A review by heini
Hallowe'en Party by Agatha Christie
sad
medium-paced
1.0
It felt like every. single. thing. was repeated at least twice. I was almost starting to think it was some sort of number three-motif but no.
Very boring and very predictable.
A child as a murder victim is always horrible to read about, but the way Agatha Christie (repeatedly) described the murder felt out of place.
Although she does this often, describes and introduces everyone matter-of-factly by their "flaws" (everyone is ugly, annoying, stupid, horse-faced, too thin or too fat, too young or too old, doesn't dress well etc.) it is uncomfortable when she does it to children. She treats her cut-out characters the same, adult or not.
I had to check twice the year this was published (1969) since there was so much talk about The Good Old Days not only from Poirot but the same exact thoughts repeated by every slightly older character.
Especially saddening was the way they talked about mental illness and increasing crime rates.
Sometimes it's hard for me to discern what are Christie's own personal thoughts, what's critique and what's from a charcter. Poirot is especially unlikeable when trying to teach moral lessons:
I've been listening to Poirot audiobooks too much this year. Would not recommend. Christie is enjoyable in small doses, otherwise all her weird fucked up thoughts (anti-semitism, misogony, sexism etc.) just stand more and more out book by book and you realize it's all negativity, all the time.
Very boring and very predictable.
A child as a murder victim is always horrible to read about, but the way Agatha Christie (repeatedly) described the murder felt out of place.
Although she does this often, describes and introduces everyone matter-of-factly by their "flaws" (everyone is ugly, annoying, stupid, horse-faced, too thin or too fat, too young or too old, doesn't dress well etc.) it is uncomfortable when she does it to children. She treats her cut-out characters the same, adult or not.
I had to check twice the year this was published (1969) since there was so much talk about The Good Old Days not only from Poirot but the same exact thoughts repeated by every slightly older character.
Especially saddening was the way they talked about mental illness and increasing crime rates.
Sometimes it's hard for me to discern what are Christie's own personal thoughts, what's critique and what's from a charcter. Poirot is especially unlikeable when trying to teach moral lessons:
Spoiler
in his opinion a ten year child got what he deserved (murder by drowning) because he Understood the consequenses of blackmailing someone for money. Ffs.I've been listening to Poirot audiobooks too much this year. Would not recommend. Christie is enjoyable in small doses, otherwise all her weird fucked up thoughts (anti-semitism, misogony, sexism etc.) just stand more and more out book by book and you realize it's all negativity, all the time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder and Child death
Moderate: Ableism
Minor: Toxic friendship, Car accident, Infidelity, Suicide, and Mental illness