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3.73 AVERAGE
3.73 AVERAGE
adventurous
medium-paced
Thanks to our heroes, those no good dirty socialists from the Labour party were thwarted, the workers strike was squashed before it could even begin, and the multi millionaire got to marry his cousin. Who could ask for a happier ending!
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
This was my first Tommy and Tuppence, which had always seemed like the least interesting of Christie's series to me -- I think the name seemed too cutesy, and I was anticipating, for some reason, a doddering elderly couple. I was surprised, then, to find our heroes to be devil-may-care young folks with great skill at getting themselves into a mess, but fortunately, some skill in getting back out of it again. It's got a much different tone than Poirot or Miss Marple, of course -- maybe because there's no actual murder here -- more "rollicking" than tense, I'd say, but I enjoyed that. A fun and breezy read, and I'd be happy to join the Young Adventurers on another excursion in the future.
Read for the "espionage thriller" prompt of the 2017 PopSugar Reading Challenge. I'd say that calling this a "thriller" is a real stretch, but it definitely has espionage, so close enough. (Also, I couldn't make it past a couple of chapters of my original pick for that prompt, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy -- so I was thrilled -- pun intended -- to find a Christie title to fall back on!)
Read for the "espionage thriller" prompt of the 2017 PopSugar Reading Challenge. I'd say that calling this a "thriller" is a real stretch, but it definitely has espionage, so close enough. (Also, I couldn't make it past a couple of chapters of my original pick for that prompt, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy -- so I was thrilled -- pun intended -- to find a Christie title to fall back on!)
God, this is bad. I’m not sure I’m going to bother to finish it. Last night I went and read the Wikipedia entry to confirm my guess about who the Adversary is. Basically, I wanted a spoiler so I could find out without having to actually read the book. Tommy and Tuppence are feckless and foolish and profligate and can’t see what’s right in front of their faces. I can tell I’m supposed to be charmed by them but is just not working.
I was 10 pages into this book when I almost quit reading it. It wasn't at all what I expected. Granted, I haven't read many of Agatha Christie's books – one Miss Marple and one Poirot, I think – but what I've read was enough to make me at least expect a mystery starring an interesting detective/amateur detective. Tommy and Tuppence didn't seem particularly interesting to me.
I'm glad I continued reading, though, because The Secret Adversary turned out to be a lot of fun. While I've seen the book referred to as a detective novel and as a mystery, now that I've read it I consider it more of a thriller.
As I've already said, I didn't consider Tommy and Tuppence to be all that interesting at first. A particularly dangerous moment made them and the story more exciting. Up to that point, I think Tuppence viewed their attempts to find the document as an exciting adventure, like something out of a dime novel. I don't think she really took it all seriously until Tommy disappeared, possibly hurt, captured, or even killed (readers know he hasn't been, since there are more stories, but Tuppence didn't know) by Mr. Brown's people. I liked that, for a period of time, she had to continue on without Tommy's help and support and, although she was upset and frightened, she didn't fall apart.
Tuppence was more energetic, imaginative, and adventurous than Tommy. As individuals, I found her to be more interesting right from the start, but, like Tuppence, Tommy also became more appealing after real danger entered the story. Tommy managed to talk his way into being captured, rather than immediately killed, and Tommy was also the one who arranged things so that Mr. Brown did not get the better of them all in the end.
For those who like a bit of romance in their stories, The Secret Adversary has some of that as well. It takes a while to show up: Tommy and Tuppence come across as nothing more than really close friends during the beginning of the book, and it's not surprising that at least one character thinks they're related. In fact, I probably wouldn't have expected any romance if I hadn't been alerted to it by some stuff I read online about the two characters. Anyway, when Tommy goes missing, Tuppence worries about him, but it doesn't occur to her that she's actually in love with him until Julius proposes to her. Tommy, I think, realized he loved Tuppence well before Tuppence realized she loved him. I really enjoyed Tommy's reaction to Julius telling him that he'd proposed to Tuppence, as well as his reaction when he though Tuppence might be dead.
Speaking of Julius, he was a fun character. He waved great wads of money at practically everything and everyone, to the point where I sometimes wondered if he might not possibly go broke. My favorite “Julius gets stuff done with money” moment was when he bought a Rolls-Royce. Julius had asked Tuppence what kind of car she liked and then left to go get one, leaving her stunned and certainly not expecting what happened next.
Oh, I do love that part.
When this book was first published (1922), the sinking of the Lusitania and the end of World War I was recent history. I don't know if it's that I'm a modern reader, not very good with history, or both, but I had problems keeping in mind what Tommy and Tuppence were hoping to find and why it was so important. I didn't really feel the tension of the impending deadline for finding the document the way I'm guessing a 1922 reader would have. I loved reading about Tommy and Tuppence running around and trying to outwit Mr. Brown, but I had to keep reminding myself that they weren't doing all of that just because.
Speaking of Mr. Brown, that aspect of the story was tons of fun, even though I giggled a little almost every time his name was said, because it was almost always said super-dramatically. A few examples:
There was so much drama, Mr. Brown might as well have been a monster that hid under secret agents' beds.
I guessed who Mr. Brown was well before his identity was revealed, although I admit to not figuring out the clue Agatha Christie left. To be precise, I recognized the clue as a clue (she might as well have attached a neon sign to it that said “CLUE!”), but I was too into the story to want to take the time to try to puzzle it out.
My grade for this book: B+.
(Original review, with read-alikes and watch-alikes, posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.)
I'm glad I continued reading, though, because The Secret Adversary turned out to be a lot of fun. While I've seen the book referred to as a detective novel and as a mystery, now that I've read it I consider it more of a thriller.
As I've already said, I didn't consider Tommy and Tuppence to be all that interesting at first. A particularly dangerous moment made them and the story more exciting. Up to that point, I think Tuppence viewed their attempts to find the document as an exciting adventure, like something out of a dime novel. I don't think she really took it all seriously until Tommy disappeared, possibly hurt, captured, or even killed (readers know he hasn't been, since there are more stories, but Tuppence didn't know) by Mr. Brown's people. I liked that, for a period of time, she had to continue on without Tommy's help and support and, although she was upset and frightened, she didn't fall apart.
Tuppence was more energetic, imaginative, and adventurous than Tommy. As individuals, I found her to be more interesting right from the start, but, like Tuppence, Tommy also became more appealing after real danger entered the story. Tommy managed to talk his way into being captured, rather than immediately killed, and Tommy was also the one who arranged things so that Mr. Brown did not get the better of them all in the end.
For those who like a bit of romance in their stories, The Secret Adversary has some of that as well. It takes a while to show up: Tommy and Tuppence come across as nothing more than really close friends during the beginning of the book, and it's not surprising that at least one character thinks they're related. In fact, I probably wouldn't have expected any romance if I hadn't been alerted to it by some stuff I read online about the two characters. Anyway, when Tommy goes missing, Tuppence worries about him, but it doesn't occur to her that she's actually in love with him until Julius proposes to her. Tommy, I think, realized he loved Tuppence well before Tuppence realized she loved him. I really enjoyed Tommy's reaction to Julius telling him that he'd proposed to Tuppence, as well as his reaction when he though Tuppence might be dead.
Speaking of Julius, he was a fun character. He waved great wads of money at practically everything and everyone, to the point where I sometimes wondered if he might not possibly go broke. My favorite “Julius gets stuff done with money” moment was when he bought a Rolls-Royce. Julius had asked Tuppence what kind of car she liked and then left to go get one, leaving her stunned and certainly not expecting what happened next.
“Thirty-five minutes had elapsed when Julius returned. He took Tuppence by the arm, and walked her to the window.
'There she is.'
'Oh!' said Tuppence with a note of reverence in her voice, as she gazed down at the enormous car.
'She's some pace-maker, I can tell you,' said Julius complacently.
'How did you get it?' gasped Tuppence.
'She was just being sent home to some bigwig.'
'Well?'
'I went round to his house,' said Julius. 'I said that I reckoned a car like that was worth every penny of twenty thousand dollars. Then I told him that it was worth just about fifty thousand dollars to me if he'd get out.'
'Well?' said Tuppence, intoxicated.
'Well,' returned Julius, 'he got out, that's all.'"
Oh, I do love that part.
When this book was first published (1922), the sinking of the Lusitania and the end of World War I was recent history. I don't know if it's that I'm a modern reader, not very good with history, or both, but I had problems keeping in mind what Tommy and Tuppence were hoping to find and why it was so important. I didn't really feel the tension of the impending deadline for finding the document the way I'm guessing a 1922 reader would have. I loved reading about Tommy and Tuppence running around and trying to outwit Mr. Brown, but I had to keep reminding myself that they weren't doing all of that just because.
Speaking of Mr. Brown, that aspect of the story was tons of fun, even though I giggled a little almost every time his name was said, because it was almost always said super-dramatically. A few examples:
“'We look at each other – ONE OF US IS MR. BROWN – which?'”
----------
“'I am directed by – Mr. Brown, to place the summaries of the reports from the different unions before you.'”
----------
“'I am accountable to no one. I take my orders only from – Mr. Brown.'”
----------
“'You feel - as we all feel - THE PRESENCE OF MR. BROWN. Yes" - as Tuppence made a movement - "not a doubt of it - MR. BROWN IS HERE.....”
There was so much drama, Mr. Brown might as well have been a monster that hid under secret agents' beds.
I guessed who Mr. Brown was well before his identity was revealed, although I admit to not figuring out the clue Agatha Christie left. To be precise, I recognized the clue as a clue (she might as well have attached a neon sign to it that said “CLUE!”), but I was too into the story to want to take the time to try to puzzle it out.
My grade for this book: B+.
(Original review, with read-alikes and watch-alikes, posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.)
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
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
adventurous
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