Scan barcode
bessadams's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Moderate: Racism, Car accident, Rape, Death, Infertility, Pregnancy, Murder, Grief, Classism, Sexual violence, Infidelity, Death of parent, War, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Forced institutionalization, Child death, and Animal death
_alyssar_'s review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
Moderate: Infidelity, Adult/minor relationship, Forced institutionalization, Pregnancy, Rape, Terminal illness, Animal death, Blood, Grief, Murder, War, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Child death, and Death
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Alcohol, Terminal illness, Classism, Domestic abuse, Pandemic/Epidemic, Car accident, Physical abuse, Sexism, Violence, Suicide, Sexual violence, Sexual content, and Sexual assault
passionatereader78's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Kidnapping, Murder, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, Violence, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Rape, and Abandonment
Moderate: Death of parent, Toxic friendship, Death, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Violence, Trafficking, War, Sexual violence, and Torture
fabs2510's review against another edition
3.25
Graphic: Murder, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, and Infidelity
Moderate: War, Rape, Suicide, Sexual assault, and Self harm
Minor: Infertility, Death of parent, and Death
frantically's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Rape, Animal death, Death, Infidelity, Murder, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Child death, Confinement, War, and Physical abuse
Minor: Death of parent and Abandonment
oceanwriter's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I'll start with the title. It's a bit misleading. The story is told by Nan O'Dae, the fictionalized version of Archie Christie's mistress. Though Agatha Christie is present in the story and revolves around her disappearance, the story is largely about Nan and her backstory. While it was an interesting story, I spent the first fourth of the book trying to figure out why it's titled The Christie Affair and when the perspective would change to Agatha. Though it's not the biggest quip for me, it was distracting at first. As I said, Nan's story was interesting, but it overpowered Agatha's story.
My second issue with the book was the pacing. Even with Nan narrating, there were scenes with Agatha, Archie, and Chilton that didn't involve Nan which felt a little off now and then. Mostly it was the placement and the number of storylines going on. Nan often times broke the fourth wall, making it feel like a 'he said, she said' tale. That was the point of the narration, but those moments jarred me out of the story being told.
Lastly, I didn't care for some of the content in Nan's backstory. Though a driving force for the plot, I found the scenes with the nuns and the priest upsetting. I'm sure I'll get some flack for saying so. It's one thing to acknowledge it than have to read it in detail. Especially when it's not told in a way that's informing.
My complaints out of the way, I'll wrap this up by saying that I did like the book for the most part. The characters were likable and I like how they were written in a way that you're rooting for all of them even though their aspirations conflict with at least one of the others. There was mystery, romance, and intrigue all in one with none of them too over the top.
Graphic: Rape, Infidelity, and Child death
Moderate: Suicide
Minor: War, Sexual content, and Death of parent
catherine_t's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
My mother really enjoyed this book. I, on the other hand, did not. Yes, I am well aware that this book is fiction. It doesn't purport to solve the mystery of Christie's real-life disappearance (something which Christie herself never discussed, not even in her <i>Autobiography</i>). But the way it characterizes both Christies just struck me as false, hollow. Starting out, I couldn't understand why certain real-life details were changed (the Christies' daughter being named Teddy, for instance, not Rosalind, and Agatha using a typewriter when she was known to write longhand and have a secretary type the manuscript). In fact, it's these little niggling oddities that kept pulling me out of the story. Perhaps if I weren't such a devotee of Christie (I've read two biographies, most of her novels, and am eagerly awaiting the release of Lucy Worsley's biography of Christie later this year), these things wouldn't have bothered me, but they did.
Maybe this book isn't for those of us who know Christie and her work. As I said, my mother really enjoyed the book, and she's read one biography and a handful of the novels (I think). If you can consider this more of an alternate-universe version of Christie, perhaps you'll enjoy it more than I did.
Moderate: Murder, Kidnapping, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, and War
Minor: Child death, Death of parent, and Suicide
hermithebs's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
Graphic: Infidelity
Moderate: Death of parent, Suicide, Car accident, Death, Pregnancy, and Child death
Minor: War
jukietoss's review
- 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
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.
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Rape, Pregnancy, Murder, Grief, Forced institutionalization, Child death, and Abandonment
Moderate: Suicide, War, Death of parent, and Domestic abuse
Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Infertility