matejannnn's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
koreamaria's review against another edition
Didn’t read this until well after seeing the David Suchet tv version. One of my favs for all the different versions for screenplays, radio dramas and audio books.
saluki's review against another edition
2.0
A slow start to set the crime and suspects and Poirot didn't make an appearance until nearly a third the way in. Maybe Poirot's late appearance and the lack of Hastings made this mediocre fare for me. I'd also guessed the culprits quite early too. Plus I was hoping the story made more use of the train setting... but this is no locked-in scenario a la Orient Express.
It was okay and a relatively straight forward mystery but no brain teaser.
rauconire's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
carleen_99's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
janeeyre8's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
lovemyshelf's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
relaxing
tense
medium-paced
- 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? No
4.0
leahreadsstuff's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The Poirot books have always been narrated in the first person, grounding the experience in a specific point of view. The change to third person perspective took me by surprise. It altered the experience considerably. I wasn’t sure how I felt about it at first. The story is wider and broader for the change, but the intimacy is lost somewhat.
The writing quality is wonderful, as usual, regardless of the perspective. I admire Agatha Christie’s ability to create complex plot, unique and memorable characters, and imbue her stories with wit and humor.
Nearly every chapter features a different perspective. At nearly 70 pages in, I was still unsure of what the driving story was. All the pieces were so disparate that I wasn’t clear on the plot. Poirot doesn’t even appear until page 94! It’s a long setup. Too long for my taste.
Once things actually begin to happen, the book moves along at a rapid pace and is utterly absorbing. Worth reading, even if it isn’t the best of Agatha Christie’s Poirot books.