| Dick Francis |
7/30/2000
Flying Finish by Dick Francis
A
rather up in the air ending. Reader
doesn’t really know if Gabriella actually survives. One wonders why Henry didn’t simply tell the
Italian cops about what he found out, esp. since he knew who shot her. Or at least suspected.
This one
seems to take class as its point, much in the same way that one of the other
books took taxes as its point.
Gabriella
is one of the better DF heroines. She
has spunk and smarts. The ending was one
of the more violent DF comes with he shooting of the plane’s crew and the remorseless
killing of Billy., but even the killing did not surprise the reader. Patrick’s survival seems like a coup de
grace. But one can see the disconnection
of Henry change over the course of the book – from his friendless at the
beginning of the book to his friendship with Patrick and relationship with Gabriella. Could the killing of Billy had been an
emotional response to the shooting of Gabriella, a connection that Henry did
not see himself?
7/30/2000
Banker by Dick Francis
Not one
of my favorite DF books. The death of
Henry, when it follows the conversation between Pam and Tom seems coincidental.
Plot
wise it is good and the scenes between Tom and Judith are well written. But for some reason Tom Isn’t one of DF’s
most likable protagonists. Unsure as to
why, perhaps because he doesn’t try to make changes
The book
itself does have some very funny scenes especially when discussing caffeine.
“And now
in America I ask you, they’re casting caffeine as a villain and are busy taking
it out of everything it’s naturally in.” (104)
Perhaps
Tom isn’t that likable because to some extant he does seem like a cardboard cut
out. Parts of the book seem to be graft
on from others. The book seems to lack
originality. It doesn’t feel as fresh as
the others.
7/31/2000
Decider by Dick Francis
I
like the idea of a protagonist with kids.
Lee’s
love is for his children, not his wife.
His feelings for Penelope are based up an idea or a symbol.
The
characterization of Lee’s children is well done. There are similarities between the Sattons
and the Pembroke’s from Hot Money.
It is
interesting to note that the one protagonist who has kids does not have ae good
relationship with his wife. Why? Is it because he felt the need to show the
love at first sight? Is that the reason
for Penelope? She seems to be a non-entity. The thunderbolt occurs to Amanda. Amanda herself seems to be a non-entity. Staying away when one of her children was
almost crushed? That does not make
sense. She seems to be like a Disney
mother, not in existence or complacent or invalid. One wonders why she is there. And why make Lee married only to show how dissatisfied
he is? Is it to show him as self-sacrificing? Is the situation, in fact, good for the kids. Is Francis making a comment on
divorce> It seems like he is, that
people should stay together for the sake of the children.
Also
minor attack on anti-race [Note: horse racing] protests.
What
make all the children male? Perhaps
cause he finds it easier to write male children
Was the book an experiment in a family based protagonist? Perhaps seeing how it would work in case he
wasn’t to take that step with Kit? [Note:
one of Francis’ heroes who has more than one book]
Characters
were kept in character.
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| Philadelphia Park |
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