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chamomiledaydreams 's review for:
Closed Casket
by Agatha Christie, Sophie Hannah
I nabbed this book for my sister, because she's been on an Agatha Christie kick lately. It wasn't until after I brought the book home that I realized it was a newer mystery with Agatha Christie's characters written by Sophie Hannah. Then, coincidentally, I started listening to the audiobook "How To Hold a Grudge," a title I had written down back in January. Sophie Hannah's name sounded familiar, and I soon realized I had one of her books on my shelf! I decided to give "Closed Casket" a try, even though it's my sister who's the Agatha Christie buff.
I have to say, I liked this book more than the Agatha Christie novels I've read ("And Then There Were None," "Towards Zero," and "Murder on the Orient Express"). It's not that Sophie Hannah is "better" than Agatha Christie, by any means. But I love how she emulates Christie's style and characters, portraying Hercule Poirot recognizably and organizing her book in a similar way to "Murder on the Orient Express."
I also love Hannah's large cast of characters. They were easier to keep track of for me than the characters in "Murder on the Orient Express," and I loved their interpersonal drama, which I appreciated greatly after listening to her book "How To Hold a Grudge," where she explores the importance of grudges. Poirot, too, was more tolerable for me in this book than in "Murder on the Orient Express", perhaps because I knew what to expect from him going in and because there's a narrator who also has complicated feelings towards the detective.
Overall, I was very impressed by this novel and would highly recommend it to others. It's possible that a more dedicated Agatha Christie fan than me (one who has read more than three of her books) will feel differently, but seeing as Sophie Hannah admires Agatha Christie so much, I assume she is faithful to her stories in all the ways that matter.
I have to say, I liked this book more than the Agatha Christie novels I've read ("And Then There Were None," "Towards Zero," and "Murder on the Orient Express"). It's not that Sophie Hannah is "better" than Agatha Christie, by any means. But I love how she emulates Christie's style and characters, portraying Hercule Poirot recognizably and organizing her book in a similar way to "Murder on the Orient Express."
I also love Hannah's large cast of characters. They were easier to keep track of for me than the characters in "Murder on the Orient Express," and I loved their interpersonal drama, which I appreciated greatly after listening to her book "How To Hold a Grudge," where she explores the importance of grudges. Poirot, too, was more tolerable for me in this book than in "Murder on the Orient Express", perhaps because I knew what to expect from him going in and because there's a narrator who also has complicated feelings towards the detective.
Overall, I was very impressed by this novel and would highly recommend it to others. It's possible that a more dedicated Agatha Christie fan than me (one who has read more than three of her books) will feel differently, but seeing as Sophie Hannah admires Agatha Christie so much, I assume she is faithful to her stories in all the ways that matter.