Scan barcode
chemicalbookdragon's review
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and War
jukietoss's review
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
I really like the concept of telling a story of Agatha Christie's 11-day disappearance, and I thought the story de Gramont conjured was quite compelling. It incorporated both romance and mystery in really satisfying ways. Where it fell down for me was in how it executed that narrative: the book's structure was really disjointed which made it hard to stay engaged. I understand what de Gramont was trying to do and why she told the story asynchronously, but the way it played out was disruptive and led to some reveals that felt premature or repetitive. De Gramont didn't just look backward in time to contextualize the present--she also did a lot of foreshadowing or explicitly naming what would take place years into the future. I found these forward-looking reveals distracting. The stories from the past were important to the story, but I think they could have been incorporated or examined more elegantly.
That said, the overall story was fun, and there were glimmers of ambience that showed really strong world-building and the ability to sweep the reader away. These were often interrupted by other locations or time periods, but I enjoyed the moments of respite where I could get swept up in Christie's story.
That said, the overall story was fun, and there were glimmers of ambience that showed really strong world-building and the ability to sweep the reader away. These were often interrupted by other locations or time periods, but I enjoyed the moments of respite where I could get swept up in Christie's story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, and Abandonment
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Suicide, Death of parent, and War
Minor: Infertility and Suicidal thoughts