Any non-mystery subplot?
- politics
Crime Thriller
Yes
Murder Mystery (killer unknown)
Yes
Main Character
Gender
- Female
Profession/status:
- doctor
Age:
- 20's-30's
How much violence does he/she use?
- none
Ethnicity/Race
- British
How sensitive is this character?
- sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- very athletic
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Male
Profession/status:
- mastermind
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- a moderate amount
Motive of antagonist
- revenge
How sensitive is this character?
- sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- very athletic
Setting
Europe
Yes
European country:
- England/UK
Style
Person
- mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death?
- generic/vague references to death/punishment
How many deaths?
- 5-7
Amount of dialog
- significantly more dialog than descript
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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s). | |
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