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3.52 AVERAGE
3.52 AVERAGE
mysterious
slow-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
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
There's a sadness for things past that pervades this book, mostly through the inner monologue of Miss Marple, but I don't think that the sadness is Marple's, I think it's the author's. She's not really at home in the 60s with it's Beatles and racing cars and therefore nor is her viewpoint character; Miss Marple belongs to the period immediately post WWII, as Poirot belongs to the thirties, and both Christie and Marple know it.
As usual, Christie paints glorious characters - Bess and Elvira are among my favourites in her entire canon - and the plot takes in various things that would have been current when the book came out - great train robberies and crime syndicates - but I think the best thing about this tale is the way the crime story is merely dressing for Miss Marple's journey from visceral nostalgia to acceptance that one can never go back.
As usual, Christie paints glorious characters - Bess and Elvira are among my favourites in her entire canon - and the plot takes in various things that would have been current when the book came out - great train robberies and crime syndicates - but I think the best thing about this tale is the way the crime story is merely dressing for Miss Marple's journey from visceral nostalgia to acceptance that one can never go back.
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Really enjoyed this insightful, understated little mystery. I believe the appropriate British moniker would be "charming".
I really enjoy the later Miss Marple books - less puzzle mysteries and more about the characters. Listening to the Swinging Christies podcast I'm also appreciating her later books much more. There isn't a Miss Marple book I don't really like, and it was great to revisit this one.
Partway through reading this, I realized I had actually seen a dramatization of this story several years ago, so the ending was not a surprise to me.
Miss Marple comes to Bertram's Hotel, and soon gets a sense that something is off there. There is a colourful cast of characters staying at the hotel, coupled with robberies worrying Scotland Yard (one of which occurs on a train during the story). Miss Marple twitters and knits, and all the while keeps her eyes on the proceedings. An inspector does the plodding, but he does ask her for help.
I don't think this was one of Agatha Christie's strongest stories (though I did still enjoy it.) When the murder finally occurred, late in the story's action, I almost forgot someone had been killed, and actually found it hard to care as the person had had such a small role in the story. I felt that bumping this person off was almost unneeded, considering all the other shenanigans going on at the hotel.
Miss Marple comes to Bertram's Hotel, and soon gets a sense that something is off there. There is a colourful cast of characters staying at the hotel, coupled with robberies worrying Scotland Yard (one of which occurs on a train during the story). Miss Marple twitters and knits, and all the while keeps her eyes on the proceedings. An inspector does the plodding, but he does ask her for help.
I don't think this was one of Agatha Christie's strongest stories (though I did still enjoy it.) When the murder finally occurred, late in the story's action, I almost forgot someone had been killed, and actually found it hard to care as the person had had such a small role in the story. I felt that bumping this person off was almost unneeded, considering all the other shenanigans going on at the hotel.
Oh, darn. I did it again! (See this review.) Except this time it only took me 9 pages to realize I had already read it. Also, I vaguely remembered the ending.
And I would have sworn I hadn't read it before too... Ha! Ha! Ah, well.
And I would have sworn I hadn't read it before too... Ha! Ha! Ah, well.
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
https://bookprejudice.wordpress.com/2017/07/26/agatha-christie-at-bertrams-hotel-review/
At Bertram’s Hotel by the greatest crime novelist Agatha Christie is a novel about a mysterious old-fashioned hotel in London. Many strange things happen in Hotel Bertram, but in the end you discover that you simply could not anticipate how strange they really were. The thing that causes the discovery of Bertram’s secrets is the disappearance of an old forgetful priest Pennyfather.
I think that I liked the story much more before I even read the book. It was so much better when I could discover the secrets of the Hotel Bertram in my mind.
This story had so much more potential than it fulfilled. The writing was quite simplistic and I really do not think it was special.
Now I must mention how much I loved the wild car racing champion Ladislaus Malinowski. He is without doubt my favorite character, even though we really do not know anything about him. But the little we know I adore.
This is my first Agatha Christie novel and I must say I am not keen on coming back soon. I am quite disappointed.
Now my excitement for And Then There Were None is slowly evaporating since I do not want to spoil my love for it due to the TV mini series starring Aidan Turner.
This is my third book for the Booktube-a-thon.
At Bertram’s Hotel by the greatest crime novelist Agatha Christie is a novel about a mysterious old-fashioned hotel in London. Many strange things happen in Hotel Bertram, but in the end you discover that you simply could not anticipate how strange they really were. The thing that causes the discovery of Bertram’s secrets is the disappearance of an old forgetful priest Pennyfather.
I think that I liked the story much more before I even read the book. It was so much better when I could discover the secrets of the Hotel Bertram in my mind.
This story had so much more potential than it fulfilled. The writing was quite simplistic and I really do not think it was special.
Now I must mention how much I loved the wild car racing champion Ladislaus Malinowski. He is without doubt my favorite character, even though we really do not know anything about him. But the little we know I adore.
This is my first Agatha Christie novel and I must say I am not keen on coming back soon. I am quite disappointed.
Now my excitement for And Then There Were None is slowly evaporating since I do not want to spoil my love for it due to the TV mini series starring Aidan Turner.
This is my third book for the Booktube-a-thon.