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3.52 AVERAGE
3.52 AVERAGE
I thought I would like this one. Interesting setting but just not for me
“Curiosity, or what she preferred herself to call ‘taking an interest’ in other people’s affairs, was undoubtedly one of Miss Marple’s characteristics.”
Our Miss Marple does indeed exercise her ‘curiosity’ in this novel, although she is not that much in the foreground. No, the narration follows several characters, until it rests with that of ‘father’, Chief Inspector Davy, trying to sort out all the ‘strands’ that seem to meet at Bertram’s Hotel, the hotel itself taking on the role of a character with all its charm and quintessential Englishness.
Indeed, Christie takes her time setting the scene, paying attention to all the pieces, moving them a bit here, a bit there, which results in the ‘crime’ taking place relatively late in the story. This might try the patience of some readers. I rather enjoyed following all the crumbs and smoke mirrors, trying to see what was going on.
Our Miss Marple does indeed exercise her ‘curiosity’ in this novel, although she is not that much in the foreground. No, the narration follows several characters, until it rests with that of ‘father’, Chief Inspector Davy, trying to sort out all the ‘strands’ that seem to meet at Bertram’s Hotel, the hotel itself taking on the role of a character with all its charm and quintessential Englishness.
Indeed, Christie takes her time setting the scene, paying attention to all the pieces, moving them a bit here, a bit there, which results in the ‘crime’ taking place relatively late in the story. This might try the patience of some readers. I rather enjoyed following all the crumbs and smoke mirrors, trying to see what was going on.
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Murder
It was a good read, but nothing out of the extraordinary.. Not her best in my opinion..
adventurous
informative
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This one was boring... oh well, I like Miss Marple but I don't love the books she's in.
When Christie tries to do some different, it can go well (see Cards on the Table) and it go very badly (see The Big Four). This was, in my opinion, somewhere in the middle. Rather than a straightforward murder mystery, it is what appears to be a missing persons case, and then later someone else is killed, but the real mystery centers on the hotel and why something seems just a little off about it. By the time it was all laid out, I had figured out the most obvious pieces of it, though there were still some unanswered questions. Miss Marple plays a relatively small role in this one; she delivers some key observations to the chief inspector, but he's the one we spend the most time with in the latter half of the book. In the first half, we follow a girl who's sneaking around avoiding her guardians. It wasn't one of my favorites, but at least Christie's usual offensiveness was kept to a minimum, which I guess is something.
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No