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4.02 AVERAGE
4.02 AVERAGE
Despite being one of the 'big' Poirot books, I've only just got round to reading it and have never seen any of the tv/film versions. So I came in fresh and loved it. True, while I pretty much love anything involving Poirot, some of the tales are more satisfying than others. This clearly satisfies.
We get a big book, rich in detail, with a large well fleshed-out cast and some real time spent with them before the first death occurs (in fact, not having read the back cover I wasn't entirely sure who was going to cark it in this one; there is a lot of foreshadowing). Regarding the big man himself, we get the worried/sombre version of P, sensing the disaster about to destroy the lives of people he has taken a liking to. He tries to warn them, to no avail. There's some pomp and preening but generally he's pretty contained throughout with a somewhat tragic atmosphere (don't worry, there are still a couple of great scenes where he really sticks his nose in it and stirs up trouble).
As with any Christie book there are the usual colonial attitudes, overt racism, class divides and character stereotyping. All part of the historical context, contributing to the fun of it these days with a rich period setting. Egypt makes a nice contrast to the usual English stately home, though for most of the second half it fades into the background as the sleuthing takes place.
We also gave a devilishly complicated plot and outcome which entertains and enthrals. I second-guessed pretty much everyone as the killer and still got it wrong. Plus, we get a few more of those intermittent eccentric character moments where Poirot decides to allow his own form of justice. It's not quite the Orient Express ending, though it comes close.
So, a big, swift, satisfyingly classic Poirot tale with a complex plot, great setting and a touch of tragedy. Well worth reading if you were only going to read a few of the Poirot books. 5 star Poirot.
We get a big book, rich in detail, with a large well fleshed-out cast and some real time spent with them before the first death occurs (in fact, not having read the back cover I wasn't entirely sure who was going to cark it in this one; there is a lot of foreshadowing). Regarding the big man himself, we get the worried/sombre version of P, sensing the disaster about to destroy the lives of people he has taken a liking to. He tries to warn them, to no avail. There's some pomp and preening but generally he's pretty contained throughout with a somewhat tragic atmosphere (don't worry, there are still a couple of great scenes where he really sticks his nose in it and stirs up trouble).
As with any Christie book there are the usual colonial attitudes, overt racism, class divides and character stereotyping. All part of the historical context, contributing to the fun of it these days with a rich period setting. Egypt makes a nice contrast to the usual English stately home, though for most of the second half it fades into the background as the sleuthing takes place.
We also gave a devilishly complicated plot and outcome which entertains and enthrals. I second-guessed pretty much everyone as the killer and still got it wrong. Plus, we get a few more of those intermittent eccentric character moments where Poirot decides to allow his own form of justice. It's not quite the Orient Express ending, though it comes close.
So, a big, swift, satisfyingly classic Poirot tale with a complex plot, great setting and a touch of tragedy. Well worth reading if you were only going to read a few of the Poirot books. 5 star Poirot.
adventurous
mysterious
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:
Yes
If you can get past the casual racisms, body shaming, etc. this is still just an ok read.
The first Agatha Christie book I read. Easy to read, but a few too many characters making it slightly difficult for me to follow. The action seemed to start very late in the story, and there wasn’t the sense of foreboding I imagined there might be. Perhaps not the best book of hers for my taste, but I would definitely like to read more of her work based on this.
I will always have a soft spot in my heart for this book as I read it while I was traveling through Egypt and seeing the sites mentioned in this book. Agatha Christie is amazing, as usual, and does not disappoint in this classic page-turner. What I love about her work is that you always think you know what is really going on, but you never will.
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
I enjoyed this book, but my god the racism and the misogyny. Hard to overlook.
Hercule Poirot said, “Intellectually the case is satisfying. Actually it is profoundly unsatisfactory.” That about sums up my thoughts on this as a whole. I haven’t read an Agatha Christie novel in a while, but this is probably my least favorite of hers that I have read and remember enjoying a ton. Poirot easily saves the book because he’s such a delight and a great character overall, but the story falls flat to me.
Christie does it again! She always amazes me and I think I enjoyed this one so much since I knew who done it half way through
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No