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A review by nuin_giliath
And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
There's a reason this book continues to be viewed as exemplary within the mystery genre. It has a solid premise with plenty of suspense throughout. When I first picked it up, I was surprised by how short it is - especially when compared to more contemporary mystery novels. However, Agatha Christie did some amazing work in those few pages. Apart from some dated terms and an occasional racist remark, it holds up remarkably well and makes for an easy, addictive read.
Readers can assume from the title how the story will end, but there was still an incredible amount of tension from not knowing exactly when or how each character would be killed off. Even after reading the poem that serves as the inspiration behind each death, there was always an uncertainty about just how some of these scenarios might play out. In my opinion, some of the deaths were a touch ridiculous and didn't seem to align well with the lines of the poem. I also thought the final reveal was a bit of a stretch yet at the same time forgivable when considering what needed to happen for this story to work.
While I don't consider any of the characters to be a particular favorite, there's something to be said about how well they depict the baseness of human nature through the initial downplaying of their crimes, the distrust of the others, the rising hysteria, and their desperate attempts at self-preservation. I liked how the narrative jumped around the various POVs as this allowed brief insights into each person's thoughts and motivations in that moment.
I listened to the audio version that featured Dan Stevens' narration and I'd highly recommend it if you can get your hands on a copy. He really gives life and personality to each character. His normally soothing voice does not detract from the overall feeling of foreboding. If you haven't already checked this out, don't let its age deter you from reading this well written mystery novel.
Readers can assume from the title how the story will end, but there was still an incredible amount of tension from not knowing exactly when or how each character would be killed off. Even after reading the poem that serves as the inspiration behind each death, there was always an uncertainty about just how some of these scenarios might play out. In my opinion, some of the deaths were a touch ridiculous and didn't seem to align well with the lines of the poem. I also thought the final reveal was a bit of a stretch yet at the same time forgivable when considering what needed to happen for this story to work.
While I don't consider any of the characters to be a particular favorite, there's something to be said about how well they depict the baseness of human nature through the initial downplaying of their crimes, the distrust of the others, the rising hysteria, and their desperate attempts at self-preservation. I liked how the narrative jumped around the various POVs as this allowed brief insights into each person's thoughts and motivations in that moment.
I listened to the audio version that featured Dan Stevens' narration and I'd highly recommend it if you can get your hands on a copy. He really gives life and personality to each character. His normally soothing voice does not detract from the overall feeling of foreboding. If you haven't already checked this out, don't let its age deter you from reading this well written mystery novel.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Suicide, and Violence
Minor: Racial slurs