The Year of the Hangman is an alternate history novel. It portrays not what did happen but what could have happened. The British won the Revolutionary War. The Year of the Hangman takes place in 1777. The British have put down the American Revolution. The main character, Creighton Brown, travels from Britain to Charles Town to Louisiana.
Creighton is fifteen years old. He is spoiled and he gambles. His father used to be rich and got killed during the fighting in America. One night after he stayed out late and gambled he was abducted and put on a ship. He soon discovers that the boat is headed for America where his uncle is. His mom prepared the abduction and sent him to his uncle so he could learn discipline.
He arrives at Charles Town and he meets his uncle. Then they have to leave for Florida right away. On the way to Florida their ship is raided by pirates. The pirates were American rebels living in Spanish territory. His uncle is taken prisoner. He is not taken prisoner because he said himself to be a servant of his uncle. He befriends some of the rebels.
They arrived at New Orleans. Creighton’s uncle is put in prison and Creighton is sent to live with Dr. Benjamin Franklin. He plays a game of cards and loses so he has to work at Franklin’s printing shop. He befriends his co-worker, Sophie. A few days later Creighton sneaks out to let his uncle escape from jail. His uncle then commands him to stay and sails away without out him. Nobody in New Orleans knows the escapee is Creighton’s uncle.
Over the nest few weeks he starts to like the life he has gotten with Benjamin Franklin. One night Creighton wakes up and the house in which he, Sophie, and Dr. Franklin live in is burning. Dr. Franklin tries to save his prints by rushing into the burning building. Soon the building collapses but he is rescued. Benjamin Franklin receives severe burns and dies a few days later,
After the death of Franklin, another rebel leader, Benedict Arnold decides to take Creighton to America and give false information to the British so they send their army where the patriots aren’t going to attack. He decides to take Creighton to his supposed “master” because he does not now that the commander is actually Creighton’s uncle.
When they arrive Arnold quickly finds out that Creighton is the commander’s nephew. They are questioned a lot and they give their false information. The commander refuses to admit that Arnold is actually on their side. Arnold challenges him to a duel. In the duel the commander is killed. Before he dies, he reveals a cell number of a prison. Arnold and Creighton predict that this cell number is where George Washington is.
They set out to find Washington. When they arrive they learn that George Washington was hanged and they discover that the cell was Harry Brown’s, Creighton’s father. The story reaches a climax when Creighton is attacked by British guards. He must decide to either get away easily or risk getting caught by helping his ill father escape. He chooses to help his father and they reach Louisiana safely. The book ends there. It ends so you can decide what you think will happen.
This book was very interesting. I really enjoyed this book because it doesn’t state what happened in history but the exact opposite creating a “what if” scenario. It kept me reading to find out what happens. I would recommend this book to everyone for a good, interesting read. Once I picked it up, I couldn’t put it down. As this book ends, it concludes but yet leaves a cliffhanger ending. A question that popped in my mind was, “What will happen next?” I think that this type of ending is one satisfies your curiosity to some extent but it also creates room for your imagination. The Year of the Hangman is a book you want to read.
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I was attracted to your post on The Year of the Hangman because it reminded me of the first time I was introduced to the novel. Mrs. Linn, my eighth grade Social Studies teacher, introduced the book to our class while we were studying the American Revolution. Knowing that you were in Mrs. Linn’s other class, I assume that you were introduced to the novel by her as well. When she introduced it to us, I read the first chapter and did not find it very interesting. Your blog, however, has convinced me that the story improves after the initial chapter. I think it would be interesting to see the impact of the death of key people like George Washington and Benjamin Franklin would have on history and see who, if anyone, would step forward to fill the void.
ReplyDeletePersonally I have never liked historical fiction books. However, giving a new twist on the outcome of the American Revolution is quite an interest-grabber. The book was also recommended to me by my social studies teacher last year, Mrs. Linn. I, however, opted to skip the novel due to my lack of interest in the genre. As I read Asad’s review of the novel, I began to think to myself that it did actually sound like an interesting book to read. Unfortunately as I continued reading the review, the book sounds as if it has very little to do with the actual change in the outcome of the American Revolution and more about the fictional life of an imaginary character. This led me to believe that my first instinct about the book was correct, and that while many people may enjoy reading this novel, it is not a book that I would take much interest in.
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