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m_a_j's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
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
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Suicide, and Murder
Moderate: Gun violence, Medical content, and Classism
Minor: Racial slurs
alliecat13's review against another edition
3.5
Not my favorite Poirot, but the underlying message is strong.
Content Warnings
Minor: Racial slurs
lilacs_book_bower's review against another edition
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
3.5
A rare Christie that I haven't read (but have seen the adaptation). I would caution people as the murder first looks like suicide by gunshot, in case that is a sensitive issue. This is an entertaining one, but probably mid-tier Christie. There are some flashes of humor, and some odd things about "society should stay the way it is" (because it works, for me, the prosperous white guy) which feels a bit like Christie's opinion here, as Poirot somewhat agrees with the speaker of that sentiment. Also, one use of the N-word, but not especially intended as an offense. The sentence could have read, "he worked you like a slave." None of the characters were overly appealing, but Christie does some nice misdirection with this one.
Content Warnings
Minor: Racial slurs
poirot's review against another edition
mysterious
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
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Racial slurs, Suicide, Murder, and Alcohol
Moderate: Misogyny, Medical content, Colonisation, and Classism
Minor: Violence and Xenophobia
lavenderlilacs1912's review against another edition
mysterious
slow-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? It's complicated
3.75
One, Two, Buckle My Shoe follows Hercule Poirot on another interesting mystery involving espionage, finance, and disguises. Starting with the murder of Poirot's dentist, he is drawn into a case that is at times baffling and completely unnerving.
I liked this book slightly better than Death in the Clouds. But I had the slightly unfortunate experience of watching the Agatha Christie's Poirot adaptation before reading this novel, which colored my experience a bit. I actually preferred the TV adaptation. While I don't expect masterpiece level character development out of mysteries like this, nor do I think unlikeable characters ruin a novel right out the gate. But here's the thing, unlikeable characters have to at least be interesting for me. And there were two characters (Raikes and Frank Carter) who I hated, and also didn't find all that interesting. Especially Raikes, who up to the last page was an a-hole of the nth degree. I would compare him to Mr. Ferguson from Death on the Nile (another grade a-hole), but at least Ferguson was funny in his lack of self-awareness at the end.
The book's redeeming quality is its main character. I liked watching Poirot's struggle to solve this case and I liked the outlining of his moral philosophy at the very end of the book in his confrontation with the killer, and how his respect for the lives of the victims despite his personal feelings about them shines through. The outlining of the mystery and the pieces falling into place could have been done better, but I loved the reveals and they all made sense in the end.
Not one of Christie's masterpieces, but I liked it well enough.
I liked this book slightly better than Death in the Clouds. But I had the slightly unfortunate experience of watching the Agatha Christie's Poirot adaptation before reading this novel, which colored my experience a bit. I actually preferred the TV adaptation. While I don't expect masterpiece level character development out of mysteries like this, nor do I think unlikeable characters ruin a novel right out the gate. But here's the thing, unlikeable characters have to at least be interesting for me. And there were two characters (Raikes and Frank Carter) who I hated, and also didn't find all that interesting. Especially Raikes, who up to the last page was an a-hole of the nth degree. I would compare him to Mr. Ferguson from Death on the Nile (another grade a-hole), but at least Ferguson was funny in his lack of self-awareness at the end.
The book's redeeming quality is its main character. I liked watching Poirot's struggle to solve this case and I liked the outlining of his moral philosophy at the very end of the book in his confrontation with the killer, and how his respect for the lives of the victims despite his personal feelings about them shines through. The outlining of the mystery and the pieces falling into place could have been done better, but I loved the reveals and they all made sense in the end.
Not one of Christie's masterpieces, but I liked it well enough.
Content Warnings
Minor: Racial slurs
canab's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
Another enjoyable Agatha Christie read. It had a running underlying theme of the financial political climate which I thought was ironic and apt for today’s times. Page 74 caught my eye and the use of the phrase #costofliving in the book. I thought I was reading about a book in 2022 though this was published in the war years.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs
michayla13's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
slow-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
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Gun violence, Suicide, Antisemitism, and Medical content
Minor: Infidelity, Racial slurs, Sexism, and Religious bigotry