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3.39 AVERAGE
3.39 AVERAGE
mysterious
slow-paced
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
dark
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
mysterious
reflective
tense
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
A satisfying ending as I called the murderer. (SPOILER...since p. 67.)
But I found this story to be a, dare I say, bit tedious--about 100 pages too long. The clues were all there if you were paying attention and Christie, as usual, left enough room to doubt who really did it. But I found myself pushing to get through it towards the end. It was almost she had to put in all this filler because she didn't know what else to say.
This story was published in 1969 and I find it so interesting that she really is a time capusule for us. You can really see how English lifestyles, attitudes, morals, beliefs--culture--has changed over the decades. I think what makes this one a bit hard to read is that there is the loss of "innocence" (if one can use that word in regards to murder). This had the tinge of Law & Order/CSI to it, even for Poirot.
If you like Christie, I'd recommend it. It's not really a "Halloween" theme book as really only the setting has anything to do with the holiday. But I challenge you to guess whodunit and how early on you think it is!
But I found this story to be a, dare I say, bit tedious--about 100 pages too long. The clues were all there if you were paying attention and Christie, as usual, left enough room to doubt who really did it. But I found myself pushing to get through it towards the end. It was almost she had to put in all this filler because she didn't know what else to say.
This story was published in 1969 and I find it so interesting that she really is a time capusule for us. You can really see how English lifestyles, attitudes, morals, beliefs--culture--has changed over the decades. I think what makes this one a bit hard to read is that there is the loss of "innocence" (if one can use that word in regards to murder). This had the tinge of Law & Order/CSI to it, even for Poirot.
If you like Christie, I'd recommend it. It's not really a "Halloween" theme book as really only the setting has anything to do with the holiday. But I challenge you to guess whodunit and how early on you think it is!
After reading Murder on the Orient Express' terrible ending it was hard for me to gove Agatha Christie another opportunity, but this book made it worth it, it amazed me.
Such a fine narration following the clues of Hercules Poirot, every new clue fills you up with possibilities as if you were the detective.
The ending is so gratifying, im glad I read this book.
Such a fine narration following the clues of Hercules Poirot, every new clue fills you up with possibilities as if you were the detective.
The ending is so gratifying, im glad I read this book.
Hey Hey this book is older than me. Some of the language and tropes are quite outdated. I listened to the audiobook. The reader was very good. I figured out part of the mystery fairly early on and then listened to see if I was right and for the answers to other questions that were raised.
I haven't read any Hercule Poirot since I was like a kid and that was literally over 30 years ago, so I don't remember if this is typical of HP. If you like Agatha Christie books, obviously you'll enjoy this. If you are looking for a seasonal mystery, there is enough Halloween content to make this a worthy read.
I haven't read any Hercule Poirot since I was like a kid and that was literally over 30 years ago, so I don't remember if this is typical of HP. If you like Agatha Christie books, obviously you'll enjoy this. If you are looking for a seasonal mystery, there is enough Halloween content to make this a worthy read.
"—Es mejor no saber. Siempre es mejor no saber. Vale más dejar las cosas como están. No espiar, rebuscar o indagar.
—Usted busca la belleza. La belleza a cualquier precio. Por mi parte, quiero la verdad, siempre busco la verdad".
Lo que empieza como un juego inocente de Halloween acaba por convertirse en un caso muy turbio en el que como siempre Poirot logra unir todo aquello que parecía inconexo. De los últimos libros de la autora me gusta cómo hace referencias a cambios en la sociedad y las costumbres (aquí hay menciones a cantantes pop, a los hippies, a los nuevos supermercados...).
—Usted busca la belleza. La belleza a cualquier precio. Por mi parte, quiero la verdad, siempre busco la verdad".
Lo que empieza como un juego inocente de Halloween acaba por convertirse en un caso muy turbio en el que como siempre Poirot logra unir todo aquello que parecía inconexo. De los últimos libros de la autora me gusta cómo hace referencias a cambios en la sociedad y las costumbres (aquí hay menciones a cantantes pop, a los hippies, a los nuevos supermercados...).
3.5 stars
Listening to this made tracking all the characters a little difficult, but definitely love that Hugh Fraser narrated this.
The flow of the book felt a bit awkward. For instance, I didn't understand why Poirot's meditation on a garden he had seen before needed to be so long and meandering. Perhaps Agatha Christie REALLY – and I do mean, REALLY – wanted us to understand just how beautiful this quarry garden was?
The tone of this book is also a lot darker than some of her other books. The whole thing starts with a child being murdered, for one! There is also mention of disturbing crimes and criminals being all too common 'nowadays'.
Not my favourite Christie, but she does not hide the fact that she is so sick of writing Poirot books by this point – book 41! – and that's always amusing to me. (He shall suffer in his tight patent leather shoes for vanity!)
Listening to this made tracking all the characters a little difficult, but definitely love that Hugh Fraser narrated this.
The flow of the book felt a bit awkward. For instance, I didn't understand why Poirot's meditation on a garden he had seen before needed to be so long and meandering. Perhaps Agatha Christie REALLY – and I do mean, REALLY – wanted us to understand just how beautiful this quarry garden was?
The tone of this book is also a lot darker than some of her other books. The whole thing starts with a child being murdered, for one! There is also mention of disturbing crimes and criminals being all too common 'nowadays'.
Not my favourite Christie, but she does not hide the fact that she is so sick of writing Poirot books by this point – book 41! – and that's always amusing to me. (He shall suffer in his tight patent leather shoes for vanity!)