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marmoo's review against another edition
4.0
As the introduction of one of my favorite literary heroines, this book will always have a special place in my heart. Harriet Vane doesn’t get too much time on the page this novel, but her appearance ushers in some thought-provoking explorations of gender, art, and commerce that the series only continues to improve on in later installments.
The mystery mechanics aren’t quite as compelling as the character beats—as the whodunnit of the mystery quickly skips over into a howdunnit, with a hair more focus on logistical vs. emotional considerations than I like in my detective novels—but the character growth is more than worth the price of admission.
The mystery mechanics aren’t quite as compelling as the character beats—as the whodunnit of the mystery quickly skips over into a howdunnit, with a hair more focus on logistical vs. emotional considerations than I like in my detective novels—but the character growth is more than worth the price of admission.
mitchk's review against another edition
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
philantrop's review against another edition
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
slow-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? Yes
3.0
I’ve long wanted to read some of the more “classic” mysteries in the hopes of finding another Sherlock Holmes, Hercule Poirot, or Miss Marple. I was also inspired by 1986’s mystery-adventure “Killed Until Dead” in which Wimsey and other classic sleuths investigate.
Unfortunately, Dorothy L. Sayers' "Strong Poison" failed to impress, feeling distinctly dated. Published in 1930, it suffers from the mannerisms, the tone, and the zeitgeist of the previous decade which detracted from my overall enjoyment.
Right from the outset, the narrative was bogged down by a significant information dump delivered through the judge's summarising of the case to the jury. This served as an intro, and while I appreciate thorough background, it dragged on unnecessarily for the first 12% of the novel, making for a tedious start.
Lord Peter Wimsey, the supposed star of the show, comes across as unsympathetic and rather superficial. His character, along with that of Harriet Vane, left me feeling disconnected and uninvested. The novel seemed to revel in his eccentricity without endearing him to the reader. Unlike Holmes, Poirot, or Marple, whose quirks add depth and charm, Wimsey's characteristics felt forced and less appealing.
The secondary characters did not fare much better in my estimation. Harriet Vane, the accused at the heart of the narrative, and various other figures blended into the background without making a significant impact.
Moreover, the characterisation is often shallow and relies on outdated stereotypes.
»“Female intuition,” said Eiluned, bluntly. “She doesn’t like the way he does his hair.”«
To make matters worse, I correctly guessed the culprit and motive early on, leaving me underwhelmed for much of the remainder of the novel.
Despite its shortcomings, I must admit that "Strong Poison" is not a complete failure. The writing is good enough, and Sayers' use of language is undeniably evocative. Fans of classic mysteries may find more to appreciate, but for me, it failed to live up to its potential.
Three stars out of five from me; I have read far worse, but I expected much better.
diana_skelton's review against another edition
4.0
'How many of the jury saw it in that light?'
'The woman I know stuck out for it that Miss Vane wasn't that sort of person. Fortunately, she is a tough, thin, elderly woman with a sound digestion and a militant High-Church conscience of remarkable staying power, and her wind is excellent. She let ' em all gallop themselves dead and then said she still didn't believe it and wasn't going to say she did.'
'Very useful,' said Sir Impey. 'A person who can believe all the articles of the Christian faith is not going to boggle over a trifle of adverse evidence. But we can never hope for a whole jury-box full of ecclesiastical diehards.'
'Miss Climpson's establishment was ostensibly a typing bureau. All the employees were women of the class unkindly known as "superfluous". There were spinsters with small fixed incomes, widows without family, women deserted by peripatetic husbands, retired and disappointed school-teachers. These women seemed to spend most of their time in answering advertisements. Unmarried gentlemen who desired to meet ladies possessed of competences with a view to matrimony; sprightly sexagenarians who wanted housekeepers for remote country distracts; ingenious gentlemen with financial schemes; literary gentlemen, anxious for female collaborators; plausible gentlemen about to engage talent for production in the provinces; benevolent gentlemen who could tell people how to make money in their spare time--gentlemen such as these were very liable to receive applications from members of Miss Climpson's staff. It may have been coincidence that these gentlemen so very often had the misfortune to appear shortly afterwards before the magistrate on charge of fraud, blackmail or attempted procuration, but it is a fact that Miss Climpson's office boasted a private telephone line to Scotland Yard, and that few of her ladies were quite as unprotected as they appeared.'
'Bah! Bourgeois music!'
Wimsey replied soothingly: 'Well, what can you do with the wretched and antiquated instruments of our orchestra? A diatonic scale, bah! Thirteen miserable bourgeois semi-tones, pooh! To express the infinite complexity of modern emotion, you need a scale of thirty-two notes to the octave.'
'But why cling to the octave?' said the fat man. 'Till you can cast away the octave and its sentimental associations, you walk in fetters of convention.'
'That's the spirit!' said Wimsey. 'I would dispense with all definite notes. After all, the cat does not need them for his midnight melodies, powerful and expressive as they are. The love-hunger of the stallion takes no account of octave or interval in giving forth the cry of passion. It is only man, trammelled by a stultifying convention - oh, hullo, Marjorie, sorry, what is it?'
'It began inauspiciously at the tea-table, when Mrs. "Freak" Dimsworthy fluted out in her high overriding voice: "And is it true, Lord Peter, that you are defending that frightful poisoning woman?" The question acted like the drawing of a champagne cork. The whole party's bottled up curiosity about the Vane case creamed over in one windy gust of stinging froth.'
'The woman I know stuck out for it that Miss Vane wasn't that sort of person. Fortunately, she is a tough, thin, elderly woman with a sound digestion and a militant High-Church conscience of remarkable staying power, and her wind is excellent. She let ' em all gallop themselves dead and then said she still didn't believe it and wasn't going to say she did.'
'Very useful,' said Sir Impey. 'A person who can believe all the articles of the Christian faith is not going to boggle over a trifle of adverse evidence. But we can never hope for a whole jury-box full of ecclesiastical diehards.'
'Miss Climpson's establishment was ostensibly a typing bureau. All the employees were women of the class unkindly known as "superfluous". There were spinsters with small fixed incomes, widows without family, women deserted by peripatetic husbands, retired and disappointed school-teachers. These women seemed to spend most of their time in answering advertisements. Unmarried gentlemen who desired to meet ladies possessed of competences with a view to matrimony; sprightly sexagenarians who wanted housekeepers for remote country distracts; ingenious gentlemen with financial schemes; literary gentlemen, anxious for female collaborators; plausible gentlemen about to engage talent for production in the provinces; benevolent gentlemen who could tell people how to make money in their spare time--gentlemen such as these were very liable to receive applications from members of Miss Climpson's staff. It may have been coincidence that these gentlemen so very often had the misfortune to appear shortly afterwards before the magistrate on charge of fraud, blackmail or attempted procuration, but it is a fact that Miss Climpson's office boasted a private telephone line to Scotland Yard, and that few of her ladies were quite as unprotected as they appeared.'
'Bah! Bourgeois music!'
Wimsey replied soothingly: 'Well, what can you do with the wretched and antiquated instruments of our orchestra? A diatonic scale, bah! Thirteen miserable bourgeois semi-tones, pooh! To express the infinite complexity of modern emotion, you need a scale of thirty-two notes to the octave.'
'But why cling to the octave?' said the fat man. 'Till you can cast away the octave and its sentimental associations, you walk in fetters of convention.'
'That's the spirit!' said Wimsey. 'I would dispense with all definite notes. After all, the cat does not need them for his midnight melodies, powerful and expressive as they are. The love-hunger of the stallion takes no account of octave or interval in giving forth the cry of passion. It is only man, trammelled by a stultifying convention - oh, hullo, Marjorie, sorry, what is it?'
'It began inauspiciously at the tea-table, when Mrs. "Freak" Dimsworthy fluted out in her high overriding voice: "And is it true, Lord Peter, that you are defending that frightful poisoning woman?" The question acted like the drawing of a champagne cork. The whole party's bottled up curiosity about the Vane case creamed over in one windy gust of stinging froth.'
jodannna's review against another edition
dark
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
roseleaf24's review against another edition
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Sexism, and Classism
jodannna's review against another edition
challenging
dark
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
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? Yes
4.75
rachremmes's review against another edition
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
chrisscorkscrew's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
A very strong entry in the Lord Peter Wimsey series. Highly entertaining and allows Wimsey himself to develop as a character through his acquaintance with Harriet Vane.