Tag: Hints

Daniel Defoe – Robinson Crusoe | Review

Title: Robinson Crusoe

Author: Daniel Defoe

Type: Fiction

Page Count/Review Word Count: 212

Rating: 4/5

 

 

I didn’t have particularly high expectations for this, especially after I read the first chapter or two and decided that I’d rather read it 25 pages at a time before bed instead of as my main book. That’s because the first and last couple of chapters in this weren’t as engaging as the bulk of the novel, and the ending suffered from Stephen King syndrome and just sort of petered out.

But as for the bulk of the novel, the part that was set on the desert island, I thought it was fantastic. I’d also forgotten that Man Friday was a character, and I thought that it was cool that his father popped up as well. In fact, by the end of the novel, the island is more populated than I thought possible, even with all of Defoe’s little hints that Crusoe would need all of the defences he was building.

Of course, it’s a little colonialist and doesn’t have the best attitude towards the savages, but it actually holds up pretty well as a whole when you consider just how old it is. I’d recommend it if you’re into classics.

 

 

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Agatha Christie – Sleeping Murder | Review

Title: Sleeping Murder

Author: Agatha Christie

Type: Fiction

Page Count/Review Word Count: 304

Rating: 3.5*/5

 

Agatha Christie - Sleeping Murder

Agatha Christie – Sleeping Murder

 

I have kind of mixed feelings about this one because while I’m always going to enjoy an Agatha Christie book, I’ve definitely enjoyed some more than others. In this case, it was only a so-so story, although there were some near-supernatural elements that added a nice bit of flavour to the book, at least at the beginning.

Mostly, though, the story follows the story of a woman who’s convinced that she witnessed a murder and who won’t let the sleeping murder lie. Miss Marple is present throughout the book, but in her usual style she sort of manages it an understated way, subtly dropping hints until the case comes to its eventful conclusion. In fact, she constantly advises them to drop the investigation, but when it becomes clear that they’re going to press on with the investigation no matter what, she realises that she might as well stick her nose in.

Honestly, I didn’t like this as much as some of the other Miss Marple books, and I can’t quite put my finger on why. I think it might be my own fault as a reader, in part because I read the whole book in a day or so. I think if I’d spaced it out then it would have worked better, but I still wasn’t disappointed. An okay Agatha Christie book is better than most other authors at their best.

All in all then, I’d still recommend this book if you’re working your way through Christie’s back catalogue like I am, but it’s not worth going out of your way for if you’re new to her work. Either way, when you get to it you’ll still be able to enjoy a decent murder mystery.

 

Agatha Christie

Agatha Christie

 

Click here to buy Sleeping Murder.