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libbyhb's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
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? Yes
3.5
This was my first Agatha Christie read, and I actually read it because I plan to read The Decagon House Murders and I wanted to get that context ahead of time. And Then There Were None is a very smooth read - it flows really well and I imagine would be really enjoyable on audio. There was some striking antisemitism right up front, and more casual racism throughout (particularly about native/indigenous people), so would recommend going in with that knowledge or avoiding it if necessary. As far as the actual mystery went, I was content to be pulled along for the ride, never really having a clue about who could be the culprit. I also liked that it centered on people who had done unforgiveable things, and making them reckon with the fact that they had done them, as well as their own mortality on the island. The characters were a little difficult to pin down, since there were so many and they kept dropping off, but I didn't mind that much. I'm excited to read more Christie after this introduction!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicide, Antisemitism, and Murder
kaylaramoutar's review against another edition
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Minor: Racial slurs
bookedrightmeow's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie is a classic mystery novel and is my first Christie read. I really enjoyed the story and had no idea who the murderer was until the very end. It’s easy to see how this became a bestseller and a classic.
As an aside, as someone who loves spoof comedies like the iconic movie Clue, it was fun to read source material like ATTWN to see what inspired all those later works!
Now that that’s out of the way...this book has an extremely problematic history, including but not limited to the title itself. I encourage you to look up the Wiki on this book because it’s pretty bad. While the Christie estate has taken steps to change the title and remove racist slurs from the book, it’s a huge issue for me and I’m honestly not sure if I’ll continue reading Christie’s work. 😩
There’s so much to unpack and I’m not intellectual enough to expound on it. Did I enjoy the book? Yes. It’s a fun read. But knowing the back story certainly diminishes my enjoyment of the book in retrospect.
As an aside, as someone who loves spoof comedies like the iconic movie Clue, it was fun to read source material like ATTWN to see what inspired all those later works!
Now that that’s out of the way...this book has an extremely problematic history, including but not limited to the title itself. I encourage you to look up the Wiki on this book because it’s pretty bad. While the Christie estate has taken steps to change the title and remove racist slurs from the book, it’s a huge issue for me and I’m honestly not sure if I’ll continue reading Christie’s work. 😩
There’s so much to unpack and I’m not intellectual enough to expound on it. Did I enjoy the book? Yes. It’s a fun read. But knowing the back story certainly diminishes my enjoyment of the book in retrospect.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Racial slurs, Racism, and Murder
alexhelme's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
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? Yes
4.0
My first Agatha Christie read! Definitely enjoyed how concise and economical the plot is; nothing is there that doesn’t need to be except for some “it was a different time” racism. Definitely want to read more of her books but I am overwhelmed and don’t know where to go next.
Also it was unclear to me between the first person passages, police account at the end, and confessional whether Vera actually did what she was accused of...am I just dumb??
Also it was unclear to me between the first person passages, police account at the end, and confessional whether Vera actually did what she was accused of...am I just dumb??
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism, Suicide, and Murder
Minor: Racial slurs and Racism
lavender_lake's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs
cj1701's review against another edition
mysterious
fast-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
A quick read and a tightly plotted mystery which kept me guessing till the end - but could generously be described as 'of its time'. Extremely racist - very jarring to read something so liberally sprinkled with the n-word.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racial slurs and Racism
jnelly14's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
3.75
Great as a mystery, but should keep original context in mind. Knowing the original title did make it a little harder to enjoy.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Racial slurs
keen's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Racial slurs, Suicide, and Antisemitism
Moderate: Child abuse, Gun violence, and Violence
Minor: Alcoholism, Terminal illness, and Grief
nuin_giliath's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
There's a reason this book continues to be viewed as exemplary within the mystery genre. It has a solid premise with plenty of suspense throughout. When I first picked it up, I was surprised by how short it is - especially when compared to more contemporary mystery novels. However, Agatha Christie did some amazing work in those few pages. Apart from some dated terms and an occasional racist remark, it holds up remarkably well and makes for an easy, addictive read.
Readers can assume from the title how the story will end, but there was still an incredible amount of tension from not knowing exactly when or how each character would be killed off. Even after reading the poem that serves as the inspiration behind each death, there was always an uncertainty about just how some of these scenarios might play out. In my opinion, some of the deaths were a touch ridiculous and didn't seem to align well with the lines of the poem. I also thought the final reveal was a bit of a stretch yet at the same time forgivable when considering what needed to happen for this story to work.
While I don't consider any of the characters to be a particular favorite, there's something to be said about how well they depict the baseness of human nature through the initial downplaying of their crimes, the distrust of the others, the rising hysteria, and their desperate attempts at self-preservation. I liked how the narrative jumped around the various POVs as this allowed brief insights into each person's thoughts and motivations in that moment.
I listened to the audio version that featured Dan Stevens' narration and I'd highly recommend it if you can get your hands on a copy. He really gives life and personality to each character. His normally soothing voice does not detract from the overall feeling of foreboding. If you haven't already checked this out, don't let its age deter you from reading this well written mystery novel.
Readers can assume from the title how the story will end, but there was still an incredible amount of tension from not knowing exactly when or how each character would be killed off. Even after reading the poem that serves as the inspiration behind each death, there was always an uncertainty about just how some of these scenarios might play out. In my opinion, some of the deaths were a touch ridiculous and didn't seem to align well with the lines of the poem. I also thought the final reveal was a bit of a stretch yet at the same time forgivable when considering what needed to happen for this story to work.
While I don't consider any of the characters to be a particular favorite, there's something to be said about how well they depict the baseness of human nature through the initial downplaying of their crimes, the distrust of the others, the rising hysteria, and their desperate attempts at self-preservation. I liked how the narrative jumped around the various POVs as this allowed brief insights into each person's thoughts and motivations in that moment.
I listened to the audio version that featured Dan Stevens' narration and I'd highly recommend it if you can get your hands on a copy. He really gives life and personality to each character. His normally soothing voice does not detract from the overall feeling of foreboding. If you haven't already checked this out, don't let its age deter you from reading this well written mystery novel.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Suicide, and Violence
Minor: Racial slurs
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