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kikiandarrowsfishshelf 's review for:
Disclaimer: ARC read via Netgalley.
Barbara Hambly’s work is something that goes back with me. From her twist on a dragon story to impassioned defense of puntable dogs, she is a great writer. Her historical fiction, however, is usually better than her fantasy fiction. Crimson Angel is an entry in the Benjamin January Series, in which the title character is a freed black man who has trained as a surgeon, but who lives in New Orleans post-LA purchase.
While this is well into series, it isn’t fully necessary for a reader to have read the other books in the series. Hambly, unlike many authors, gives just enough back story to inform new readers without boring old fans. Few authors know how to do this, and it is wonderful to see an author do this skillfully.
January and Rose his wife find themselves caught up in mystery surrounding Rose’s family and a possible treasure. Together with long time friend Hannibal, the couple is forced to travel outside of the United States to solve the mystery and ensure their safety and that of their young son. The mystery, as most of the mysteries in this series, is a combination of gothic as well as mystery. While the plot is not repetitive, January’s forced travel to unsafe places, Haiti in this case, isn’t, and one wonders if January himself is concerned about this tendency of his.
The use of the dangerous situation/place might be slightly over done in this series, but it does allow Hambly to illustrate the historical time as well as present the horror/inhumanity/wrongness of slavery. This is done not only though the use of January as a child of slaves whose master determined to education him, but also by his relationship to his mother, sisters, his wife, and his wife’s family. Hambly makes a distinction between French Orleans and American Orleans with the difference in society and its treatment of the disenfranchised and enslaved members. Furthermore, January will compare his reaction to something as opposed to his brother-in-law’s. The pain that January feels because his need/desire to protect his family is hampered by his status in an unjust society is stunningly illustrated.
But the theme that draws attention is the difference in perspective.
It’s true that Hambly could not have known about the latest flashpoint, Ferguson, but the analysis is apt and important. John Oliver was correct when he stated that it is impossible to live in the world and not be aware that race is always there, everywhere. To disregard that two segments of the population can see the police or government in two different ways is dangerous and, quite frankly, something that should inspire severe introspection. What Hambly does though the character of January is example and showcase how the dominant culture/race/gender can view one thing and how the repressed culture/race/gender does. It’s why the release of the video of Brown seeming to commit a crime is non-point, but the police did not, or while the claims of a racially diverse police department in Fergusson sound so stupid.
In other words, and I’m not expressing this well at all, while the mystery in this novel is easily figured out, while the plot might be too gothic for some, the use of race and perspective is beautiful, making the novel, and the series itself, worth reading.
Barbara Hambly’s work is something that goes back with me. From her twist on a dragon story to impassioned defense of puntable dogs, she is a great writer. Her historical fiction, however, is usually better than her fantasy fiction. Crimson Angel is an entry in the Benjamin January Series, in which the title character is a freed black man who has trained as a surgeon, but who lives in New Orleans post-LA purchase.
While this is well into series, it isn’t fully necessary for a reader to have read the other books in the series. Hambly, unlike many authors, gives just enough back story to inform new readers without boring old fans. Few authors know how to do this, and it is wonderful to see an author do this skillfully.
January and Rose his wife find themselves caught up in mystery surrounding Rose’s family and a possible treasure. Together with long time friend Hannibal, the couple is forced to travel outside of the United States to solve the mystery and ensure their safety and that of their young son. The mystery, as most of the mysteries in this series, is a combination of gothic as well as mystery. While the plot is not repetitive, January’s forced travel to unsafe places, Haiti in this case, isn’t, and one wonders if January himself is concerned about this tendency of his.
The use of the dangerous situation/place might be slightly over done in this series, but it does allow Hambly to illustrate the historical time as well as present the horror/inhumanity/wrongness of slavery. This is done not only though the use of January as a child of slaves whose master determined to education him, but also by his relationship to his mother, sisters, his wife, and his wife’s family. Hambly makes a distinction between French Orleans and American Orleans with the difference in society and its treatment of the disenfranchised and enslaved members. Furthermore, January will compare his reaction to something as opposed to his brother-in-law’s. The pain that January feels because his need/desire to protect his family is hampered by his status in an unjust society is stunningly illustrated.
But the theme that draws attention is the difference in perspective.
It’s true that Hambly could not have known about the latest flashpoint, Ferguson, but the analysis is apt and important. John Oliver was correct when he stated that it is impossible to live in the world and not be aware that race is always there, everywhere. To disregard that two segments of the population can see the police or government in two different ways is dangerous and, quite frankly, something that should inspire severe introspection. What Hambly does though the character of January is example and showcase how the dominant culture/race/gender can view one thing and how the repressed culture/race/gender does. It’s why the release of the video of Brown seeming to commit a crime is non-point, but the police did not, or while the claims of a racially diverse police department in Fergusson sound so stupid.
In other words, and I’m not expressing this well at all, while the mystery in this novel is easily figured out, while the plot might be too gothic for some, the use of race and perspective is beautiful, making the novel, and the series itself, worth reading.