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gusreads's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
A very clever locked room mystery with the usual Christie flair and well-disguised twists. It’s also the book that introduces the Mrs. Oliver character who is a proxy for Christie herself. It’s delightfully meta and shows clearly her dislike of her own star detective.
I have dropped the rating due to the casual racism which mars so many of her books.
I have dropped the rating due to the casual racism which mars so many of her books.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism
daryn's review against another edition
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Murder, and Death
Minor: Racism
hannahs_library_'s review against another edition
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? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism and Misogyny
Minor: Murder and Death
tangleroot_eli's review against another edition
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
This was the first Agatha Christie book I ever read. I couldn’t say exactly when that was, but given where I remember being when I read it, it must’ve been a solid 30 years ago.
After rereading it, I’m honestly surprised I read any other Christie after this. Unfortunately, my white, small-town US adolescent self wouldn’t have caught the rampant racism and xenophobia. But I was a fierce feminist, and I’m surprised I gave Christie another shot after encountering so much sexism, period-typical though it may have been.
More importantly, I knew (and still know) exactly zilch about bridge. How on Earth did preteen me wade through paragraph after paragraph of bridge hands and scores, when adult me could barely handle it?
After rereading it, I’m honestly surprised I read any other Christie after this. Unfortunately, my white, small-town US adolescent self wouldn’t have caught the rampant racism and xenophobia. But I was a fierce feminist, and I’m surprised I gave Christie another shot after encountering so much sexism, period-typical though it may have been.
More importantly, I knew (and still know) exactly zilch about bridge. How on Earth did preteen me wade through paragraph after paragraph of bridge hands and scores, when adult me could barely handle it?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Xenophobia, and Sexism
Moderate: Racism and Fatphobia
ivulikkivulik's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
1.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Sexism
Moderate: Murder
Minor: Suicide
shelfofunread's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Minor: Racial slurs, Murder, Classism, and Racism
rosiehough's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- 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
While the plot of the book was captivating and intriguing, the amount of casual racism spoken between characters throughout the whole story was quite shocking and did definitely change the reading experience - it's something to keep in mind if you're thinking of giving this book a try.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racial slurs and Racism
readingelli's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I very much enjoyed the plot twists here, and the fact that- as pointed out in the foreword- all 4 suspects have motive and opportunity. I also liked Mrs Oliver’s introduction.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder and Racism
thebirdofinferno's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Minor: Racism
wrenxavier's review
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
Content Warnings
Minor: Death, Gun violence, Medical content, Murder, Racism, Sexism, Suicide, and Terminal illness