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emory's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
Fun, entertaining reads, but nowhere near as satisfying as the longer novels (of the two I've read). Poirot is humorous, if a bit irritating in such concentrated bursts, as is his banter with Hastings, and the mysteries are intriguing to tinker over and great for reading on a lunch break. But, with so few pages, the explanations occasionally feel unearned and as if they were cheaply reaching for what the reader is most unlikely to guess. A few didn't fully make sense.
If you'd like to read the mysteries and need to avoid encountering the 1920s racism, skip stories The Western Star and The Cheap Flat in particular, as both include racial slurs and the first includes a racist and orientalist view of a theoretical Chinese character. The story regarding the Egyptian expedition is similar. The final story, The Missing Will, also includes disdain for "modern women", the whole thing seeming to be a setup for a distasteful punchline. Other occasional 1920s-isms throughout.
Standout stories to me were The Tragedy at Marsdon Manor, The Adventure of the Cheap Flat, The Million Dollar Bond Robbery, and The Disappearance of Mr Davenheim. Apparently I read the edition lacking 3 extra stories; I think I'll have to track them down.
If you'd like to read the mysteries and need to avoid encountering the 1920s racism, skip stories The Western Star and The Cheap Flat in particular, as both include racial slurs and the first includes a racist and orientalist view of a theoretical Chinese character. The story regarding the Egyptian expedition is similar. The final story, The Missing Will, also includes disdain for "modern women", the whole thing seeming to be a setup for a distasteful punchline. Other occasional 1920s-isms throughout.
Standout stories to me were The Tragedy at Marsdon Manor, The Adventure of the Cheap Flat, The Million Dollar Bond Robbery, and The Disappearance of Mr Davenheim. Apparently I read the edition lacking 3 extra stories; I think I'll have to track them down.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Suicide, Murder, and Racial slurs
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail and Misogyny
early 20th century era racism and misogyny throughoutamphipodgirl's review
- 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
I find Hercule Poirot shorts relaxing to read without necessarily enjoying them as such.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
There is repeated use of an anti-Asian slur in one or two stories and one story has racist, stereotyped views of Chinese people.linddykal's review
challenging
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racial slurs and Racism
bookaneer808's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
Entertaining collection of stories based on deductions by Poirot, from the POV of Hastings. Enjoyable apart from one story, The Adventure of the "Western Star" which repeatedly uses a racial slur for a Chinese man.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism
madamenovelist's review
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism, Death, Murder, Xenophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, and Sexism
It feels there is somehow even more racism/xenophobia in Christie’s short stories than her longer works. Her plotting, pacing, and personal knowledge of chemistry/medicine are fantastic but it’s hard to focus when slurs against Asians show up without preamble.thequeeraunt's review against another edition
mysterious
fast-paced
- 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
2.5
This is a collection of short stories that amount to brief summaries of some of Hercule Poirot's cases. Most of them are recounted as being told by Poirot to Hastings (and by extension the reader). This is a case of narrative being told rather than shown. And, as with my comments regarding The Big Four, I must warn potential readers about some very casual racist slurs and xenophobia in some of the shorts.
One redeeming quality of this collection is that because the individual case stories are short, it's an easy book to pick up and put down without feeling like you have to finish just one more chapter. I found myself able to enjoy a more leisurely pace through Poirot Investigates, and even with that in mind, I finished it in under a day.
I do think that Christie, like many classic authors, is worth a passing study. Just be aware before you begin reading her works that they now exist in a context very different from the one in which they were originally written.
One redeeming quality of this collection is that because the individual case stories are short, it's an easy book to pick up and put down without feeling like you have to finish just one more chapter. I found myself able to enjoy a more leisurely pace through Poirot Investigates, and even with that in mind, I finished it in under a day.
I do think that Christie, like many classic authors, is worth a passing study. Just be aware before you begin reading her works that they now exist in a context very different from the one in which they were originally written.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Misogyny, Kidnapping, Murder, Violence, and Sexism
fraise's review against another edition
mysterious
fast-paced
- 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? It's complicated
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Murder, Racial slurs, Violence, and Sexism
Moderate: Drug use and Xenophobia
Minor: Classism, Chronic illness, and Terminal illness
annelives's review against another edition
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
Might be my least favorite Poirot mysteries. Most of the mysteries were uninteresting and there’s scattered pockets of racist language throughout towards Chinese, Japanese, and Egyptian peoples. I know Agatha Christie is the product of her time, but with other books they’ve cleaned up at least racial slurs but in this one not so much. There’s always going to be a bit of an imperialist tone in her works, because she’s English during Imperialism, but it was just more obvious and distracting in this collection of short stories.
Content Warnings
Minor: Racial slurs, Xenophobia, and Racism
bibliophilemama's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
relaxing
fast-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism and Racial slurs
mmbay's review against another edition
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism
While the language was probably typical for the time, there’s plenty of racist descriptions and stereotypes