chris_reads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Gun violence, and Murder
Moderate: Alcohol, Racism, and Religious bigotry
Minor: Antisemitism, Child death, Suicide, and Xenophobia
kekeli's review
- 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? Yes
3.5
I had my predictions for who dunnit. I finished it in a single sitting.
I just don't think plot-driven murder mysteries with a huge ensemble cast are my thing. I prefer character-driven development and I really want to care about the fate of the people I'm spending time with.
It was an easy read, but not super satisfying.
Graphic: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Grief, Colonisation, Blood, Violence, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Sexism, Murder, War, Xenophobia, Racism, Religious bigotry, Mental illness, Medical content, Injury/injury detail, Infidelity, Gun violence, Gore, Death, and Body horror
veganecurrywurst's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Spoiler
I just never imagined that it was Wargrave. But it makes so much sense.I am glad that the newer editions have been edited to change the racist title and poem. This doesn't change the overall plot and makes the book accessible to all.
Still, fair warning: all of the characters are overtly racist, sexist, and/or anti-Semitic. But they are meant to be assholes.
Graphic: Death, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Sexism, Suicide, Blood, Antisemitism, Medical trauma, and Racism
Minor: Child death, Stalking, Xenophobia, and Colonisation
skyward_juno's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Murder, Death, and Suicide
Moderate: Racism and Xenophobia
mme_carton's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Alcohol, Antisemitism, Blood, Car accident, Child death, Confinement, Death, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Injury/injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Racism, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Suicide, and Xenophobia
Minor: Infidelity, War, and Pregnancy
fa1th_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The plot got me hooked pretty much instantly and had me suspecting everyone and everything. Each death was a puzzle, it was like peeling off an onion but each new layer brought me even more confusion. Agatha Christie really was the queen of murder mysteries, I read on the author's note that she personally commented on how difficult it was crafting the plot of this story and satisfied that she found a completely reasonable explanation in the end, and I wholeheartedly agreed.
She dodged around the suspects and gave me new thrills with every page turned, all of the characters were complex and rich with motives, yet they died off one by one slowly but surely. The nursery rhymes alone gave me chills because the juxtaposition between murders and innocent (let's be real the poem was dark and disturbing) children's song was immaculate. It was a well-crafted psychological mystery, locking up ten people who were all up to no good, and watching them slowly descending into madness. It was simply amazing.
Also, I was listening to the audiobook version while reading at the same time, Dan Stevens did a fantastic job narrating, highly recommend too.
Graphic: Murder and Death
Minor: Racism, Xenophobia, and Child death
Spoiler
this is probably well-known facts but still, the nursery rhymes originally had the n word instead of 'soldiers.' There were a handful of anti-semitic comments towards a Jewish side character, and also one of the main characters Philip Lombard was a murderer that killed 21 men in an East African tribe, they commented on it and there were some racist remarks too, just a gentle reminder for trigger warningculown's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
Graphic: Xenophobia, Suicide, Racial slurs, Racism, Murder, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Antisemitism
carolinalopes's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Suicide, Murder, and Death
Moderate: Sexism, Racism, and Xenophobia
Minor: Blood and Child death