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Murder on the Orient Express
"Murder on the Orient Express"
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Week One - Part 1 Ch 1-7
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Rachel
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Dec 02, 2017 05:18PM

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I've never read any Agatha Christie. It's just not something I'd pick up on my own. Which is why I'm happy this group is pushing my to finally give here a try.
Right of the bat I'm not loving how it's written. Which I thought would be an issue. The style is just not for me. By the end of this first part I'd gotten used to it but early one I'd have to back up and reread a sentence every once and a while. Also, I really hope there is less French from here on out. I have this irrational hatred of the french language and while I get a tiny portion of it I have to keep looking up translations which is irritating. A lot of the times I'm just like screw it because how important can it be but then you've got the bit after the scream which is definitely important.

I also had some difficulty getting into the first couple of chapters. This isn't the type of book that I would usually pick up, and it felt a bit bland. I took two years of French in high school and I can't remember much, so I sort of just skim over most of it- easy enough to figure out with context clues. I love the dictionary option on my Kindle, and I often wish that there was something similar for translation. Wouldn't that be convenient?
The first part that really grabbed me was the passage where Poirot and another man (don't have it in front of me, still trying to remember everyone's names...) are sitting in the dining car, and the man is describing the scene and how everyone is together just for a short time, all different people from different places and of different ages, and soon they'll all go their separate ways...


Allison wrote: "The part that's been bugging me from the first section, of course, is the idea that the murderer must be an "impassioned woman" or a "Latin type." Sigh. What year was this written again? Come on, A..."
I think she’s playing on the stereotypes that the people would have had when she wrote it. That’s my thought.
Also, the guy from the train was M. Bouc, the director of the train I think 🙂
I think she’s playing on the stereotypes that the people would have had when she wrote it. That’s my thought.
Also, the guy from the train was M. Bouc, the director of the train I think 🙂

Yes, very true Chrissy- I think you're absolutely right. My knee-jerk reaction was just so negative!
And right again- definitely M. Bouc. Thanks!
What do all of you think of the clever left hand/right hand stabbing analysis, and the open window? And if you had to guess right now... who did it??

While the supporting cast are blending a bit together for me the characterisation comes across strongly, with Poirot himself seeming like a doddering yet wise man.
I already know the end but interested to see how the tension and characters come across in the story. So far Poirot is the only one I trust.

I was so confused for while because I thought that MacQueen was the valet but then they'd both be mentioned doing different things. It really wasn't until MacQueen mentions the valet and gave him a name that I was 100% clear that they were two different people.