Review: Poirot Investigates & The Mysterious Affair at Styles & Death on the Nile & Murder on the Orient Express - Agatha Christie
I've been reading Agatha Christie for some time. The books are in portuguese, they are the only ones I read in portuguese because it was a pretty collection with black spines and very eerie covers. The translation is acceptable and I think it was the first time I enjoyed the translation. I enjoyed so much that I collected all books and now I read a book between other books. It's quick and it's kind of a relaxation.
I've read this past year six books.
Murder on the Orient Express (1934)
Death on the Nile (1937)
The Mysterious Affair at Styles (1920)
Poirot Investigates (1924)
Ten Little Niggers (1939)
The Murder on the Links (1923)
Next will be The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (1926).
First is the most famous of all books written by Agatha.
Title: Murder on the Orient Express (1934)
Pages: 256
Main Character: Hercule Poirot
Reading Time: 19/09/2008 to 21/09/2008 : 3 Days
Rating: 9
So far was the book I gave best rating... Why? Because it's a mythical book. Until the end I wouldn't say who the criminal was... and I was blown away by the explanation. One of the clues most important clues I figured it out myself. The cyrilic letter... that's for having a bulgarian girlfriend I guess. (but that didn't help solving the crime whatsoever).
This book was based upon a true kidnapping and killing of Charles Lindbergh's son in 1932. The book itself presents us with a carriage that is going from instabul to calais and a murdered passanger. As Poirot investigates with everyone on board. We have american, british, swedish, french, scotch, italian, hungarian and russians. Some were untouchable (due to their political status) but Poirot stills intervews them all. I will not tell the end so I don't spoil anything but it will blow you away. Undoubtly one of the best detective's books. It's not only me that say this. If you don't want to read the book then watch the movie. It's not as great but still it's good enough.
Title: Death on the Nile (1937)
Pages: 288
Main Character: Hercule Poirot; Colonel Race
Reading Time: 12/10/2008 to 17/10/2008 (6days)
Rating: 8
If the previous is her most famous work this one was the first I saw (well on TV series) a long time ago. I didn't remember the plot nor the ending... It was very interesting to read this book. As Poirot explains his conclusions you can't have your mouth closed gasping for breath saying "What? When? How that happened? What book was I reading because I didn't understant? What again?"
It was very entertaiting to read this book. A boat through the nile river... the mystic. I loved it. If I to choose a book to offer I still offer the Murder on the Orient Express because I know you would be buying the second and eventually this one... The ending (not the plot) but the finale is quite dramatic.
After reading this book I started from the beginning.
The Mysterious Affair at Styles (1920)
Pages: 296
Main Character: Hercule Poirot and Hasting
Reading Time: 24/11/2008 to 26/11/2009 (3 days)
Rating: 8
This was the first book Agatha Christie wrote. I think it is a solid book with a good plot. It deals with poison and inheritance of a will. There are several suspects (as any other book) and everyone has a motif. Well one part of the crime anyone can discover (I think) and the other we never saw it coming. This book deals with Double Jeopardy. It says the same person can't be prosecuted by the same crime twice. In the end I was satisfied and I think it was a good book.
Title: Poirot Investigates (1924)
Pages: 310
Main Character: Hercule Poirot and Hastings
Reading Time: 05/12/2008 to 02/02/2009 (60 days)
Rating: 7.5
This is the collection of several stories. Eleven stories to be precise.
The Adventure of "The Western Star" - 7
The Tragedy at Marsdon Manor - 9
The Adventure of the Cheap Flat - 6
The Mystery of Hunter's Lodge - 7
The Million Dollar Bond Robbery - 7
The Adventure of the Egyptian Tomb - 9
The Jewel Robbery at the Grand Metropolitan - 9
The Kidnapped Prime Minister - 8
The Disappearance of Mr. Davenheim - 8
The Adventure of the Italian Nobleman -7.5
The Case of the Missing Will - 9
This book is a collection of stories. Most of them I already knew from the TV Series from along time ago (it was being re-schedule here in Portugal).
I think the series itself were good and the 50minutes were enough to tell each tale. Unfortunaly I didn't enjoy that much most of the stories in the book. I don't know why. I think some of the stories could have been a full novel or at least a novellete. ( I think it's written this way). But there are some good stories and we see Poirot's brain cells at their maximum.
Ten Little Niggers (1939) (And Then There Were None)
Pages: 256
Main Character: None
Reading Time: 16/02/2009
Rating: 8.5
Probably one of the most famous and widely regonized books of Agatha. During the novel, ten people, who previously committed murder but escaped due to technicalities, are tricked into coming onto an island. Even though the guests are the only people on the island, they are all mysteriously murdered in the manner of the nursery rhyme, one by one...
"Ten little Soldier boys went out to dine;
One choked his little self and then there were nine.
Nine little Soldier boys sat up very late;
One overslept himself and then there were eight.
Eight little Soldier boys traveling in Devon;
One said he'd stay there and then there were seven.
Seven little Soldier boys chopping up sticks;
One chopped himself in halves and then there were six.
Six little Soldier boys playing with a hive;
A bumblebee stung one and then there were five.
Five little Soldier boys going in for law;
One got in Chancery and then there were four.
Four little Soldier boys going out to sea;
A red herring swallowed one and then there were three.
Three little Soldier boys walking in the zoo;
A big bear hugged one and then there were two.
Two Little Soldier boys sitting in the sun;
One got frizzled up and then there was one.
One little Soldier boy left all alone;
He went out and hanged himself and then there were none. "
In the end It was a fantastic read with a finale you couldn't predicted (well only if you were Poirot and Poirot doesn't enter this tale). I enjoyed too much of this story that I read in one day.
The Murder on the Links (1923)
Pages: 298
Main Character: Hercule Poirot and Hastings
Reading Time: 28/08/2009 to 02/09/2009 (six days)
Rating: 7.5
This was of all books the one I liked the least. Don't get me wrong. It's a good book but compared with others it's not that great. We see the future Hasting's wife which it's good but the plot it's as all books one you couldn't figure it out. Well this one was the easieast but even there it was a difficult one. Unfortunally before I read this book I watch the serie and so I was a bit dissapointed because I already knew most of the plot. That spoiled the book for me.. Oh well...
Next one will be The Murder of Roger Ackroyd. I've read somewhere that this book is one of the best books Agatha Christie wrote. Let us see..
Comments