The Year of the Hangman
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The Year of the Hangman is an alternate history novel for young adults, published in 2002 and written by Gary Blackwood.
| The Year of the Hangman | |
| Author | Gary Blackwood |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Alternative History |
| Publisher | Penguin |
| Publication date | 09 Feb 2004 |
| Media type | Print (Hardcover & Softcover) |
| Pages | 272 |
| ISBN | ISBN 9780142400784 |
[edit] Characters
- Creighton Brown- an English boy who gets in trouble with the law and hates the American rebels. Hoping to cure him of his bad behaviour, Creighton's mother sends him to the colonies to live with his Uncle. He is very arrogant with a sassy sort of humour. Creighton later gives himself up to Franklin by telling him his relation in the English escape.
- Benjamin Franklin- American Patriot who publishes the Liberty Tree, a rebel newspaper. Franklin takes Creighton in because he believes him to be loyal to the Patriots.
- Benedict Arnold- American General who befriends Creighton. Arnold is a fighting man, who prefers violence rather than settling matters peacefully. He has a very bad temper and likes to duel.
- Peter- a giant who is in the rebel army and is only a year older then Creighton. Because of his size he is sometimes clumsy and can get in the way. Unlike many of the Characters, Peter is based on Peter Francisco; a private in the army who was fifteen and six feet tall.
- Sophie- a French housemaid who works for Franklin. Sophie's family was killed by British soldiers, so she despises most British people. Sophie cares for Creighton when he gets sick or hurt.
- Colonel Gower- Creighton's Uncle. Gower is a cruel and an un-likeable person, and is made the Lieutenant Governor of West Florida.
- Lieutenant Harvey Hale- British sailor who helps Creighton get to America. The two become friends. Hale is imprisoned with Gower, and eventually becomes his assistant when there is no ship for him to be on.
[edit] Plot Summary
The year is 1777, also known as the year of the hangman, due to the many hangings in England that year and the three backwards sevens that represent the gallows in the game hangman. The story starts with Creighton Brown, a child of a gentleman in London. After being in debt after a night of cards and drinking, Creighton comes home, and is kidnapped, by orders of his mother. Creighton is gagged and bound. On the ship, he finds out that he is being sent to live with his sadistic Uncle Gower, in South Carolina. On the Amity, he befriends Lieutenant Harvey Hale, who teaches him that honour is defined by actions, not words.
Shortly after arriving in Charles' Town, Gower is informed he had been made Lieutenant Governor of West Florida. While on the Amity, they are attacked by a band of Patriots led by Benedict Arnold. In order to have less of a ransom for Creighton, Gower makes him pretend to be his bound-servant. On the American sloop, Revenge, they are taken to New Orleans, and Lieutenant Hale and Gower are imprisoned in The Cabildo.
Creighton is taken in by Peter, and taken to Ben Franklin's house. There he meets Sophie, who initially is kind to Creighton, but immediately changes when Peter tells her he's British. When Creighton meets Ben Franklin, Franklin challenges Creighton to a card game. If Creighton had, won he'd be able to stay in the house without doing any work. But he lost, meaning he'd work in Franklin's print shop.
Franklin shows Creighton what he'll do; lift the print trays to the printing press. On his first day on the job, he drops a half-day's work on accident, but instead of apologizing, he leaves and roams New Orleans. After eating, he stumbles on the Cabildo, and find Hale and Gower. Gower tells him to spy on Franklin, and get a pistol for Gower, so they can escape. Creighton agrees to help and steals Benedict Arnold's most prized pistol from Peter. Overnight Creighton hands the pistol over and Hale & Gower escape. Gower makes sure Creighton doesn't tag along by injuring him by hitting him on the head. Creighton had managed to get back to Franklin's house and made up a fake story of how he got a bump on his head. Later that month Creighton had a change of heart and started liking Americans. Later that night Creighton saw that the printing shop was being burned down. He went in to save the prints and Franklin also went in but never came out. Creighton went in to save him but couldn't drag Franklin out and he fainted. Peter came and saved them. Creighton woke up but Franklin died shortly after.
Americans attended his funeral. Creighton was taught that a gentlemen never showed his emotions. So he was surprised to see Americans weeping openly where everyone could see. Creighton, Peter and Sophie go and clean up the mess of the burned down printing shop. Creighton learns that Peter feels that he is not listened too or as to say not important in making decisions.
Around that time, he is confronted by Benedict Arnold, who requests of him to spy for him, acting as an assistant to Gower. Peter and Creighton try to weigh the balances, and they consider going. But Sophie, who is bent over Dr. Franklin's teachings to her, is disgusted that they would consider so and drives them out.
They decide to take the part. Along the way to Tallahassee, Peter expresses his concerns to the plan and decides not to play a prominent role in the action. At Tallahassee, Arnold "turns his coat" and he and Creighton stay with the now Lieutenant Governor of Florida, but it is not long before Arnold and Gower get into a duel. Arnold is successful in killing the heartless man, who mutters "Saint Marks, number four." They figure out that it is a prison, and hopefully that George Washington is there. Unfortunately, they are taken captive while searching the cell and thrown in. The man is not George Washington, who was hanged a long time back, but instead Creighton’s father, Harry Brown, of whom he had many fond, early memories.
Peter comes to the rescue, smashing the window open with a half-ton cannon, and he, Creighton and Harry escape. However, Arnold lags behind and must be left there. They receive news that he was successful at escaping, only losing a leg in the process.
The three humbly return to an ecstatic Sophie, who is happy to take in the three to help her keep printing the newspaper because Franklin has died.
