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Community comment are the opinions of contributing users. These comment do not represent the opinions of West Vancouver Memorial Library.
May 04, 2018princess_slp rated this title 3.5 out of 5 stars
I made a commitment to read all of Christie's Poirot novels in chronological order. This being the first in the series, as well as the only Christie novel I have ever read, here is my takeaway: CONS: --There is a very large and often times confusing cast of characters. While they are all given brief introductions in the beginning, I actually had to pull up a list of their names and descriptions online in order to keep them straight. --The same could be said for the massive layout of the interior of Style as well as the town. Christie was kind enough to include a map of Styles, but I disliked having to constantly flip back several pages in order to understand a reference that was made later in the book. --Poirot uses French words and phrases continually in his dialogue, and I constantly had to use Google Translate in order to discern what he meant. --On top of the French language, several old, European, and medical terms are used throughout the entire novel, and I would not have been able to understand or enjoy the book as much without the help of the internet. --Poirot's over observance and ability to deduce every minute detail comes off as ridiculous and unrealistic at times. While I understand that he is a fictional character, I wish that Christie had made him more human and relatable. --The novel being told from the viewpoint of Hastings versus Poirot was frustrating at times, as I did not always understand Poirot's reasonings and reactions until the VERY end of the novel. Instead of being suspenseful, I found it drawn out and annoying to be left in the dark for so long. PROS: --The overall storyline is fantastic and memorable. As a huge fan of murder mysteries, the many twists and turns did not disappoint. --I learned several new French words and phrases. --Poirot is thorough and explains in great detail every twist and turn. You are not left to wonder why certain characters could not have committed the crime or how every piece of evidence fits before moving onto another theory. When it is finally revealed whodunnit, no stone is left unturned. --Usually when watching mystery TV Shows/Movies or reading suspense novels, I am able to deduce early on whom the culprit(s) is. I was pleasantly surprised with the outcome of this novel, as I was completely off base--but overall satisfied and happier with Christie's ending. --A quick read, one that I would enjoy reading again in the future and seeing live action adaptions.