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heresyourletter's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Mixture of whodunnit and thriller short stories with a signature Christie flair.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Infidelity, Suicide, and Murder
Moderate: Gun violence, Medical content, Gaslighting, Colonisation, and Classism
Minor: Antisemitism
ameydireads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
“A problem is not necessarily unsolvable because it has remained unsolved.”
A classic Agatha Christie book but with a touch of the paranormal. I started reading this book without knowing this, so I was surprised by the eeriness.
Our main character, Mr. Satterthwaite, belongs to and mingles with high society. He often finds himself in places connected to murder mysteries, past and present. He sees people as they are, not as they wished to appear, which naturally causes some things to come to light. The mysterious Mr. Harley Quin, who inexplicably appears at the right moment, plays a big role as a catalyst for Mr. Satterthwaite to unravel the truth. Mr. Quin’s departures are as sudden as his arrivals. Each mystery is explained and solved in a single chapter, keeping the reader’s interest alive and making the book easier to read.
The story that touched me the most is The Man from the Sea. It deals with suicide and the true meaning of life. Mr. Satterthwaite meets Anthony on a cliff and they start a conversation. It appears Anthony has only about 6 months left in his life. The perceptive Mr. Satterthwaite figures that Antony came to the cliff to end his own life. The discussion they have is very valuable. Often, people regard suicide as a coward’s choice, but they are gravely mistaken. I like that this story acknowledges the amount of strength it takes. Anthony argues that he has a right to decide the fate of his own life. I do agree with this, especially when there is an incurable disease. It seems like torture to force someone to keep living a miserable life, but, on the other hand, the question arises whether their life is indeed miserable or if it needs a change of perspective. What I didn’t fully agree with is Mr. Satterthwaite’s counterargument. He explains that as an individual you might not seem significant, but your presence at a certain time and place can affect other things. He emphasises that one should consider the importance of their impact on the world, no matter how small. It's a very altruistic point of view because it underlines selflessness.
Suicide is not an easy topic to discuss, yet so important. I think one thing we can all agree on is that people with suicidal thoughts should get the help they deserve!
Another reason why I like this story is its discussion of the true meaning of life. Mr. Satterthwaite explains how life should not be measured by the number of years but rather by the amount of experiences that you’ve collected during your life. Someone can be 60 years old already and still be at the beginning of their life.
“You seem to forget,” said Anthony Cosden dryly, “that, in any case, I have only six months.”
“Time, like everything else, is relative,” said Mr. Satterthwaite. “That six months might be the longest and most varied experience of your whole life.”
Overall it was a great read with so many different stories and interesting discussions around difficult but important topics.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, and Murder
Moderate: Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, and Pregnancy
silver_valkyrie_reads's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
I expected to rate this lower because Harley Quin and Mr Satterthwaite are some of the LEAST interesting main characters in all of Agatha Christie's work. There are so many clever plots in this book though, that I did end up enjoying most of the stories in spite of the main characters.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Infidelity, Suicide, and Murder
Minor: Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, and Classism
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