A review by leonormsousa
Ausente na Primavera by Agatha Christie, Mary Westmacott

4.0

I found out recently that Agatha Christie had written 6 novels under the pseudonym Mary Westmacott. She did it because she wanted to write something different and to be free of readerly expectations while doing so. Absent in the Spring was one of these novels. Agatha Christie admitted that Absent in the Spring was the only book that satisfied her completely. She wrote it in 3 days flat.

Needless is to say how hight my expectations for this book were. It failed me a little bit though. It was SO different from everything I've read of the author. I'm used to her books having intricate plots where the end is always unexpected. This was the complete opposite. The end wasn't surprising but it also wasn't expected, and it didn't fell in between either (which I know makes no sense but there really aren't better words). However, it was terribly marking and enormously insightful about human nature.

It is also one of those books that grow on you. I finished reading and was thinking that a 3 stars rating was already a pretty good rating for the reading experience I just had. The day after, 3 stars felt rather insufficient and I thought about giving it 3,5. The day after I was settled on 4 stars. Now, I'm already considering more.

Absent in the Spring is overwhelming, is disturbing (not the plot itself but what it makes you feel after finishing it) and makes you feel truly uncomfortable. I recommend it for everyone who is in an introspective mood!