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A review by ifollowedthatrabbit
Hercule Poirot's Christmas by Agatha Christie
4.0
Simeon Lee has planned a peculiar Christmas celebration this year, although he never could have imagined they would turn out the way they did.
Mr. Lee wants to have all his family together for this holly season. Two of his sons haven't been there for more than 20 years, so it's going to be quite extraordinary to have them all together.
Moreover, there will be two "special guests". One of them will be introduced to the family for the first time. But these aren't the only guests the family will have...
The merriest time of the year will end up being quite the contrary. Who could have thought this family reunion would lead to a murder! Or maybe Christmas isn't an exception at all, as the great Hercule Poirot points out: “And families who have been separated throughout the year, assemble once more together. Now under these conditions, my friend, you must admit that there will occur a great amount of strain. People who do not feel amiable are putting great pressure on themselves to appear amiable! [...] under these conditions--mental strain, physical malaise--it is highly probable that dislikes that were before merely mild and disagreements that were trivial might suddenly assume a more serious note. The result of pretending to be a more amiable, a more forgiving, a more high-minded person than one really is, has sooner or later the effect of causing one to behave as a more disagreeable, a more ruthless and an altogether more unpleasant person than is actually the case! If you dam the stream of natural behavior, mon ami, sooner or later the dam bursts and cataclysm occurs.”
Mr. Lee wants to have all his family together for this holly season. Two of his sons haven't been there for more than 20 years, so it's going to be quite extraordinary to have them all together.
Moreover, there will be two "special guests". One of them will be introduced to the family for the first time. But these aren't the only guests the family will have...
The merriest time of the year will end up being quite the contrary. Who could have thought this family reunion would lead to a murder! Or maybe Christmas isn't an exception at all, as the great Hercule Poirot points out: “And families who have been separated throughout the year, assemble once more together. Now under these conditions, my friend, you must admit that there will occur a great amount of strain. People who do not feel amiable are putting great pressure on themselves to appear amiable! [...] under these conditions--mental strain, physical malaise--it is highly probable that dislikes that were before merely mild and disagreements that were trivial might suddenly assume a more serious note. The result of pretending to be a more amiable, a more forgiving, a more high-minded person than one really is, has sooner or later the effect of causing one to behave as a more disagreeable, a more ruthless and an altogether more unpleasant person than is actually the case! If you dam the stream of natural behavior, mon ami, sooner or later the dam bursts and cataclysm occurs.”