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3.72 AVERAGE
3.72 AVERAGE
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was my second Christie ouevre, better than the first, which was a play transcribed into prose. This book was much more fully fleshed. I was impressed by the writing at the beginning. ( Miss Chadwick wore pince-nez, stooped, was dowdily dressed, amiably vague in speech, and happened to be a brilliant mathematician.)
The story was well constructed, with plenty of mystery. Strangely, some of the parts you would expect to be mysterious were not. For instance, from very near the beginning the reader knows that the jewels were hidden in something of Jennifer's, and clues make it obvious what. But there was plenty of other mystery.
One thing that struck me as odd was that Poirot did not show up until page 134 of 188. I expected more from him, but I guess I will have to read one of the more famous Poirot books to get it.
The story was well constructed, with plenty of mystery. Strangely, some of the parts you would expect to be mysterious were not. For instance, from very near the beginning the reader knows that the jewels were hidden in something of Jennifer's, and clues make it obvious what. But there was plenty of other mystery.
One thing that struck me as odd was that Poirot did not show up until page 134 of 188. I expected more from him, but I guess I will have to read one of the more famous Poirot books to get it.
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
A fun mystery set at an all girls school. There are a lot of cats hiding among the pigeons in this book
First rate mystery / espionage yarn. I wouldn't call it an Hercule Poirot story, though. He's fitted in almost as an afterthought near the end. (Dame Christie could easily have had one of the other characters solve the murder(s).)
Beware of some casual racism / xenophobia expressed by both characters and the author. (Do girls from the Middle East really "look older" than other girls? Doubtful, unless you're projecting some preconceptions.)
Beware of some casual racism / xenophobia expressed by both characters and the author. (Do girls from the Middle East really "look older" than other girls? Doubtful, unless you're projecting some preconceptions.)
mysterious
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
mysterious
medium-paced
This was an interesting one of Christie's mysteries. It is fairly standard for what one would expect for Christie. The setting is a girls' school and, at first, there are a lot of characters to parse through, but it is all clear eventually. The mystery has to do with murder and jewels so there is plenty of espionage and intrigue, making for an intricate mystery that is hard to guess. It should be noted that, while this is a Poirot mystery and, of course, he solves the case, he does not make an appearance until the last third or so of the book. It is a quick, well-paced mystery with plenty of action.
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No