Some bad folks gather on an island. They start dying, one by one, in methods outlined by a nursery rhyme posted in everyone's bedroom. Then you find out whodunnit.
Personal problems: The name of the killer is on the last page in bold. IN BOLD. Don't turn to the last page to check how far along you are, or how many pages you have left. Just guesstimate. Also, my copy was purchased from a used book store and the previous owner wrote the names of Every. Single. Victim. on the nursery rhyme in the beginning, next to their corresponding method of death.
Enterprising stranger? I hate you with much violence and wish you stale cookies and spoiled milk forever and ever, amen.
The Not So Happy: Christie introduces the characters one by one, giving very little backstory. By the time you've met all 10 people, you have no idea who is who and who is a colonel and who is a female and who said what or what the hell is going on. It's very "Sally is a girl with shoes. John is a man with a diabolical past who prefers you not look at him. Laura is an old maid who is scary and knits things, you know, like an old maid. That blond guy is dashing. That other blond guy is not dashing.. etc, etc." Eventually you get the hang of it, but by that point half of them are dead so meh? Who cares.
The Happy: It's so masterfully suspenseful that I ended up balled up on the end of the couch, and at the last page I finally relaxed so fast I scared my cat. Also? Every mystery with more than five people in it since this one are based on it. I've heard Clue is also based on this book, and who doesn't love that movie? NO ONE.
To summarize: confusing cast of characters, stupid used book copies, masterwork of a genre, don't look at the last page, VERY VERY SCARY, Tim Curry.
Four stars out of your mom
BONUS: Funniest scenes from Clue
I have put a hold on this, obviously. However. SERIOUSLY, mash-up of hilarious Clue clips? Were you out DRINKING during the bit of the one alternate ending where Peacock did it and WHazzisnuts is all, We're like the Mounties. We always get our man, and then Mustard is like, Peacock was a MAN!?!
ReplyDeleteLOVE. Love the book. Love the movie.
ReplyDeleteThis is actually one of the books I mentioned for BBAW. It's probably the "turning point" book in my reading-is-life-lifestyle. We were assigned it in 7th grade and, at the time, I was like "uh reading is lame." Fortunately, we were also assigned The Giver and The Murders in the Rue Morgue in that same class. Best teacher ever.
It was so hard for me to not keep picturing Clue when I listened to this book!
ReplyDeleteFlames... on the sides of my face...
ReplyDeleteBest clue ending. EVER: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92IkddsjtAA
Also, I've never read this except for a bit that I was forced to read out loud to a fully literate twelve-year old. I also saw the play and even with actual faces, found the character development confusing at best. Though I may be confusing this with something else I saw at that playhouse with the same cast, because I'm imagining a home for the mentally ill, whereas I'm pretty sure that this was set in an island beach house. I'm not sure what the purpose of this comment is, but go watch the video. Seriously.
I love this book. I love this movie. I actually just read this a couple months ago. I listened to it, and it was fabulous. I think the audio enhanced it.
ReplyDeleteI love this book and I love the way that you described it. I was laughing most of the time.
ReplyDeleteAnd what the hell used bookstore?! That was pretty shitty.
But anyway, this is one of my favorite Christie and I read it again recently and it made me appreciate her all over again. :]
Raych- Jager, obvs. Makes people (and inanimate video clips) do stupid things.
ReplyDeleteAdam- I ALSO had a kick-ass 7th grade teacher. She made us read A TALE OF TWO CITIES and I was all "really? 'cuz I read The Babysitter's Club and this looks le long" and she was all "don't be chickenshit" (no, seriously, she was) and afterwards I was all "YOU ARE A LITERARY GOD FOR THIS IS THE BESTEST EVER!" and she was all "Damn skippy."
Shelley- Oh. That would be difficult. They should get the Clue cast to make an audio. Except some of them are dead, so maybe no.
Jennifer- That is also my favorite part. "Heav...heaving breaths..."
Picky- I've decided that audio is the solution to all books Difficult For Stylistic Reasons (dialect, too many characters, etc)
S. Leighanne- RIGHT?! Obviously no one looked through the book before putting it out for sale. Dammit.
I'm a fan of used books and like to donate books I've read to secondhand stores and such...but if this is something you're going to do with your books don't do things like name the crime victims in the front of the book - that's just cruel and wrong! It's the author's right to name the killer in bold on the last page...not my favorite practice either but hey, it's the author's right!
ReplyDeleteWhat a rough reading experience for you! And scary! I read 'And Then There Were None' years ago and still think SCARY (in caps!)when I think of this book!
I've never watched "Clue"! I hope Netflix has it. Tim Curry is generally terrific!
Oh, we are SO from different generations. To me, CLUE is a board game that I played at my grandmother's house. (Movie? WTH is she talking about? And now I have to watch it!)
ReplyDeleteThe movie I know based on this was Then There Were None (1945) starring Barry Fitzgerald & Walter Huston.
Too bad that the bad used copy spoiled this for you. It really IS a masterpiece as you acknowledged. Thanks for another great review.
I'm glad I'm not the only one who struggled with keeping the characters straight. I thought maybe it was just my wee brain.
ReplyDeleteThat really sucks that they wrote out the names of who died.
I actually have never seen the Clue movie. For shame! It sounds like I need to rectify that.
Do you remember how we used to mimic the first scene in this series of clips? "Flames! Flames on the side of my face!"
ReplyDeleteHaha! Good times. We should really bring this back.
Also, I'm glad you included that part about the last page. It ruined the book for me. Let's hope we can avoid the same struggle for future readers.
ReplyDeletePssst... I did not like A Tale of Two Cities. Least favorite Dickens read ever. Why are we so hilariously, unfailingly polar?
ReplyDeleteI love, love, love this one and I'm glad you did too. I absolutely can't belive someone wrote the names of who died next to the poem. I seriously want to punch that person in the face. Who does that and then sells the book to a resale shop?
ReplyDelete