Richard Smith has a remarkable gift for getting into trouble, a quality that proves true almost the moment he disembarks in New York in November of 1746. For a start, his stubborn refusal to reveal how he proposes to use the large amount of money for which he carries a bill, coupled with his secretive manners, give rise to increasingly absurd rumours. His attraction for Tabitha Lovell, who is almost universally deemed a bit of a shrew, also bodes ill. Through a combination of lack of judgment and plain rotten luck, Smith is caught in a series of rocambolesque adventures — from having to flee before a mob to being jailed (more than once) —, but he will not be deterred from carrying out his personally crucial mission.
New York in the mid-1700s is a cultural hodgepodge of English and Dutch, and Smith quickly realises he's definitely not in London anymore. I found it very interesting to explore the differences between the New and Old Worlds through his eyes. The author give us wonderfully atmospheric descriptions, such as the Guy Fawkes Night bonfire attended by Smith and the first snowfall on the city. The deceptively light tone he adopts throughout the novel contributes to making the ending even more unexpected. Good, well-written entertainment.
I borrowed this e-book from the Bibliothèque et archives nationales du Québec.
Rating: ***½
No comments:
Post a Comment
Your comments are welcome, in English or en français.