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coris's review against another edition
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, and Racism
Minor: Rape
leonormsousa's review against another edition
4.0
I found out recently that Agatha Christie had written 6 novels under the pseudonym Mary Westmacott. She did it because she wanted to write something different and to be free of readerly expectations while doing so. Absent in the Spring was one of these novels. Agatha Christie admitted that Absent in the Spring was the only book that satisfied her completely. She wrote it in 3 days flat.
Needless is to say how hight my expectations for this book were. It failed me a little bit though. It was SO different from everything I've read of the author. I'm used to her books having intricate plots where the end is always unexpected. This was the complete opposite. The end wasn't surprising but it also wasn't expected, and it didn't fell in between either (which I know makes no sense but there really aren't better words). However, it was terribly marking and enormously insightful about human nature.
It is also one of those books that grow on you. I finished reading and was thinking that a 3 stars rating was already a pretty good rating for the reading experience I just had. The day after, 3 stars felt rather insufficient and I thought about giving it 3,5. The day after I was settled on 4 stars. Now, I'm already considering more.
Absent in the Spring is overwhelming, is disturbing (not the plot itself but what it makes you feel after finishing it) and makes you feel truly uncomfortable. I recommend it for everyone who is in an introspective mood!
Needless is to say how hight my expectations for this book were. It failed me a little bit though. It was SO different from everything I've read of the author. I'm used to her books having intricate plots where the end is always unexpected. This was the complete opposite. The end wasn't surprising but it also wasn't expected, and it didn't fell in between either (which I know makes no sense but there really aren't better words). However, it was terribly marking and enormously insightful about human nature.
It is also one of those books that grow on you. I finished reading and was thinking that a 3 stars rating was already a pretty good rating for the reading experience I just had. The day after, 3 stars felt rather insufficient and I thought about giving it 3,5. The day after I was settled on 4 stars. Now, I'm already considering more.
Absent in the Spring is overwhelming, is disturbing (not the plot itself but what it makes you feel after finishing it) and makes you feel truly uncomfortable. I recommend it for everyone who is in an introspective mood!
jamiev17's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
marybeth494's review against another edition
3.0
I am a huge fan of Agatha Christie and this is the first book I've read of hers writing as Mary Westmacott. I enjoyed the book but the back has this blurb: "Joan thought her marriage a happy one, her husband a man she could depend on always. But step by step the veils of illusion were stripped from her terrified eyes - and suddenly she was in the midst of a waking nightmare, wed to a man she realized was a stranger .... a man who dreamed of getting rid of her, by whatever means were necessary ...."
That is a little misleading, trying to draw in more of the Agatha Christie murder crowd. To me, this book was an interesting dive into self-reflection and not necessarily liking what you found. It doesn't diminish the book for me at all but I prefer a little murder with my Christie :)
That is a little misleading, trying to draw in more of the Agatha Christie murder crowd. To me, this book was an interesting dive into self-reflection and not necessarily liking what you found. It doesn't diminish the book for me at all but I prefer a little murder with my Christie :)
deniqd's review against another edition
2.0
My first and most probably last Mary Westmacott book!
I picked this up because I'm going through a kind of midlife crisis and I keep thinking about my life and that's what the cover said about this book; I knew it would be slow and devoid of action, however...it is just a mumble jumble of stories that Joan remembers while she is alone stranded in the middle of nowhere; the stories don't stitch together and we jump from one to the other without any sense.
We just get to realised that most of times (or probably all the times) perfect lives are not so perfect and I thought it would have some kind of revelation at the end, some kind of life-changing realisation but nope... nothing like that happens.
I picked this up because I'm going through a kind of midlife crisis and I keep thinking about my life and that's what the cover said about this book; I knew it would be slow and devoid of action, however...it is just a mumble jumble of stories that Joan remembers while she is alone stranded in the middle of nowhere; the stories don't stitch together and we jump from one to the other without any sense.
We just get to realised that most of times (or probably all the times) perfect lives are not so perfect and I thought it would have some kind of revelation at the end, some kind of life-changing realisation but nope... nothing like that happens.
bingereading's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
lilcoppertop's review against another edition
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- 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
4.0
abbierca's review against another edition
5.0
Joan is so painfully unaware of the reality of her life, quite a depressing character. This is a cautionary tale for who I don’t want to be.