Final Discussion

[Diana]

PROS: I really enjoyed Agatha Christie's writing style and colorful characters. Each character felt different and real. *applauds*

CONS: The ending. It was kind of too crazy for me that they all had killed Cassetti and the fact that Poirot let them go just seemed wrong.

Thoughts?

[Lou]

I really liked this one. I gave it a four out of five because although I liked it, I was expecting more of a shocking turnout than the one we got. I don't know, I mean I was surprised, but it seemed too easy (even though I didn't see it coming) I don't know, I guess it was because this is one of the most hyped Agatha Christie's that I was expecting more.
But same, I really loved her writing style and I really wanna read more of hers. I was watching some of the movie and found it took a few different turns. Poirot has more control over the situation in the book.
It's a bit strange, but the only word to describe my experience with this book is "fun" even though it's supposed to be morbid.

[Lou]

And I totally agree with the whole thing about Poirot letting them go. I'm sure it's meant to be a deep decision, but I can't help thinking they chose that because if they didn't they'd be left with 12 murderers on the train with them all the way to the police station. And, I mean, I can't blame Poirot for trying to get on their good side XD

[Fonch]

Hello i was speaking in a discussion with one of your mates Adrian in the discussion. I watched the movie The murder of the orient Express of the 70s of the previous century and i did not like anything i had the impression that it was an amoral ending. A long time ago i read the novel and i liked a bit more, but there were two things that i did not like a lot the the murder was very strange, neither i did like the topic of the revenge. I have that Chesterton has clear ideas about the revenge, and the the line who divided the justice and the revenge is really very thin, generally the avenger although i have good intentions at finally converted in a murderer. This thing it was explored by an interesting wrier Miuki Miyabe in her novel "Crossfire". For this reason i dis not like very much this novel. I have the impression that my favorite Agatha Christie`s novel is https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... My father loved the Pale horse, and my friend Manuel Alfonseca The secret of Chimneys. I liked much more the adaptation of BBC Murder o the orient express with the charismatical David Suchet, although he goes away the novel, because the dilemmas are more interesting and it is more religious.

[Kelly Rose]

I feel the same way. I thought the case was really interesting and well developed. There's no way I could ever have guessed that ending. Some clues I missed, like Ratchett not speaking French; other clues I could not have known myself, like the letter being a Russian symbol on the handkerchief; and still, others were impossible to discover like pulling the false name related to Mary's from the store with Debenham in the name. But I suppose that was the point so that no one could guess the murderer (or in this case, murderers).

I also felt uneasy about letting the 12 people who just murdered someone (regardless of him being a horrible person) go scott-free. It didn't satisfy the murder mystery detective crime story of solving the case and catching the bad guy in the end. But here, they were all bad guys? Well sort of. I agree Fonch, I despise revenge stories, an eye for an eye, and all that. It will only ever leave suffering for everyone. In this story though they had the added motive of protecting future children from the evils of Cassetti. It's a difficult situation as he was never convicted for his past crime(s), on the other hand, there's no certainty that he'll do it again. It's a significant point on revenge you bring up. The same message is displayed in The Lord of the Rings, that if you use evil means to attain a good end, you in turn become evil yourself (referencing about attempting to use the One Ring to do good).

@LydiaMae I didn't even think of that! What an awkward train ride that would be, and possibly dangerous lol.

Alrighty, everything aside, I still found I enjoyed reading the book. But I have no idea what to rate it.
I'd definitely like to read more Agatha Christie novels, perhaps starting with The Labours of Hercules.

[Fonch]

Kelly Rose wrote: "I feel the same way. I thought the case was really interesting and well developed. There's no way I could ever have guessed that ending. Some clues I missed, like Ratchett not speaking French; othe..."

I must say several things. The first of all the murder is posible we have the case of the murder of Julius Caesar. The problem is that it is really strange. I do not know if you discuss previously in the discussion but the subplot of the kidnap of Daisy Armstrong Agatha Christie inspired in the kdnaping of the Charles Lindbergh`s son. This event conclude with the imposibility of Charles Lindbergh of Racing for the president of United States of America, although i believe that it was the best.
For me it is more interesting in the topic of the revenge as he wrote abou it G.K. Chesterton in the short talesof the incredulity of the Father Brown "The Arrow of Heaven" there are an apparently a serial murder, and when one person avenges of him the people congrats until Father Brown revealed the autenthic identity of the serial murder, then the things changed, but i have the impression that the thing of the consequences of the revenge it is greatly described. A writer that she wrote excellent asbout this topic she was not catholic but i recomend to everybody is Miyuki Miyabe in her novels "Crossfire" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...
and one of my favorite novels "The devil`s whisper" for me Miyuki Miyabe wrote much better detective novels tan Agatha Christie https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8...
I must confess that the ends of these novels are really controversials my friend the Professor Manuel Alfonseca and me were discussing it with passion.
I have the impression that the reader when he has to choose the Agatha Christie`s novels felt influenced by the cinema, the TV, ansd the mass media,. and he did not choose the best Agatha Christie`s novels. Agatha Christie has much better novels. I have the impression Miss Rose that you really enjoyed Reading Labours of Hercules.

[Kelly Rose]

Fonch wrote: "Kelly Rose wrote: "I feel the same way. I thought the case was really interesting and well developed. There's no way I could ever have guessed that ending. Some clues I missed, like Ratchett not sp..."

Wow I hadn't known it was based off a real life kidnapping. That's horrible what happened to Lindbergh's son.
It's funny you mention it, I just watched the Father Brown "The Arrow of Heaven" case a few weeks ago. It does have a good point.
"Crossfire" sounds interesting, it reminds me of superheroes, such as Daredevil or Spider-Man, with newly realized powers taking law and order into their own hands; sometimes not always for the best.
For me that's true, as I had only heard of Agatha Christi through the recent Murder on the Orient Express film. I suppose it receives much attention because of how concise but complicated the case is and how near impossible it is to solve albeit lacking a bit in a good moral message.

[Fonch]

Kelly Rose wrote: "Fonch wrote: "Kelly Rose wrote: "I feel the same way. I thought the case was really interesting and well developed. There's no way I could ever have guessed that ending. Some clues I missed, like R..."

This event avoided to Charles Lindbergh to race in the american election.
I have the impression that G.K. Chesterton in this short tale understood better the revenge that the oher writers.
The superheroes inspired to Miyuki Miyabe to create to Junko Aoki, but although Stephen King inspired her it is a classic detective novel, perhaps the supernatural plot it was the less interesting thing of the novel. But it is interesting to speak about the consequences of the revenge.
I have the impression that it is not the best Agatha Christie`s novel, but has a lot of adaptations and for this reason the people often to read it. But she has much better stories.