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clabepeterson's review against another edition
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
At this point, I feel like I have a good handle on what an Agatha Christie book looks like. I think this is either my seventh or eighth book by her, so I've started to notice some patterns. The exposition is almost always boring. The characters are usually flat, with some exceptions. And the twist is always pretty brilliant—I've still never called any of her endings. The Secret of Chimneys is no different. Here, the exposition borders on being worse than the goddamn book where she made me google the rules of bridge. Christie immediately greets the reader with a complex political situation in the fictional country of Herzoslovakia—which, on it's own, sounds like a task—but then you are forced to factor in lineage, memoirs, letters, blackmail, "The Comrades of the Red Hand" both US and British meddling, and some guy named Baron Lolopretjyzl. It's a lot, and this is a short book. All of those details end up being more or less important, but they bog the story down, especially at the beginning. Yet, like any good Christie novel, it gets better the more you read. In this case, it mostly has to do with my favourite bunch of Christie characters so far. In particular, Anthony Cade. Cade is our main character throughout most of the novel, and is a charming perspective to see the world through. He's got some snark, which is a refreshing change from the normal Poirot, who can sometimes feel like a bit of a blank slate. Cade drives the plot through the middle of the book, and while much of it is unnecessarily convoluted, it does grip you by the climax. As for that climax—to not spoil it—it was surely a suprise, but not the most satisfying one. The tension is fantastic, but the reveal was a bit underwhelming. Overall, it's very middle-of-the-road. Some interesting characters and great tension get overshadowed by an overly convoluted and boring plot. Worth a read if you love Christie, but she's written much better.
pbraue13's review against another edition
3.0
One of the "Queen of Mystery"'s rare forays into the world of organized crime (slightly) the plot is less of a detective novel and more of a light-hearted thriller. There are stolen jewels, mysterious manuscripts, oil concessions, compromising letters, a foreign throne, villains, heroes, and mysterious beautiful women - what's not to love. Toss in a murder and you have a very labyrinthine plot that verges on the romantic and requires a lot of suspension of disbelief to get through. It demands indulgence of the reader. I liked the characters (especially the protagonist - Anthony Cade - as he is so mysterious and we never know his true identity or purpose), but it was hard for me to really believe them and believe that some of them make the dumb decisions they do after displaying such smart tact throughout the first portions of the book. Not too bad, but not my favorite either. 3.5/5 stars
soinap's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-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
2.5
melissa_who_reads's review against another edition
2.0
Really dated, and with a lot of really outdated slurs. One that was apparently more general than I'd realized ... and the politics of it all are very British Empire and pro-monarchy. Fun in a "he-man solves it all" kind of way if you like that sort of action thriller. The murder is hardly the point of this story - a mere by-product of the thriller plot.
jmbz38's review against another edition
funny
mysterious
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
3.25
imcraigoc's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
aggressive_nostalgia's review against another edition
2.0
Implausible characters, borderline ridiculous plot, confusing action. I usually enjoy Christie's mysteries, but this foray into international intrigue was not a good track for her (and it reads as uncomfortably dated {the characters don't skimp on classist and racist remarks} instead of as a cozy period piece). Back to Miss Marple and M. Poirot for me.