Vidit Bhargava
Author: Agatha Christie
Publisher: Harper Collins
This was the first detective novel I had read, a complete shift from the steady Alchemist. As expected the book ideally should have been swift in its plot and of course the mystery should have been a well kept secret! but does it live up to the expectations?Does it do justice to the Best Seller tag against it? Or Is it just an over rated book? Lets begin with the plot summary
Mr. Samuel E. Ratchett a rich businessman is travelling by the luxurious Orient Express from Stamboul to Calais. The weather is cold and the train runs into a snow storm. In the train a murder occurs, that of Mr. Ratchett. Hercule Poirot is also on the train. He now has a case on his hands. Can he possibly find the murderer? After all the Murderer is on the train with him!
The plot is a fairly poised one but its the grippingness of the story which keeps you hooked to the end. Christie designed the characters very well. You've got these 15 passengers, all designed so well to look like the most innocent people on the train. It just makes it difficult to imagine, the murderer is amongst them.
The book at times might just be two Frenchish! The reason I say that is the extensive use of french in this English book and it looks like its in every book involving Poirot. I suggest, you can ignore them as the don't much affect the story.
Hercule Poirot is shown as intellectual as ever. His conclusions are admirable and the way this character is built up is for sure a treat to read. The book is in 3rd Person which is quite contrary to other books of Christie (Poirot ones).
You are always one step back of Poirot in solving the mystery. The mystery is neither something out of the world nor something which is too easy to solve. Never the less it keeps the grey cells working!
The slick and gripping story continues till the end. You are actually very excited about the climax, to read how it all happened. Poirot asks before that "I've known the murderer for quite some time, have you?" The honest answer is NO. I was close but never came to a conclusion.
The book was also made into a movie, which I didn't really like! It had that bad accent in which Poirot spoke! Its really hard to make out what he is speaking.
This classic best selling novel by Agatha Christie is not just a best seller of name it live up to the expectations. It is exciting and gripping also its just what you want from a detective novel (Never lets your clever thinking catch rust!)
Rating: ****
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P.S. I'm finally having readers! Their just coming in big numbers (atleast for me!). So a special thanks to all!
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