Agatha Christie’s takes 10 complete strangers from very different backgrounds to a remote Island where murder is a foot:
"Ten little boys went out to dine; One choked his little self and then there were nine. Nine little boys sat up very late; One overslept himself and then there were eight. Eight little boys traveling in Devon; One said he'd stay there then there were seven. Seven little boys chopping up sticks; One chopped himself in half and then there were six. Six little boys playing with a hive; A bumblebee stung one and then there were five. Five little boys going in for law; One got in Chancery and then there were four. Four little boys going out to sea; A red herring swallowed one and then there were three. Three little boys walking in the zoo; A big bear hugged one and then there were two. Two little boys sitting in the sun; One got frizzled up and then there was one. One little boy left all alone; He went out and hanged himself and then there were none."
The above poem really does a good job of setting the whole premise of the book, and while there are 10 characters for you to get to know I will let the book tell you about them. I wonder if Christie read this poem and designed her whole plot around it. It is such an interesting, morbid and different poem that I could see why it inspired her. I have not read many Christie books but those that I have I have enjoyed and this book was not exception. I like that this book takes place in the past where there is not sudden discovery of DNA or some computer software that can find the perfect evidence or clue at the perfect time. It makes so much more interesting and challenging to just go on the bare facts.
I think that this book has aged well, for the most part. I mean stick some strangers on a remote island with not cell service or internet access and you could have this book in modern time. Other than some verbiage (Queer is the word of this book, I mean it is said every few pages), this book does hole up really well. Though I believe the previous versions the verbiage were much more of the time.
It is hard to really get to know any of the characters as there are 10 in total and really with them dying all the time it is hard to really get to know them. It was interesting to see who they would point their fingers at and their reasons for it. Stereotyping was quite common in their reasoning as well as you guessed it the word Queer.
I really enjoyed this book and trying to figure out who the killer was, was it one of the 10 or someone hiding in the house or on the Island. It was great fun to try and figure out what was going to happen next and how Christie would interpret the poem to her advantage.
Agatha Christie really is the Queen of mystery and I look forward to finding another book by her. What are you favourite Christie reads?
Enjoy!!!
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I too enjoyed this one. I grew up reading her novels and loved them.
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