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dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Mental illness, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was my first Agatha Christie book.
It was a bit slow for me. The audiobook was great, but with so many characters, it was hard to keep up. I found myself distracted a lot. I’ve heard this one wasn’t her best, so I’ll definitely try her other books.
Loved the premise though and that ending!! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
It was a bit slow for me. The audiobook was great, but with so many characters, it was hard to keep up. I found myself distracted a lot. I’ve heard this one wasn’t her best, so I’ll definitely try her other books.
Loved the premise though and that ending!! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Murder
Moderate: Ableism, Xenophobia
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
This was my first Agatha Christie novel and one I was really looking forward to reading for so long. It’s a fitting read for Halloween and I felt it had so much potential considering its plot (a murder at a Hallowe’en party) featuring her famous detective Hercule Poirot. Sadly though, it felt really slow and repetitive at times until the reveal at the end that suddenly felt rushed.
There were a lot of interesting characters, and even though I lost track sometimes on who was who, I wanted to get to know them more. There wasn’t enough depth to understand who they were or pinpoint how they could be a suspect. So, when it was revealed who the culprit was, I was both kind of surprised but also felt indifferent.
I will say though, I thought there was something intriguing Agatha Christie was maybe trying to explore about youth and teenagers. Hallowe’en Party was published in 1969, which already brings up so much about the era and its youth culture, especially in Britain. I think if she had fully conceptualize the story’s themes alongside the mystery and cause of the crime Poirot was trying solve, it would have made for such a fascinating and contemporary story of its time.
There were a lot of interesting characters, and even though I lost track sometimes on who was who, I wanted to get to know them more. There wasn’t enough depth to understand who they were or pinpoint how they could be a suspect. So, when it was revealed who the culprit was, I was both kind of surprised but also felt indifferent.
I will say though, I thought there was something intriguing Agatha Christie was maybe trying to explore about youth and teenagers. Hallowe’en Party was published in 1969, which already brings up so much about the era and its youth culture, especially in Britain. I think if she had fully conceptualize the story’s themes alongside the mystery and cause of the crime Poirot was trying solve, it would have made for such a fascinating and contemporary story of its time.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Murder
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:
Yes
I had a good time with this one! It was my first Agatha Christie so I don't have anything else to compare it to in terms of the rest of her bibliography, but I did feel as though this one was very slow-moving. It got to be repetitive at times, due to most of the novel depicting Hercule Poirot interviewing all of the Halloween party attendees on what they saw, their theories, and their relationships with other partygoers and townspeople. Although it was repetitive, I will say that I did not find this predictable at all - I was questioning whodunnit until the very end. I really enjoyed the way that Christie brought everything together at the end (and showing that even the smallest of details sprinkled throughout the novel played a big role in the murderer's reveal) - it proved how well thought out the story was and that I could never be a detective lol. If you are like me and will pick this up for the Halloween vibes I think you'll be slightly disappointed (the only time Halloween/Autumn-time was at the forefront was when it was mentioned that it was a Halloween party), but I would still pick it up if you're a fan of classic mysteries.
I am definitely looking forward to picking up more of her works in the future!
I am definitely looking forward to picking up more of her works in the future!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Murder
Minor: Ableism, Sexism, Xenophobia
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:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Murder
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Child death
challenging
dark
mysterious
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
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death
A book of its time. Treats child death carelessly and inappropriate sexual references to teenage girls.
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Murder
Moderate: Pedophilia, Sexual violence
Minor: Ableism, Misogyny, Xenophobia
dark
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
So, this was perplexing.
The story was not perplexing. The story should have been a bit more perplexing. I figured out the solution almost immediately and spent the rest of the book hoping that I was wrong (I wasn't). I realize that Christie wrote this book at a time in her life when she was dealing with some cognitive challenges, but it felt as though she had been aware of her situation and decided to play this book safe.
It was perplexing that there is very little Halloween in it. This could be called Christmas Party (or Easter Party...or Birthday Party), and the story would not change. I've been reading the short stories in the The Last Seance, so I know that Christie can write creepy, but she doesn't do so here. In fact, it felt like it took place in the spring, not in the autumn.
While I didn't get creepy vibes, I was unsettled at points. The victim of this murder is a child, which I have a hard time reading. It makes sense with the story, but that doesn't make it any more palatable.
So, not a hit for me. But I knew I would read it eventually, so I'm glad I can check it off my Agatha Christie list now.
The story was not perplexing. The story should have been a bit more perplexing. I figured out the solution almost immediately and spent the rest of the book hoping that I was wrong (I wasn't). I realize that Christie wrote this book at a time in her life when she was dealing with some cognitive challenges, but it felt as though she had been aware of her situation and decided to play this book safe.
It was perplexing that there is very little Halloween in it. This could be called Christmas Party (or Easter Party...or Birthday Party), and the story would not change. I've been reading the short stories in the The Last Seance, so I know that Christie can write creepy, but she doesn't do so here. In fact, it felt like it took place in the spring, not in the autumn.
While I didn't get creepy vibes, I was unsettled at points. The victim of this murder is a child, which I have a hard time reading. It makes sense with the story, but that doesn't make it any more palatable.
So, not a hit for me. But I knew I would read it eventually, so I'm glad I can check it off my Agatha Christie list now.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death
Minor: Adult/minor relationship