love the anime, love the manga. I particularly like how the panels are laid out fairly simply and aren't confusing to follow. I'd been thinking about rlove the anime, love the manga. I particularly like how the panels are laid out fairly simply and aren't confusing to follow. I'd been thinking about rewatching frieren again soon, but I knew I'd still end up sad again at having to wait so long for another season. at least with manga, I get to just gaze at its beauty without having to press pause. I'm impressed with how faithful the anime is. but i like how there's teeny little extra titbits of character reactions here and there, too, such as dialogue in a flashback that it had adapted wordlessly. and somehow, himmel is even more heartbreakingly heart-eyed....more
well, that was delightful. it's refreshing reading young protagonists. it had lots of my favourite fantasy things.well, that was delightful. it's refreshing reading young protagonists. it had lots of my favourite fantasy things....more
Picked a manga I'd never heard of off the library shelf. Concept seems pretty interesting. Pity I accidentally spoiled myself on a later death though.Picked a manga I'd never heard of off the library shelf. Concept seems pretty interesting. Pity I accidentally spoiled myself on a later death though....more
Little bits and pieces stuck in my head. From having read a number of Christie books so far, I'd mentally I think this is my favourite Poirot so far.
Little bits and pieces stuck in my head. From having read a number of Christie books so far, I'd mentally compiled a list of her usual tropes and thought 'huh this one is quite different, maybe that's why it's interesting'. But the question really was how differently the *same* tropes were used. In the end I congratulated myself somewhat that I had had an inkling of a guilty party based not on clues within the novel, but clues in all the other novels - and still ended up dismissing it. Hah!
I don't know why people love Murder on the Orient Express so much when you have this book. This book actually lets you have some fun with the mystery....more
I remembered who it was about 1/4 through, thanks to having seen the TV episode years ago, so I was able to see the clues as they were laid. Miss MarpI remembered who it was about 1/4 through, thanks to having seen the TV episode years ago, so I was able to see the clues as they were laid. Miss Marple books are generally very quick reads....more
If I had a nickel for every time, I'd have two nickels; not a lot but weird for 2/3 of my first 3 Agatha Christie booksIf I had a nickel for every time, I'd have two nickels; not a lot but weird for 2/3 of my first 3 Agatha Christie books...more
**spoiler alert** I suppose I was a bit underwhelmed. I just don't see why this is the BEST novel. It fit together cleverly enough, but I didn't like **spoiler alert** I suppose I was a bit underwhelmed. I just don't see why this is the BEST novel. It fit together cleverly enough, but I didn't like the execution. Is the popularity by virtue of the ridiculousness of the solution? Perhaps, but I don't let things off the hook that easily. A best novel should be *all* about execution.
My biggest problems were: I don't like these kind of 'moral' endings, I don't like the cop-out 'EVERYTHING was a lie' twists that make me feel like I've wasted my time (because even guessing wrong is supposed to be fun), and the structure was rather dry. Nevertheless, I finished it in 2 days, so there was something to it.
Stylistically: I've come to realise that I don't really warm to the abrupt way that Christie tends to end her novels. Aftermath? She doesn't know her. Even another paragraph or two, come on! She sets up the most interesting circumstances and has absolutely no interest in what happens next. Wouldn't the family of this mobster seek revenge? Conveniently not. Agatha Christie is adept at cresting mysteries, not fleshing out characters.
Structurally: interview after interview after interview. There is only one murder, there is no other action, and nothing else ever happens.
Back to the 'moral ending': My biggest issue is that I don't like what it says about Poirot's character; the sudden ending does not show his thoughts. There are two possible explanations: A)Poirot, M. Bouc and Constantine are easily outnumbered by 13 others, and it would be difficult to arrest them. B) Poirot was convinced they'd only do it once because of their morality. But based on his career, this logic is nonsensical.
If it were a question of his being easily outnumbered, Poirot could have been smart enough to lead the passengers to believe he had the wrong solution - where even if further down the line, the proper authorities could not find enough evidence to convict, or a jury or judge would not, he could at least be acknowledged to have done all he could. (But because Agatha Christie loves her abrupt endings, and because of the way this book was laid out, and because trope dictates that we have to have 'the truth is out' confrontations, she would not do this.) Or he could have just gone about it the same way with an extra little bit implying that he's not going to completely let them off, and leaving readers to decide.
But because we're not allowed to know what Poirot really thinks, we're led to believe that it's the moral side that makes him willing to lie.
Basically: When it comes down to it, i don't care how 'justified' the murder was, or even that Poirot morally sided with the murderers (because anyone would), or that I couldn't guess what happened (even though frustrating). It's primarily that now we're expected to believe that as someone so concerned with 'justice', with his experience as a homicide detective, he's going to break the law and let grown ass adults escape the consequences of their own actions if they have a good enough story....more
4.5 For some reason, it's taken me 26 years to read my first Agatha Christie book. The reason I picked it up was because I recognised the wasp symbolis4.5 For some reason, it's taken me 26 years to read my first Agatha Christie book. The reason I picked it up was because I recognised the wasp symbolism from that doctor who episode ...more
**spoiler alert** There's an annoyance that I have with these books, and I realise it's the ongoing pattern of a romantic climax being replaced with m**spoiler alert** There's an annoyance that I have with these books, and I realise it's the ongoing pattern of a romantic climax being replaced with modern uncertain therapy speak like 'if I can' and 'however long it lasts' like you're both not in the middle of a proposal, because I honestly didn't even know it was supposed to be a proposal due to how freaking wishy washy the phrasing was, until she mentioned the 'save the date'. Forget 'I'll love you as long as I can', you can afford to remember that you're in a romance novel, you can love each other FOREVER, DAMMIT!!!!!!!!!!! I didn't mind it in beach read because the context made sense. But in this context, Harriet has now made some big, hard to reverse decisions, has committed herself to who she sees as her husband, and the language still comes off as commitment-phobic.
Not to mention the running trope of, what I can now put it, seems like a gag: the couple is heated up and about to bang and then BAM one of them mentions some form of protection. Emily Henry is incapable of writing a sex scene without first establishing her view on unprotected sex as if we are all 14 year olds discovering how our parts work and can't make the logical conclusion for ourselves.
AND ALL THE WISE CRACKING. Hardly a single interaction in this book goes by WITHOUT SOMEONE TRYING TO BE WITTY. I COULD BARELY TELL THEM ALL APART. it's like reading about an entire cast of ADHD. In fact, I'm not so sure this author DOESNT have adhd, because it reads like crap I say in my head but not aloud because I don't want to seem like I'm trying THAT hard.
One thing I am glad about is that the engaged friends actually got married, because there's nothing I hate more in a wedding story than the wedding not happening.
But, by the way. WE SHOULD HAVE SEEN WYNN AND HARRIET GET MARRIED. it could have gone on another few pages to incorporate it. not just re-engaged, but HUSBAND AND WIFE. WE SHOULD HAVE GOT TO SEE THIS FULFILLMENT. NO MORE WISHY WASHY THERAPY SPEAK CRAP.
All of these factors add up to me just being left a bit cold. I wanted so much for these two.
MODERN NOVELS THAT KEEP SHYING AWAY FROM MARRIAGE.
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