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3.63 AVERAGE
3.63 AVERAGE
3.5/5
No geral, é um livro ok. São doze contos em que o detetive Hercule Poirot reconstroi os trabalhos de Hércules. A proposta é muito interessante e chega a ser divertido ver como a autora se desdobra pra relacionar os mistérios resolvidos pelo seu detetive com os trabalhos do herói grego.
Alguns dos contos são excelentes, como O Javali de Erimanto, As Cavalariças de Áugias, As Aves do Lago Estínfale, Os Cavalos de Diomedes, O Rebanho de Gerião e As Profundezas do Inferno. São os que mais me divertiram e me surpreenderam, sendo que os dois últimos deles são os melhores do livro.
Acho que é um livro pra se ler com muita calma e aos poucos. Uma história por vez. Talvez, assim, eu pudesse ter uma experiência melhor.
No geral, é um livro ok. São doze contos em que o detetive Hercule Poirot reconstroi os trabalhos de Hércules. A proposta é muito interessante e chega a ser divertido ver como a autora se desdobra pra relacionar os mistérios resolvidos pelo seu detetive com os trabalhos do herói grego.
Alguns dos contos são excelentes, como O Javali de Erimanto, As Cavalariças de Áugias, As Aves do Lago Estínfale, Os Cavalos de Diomedes, O Rebanho de Gerião e As Profundezas do Inferno. São os que mais me divertiram e me surpreenderam, sendo que os dois últimos deles são os melhores do livro.
Acho que é um livro pra se ler com muita calma e aos poucos. Uma história por vez. Talvez, assim, eu pudesse ter uma experiência melhor.
mysterious
fast-paced
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
A 'modern' remaking of the 12 labors of Hercules is such a fun concept for the structure of a short story collection. As in any short story collection, there are strengths and weaknesses within the collection. Unfortunately, in this case, the first 6 short stories are stellar. In fact, the first short story, "The Nemean Lion", is one of the most lighthearted truly fun shorts I've ever read. But after those first 6 stories, the quality, interest, and intrigue of the stories drop off. The 7th and 8th labors are fine stories but are frankly rather boring. The last 4 stories, while having a few positive attributes, were downright disappointing reads.
Notes I took while reading (starting with the second labor):
"The Lemean Hyrda" is a great short story about the twists and turns of rumor and gossip. The rumor of a murdered wife is keeping a young doctor from marrying his nurse. Poirot must cut the hydraheads of a gossiping community to uncover the truth of this potential murder.
“The Arcadian Dear” is a super delightfully true love mystery! Like literally just a fluff sweet little romance mystery!
“The Eramanthian Boar” is a fine story, but not particularly great by any means. A high out-of-the-way ski lodge with a criminal rendezvous.
“The Augean Stable” as a kind of clearing out the political swamp motif was super interesting and well done. The actual mystery was less strong, but the allusions to mythology really sold this story for me.
“The Stymphalean” is one of the first Christie mysteries that I have fully figured out on my own before the grand reveal at the end! Don’t know if this is a note of my intelligence or a note of a weaker story.
Notes I took while reading (starting with the second labor):
"The Lemean Hyrda" is a great short story about the twists and turns of rumor and gossip. The rumor of a murdered wife is keeping a young doctor from marrying his nurse. Poirot must cut the hydraheads of a gossiping community to uncover the truth of this potential murder.
“The Arcadian Dear” is a super delightfully true love mystery! Like literally just a fluff sweet little romance mystery!
“The Eramanthian Boar” is a fine story, but not particularly great by any means. A high out-of-the-way ski lodge with a criminal rendezvous.
“The Augean Stable” as a kind of clearing out the political swamp motif was super interesting and well done. The actual mystery was less strong, but the allusions to mythology really sold this story for me.
“The Stymphalean” is one of the first Christie mysteries that I have fully figured out on my own before the grand reveal at the end! Don’t know if this is a note of my intelligence or a note of a weaker story.
“The Cretan Bull” is not particularly fun as a mystery or thematically interesting to the motif of the short story book. Not bad, just meh.
“The Horses of Diamedes” is a fine short. Not particularly interesting, but fine.
"The Girdle of Hyppolita" is incredibly short. A good mystery for its incredible brevity, but not much to remark upon otherwise.
"The Flock of Geryon" is a beautifully on-theme cult take-down mystery story. Though it is notably incredibly short, I think it would have benefited by being expounded upon. I loved that it tied into the first mystery of this collection.
"The Apples of the Hesperides" isn't even an interesting mystery. There is literally no build-up.
"The Capture of Cereus" was a delightful return of 'The Countess' from previous Herucles Poirot books. Absolutely delightful story, not a solid mystery, but a good story.
“The Horses of Diamedes” is a fine short. Not particularly interesting, but fine.
"The Girdle of Hyppolita" is incredibly short. A good mystery for its incredible brevity, but not much to remark upon otherwise.
"The Flock of Geryon" is a beautifully on-theme cult take-down mystery story. Though it is notably incredibly short, I think it would have benefited by being expounded upon. I loved that it tied into the first mystery of this collection.
"The Apples of the Hesperides" isn't even an interesting mystery. There is literally no build-up.
"The Capture of Cereus" was a delightful return of 'The Countess' from previous Herucles Poirot books. Absolutely delightful story, not a solid mystery, but a good story.
W tej książce mamy opisane 12 opowiadań, co moim zdaniem sprawia że nie można się w żadną z intryg wciągnąć. Są gorsze i lepsze historię, ale ogólnie są okej. I też książka ostatecznie jest po prostu okej
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Generally, collections of short stories aren't my favorite, but I really enjoyed these. I really enjoyed the concept of the Labors of Hercules and the unifying theme.
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Hercule Poirot's acquaintance, Dr Burton dared to question his name, outrightly saying that Poirot did not in any way resemble Hercules. So Poirot took it as a challenge for him to take on exactly 12 - not more and not less - cases that he could associate to the labours of Hercules as per the classics:
1. Slay the Nemean lion - the case of a kidnapped dog.
2. Slay the nine-headed Lernaean Hydra - the rumour that a man killed his wife
3. Capture the Ceryneian Hind / Arcadian Deer- the case of a missing woman
4. Capture the Erymanthian Boar - the hunting of a dangerous killer
5. Clean the Augean stables in a single day - the reputation of a politician
6. Slay the Stymphalian birds - the con of two women (the only one not from Poirot's POV)
7. Capture the Cretan Bull - the violent insanity in the family
8. Steal the Mares of Diomedes -the sisters and cocaine
9. Obtain the girdle of Hippolyta, queen of the Amazon - the missing painting and the missing schoolgirl
10. Obtain the cattle of the three-bodied giant Geryon - the murder in the cult
11. Steal three of the golden apples of the Hesperides - the recovery of a valuable art
12. Capture and bring back Cerberus - the club and drugs
Some cases were better than others, some were brilliantly connected to the famous Herculean tasks, some not so much. The whole book reminded me vaguely of Christie's other book, one featuring Miss Marple, The 13 Problems in that there were many different seemingly unrelated cases that were tied to the same common thread like beads on a necklace.
1. Slay the Nemean lion - the case of a kidnapped dog.
2. Slay the nine-headed Lernaean Hydra - the rumour that a man killed his wife
3. Capture the Ceryneian Hind / Arcadian Deer- the case of a missing woman
4. Capture the Erymanthian Boar - the hunting of a dangerous killer
5. Clean the Augean stables in a single day - the reputation of a politician
6. Slay the Stymphalian birds - the con of two women (the only one not from Poirot's POV)
7. Capture the Cretan Bull - the violent insanity in the family
8. Steal the Mares of Diomedes -the sisters and cocaine
9. Obtain the girdle of Hippolyta, queen of the Amazon - the missing painting and the missing schoolgirl
10. Obtain the cattle of the three-bodied giant Geryon - the murder in the cult
11. Steal three of the golden apples of the Hesperides - the recovery of a valuable art
12. Capture and bring back Cerberus - the club and drugs
Some cases were better than others, some were brilliantly connected to the famous Herculean tasks, some not so much. The whole book reminded me vaguely of Christie's other book, one featuring Miss Marple, The 13 Problems in that there were many different seemingly unrelated cases that were tied to the same common thread like beads on a necklace.