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4.1 AVERAGE
4.1 AVERAGE
mysterious
I think what I like so much about Christie's books is that each is so damn different. Not just in plot and character, that's to be expected, but in style. Death on the Nile was a character study. My favorite of her books thus far and a brilliant dive into the human psyche. Every character was fascinating and brought something of value to the story. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, then, was written as a journal from a different character's perspective. We stay with this one character and his POV for all of the book, which both shapes the story and the twist at the end. Here, the idea of "the narrator" was a focal point, instead of having intensely interesting characters (which did exist, but in a different way) we had an intensely mistifying evening to unravel. Now, this book is again different. This time we get a book written almost entirely in interviews. Every person on the train gives us their account of the night of the murder. Each person is once again interesting, but this time it's because we have to wonder: why are you on this train? This, too, was a study in persona, but a different one. Nile focused on each person as a whole, their lives and what they strive for, what is most important to them, which, at the end of the day, was what caused the murder and gave away the guilty party, while still leaving the others a morally grey crew. Orient focuses on consequences. Sacrifice. What did each person value enough to make the biggest sacrifice? What were their goals and most importantly why? Our hearts lead us. In Ackroyd, many characters were led by greed or fear. In Nile they were led by desire, their wants. In this book, they are led by vengeance, by pain. I keep thinking: NOW this Christie will feel repetitive or redundant. It doesn't. Even if the mysteries become predictable, the people are wonderful. I think that's why I like murder mysteries. You cannot solve a murder without delving into human complexity, without unraveling each suspect and finding that the innocent are just as interesting as the killer. I love watching Poirot peel away those layers so precisely and with professional care, explaining each morsel to me like I'm a child, and I just feel like a kindergartner with her legs crossed and brows furrowed, absolutely engrossed and not caring if I look dumb. (Next to Poirot, I'm afraid, we all do.)
Onto the next!
Onto the next!
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book was perfectly concocted, and I really enjoyed every second of it. I think it's so funny how hilarious Agatha Christie is. She is just so witty and seems to have such a dry humor, and it is so perfect. The book had a ton of characters, but Agatha makes them easy to keep track of who each one is. Also, the diagram provided in the book of the train and all the cars and compartments numbered with who stayed in each one was helpful to refer back to during the investigation.
I really liked the ending of the book and definitely didn't see it coming. I'm glad my book club chose to read this :)
I really liked the ending of the book and definitely didn't see it coming. I'm glad my book club chose to read this :)
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
mysterious
fast-paced
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Me ha gustado leerlo, te adentras en la historia demasiado, los interrogatorios y enigmas toman toda tu atención. El final es inesperado y da un giro de trama increíble.
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No