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A review by alexareads27
The Christie Affair by Nina de Gramont
dark
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I had the instinct to DNF this book around 100 pages in and I wish I did. The only thing that kept me going was that it was a gift from a friend and purchased at Rare Bird bookstore in Edinburgh.
The tie to Agatha Christie’s 11 day disappearance weighed the plot down and by the end it felt like a cash-grab to get people to buy the book. This was confirmed for me when in the acknowledgements the author writes that it was her agent who suggested that she write a book about Christie’s disappearance.
The premise of the book being from the perspective of her husband’s mistress was really interesting and I think Nan’s story could have been a good standalone novel. Combining it with Agatha’s made it seem overly complicated and far-fetched. Especially considering the book is written from Nan’s perspective and speaks about the experiences and events of other characters that she couldn’t have known. The author uses the idea of lucid dreaming to get around that but not effectively enough for me.
What really made me dislike the novel was the twist at the end of act two, which I saw coming but really didn’t want to see coming. I did appreciate the act three twist but not enough to compensate for the rest.
I enjoyed learning about Magdalen laundries and convents in Ireland.
The tie to Agatha Christie’s 11 day disappearance weighed the plot down and by the end it felt like a cash-grab to get people to buy the book. This was confirmed for me when in the acknowledgements the author writes that it was her agent who suggested that she write a book about Christie’s disappearance.
The premise of the book being from the perspective of her husband’s mistress was really interesting and I think Nan’s story could have been a good standalone novel. Combining it with Agatha’s made it seem overly complicated and far-fetched. Especially considering the book is written from Nan’s perspective and speaks about the experiences and events of other characters that she couldn’t have known. The author uses the idea of lucid dreaming to get around that but not effectively enough for me.
What really made me dislike the novel was the twist at the end of act two, which I saw coming but really didn’t want to see coming. I did appreciate the act three twist but not enough to compensate for the rest.
I enjoyed learning about Magdalen laundries and convents in Ireland.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault and Sexual violence
Minor: Miscarriage