Death of a Gypsy by Janet Hannah provides a powerful look into the world of Alex, a man on a mission across the continent to find Zoli, a distant friend of the family that is off on a business expedition. At least, that is what he is led to believe by Aladar, Zoli’s cousin who is seemingly up to no good. With his son in tow, Alex is determined to retrieve Zoli and return him to György, so that György may travel to meet his long lost sister Afrodita, Alex’s grandmother-in-law. Throughout the journey, the reader is treated not only to a wonderful mystery about Zoli’s whereabouts and Aladar’s motives, but also to a rich and vibrant backstory for many of the characters. Alex and his wife, Sylvie, both have interesting tales behind their marriages, and Aladar’s history is illuminating, especially the jealousy he harbors for his cousin. The complete package of a story creates a rich cultural experience for any aged reader.

This story, while vibrant in its retelling of each character’s thoughts and backstory, leaves a bit to be desired in terms of its main plot. While it is interesting to see how each of these characters impacts the big picture, that picture is a little too broad; there is not enough detail related to the current events to keep me wholly interested.

However, each character is very interesting. Sylvie and Alex, for example, both struggle with past marriages that nearly derail their love. We get to see choices that they both made throughout their relationship and how their choices impact their current thoughts for one another. It is fascinating and engaging, even if it is not part of the main plot.

Even Daniel, Alex’s son from his first marriage, learns and grows through the actions and stories from his father. Alex’s experiences with war, love, and everyday decision making have resonating impacts on Daniel’s character throughout the story, making him a fascinating person to follow.

There is even a bit of a spiritual theme in the novel, although it is used very sparingly. The author, when giving the backstory of Zoli and Aladar, mentions an amulet that might be more than it seems. After being found by Aladar’s mother in her youth, the reader is treated to flashbacks that show how the trinket affects her, Aladar, and Zoli, sparking some very interesting conversations between these characters. It is a nice touch to the story, giving strength to the conflict between Aladar and Zoli.

Overall, the novel does a great job of developing the characters and delivering some excitement towards the climax. It struggles with pacing, though, as the author does not have enough action to match the colorful and varied flashbacks that take up the majority of the text. I would be interested to follow these characters on more adventures (especially a grown Daniel), and if there are to be further installments, the author has created a strong base from which many more stories could be told.

Pages: 136 | ASIN: B012FYUQNE