How are we already into October?! This year is going so fast, I'm feeling very thoroughly stressed out.
The #ReadChristie2021 prompt for September was: a story set in a school.
There were a few different options, but only one real option for me. I knew I had to re-read Cat Among the Pigeons. There were a few reasons why I wanted to re-read it. Firstly, I hadn't read it for years and was keen to get back to it and see how I felt about it a second time round. Secondly, it was the perfect school setting to fit the prompt. And finally, I just missed Poirot!
My full September wrap-up is below. For more information about the #ReadChristie2021 campaign, visit the official Agatha Christie website!
Did you enjoy the Meadowbank setting, and the cast of characters at the school?
I absolutely loved the setting of the girl's school. I really like Christie mysteries that are more of a closed loop. Although there was some outside activity, Meadowbank was a great base for a lot of the story's events to take place.
It also meant there were a lot of characters to keep an eye on. I'm not sure they were all explored as well as they could have been, as there were a lot of characters that are mentioned a little but that we don't really get to know. However, there were plenty of interesting characters, and they were all so diverse that it makes for a really captivating story.
What did you like about the adventure plot, and the many misdirections?
I'm not normally a fan of the more adventure plots with jewel robberies and whatnot. However, it really ties in well with the traditional murder mystery that we get in Cat Among the Pigeons. Furthermore, despite all the different sub-plots, it all feels very easy and natural to follow.
I'm not sure I'd say there are a lot of misdirections - it's more like there are so many different stories and characters that there is a wealth of different possibilities for an ending. However, I really liked the way the story progressed and it all wrapped up really nicely.
How did you feel about Hercule Poirot's late arrival in the case?
It's such an interesting one, because I'm not convinced this needs to be a Poirot story at all. As much as I love the Belgian detective, I feel like he doesn't add anything to the story in the way he usually does. It's a strange move, but I just love his character so much that there were no complaints from me...
Overall Rating
Rating: ✫✫✫✫
This is a really solid story. It has a lot of different sub-plots that come together neatly at the end. The characters are vast and diverse, and Poirot brings a little bit of charm in towards the end. It's not perfect, but it's a really great read.
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