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naveenpiedy's review against another edition
5.0
Upon finishing the book, my immediate emotion was regret. Usually I don't read Introductions and Forewords. But I gave in to hype surrounding and decided to take in everything as to enjoy the book in its fullest.
The introduction by Louise Penny didn't spoil the ending. But it made me aware of possibilities that I wouldn't have come up on my own. This might have diminished the impact of the twist, but it did leave me with a unique experience (which the author might have not intended). I will explain more on this at the end.
Let me get this out of the way, the mystery is masterfully done. There is a certain rhythm to how complexities are added to the original mystery while old wrinkles are ironed out. It had me guessing which any good whodunit should do. While I could rule out quite a few suspects, halfway through the book, I was still wondering about their secrets and how it fit the larger picture. I can safely say, I was invested in every page.
While reading, I remember being frustrated whenever Poirot's action weren't explained. I considered it to be a cheap trick. To hide relevant information pertaining to the investigation from Dr. Sheppard, our eyes into this world. But it all made sense in the end.
Upon learning the murderer's true identity, the context of what I have been reading so far shifted dramatically. Till now, I was presented the account of a pretentious detective with glimpses of sincerity trying to unravel a crime which seemed to compound in complexity. But with the ending, I realized that it was a subtle game of cat and mouse not just between Poirot and Dr. Sheppard, but one between the reader and author.
I entertained this possibility early in the book (thanks to the introduction), but I dismissed it being too outrageous and impossible to pull off. And the book convinces me enough that this is the case, but at the same time gives enough room to pull off the twist. This tightrope act of deception is what elevates this being just another good story to a timeless one.
If I hadn't read the introduction, I probably would have loved the book more or hated it for betraying me. Instead, the ending came off as a satisfying and a logical conclusion. I am probably wiser for reading the intro, the one time (I think) I wish hadn't been.
Having said all of this, this is a masterful tale of secrets hidden and unraveling of it that works on both Watsonian and Doylist levels. In some ways, boundaries between both are blurred. While Sheppard undermines Poirot's investigation, Agatha deceives the reader without ever lying. If I can't be impressed by and appreciate a narrative that works on so many levels, I should call on Hercule Poriot to investigate why I am dead on the inside.
The introduction by Louise Penny didn't spoil the ending. But it made me aware of possibilities that I wouldn't have come up on my own. This might have diminished the impact of the twist, but it did leave me with a unique experience (which the author might have not intended). I will explain more on this at the end.
Let me get this out of the way, the mystery is masterfully done. There is a certain rhythm to how complexities are added to the original mystery while old wrinkles are ironed out. It had me guessing which any good whodunit should do. While I could rule out quite a few suspects, halfway through the book, I was still wondering about their secrets and how it fit the larger picture. I can safely say, I was invested in every page.
While reading, I remember being frustrated whenever Poirot's action weren't explained. I considered it to be a cheap trick. To hide relevant information pertaining to the investigation from Dr. Sheppard, our eyes into this world. But it all made sense in the end.
Upon learning the murderer's true identity, the context of what I have been reading so far shifted dramatically. Till now, I was presented the account of a pretentious detective with glimpses of sincerity trying to unravel a crime which seemed to compound in complexity. But with the ending, I realized that it was a subtle game of cat and mouse not just between Poirot and Dr. Sheppard, but one between the reader and author.
I entertained this possibility early in the book (thanks to the introduction), but I dismissed it being too outrageous and impossible to pull off. And the book convinces me enough that this is the case, but at the same time gives enough room to pull off the twist. This tightrope act of deception is what elevates this being just another good story to a timeless one.
If I hadn't read the introduction, I probably would have loved the book more or hated it for betraying me. Instead, the ending came off as a satisfying and a logical conclusion. I am probably wiser for reading the intro, the one time (I think) I wish hadn't been.
Having said all of this, this is a masterful tale of secrets hidden and unraveling of it that works on both Watsonian and Doylist levels. In some ways, boundaries between both are blurred. While Sheppard undermines Poirot's investigation, Agatha deceives the reader without ever lying. If I can't be impressed by and appreciate a narrative that works on so many levels, I should call on Hercule Poriot to investigate why I am dead on the inside.
mmcav's review against another edition
challenging
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
kylenobles'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? Yes
3.5
houston_l's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
fast-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
3.5
dlohmann's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
3.0
Good story and i enjoyed the process of getting the clues but not satisfied with the end, it’s very lazy
phoebe_osgood's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
ktteacher's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
cwbaker24's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Not necessarily Christie’s most famous book, but perhaps her most ingenious and sophisticated.
coffeequasars's review against another edition
4.0
Hoewel ik de dader niet heb kunnen ontmaskeren, kan ik niet zeggen dat ik verrast ben. 't Was natuurlijk wel te denken.
Ondanks bepaalde zinsstructuren die (tot vervelens toe) herhaald werden, blijft het een fijn boek met een goed plot en een sterk einde.
I ❤️ papa Poirot.
Ondanks bepaalde zinsstructuren die (tot vervelens toe) herhaald werden, blijft het een fijn boek met een goed plot en een sterk einde.
I ❤️ papa Poirot.