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noxygens's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
Graphic: Child death, Death, Gun violence, Suicide, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Medical trauma
kaypringle's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Child death, Death, Gun violence, and Injury/Injury detail
jojo_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Ableism, Death, Gun violence, Racism, Suicide, Antisemitism, and Murder
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Alcoholism, Child death, Misogyny, Terminal illness, Blood, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Alcohol, Colonisation, and War
nebraskanwriter's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Child death, Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
bookishlysophie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Moderate: Blood
Minor: Gun violence, Suicide, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
kekeli's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I had my predictions for who dunnit. I finished it in a single sitting.
I just don't think plot-driven murder mysteries with a huge ensemble cast are my thing. I prefer character-driven development and I really want to care about the fate of the people I'm spending time with.
It was an easy read, but not super satisfying.
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Infidelity, Mental illness, Racism, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail
jhbandcats's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The reader sees multiple points of view and thus has shifting sympathies for the characters (if it can be called sympathy as the characters are so despicable). Seemingly impossible things start happening, driving some of the characters to think they’re seeing ghosts or perhaps losing their minds. For such a short book, it’s very complex.
I’m about to start The Science of Murder: the Forensics of Agatha Christie by Carla Valentine, and I wanted a refresher on Christie’s writing style. I’m glad I chose this one.
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child death, Confinement, Gun violence, Sexism, Suicide, Violence, Car accident, Murder, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
chalkletters's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Moderate: Death, Gun violence, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Suicide, Antisemitism, Medical content, Car accident, and War
faygof9's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child death, Death, Gun violence, Mental illness, Suicide, Antisemitism, Medical content, Car accident, Murder, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
lefthandedmatt's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
On the flip side, her writing also isn't particularly... good. It's plain and often overly simplified. Characters have the barest of personalities. Most dialogue follows a pattern of "x said angrily: 'That makes me angry!' y said suspiciously 'This is very suspicious'."
But it works! The story is completely engrossing and has a fantastic central mystery. It kept me coming back and is clearly the inspiration for an entire subgenre of "murders in an isolated mansion" stories. I'm quite eager to explore more of Christie's tales.
I came pretty close to guessing who the killer was, but it caught me by surprise!
Graphic: Suicide, Murder, and Classism
Moderate: Child death, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Gun violence, Blood, Antisemitism, Car accident, and Alcohol