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A review by thequeeraunt
The Mystery of the Blue Train by Agatha Christie
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This is the point at which I would recommend readers begin the Hercule Poirot mysteries. Not to disparage Christie's earlier Poirot novels, but they are a very different reading experience. The Mystery of the Blue Train is the first of the Poirot novels that is told in a third-person point-of-view, which is a much more familiar narrative structure to modern readers than the previous second-person stories.
While the racism isn't as prevalent in this novel as in some of the previous ones (looking at you, The Big Four), there is still language and some characterizations which are less-than-savory to modern sensibilities. If you can get past the 1920's-era casual racism and misogyny, The Mystery of the Blue Train is a fairly well-plotted whodunit with a surprising reveal.
While the racism isn't as prevalent in this novel as in some of the previous ones (looking at you, The Big Four), there is still language and some characterizations which are less-than-savory to modern sensibilities. If you can get past the 1920's-era casual racism and misogyny, The Mystery of the Blue Train is a fairly well-plotted whodunit with a surprising reveal.
Content Warnings
Minor: Racism, Sexism, Antisemitism, and Misogyny