I’ve been on a bit of an Agatha Christie kick lately—in spite of the fact that I always love her books, I realized recently that I had gone a couple of years without picking one up, and wanted to quickly remedy that. Friends Callum and Jess decided to join me for a buddy read, and we opted for Death on the Nile, in an effort to beat the spoilers from the film coming out soon. So we started there, and then just… haven’t put her books down since. Here are my reviews of the three that I’ve read in the past couple of months:
DEATH ON THE NILE
(Hercule Poirot #17)
★★★★☆
originally published 1937
William Morrow
Though I ultimately enjoyed this book, it was oddly underwhelming in places. For one, I didn’t think there was anything particularly interesting or evocative about the setting, which I had assumed was going to be one of the book’s strongest assets, and for another, this marks the first Agatha Christie I’ve read where I actually guessed the ending pretty early in, so this one went out with more of a whimper than a bang.
That said, Christie sunk her claws into me with this one. This is the first of her novels that I’ve read in a couple of years, and I was reminded of what’s so special about her. Her character work is thoroughly unmatched within this genre, and even when the ending doesn’t bowl you over, there’s something inarguably suspenseful and propulsive about each of her books. Death on the Nile isn’t a new favorite, but I’m glad to have read it when I did.
ENDLESS NIGHT
★★★★★
originally published 1967
William Morrow
To say I was enamored with this book is an understatement. If you haven’t read much Christie, I wouldn’t recommend this as a place to start, as it feels somewhat distinct from everything else that I’ve read by her, and I don’t think it gives the most accurate indication of her usual style. That said, this quickly skyrocketed to my favorite of her works, overtaking And Then There Were None, which is high praise in itself.
This book is a slow burn; more character-driven than mystery-driven. In fact, you don’t even know what the mystery is for about half the novel. Endless Night follows young couple Michael and Ellie—a working man and a rich socialite who fall in love in spite of protestations by Ellie’s family—who are determined to buy a piece of land in a remote village and build a house there. Michael Rogers is possibly my all-time favorite Christie protagonist: he’s an insufferably pretentious young man with delusions of grandeur, but his voice is so convincing and engaging, and there’s something so authentically insecure at the heart of his character, that he pretty much embodies that type of character that you love to hate or hate to love.
Despite its slow beginning, I couldn’t put this book down from the very first page. What Endless Night lacks in plot it makes up for in its sinister, Gothic setting, its genius foreshadowing, its expert characterization, and its subtle integration of the supernatural. This isn’t going to be for everyone; specifically, this isn’t for the reader who needs their mysteries to be chock-full of twists and turns, but if you’re a Christie fan, this is a brilliant hidden gem that you need to check out asap. The problem with mysteries (at least for me) is that once you know the reveal there isn’t a whole lot of motivation to ever go back and reread the book, good as it may have been, but I know this is one that I’m going to want to revisit again and again. I loved it so, so much.
THE MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR AT STYLES
(Hercule Poirot #1)
★★★☆☆
originally published 1921
William Morrow
I was so looking forward to reading Christie’s first novel: was she a literary genius from day one, or was her debut noticeably weaker than her later works? The answer, as it so often is, is somewhere in the middle. It was almost charming to note the ways in which Christie grew after The Mysterious Affair at Styles, but some of her trademark skill was present in this book as well. What she did so well here—what she always does well—is Poirot’s slow, deliberate discovery and analysis of seemingly insignificant clues, where he’s always a step ahead of the reader, but to a stimulating rather than maddening degree. Where this failed for me was in its downright clumsy exposition and noticeably weak character work, especially regarding the narrator, Hastings, and his friendship with Poirot. Still, this was an enjoyable read, and she had me totally fooled with that twist.
What’s your favorite Agatha Christie novel?
WE SHOULD ALL BE FEMINISTS by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
DEAR IJEAWELE, OR A FEMINIST MANIFESTO IN FIFTEEN SUGGESTIONS by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
THE MURDER AT THE VICARAGE by Agatha Christie
THE GLASS MENAGERIE by Tennessee Williams
NORTHANGER ABBEY by Jane Austen
Agatha Christie. It’s hard to believe I only read And Then There Were None earlier this year – I feel like I’ve been reading Christie for so much longer. Since then I’ve read five more Christie novels – Murder on the Orient Express, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, Three Act Tragedy, Sparkling Cyanide, and Crooked House – and none of them has received less than a 4 star rating from me. I’m not even a little bit tired of her books, and I can’t wait to read even more in 2018.
John Boyne. I know, I won’t shut up about John Boyne, but I just think he’s brilliant. I’ve only read two of his books so far – The Heart’s Invisible Furies and The Absolutist, and no, I’ve never read The Boy in the Striped Pajamas – but both of them ripped my heart out, which, if you know me, is something I particularly enjoy. He also published this fantastic 
Lisa McInerney. Another Irish writer I discovered this year, when I read her genius debut The Glorious Heresies. This book knocked the wind out of me in the best possible way. McInerney provides a really brilliant exploration of crime and poverty in contemporary Ireland – her novel is is moving and profane and challenging and utterly fearless. I’ve never read anything like it. And her character Ryan Cusack still haunts me. I can’t wait to hopefully read the sequel, The Blood Miracles, next year.
Mary Renault. I’ve only read one Renault novel so far, Fire From Heaven, and it took me the better part of three months, so that probably doesn’t sound like the biggest endorsement ever. But it’s one of those books that’s completely worth the effort that you need to put into it. Renault’s research into the life of Alexander the Great is absolutely impeccable, and I have so much admiration for her as a writer and historian. I didn’t want to rush straight into The Persian Boy, the next book in her Alexander trilogy, but I really look forward to getting around to it in 2018.
Min Jin Lee. I haven’t stopped talking about Pachinko since I read it very early this year, but that’s only because that book ripped my heart out and positively haunted me. I still find myself thinking about that novel and its characters – and since I’ve read about 90 books since then, that’s a pretty big accomplishment. I haven’t gone back and read Lee’s debut yet, but I intend to, and I will definitely pick up anything she publishes in the future.
pace, amore, libri 