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A review by sueread2030
Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie
challenging
informative
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
"A murder has been committed. Certain actions have to be performed. That is all there is to it"
There is no doubt that Agatha was a master of the whodunit mystery: a murder in which the identity of the murderer is not revealed until the end. It focuses on the efforts of the detective. It is characterized by the clues of the crime being there in plain sight
Let us dismiss the fact that, even though this book is timeless, it would be criticized if it were published in our times. Murder on the Oriend Express began in Syria then Turkey, yet none of the characters in the train are, in fact, oriental. They are from all over the world but the Middle East.
But still, it was such a delight to reread it again - well, listen. So, to put it in terms the "white audience" this book targets would understand, this book is for those who enjoy a good mystery with their afternoon tea, which would be the literary equivalent of a perfectly steeped Earl Grey – classic, comforting, and with just the right amount of bite.
as for the audiobook, I was absolutely confused and thrilled to find that it was somewhat different than the physical book. Liberties have been taken, characters were given a voice, and certain incidents were removed or changed. However, it did not take from the story but rather elevated it especailly since the cast of the narrators delivered perfectly. I can even go on to say that this audio was even better than the movie. The narrator who did Hercule Poirot was amazing in the accent and intonation.
There is no doubt that Agatha was a master of the whodunit mystery: a murder in which the identity of the murderer is not revealed until the end. It focuses on the efforts of the detective. It is characterized by the clues of the crime being there in plain sight
Let us dismiss the fact that, even though this book is timeless, it would be criticized if it were published in our times. Murder on the Oriend Express began in Syria then Turkey, yet none of the characters in the train are, in fact, oriental. They are from all over the world but the Middle East.
But still, it was such a delight to reread it again - well, listen. So, to put it in terms the "white audience" this book targets would understand, this book is for those who enjoy a good mystery with their afternoon tea, which would be the literary equivalent of a perfectly steeped Earl Grey – classic, comforting, and with just the right amount of bite.
as for the audiobook, I was absolutely confused and thrilled to find that it was somewhat different than the physical book. Liberties have been taken, characters were given a voice, and certain incidents were removed or changed. However, it did not take from the story but rather elevated it especailly since the cast of the narrators delivered perfectly. I can even go on to say that this audio was even better than the movie. The narrator who did Hercule Poirot was amazing in the accent and intonation.