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3.3 AVERAGE
3.3 AVERAGE
More of a lampoon of Poirot. Still satisfying but in a different way. If I were being less generous I might say that this was Christie jumping the shark.
Always a letdown when you realize you've stumbled on one of Christie's "political" mysteries.
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
This was such an interesting book within the Hercule Poirot world. This feels more like a James Bond story with international super-villains and all their devious tricks. Still I was absolutely along for the ride as Captain Hastings finds himself wrapped back up in the events that encircle Hercule once again.
I really enjoyed this story and felt that it really stretched Poirot's abilities more than some of the more domestic cases have in the past. A lot of time passes by as Poirot works to get all the pieces into just the right place for him to finally triumph over it all.
I really enjoyed this story and felt that it really stretched Poirot's abilities more than some of the more domestic cases have in the past. A lot of time passes by as Poirot works to get all the pieces into just the right place for him to finally triumph over it all.
I don't mean to be Hastings here...
But this all seems...well, far-fetched.
First off, the beginning and the event therein, is altogether too hurried. After that, it didn't improve much. Neither Poirot nor Hastings ever seem to settle into the case. The entire concept, if you can actually pinpoint only one, is ludicrous and the novel is filled with far too many characters.
Because the book reads like a short story stretched out and infused with too many events in order to fill the gaps, it's no shock to learn that is exactly what happened. From Wikipedia:
Given the history of The Big Four, it is no surprise that every chapter and all the bits of the story in the chapters felt like random and haphazard episodes. The next chapter, leading into the next event and often at yet another location, felt rather like stopping for commercial breaks. Honestly, the entire thing feels like Scooby-doo and the Mysterious Four.
There are moments where Poirot feels right and the novel slows, but this was mainly just not worth the read.
"For you, Hastings," he said, "everything is far-fetched that comes not from your own imagination..."
But this all seems...well, far-fetched.
First off, the beginning and the event therein, is altogether too hurried. After that, it didn't improve much. Neither Poirot nor Hastings ever seem to settle into the case. The entire concept, if you can actually pinpoint only one, is ludicrous and the novel is filled with far too many characters.
Because the book reads like a short story stretched out and infused with too many events in order to fill the gaps, it's no shock to learn that is exactly what happened. From Wikipedia:
In 1926 Christie was already deeply affected by the death of her mother earlier in the year and her marriage to her husband, Archibald Christie, was breaking down. Her brother-in-law, Campbell Christie, suggested compiling the stories [previously published in The Sketch magazine] into one novel and helped her revise them into a more coherent form for book publication, rather than undergo the strain of composing a completely new novel.
Given the history of The Big Four, it is no surprise that every chapter and all the bits of the story in the chapters felt like random and haphazard episodes. The next chapter, leading into the next event and often at yet another location, felt rather like stopping for commercial breaks. Honestly, the entire thing feels like Scooby-doo and the Mysterious Four.
There are moments where Poirot feels right and the novel slows, but this was mainly just not worth the read.
medium-paced
Lowkey ridiculous. Read like a 1960s Bond film plot-wise. Entertaining sure but tonally different to the Poirot I've read so far.
CW: anti-chinese racism/slurs. Like, a LOT.
CW: anti-chinese racism/slurs. Like, a LOT.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism
Moderate: Death
Minor: Kidnapping
Il colonnello Hastings torna dal Sud America per incontrare il suo vecchio amico Hercule Poirot. Appena il tempo di salutarsi, ed entrambi si ritrovano improvvisamente coinvolti nelle macchinazioni di un'organizzazione criminale internazionale chiamata "i Quattro" formata da un geniale mandarino cinese, una famosa e rispettata scienziata francese, un miliardario americano e un quarto uomo chiamato "il distruttore", un trasformista che ricopre il ruolo di esecutore materiale dei crimini. Essi lavorano nell'ombra per sovvertire l'ordine mondiale e trarre vantaggio dal caos che ne conseguirà ma sono talmente potenti da risultare insospettabili ed inattaccabili. Poirot sembra essere l'unico ostacolo alla riuscita dei loro piani.
***
Non è il classico giallo alla Christie in cui cerchiamo di scoprire il colpevole di un delitto fra una rosa di sospettati. Stavolta la Christie ha optato per una scelta narrativa particolare, e nell'arco temporale di svariati mesi seguiamo tanti casi diversi durante i quali Poirot, anche riusciendo ogni volta a riconoscere il coinvolgimento dei Quattro, non riesce mai ad avere prove sufficienti per incriminarli o arrestarli. Sembrano tante piccole mezze sconfitte, che tuttavia permettono al nostro celebre detective di acquisire sempre più informazioni e comprendere sempre più a fondo la psicologia dei suoi nemici.
A gusto personale, preferisco i gialli che si concentrano su un unico delitto perché li trovo più appassionanti, tuttavia la Christie è sempre la Christie, e la adoro in ogni caso.