3.26.2012

The First Christie!

Title: Murder on the Orient Express
Author: Agatha Christie
Pub: 1934
Pages: 336
Genre: Classic (?) Mystery

Soooo, without realizing it, I guess Murder on the Orient Express is a fairly popular Christie book.  (When I mentioned I was reading this one I was immediately directed to Ten Little Indians which I guess is actually called And Then There Were None.  Regardless, my point being is it seemed as if EVERYONE had read an Agatha Christie book EXCEPT me.  Glad that's cleared up).

Here's what I found out about me and Ms. Christie.  I seriously adored me some Hercule Poirot.

Plus who would have thought I would have found such a heavy theme in something that I walked into as just being a mystery fling.  But oh no!  I am forced to question whether or not murder, if the person DESERVES it, is a punishable crime.  And let me tell you what?!  I love how I am brought to this conclusion.  *applause* Well done, madam, well done.

What I did have to get used to was the strategic writing, for what I can only assume was used for the mystery agenda.  The characters were introduced like case files, and although this was not a deterrent or even a frustration, it is definitely NOT how I like to acquaint myself with characters.  I found there was very little substance and personality [with the exception of Mr. Poirot of course) until the very end.  

I'm truly intrigued by Ms. Christie and look forward to checking out something else in her massive collection of works.  Suggestions?

4 comments:

  1. Glad to see you had fun with this one. Many of my students read it this year and enjoyed it overall. It is a little old-fashioned and they had the same issue you did with the strategic writing and lack of character development.

    I remember liking Ten Little Indians and Curtain quite a bit. Also a book called An Elephant Never Forgets.

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  2. I'm definitely a Christie fan. A Murder is Announced is a good Miss Marple mystery, and I have a fondness for Tommy and Tuppence in The Secret Adversay and Partners in Crime.

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  3. Oh I love me some Christie (and Poirot especially)! And Then There Were None (aka Ten Little Indians) and The ABC Murders are two favorites. I loved A Murder is Announced too - a fun premise.

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  4. Yeah, she always does sort of case-file-y introductions to her characters, but I'm down with it. I started reading Agatha Christie books when I was fourteen, so her method of doing murder mysteries is the pattern I have in my head for how they should be done.

    I remember liking The Mirror Crack'd quite a bit! But it's been ages since I dipped into her oeuvre. And of COURSE, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd. Classic.

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