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strategineer's review against another edition
3.0
Murder on the Orient Express is similar to Agatha Christie's Death on the Nile (the other Agatha Christie novel I've read recently).
Both novels involve Hercule Poirot on vacation traveling (on a train or on a boat respectively), with the soon-to-be murder victim asking Poirot for help, him declining and then after the murder occurs, Poirot proceeds to solve the murder.
But Death on the Nile was SO MUCH MORE of a compelling read for me. Murder on the Orient Express is... Uhhhhh... Express, it's fast and straightforward. It doesn't waste any time. As soon as possible you're jumping straight into the murder followed by a by-the-numbers solving of the mystery.
It lacks a lot of the charm found in the more patient and denser Death on the Nile. We don't get to learn much about the characters in Murder on the Orient Express which made it hard for me to become invested in them.
This is very unlike Death on the Nile where more than enough time was spent with each character (whether in a flashback or in a present day scene before or after the murder) allowing me to eventually start to understand them, care about them and understand their motives.
Murder on the Orient Express feels very bare bones comparatively. That has probably helped it age a little better compared to Death on the Nile because there's less room for Agatha to hang herself with old school racist slurs, with weird pandering to the 1930s female demographic who (I guess?) really wanted to meet a man and get married, with off the wall bizarre dialogue, etc.
But I kind of enjoyed the parts of Death on the Nile that haven't aged well because those were the bits that stood out to me and were sometimes very funny.
Both books have pretty wild endings, whether you like one or the other will come down to personal preference but Death on the Nile's ending felt a little more earned and realistic to me compared to Murder on the Orient Express's.
If you're really interested in the murder mystery bit of murder mystery novels, you'd be well served reading both of these novels. But if you would prefer to let the murder simmer a little, letting characters develop, witness wild scenes and dialogue and having a better payoff as a result of all this then you might prefer to read Death on the Nile over Murder on the Orient Express.
Both novels involve Hercule Poirot on vacation traveling (on a train or on a boat respectively), with the soon-to-be murder victim asking Poirot for help, him declining and then after the murder occurs, Poirot proceeds to solve the murder.
But Death on the Nile was SO MUCH MORE of a compelling read for me. Murder on the Orient Express is... Uhhhhh... Express, it's fast and straightforward. It doesn't waste any time. As soon as possible you're jumping straight into the murder followed by a by-the-numbers solving of the mystery.
It lacks a lot of the charm found in the more patient and denser Death on the Nile. We don't get to learn much about the characters in Murder on the Orient Express which made it hard for me to become invested in them.
This is very unlike Death on the Nile where more than enough time was spent with each character (whether in a flashback or in a present day scene before or after the murder) allowing me to eventually start to understand them, care about them and understand their motives.
Murder on the Orient Express feels very bare bones comparatively. That has probably helped it age a little better compared to Death on the Nile because there's less room for Agatha to hang herself with old school racist slurs, with weird pandering to the 1930s female demographic who (I guess?) really wanted to meet a man and get married, with off the wall bizarre dialogue, etc.
But I kind of enjoyed the parts of Death on the Nile that haven't aged well because those were the bits that stood out to me and were sometimes very funny.
Both books have pretty wild endings, whether you like one or the other will come down to personal preference but Death on the Nile's ending felt a little more earned and realistic to me compared to Murder on the Orient Express's.
If you're really interested in the murder mystery bit of murder mystery novels, you'd be well served reading both of these novels. But if you would prefer to let the murder simmer a little, letting characters develop, witness wild scenes and dialogue and having a better payoff as a result of all this then you might prefer to read Death on the Nile over Murder on the Orient Express.
emily_gaynier's review against another edition
5.0
I really enjoyed this.
I feel like I can't actually review this story because Agatha Christie is such an amazing and well loved writer that I couldn't do her justice
I will say I was about half right on my guess who the killer was and I loved the ending
I feel like I can't actually review this story because Agatha Christie is such an amazing and well loved writer that I couldn't do her justice
I will say I was about half right on my guess who the killer was and I loved the ending
minieggs's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
rosannaevanscornwall's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
snowy4774's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
amyamac's review against another edition
5.0
I’m fairly new to Agatha Christie. I’d previously read a book of Hercule Poirot short stories several years ago that I’d enjoyed. I’d never seen the films and I hadn’t known anything about the plots or characters (aside from the obvious: i.e. murder mystery, detective with a funny moustache etc.). This particular Hercule Poirot story is entertaining, funny in parts and intriguing. Most of the book consists of interviews, which I thought would become dull after a while but they ultimately kept my interest. It shows that a lot of action isn’t always required to engage readers. I intend to read more Agatha Christie in future. I like how other characters underestimate Poirot and how quickly Poirot’s mannerisms can change from amiable to forceful depending on what suits him. It’s quite an appealing character trait. I can understand why these novels are classics.
thecottoncandyunicorn's review against another edition
4.0
This was a fun time! Would highly recommend the audiobook voiced by Dan Stevens.
anastasiia_books_flame's review against another edition
4.0
Неймовірно атмосферна історія - вбивство у засніженому вагоні, ще й обмежене коло підозрюваних, де кожного хочеться дослідити під лупою.
Але, для мене, вбивця був дуже очевидним й це, найпевніше трохи змазало враження. До того ж, я не змогла привʼязатися до персонажів.
Однак, в цілому історія цікава й однозначно варта читання!
Але, для мене, вбивця був дуже очевидним й це, найпевніше трохи змазало враження. До того ж, я не змогла привʼязатися до персонажів.
Однак, в цілому історія цікава й однозначно варта читання!
mborer23's review against another edition
4.0
Hercule Poirot, on his way home to London due to a development in another case, finds himself in the midst of a very peculiar murder mystery while aboard the Orient Express train. He's faced with a train that's stuck in a snowbank, an unlikeable victim, a host of suspects, and some stories that don't add up...not to mention a good friend of Poirot's, a director of the train company, who has pleaded with him to solve the case.
This one really kept me guessing, and the ending was satisfying. Highly recommended.
This one really kept me guessing, and the ending was satisfying. Highly recommended.